Technology Services for the Publishing Industry
PDF Comparator
The rapid, widespread, and essentially complete adoption of PDF-based workflows over the last couple of decades has eliminated many of the issues that came with previous approaches. Delivering PDF files gives content creators a lot more control over their work than they ever had before.
This increased control can have disadvantages as well as advantages. Along with the control comes a much higher level of responsibility. If the content of a PDF file you deliver contains an error, it may be your responsibility!
Each time you generate a new PDF file, it’s critical to know that all desired changes have been made, and, just as importantly, that no unwanted changes have crept in; PDF Comparator makes quick work of both!
Unlike many other tools, that compare two PDF files’ text or image content, PDF Comparator renders each page to a raster image. It then compares those images on a pixel-by-pixel basis, ensuring that the comparison represents how the pages will actually print.
PDF Comparator’s pixel-by-pixel comparison ensures that you will see differences between how the two PDF pages actually render.
PDF Comparator for macOS is now built as a Universal Binary.
It runs natively (and faster) on Apple Silicon M1 Macs
Features
FINE-GRAIN CONTROL
Set rasterization resolution and detection sensitivity in fine increments.
PRODUCTIVITY
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Auto-compare all pages with the push of a button. Then, you can closely examine only dissimilar pages.
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Save settings for later use.
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“Package” complete jobs for later reference.
MULTI-PLATFORM
PDF Comparator 4 is available in both macOS (64-bit) and Microsoft Windows (32- and 64-bit) versions.
PAGE ORGANIZATION/LAYOUT
Do you need to compare PDF files with extra/missing pages, or with pages in a different order? Need to compare a single page PDF with one in readers’ spreads? No problem; PDF Comparator allows you to horizontally split, re-order, and/or ignore any PDF page(s).
ROTATION AND SCALING
Do you need to compare PDFs at different rotations? At different scale factors? PDF Comparator allows each PDF to be rotated and/or scaled independently of the other.
ALIGNMENT AND AREA TO COMPARE
Align to page trim or bleed, by selecting a common rectangle on each of the two pages, or by clicking on two points, on in each PDF.
Restrict the comparison to one of the standard PDF “boxes” or to an arbitrary rectangle you specify.
COMMENTS AND TEXT COMPARISON
Do you use PDF comments to track requested changes? PDF Comparator can display those annotations, and allow you to zoom into their locations on the page.
LAYER SUPPORT
Set PDF layers to be viewed and considered or, hidden and ignored during the comparison process.
System Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.7 or newer
4 GB RAM or more recommended
The macOS version of PDF Comparator 4 is only available as a Universal Binary 64-bit application.
Windows: Windows 7 or newer
2 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB or more recommended
If you are running a 64-bit Windows operating system, we highly recommend that you install the 64-bit version.
Command Line Version
BETA TESTING
We are currently in the beta testing phase of a command line version of PDF Comparator. We have 64-bit versions available for both macOS and Windows.
If you are interested in participating in beta testing the command line version, please send us a request using the button below. Note that it is advisable to have a licensed copy of PDF Comparator 4 in order to create settings files for use with the command line version. (If you need a 32-bit Windows version, please let us know in your request…)