FAQ: Refusals and "Could Not Be Evaluated"

Why did my file come out as "Could not be evaluated"?

This result does not mean "there is a problem in the file"; it means the check could not be completed for this file. It is neither counted as a pass nor as a block. Common reasons:

• The file could not be checked at all. The file could not be opened, is damaged, is encrypted or exceeded the check limit. Reduce its size or complexity, or tell your print shop.
• The check finished but no readable report came out. Upload the file again and retry.
• Not enough evidence was gathered for any rule. The file gave the tool nothing to measure (for example it is completely empty).
• The analysis did not complete or the file's structure could not be trusted. A file with a damaged structure is only read in a repaired form for review and is never Ready. Export the file again from the program it was made in.
• Other rules could not be decided. The measurement could not be made on this file; the report says how many rules could not be evaluated. Do not read this as a complete result.
• The file exceeded the browser's memory limit. Try the desktop app, or a file split into smaller parts.

What does "No issues found in the pre-check" mean? Is it Ready?

No. It says the tool found no errors or warnings, but that some checks could not be confirmed on this file. Ready needs the check to be clean and complete.

Is "Ready (checked in the browser)" the same as "Ready"?

No. The first says the check in the browser was clean and complete; it is not a production or server approval. Ready is given with a desktop or server analysis.

Why was the PDF I gave to a workflow refused?

The file is checked before the run starts. Common reasons:

• The file is too small, empty or unreadable, or it is not a real PDF (the header is missing).
• The extension is not .pdf or the type does not match.
• The file exceeds the allowed size or complexity.
• The PDF is encrypted. Encrypted PDFs cannot be run.
• The PDF looks damaged.
• The PDF contains embedded JavaScript; print workflows do not allow that.

When a file is refused, the run does not start and the file is not changed.

Why did my workflow go to a person because of ink?

Some ready-made workflows have a total ink limit by paper. If the file cannot be shown to be within the limit, the job stops there and a person has to look. The reason reads: "Total ink could not be shown to be within the limit: it was not measured, or it may exceed the limit. A person needs to review the file." Common causes:

• The ink could not be measured. RGB, spot colour, transparency and overprint cannot be measured.
• The file may exceed the limit. There is no separate warning for exceeding; this one message covers both cases.
• The file has more than 100 pages. The browser measures total ink only for files of up to 100 pages; a longer file is not measured at all.
• The measurement is an upper bound, so a file whose real ink is under the limit can still go to a person.

Look at the file yourself or ask your print shop. Details: the "Total ink limit by paper" section of the workflows page.

Why did "Split front and back" ask for exactly 2 pages, or refuse my file?

The workflow cuts a file of exactly 2 pages into two files: page 1 (front) and page 2 (back). With any other page count the split cannot be planned ("The split could not be planned (the page count or the ranges do not fit)."), the file is not changed and the job goes to a person. The business card version then lays each side out 21-up on SRA3, so you get two sheets. The two-sided workflows, which put front and back on one plate, also need a 2-page file of the size the template expects; a 1-page file or a page of another size is refused. Details: the workflows page.

Why did Studio not open my file?

Studio checks the file before processing it: it must not be empty, must not exceed 200 MB, its extension must be exactly .pdf and it must really start with a PDF header. A refused file does not delete the document you already have open.

Why did the server run not happen?

• Free account or not signed in. Server jobs are open to paid plans; you can do the same job in the browser for free.
• Your account status could not be confirmed. The file was not processed on the server; try again a little later.
• Your organisation already has 3 active runs. The limit is per organisation, not per person. Finish or cancel one and start again. A run that has not been updated for 7 days stops counting.
• The step does not run on the server yet. Preflight, Split, Review and Route run on the server; Edit pages, Imposition, Distribute and Deliver do not run yet. For these you see "This step does not run on the server yet; it runs in the browser or in the desktop app for now." Your original PDF is unchanged. Details: running on the server.
• The file is signed, encrypted or damaged. The message says which one it is. An encrypted file is not processed; save it without the password and send it again. For a signed file, the step that changes the file (for example Split) does not run, so that the signature is not broken.
• The file or page count is over the limit. Today the server takes files of at most 200 MB for everyone; confirm the current value of the page limit with support. If Split would produce too many parts, split into fewer parts.
• The page count of the file could not be measured. Split does not run and the page count is not guessed; your original PDF is unchanged.
• The split range does not match the file. The ranges must cover every page of the file exactly once.

The result file from the server does not download. What do I do?

Only the member who started the run can download the result file, and only in their own organisation; even an organisation admin cannot download someone else's result. If the download fails, the page tells you the reason (the server may not have been able to read the file, or too many downloads may be running at the same time) or the download was left incomplete. Wait a little and try again. Each part that comes out is a separate PDF; there is no zip that downloads them all at once.

Why does the share link not open?

• Only signed-in members of the same organisation can open a report.
• It may have expired ("This shared report has expired").
• The owner or the organisation's admin may have revoked the link.
• You must copy the whole link, including everything after the # sign; the access key is there.
• Your membership setup may not be finished.

Details: shareable report.

Is the organisation library link the same as a report link?

No. A report link opens one preflight result. Copy link on a record in the organisation library highlights that template or workflow on the workflow page and shows its versions. It carries no key and gives access to nobody else: it works only for a signed-in member of the organisation on a paid plan. If you then press Add to local and the record is already in your local library, the page says so; to get the new version, delete the local copy and add it again. If the record was removed or belongs to another organisation, the page says "The record in this link was not found in the organisation library. It may belong to another organisation or may have been removed."

Why does the customer approval link not work?

• The key is missing: the whole link must be opened, including everything after the # sign.
• The file upload did not finish: the link works once the sender has finished the upload.
• The time has run out: the PDF is no longer shown to the customer. For a request that is still waiting for a decision, the sender can press Create a new link; the old link closes at once.
• The sender cancelled the link.
• A decision has already been made: the request no longer waits for a decision. If the customer pressed Ask for changes, the corrected file is sent as a new version (Continues an earlier version).

Details: customer approval link.

The page says "The report could not be loaded" or "Too many attempts". What do I do?

Wait a moment and try again. A shared report that is opened very often in a short time can show "The report could not be loaded."; press Try again. In Manage this link the message is "Too many requests. Wait a moment and try again." On the customer approval page the message is "Too many attempts. Wait a moment and try again." and there is a Try again button. If it keeps happening, check that you copied the whole link and, for a report, that you are signed in and in the same organisation.

Why did the tool not fix the problem it found?

We do not touch the inside of your file silently. The tools report findings such as a hairline or small black text, but they do not change them on their own; fix them in the program the file was made in. The original file is always kept. Colour conversion, flattening transparency, embedding fonts and trapping are the RIP's job.