Files formatted in Portable Document Format (PDF) have became a global standard for digital documents. It has even had its standards cataloged by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which has developed over 18,000 International Standards on a variety of subjects. PDF has been identified as a Graphic Technology for the exchange or identification of all elements necessary to render a variable data imaging job as intended by the sender.
Last month's issue explored the history of PDF files. In this article, we are going look briefly at a number of special types of PDFs designed to meet specific uses and industry standards. These variations have become known within document management circles as 'subsets'. Those actively involved in this undertaking are seeking to evolve PDF in ways to improve upon its current capabilities and better meet the diversified needs of the expanding information management industry.
A recent Infonomics magazine article detailed 4 primary PDF subsets. It was written by Pam Doyle, Director of Education for the Imaging Products Group of Fujitsu Computer Products of America and is the Chair of the TWAIN Working Group. In it she explained how the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) was addressing their role in the stewardship of PDF standards to accommodate future needs and technologies.
The PDF subsets described include:
PDF/Archive, or PDF/A - the electronic document file format for long-term preservation.
PDF/Engineering, or PDF/E - the standard file format for the exchange of engineering documents.
PDF/Universal Access, PDF/UA - currently being developed to enable individuals with disabilities to be able to render PDF documents.
PDF Healthcare - a unique project in that it is not initially a file format standard but rather a best-practices guide that will describe the attributes of the Portable Document Format (PDF) that facilitate the capture, exchange, preservation and protection of healthcare information.
Understanding what organizations, such as AIIM, are doing to create and maintain these PDF subsets offers confidence in the usefulness and portability of electronic documents for the future. For more information visit their website at http://www.aiim.org/ or go directly to their standards page.
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