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Every callas product, and when to use it
callas software makes PDF technology for print production, archiving and accessibility. Here is each product in plain English: what it does, the versions it comes in and the kind of business it suits. If you are not sure which you need, ask the callas Solution Finder and it will point you in the right direction.
// the range at a glance
Six products, three jobs
pdfToolbox
Checks, fixes and prepares PDF files for print. The one most print businesses need.
CALLAS_02pdfaPilot
Turns documents, PDFs and emails into PDF/A for long term archiving, and checks accessibility.
CALLAS_03pdfChip
Creates print quality PDF from HTML templates and data. Built for variable data.
CALLAS_04License Server
Licenses callas products centrally instead of activating each machine. Cloud or on premise.
CALLAS_05pdfGoHTML
A free Acrobat plug in for checking whether accessibility tagging actually makes sense.
CALLAS_06pdfDPartner
A free Acrobat plug in for viewing and editing DPart page level metadata.
// callas pdfToolbox
pdfToolbox: quality control for print PDF
pdfToolbox is built for the PDF files that cause trouble in production. It finds problems before they cost money and fixes many of them automatically, so operators only spend time on the jobs that really need them.
- 01Preflight profiles based on PDF/X, PDF/A, PDF/UA and Ghent Workgroup specifications, with variables so one profile can adapt to different jobs and customers
- 02Automatic fixes and production additions: bleed, cut contours, white space, undercolour white or varnish separations, marks and barcodes
- 03Colour management using ICC and DeviceLink profiles, plus spot colour renaming, merging and conversion
- 04Conversions to and from PDF, including images and many Office formats, and separate cut files (CF2, DXF, SVG or PDF) for print and cut work
- 05Reports as PDF, XML or JSON, and process plans that link checks, fixes, JavaScript and exports with conditional logic
Which version of pdfToolbox?
| Version | How it works | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|
| pdfToolbox Desktop | Standalone application or Adobe Acrobat Pro plug in, with accurate print previews, ink and separation views and the Switchboard for common actions in a few clicks | An operator checks and fixes files by hand, or you want to build and test profiles and process plans |
| pdfToolbox Server | Hot folders with good and bad output folders, optional manual checkpoints, configured from pdfToolbox Desktop | You want automated checking without building a wider workflow or writing code |
| pdfToolbox CLI | Command line tool for macOS, Windows and Linux, up to eight parallel processes, suits virtual and auto scaling setups | pdfToolbox is driven by another system, such as Enfocus Switch, a web to print site or your own scripts |
| pdfToolbox SDK | C and C++ libraries with .NET and Java wrappers, plus sample code | You are a developer building PDF checking into your own software |
// callas pdfaPilot
pdfaPilot: archiving and accessibility
pdfaPilot is for organisations whose PDF files must stay usable and compliant for many years. It finds files that do not meet archival or accessibility standards and corrects many common problems automatically.
- 01Checks and converts to every version of PDF/A, with fallbacks to get as many files as possible compliant
- 02Checks the machine verifiable parts of PDF/UA accessibility, and turns tagged PDF into HTML views so a person can check the rest
- 03Converts Office documents and emails, with their attachments, into PDF/A
- 04Creates, checks and extracts ZUGFeRD electronic invoices
- 05Comes in the same four versions as pdfToolbox: Desktop, Server, CLI and SDK
Print businesses rarely need pdfaPilot for production. It suits publishers, in plant print rooms and organisations handling records, archives or accessibility rules. pdfToolbox can also check PDF/A and PDF/UA, so if checking is all you need, you may not need both.
// callas pdfChip
pdfChip: print PDF from HTML and data
pdfChip builds PDF files automatically from HTML, CSS and JavaScript templates and incoming data. Unlike ordinary HTML to PDF tools, the output is ready for professional print.
- 01Supports print features that HTML normally cannot: CMYK, Lab and spot colours, overprint and page boxes, and can create PDF/X files directly
- 02Variable data from one page to many thousands, with performance close to linear as volumes grow
- 03Can output fully imposed sheets, so a separate imposition step can be skipped
- 04Uses PDF files as images for sharp logos, and has a built in library of more than 100 barcode types
- 05Multi pass processing for jobs where page counts are only known after the first pass
pdfChip suits personalised print, labels, tickets, certificates, transactional documents and web to print products built from templates. It needs someone comfortable with HTML and CSS to build the templates.
