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ISO 16613

Using PDF/X for variable content replacement (PDF/VCR-1)

ISO 16613-1 enables variable data printing applications using PDF template-based variable content substitution where:

  • a PDF template file containing pages with variable content substitution fields (placeholders) is delivered ahead of a print production run and may be reused across multiple print production runs, and
  • PDF-based variable data substitution content is provided during print production and merged with the PDF template to produce final form variable content page output.

ISO 16613-1:2017 defines PDF/VCR (PDF for variable content replacement), a set of base technical requirements for a PDF template file format, a PDF-based variable data substitution content format and a framework for in-RIP variable content merging. The PDF/VCR base technical requirements do not include writer and processor conformance, however ISO 16613-1:2017 also defines the PDF/VCR-1 conformance level which is based on the PDF/VCR base technical requirements and defines requirements for:

  • the PDF/VCR-1 template file format;
  • the PDF/VCR-1 data sequence format, a variable data substitution content format;
  • a PDF/VCR-1 writer, a software application which can generate PDF/VCR-1 template files;
  • a PDF/VCR-1 data provider, a software application which can generate PDF/VCR-1 data sequences;
  • a PDF/VCR-1 processor, a software application which can perform substitution (replacement) of PDF/VCR-1 template placeholder objects with substitution content provided within a PDF/VCR-1 data sequence.

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Technical questions about ISO 16613-1 are most effectively addressed in the PDF Association’s official pdf-issues GitHub repo.

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Buy PDF/VCR from ISO

PDF/VCR enables variable data printing applications using PDF template-based variable content substitution and a framework for in-RIP variable content merging.

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ISO Group Responsible: ISO TC130 WG2

ISO Status: status of all PDF-related ISO work


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