PDF export
Scribe offers four PDF color modes:
| Color mode | Plan | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Grayscale (recommended) | Plus | Monochrome proofs and print workflows. |
| RGB (screen / home print) | Plus | Screen reading and home or office printing. |
| CMYK (commercial print) | Pro | Print workflows that require CMYK without an embedded ICC profile. |
| CMYK + ICC Profile | Pro | Print workflows that use one of Scribe's built-in PDF/X color presets. |
Always choose settings from the target service's current specification.
Desktop grayscale and CMYK export require Ghostscript. RGB export does not. If Ghostscript is unavailable, Scribe disables the affected color modes.
Install Ghostscript
Use a recent Ghostscript release:
- Windows: download the current 64-bit installer from the Ghostscript release page, enable Add Ghostscript to PATH, and restart Scribe.
- macOS: install with Homebrew using brew install ghostscript, then restart Scribe.
- Linux: install through the distribution package manager, then restart Scribe.
You can confirm the installation with gs --version, or gswin64c --version on Windows. See Install Scribe for more detail.
Export
- Select Print at the top of the preview pane.
- Choose PDF (Print) in the export-format control.
- Choose a Color Mode.
- For a CMYK mode, open the PDF/X preset menu. Leave PDF/X off for a standard color export, or choose a built-in preset only when it matches the receiving service's requirements. Scribe does not provide an arbitrary ICC file picker in this toolbar.
- Apply the appropriate built-in or custom Master Page to the document and check Print preview.
- Choose the export range, such as the current document, selected files, or All Compilable.
- Choose PDF (Print), select a destination in the system dialog, and save.
A custom master page requires Pro. Built-in master pages can be applied on every plan.
What to check
Output size and layout depend on the master page and settings applied to each document. After export, inspect the PDF rather than assuming a preset or viewer will produce identical results.
Before delivering a print PDF, check:
- page size, margins, binding direction, bleed, and crop marks;
- first and last pages, chapter starts, and total page count;
- image resolution at the intended print size;
- font embedding and font licences;
- the selected color space and, when used, the output intent or ICC profile;
- all current requirements from the target print service.
Use Right binding (CJK vertical) only when it matches the intended edition. Bleed and crop-mark requirements vary by service.
If a check fails, correct the source or settings, export again, and inspect the new file before upload.