// callas License Server
License Server: licensing that moves with you
License Server separates where callas software runs from where it is licensed. Products ask License Server for permission instead of being activated on one machine, which suits Docker, cloud and auto scaling setups and removes a single point of failure.
| Option | What it means |
|---|---|
| License Server SaaS | Hosted by callas on AWS. Nothing to install: you get a wallet ID that holds your licences and enter it in the product. Needs internet access from your processing machines. |
| License Server on premise | Runs inside your own network, alone or as a cluster of three. You look after maintenance and upgrades, and it cannot run inside Docker containers. |
| Process cartridges | A set number of jobs that can run at the same time. Best value when your workload is steady. |
| Credit cartridges | An amount of processing time used up as jobs run, with no limit on parallel jobs. Suits unpredictable peaks. Both types can be combined. |
| Floating desktop licences | pdfToolbox Desktop and pdfaPilot Desktop can take a licence from License Server when they start, so a team can share fewer licences. |
Running License Server? Our own License Server Monitor shows what is in use and warns you before you run out.
// free tools
pdfGoHTML and pdfDPartner: free Acrobat plug ins
pdfGoHTML
Converts a tagged PDF into HTML in one click, with views for structure tags, easy reading, low vision and dyslexia. It shows whether tagging, language and reading order make sense to a person, not just whether a file passes a check.
pdfDPartner
Shows the DPart metadata in a PDF inside Acrobat, highlights the pages each entry belongs to, and exports or imports the structure as JSON. Useful when one PDF holds many logical parts, such as print batches or transactional documents.
// quick guide
If you need to, start here
| You need to | Start with |
|---|---|
| Check and fix customer artwork by hand | pdfToolbox Desktop |
| Check files automatically as they arrive in a folder | pdfToolbox Server |
| Add preflight to Enfocus Switch, web to print or your own scripts | pdfToolbox CLI |
| Build PDF checking into software you sell or run | pdfToolbox SDK |
| Archive documents and emails as PDF/A | pdfaPilot |
| Create personalised or templated print PDF from data | pdfChip |
| Run callas software in containers, the cloud or across a team | License Server |
| Check whether accessibility tagging really works | pdfGoHTML (free) |
Still unsure? Open the callas Solution Finder chat on this page, describe what you are trying to do and it will suggest where to start.
// an honest view
When callas is, and is not, the answer
- 01autoM8.print is a callas software channel partner. We say so upfront, and we will tell you if something else fits better
- 02If operators mainly edit individual objects in Acrobat, a hands on editing tool such as Enfocus PitStop Pro may suit them better than pdfToolbox Desktop
- 03pdfToolbox checks and fixes files, but it does not run your whole workflow. Routing, approvals and MIS links usually sit in a tool such as Enfocus Switch, with pdfToolbox doing the PDF work
- 04Your RIP or prepress system may already include preflight. It is worth checking what you have before buying more
- 05pdfToolbox, pdfaPilot and pdfChip all have free trials, so you can test with your own files first
// questions
Straight answers
Which callas product do most print businesses need?
pdfToolbox. Most start with Desktop for operators, then add Server or CLI when they want files checked automatically.
What is the difference between pdfToolbox Server and CLI?
Server works through hot folders and needs no programming. CLI is called by another system, such as Enfocus Switch or your own scripts, and suits larger or more integrated workflows.
Do I need License Server?
You need it if you want to run callas software in containers or the cloud, share desktop licences across a team, or use processing time based licensing. Ask us and we will check what suits your setup.
Can I try callas software before buying?
Yes. callas offers free trials, and we can arrange a trial licence and help you test with your own files.
How much do callas products cost?
It depends on the product, version and licensing model. Make a licence enquiry and we will come back with the right option and a quote.
Know what you need, or want a second opinion?
Make a licence enquiry, or book a free discovery call and talk it through with the team.