If you have noticed that slipsheets are not being generated for natively produced files when using the PDF + Load File production format in GoldFynch, you are not alone. This article explains the underlying reason for this behavior and what to expect going forward.


How GoldFynch Handles Slipsheets: The General Rule


In most GoldFynch production formats, slipsheets are automatically generated for files that must be produced as native files (i.e., files that cannot be imaged into a standard TIFF or JPEG representation). These slipsheets act as placeholder images within the IMAGES folder, indicating that a native file exists in its place.


The one exception to this rule is native-only production formats, formats where no image representations are generated at all. In those cases, there is no IMAGES folder or image load file (.opt) to place slipsheets into, so none are produced.


Why the PDF + Load File Format Is a Special Case

The PDF + Load File production format is a special case because it is generated in a Relativity-compatibility mode. Understanding how Relativity handles PDFs is key to understanding this behavior.

Relativity does not support loading PDF files as the "image" format in the traditional sense. Instead, Relativity recommends that PDF renderings be treated as if they were the native file. As a result, GoldFynch structures this production format similarly to a native-only load file production:

  • There is no IMAGES folder.
  • There is no image load file (.opt).
  • Every document has a single "native" file entry. This is either the actual native file or a generated PDF rendering of the document.


The distinction between an actual native file and a PDF rendering is indicated by the TRUE_NATIVE column in the load file. When TRUE_NATIVE is set to true, the file in the NATIVES folder is the original, unaltered native file. When it is false, the file is a PDF rendering produced by GoldFynch.


Because this format is structured like a native-only production, with all files going into the NATIVES directory rather than an IMAGES directory, there is simply no IMAGES folder or .opt load file in which to place slipsheets. This is why slipsheets are not generated for natively produced files in this format.


In summary: The PDF + Load File format does not produce slipsheets because it mirrors the structure of a native-only production for Relativity compatibility. Without an IMAGES folder or .opt file, there is no place for slipsheets to reside.


Coming Soon: New Production Formats with Slipsheet Support


We understand that some workflows require slipsheets for all natively produced files, even when using a PDF-based production format. To address this need, GoldFynch will soon be introducing two additional production formats that will provide slipsheet support for native files produced alongside PDF renderings.


These new formats are designed for users who require a traditional IMAGES folder and image load file structure, with slipsheets automatically generated wherever native files are present. Stay tuned to the GoldFynch release notes for announcements on when these formats will be available.


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