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PDF publication specifications

Please note the following guidelines and information regarding the document to ensure successful publication on TUprints.

Responsibility for content and legal aspects lies with the authors. The authors provide an Acrobat PDF file that is ready for publication.

Generally

Layout and templates

There are no guidelines regarding design or layout for publication (except for guidelines regarding the title page for dissertations).

TU Darmstadt offers format templates for qualification documents. Further information can be found under the following links:

Content copyable & searchable

The text-based content is machine-readable, it is searchable and it can be marked up and copied

  • Textual content must not be embedded as an image. Embed contributions for article-based (“cumulative”) dissertations as text or embed the corresponding files.

No password protection

The file is not protected with a password or Digital Rights Management (DRM) functions.

Embedded fonts

The fonts used in the file are embedded. In Acrobat Reader this can be checked in the document properties (open with Ctrl+D or File → Properties) in the Fonts tab.

  • All listed fonts are labelled embedded or embedded subgroup.

Take note of Type 3

Documents that use Type 3 fonts will not be accepted for publication on TUprints, as these low-quality fonts can lead to display problems and error messages in the PDF.

Document properties (PDF-Metadata)

Information on title, keyword and author is correct.

File name

The file name does not contain umlauts, spaces or special characters.

Personal data

Please handle personal data with care and check which details are necessary.

  • It is not necessary to publish a curriculum vitae, affidavit or similar for thesis papers.
  • The publication of a scan of your signature is not recommended.

Embed usage licence

Please embed your chosen licence (typically on the first or second page), so that third parties can understand how your document may be reused.
Example:

  • The publication is available under the following Creative Commons licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
    Attribution - Non-commercial - ShareAlike 4.0 International
    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
  • You can find further information on author's rights or Creative Commons (CC) licences ➔ on our website.

Dissertations

Title page

Title page and second page contain mandatory information. The requirements for the title page can be found ➔ here (TU Darmstadt, Department II - University Law).

Best Practices

Use stable and precise citation links (e.g. DOI links) that lead to the landing page of the publication. This allows users not only to download the document, but also to view further information such as metadata, versions or additional material.

  • For example: https://doi.org/10.26083/tuprints-00012346

PDF-Properties

In most word processing programmes, the most important metadata can be stored directly and further settings can be made. This can improve findability on the Internet by search engines and readability for third parties.

Metadata in PDF

  • Please ensure that information on the title, author and keywords is included wherever possible. It is recommended that you specify the main language of your document to ensure accessibility.

Abstract

File tab → Properties → Entries for Title, Tags (corresponds to keywords) and Author

File tab → Properties → Description → Entries for Title and Keywords (Author not available)

For example, use the hyperref package: create (at least) entries for pdfauthor, pdftitle and pdfkeywords in "hypersetup"
Recommendation: additional entry pdflang

Add/correct information: File tab → Properties → Description tab
Recommendation: also specify the language in the File tab → Advanced → Select the Language at the bottom under Reading options.

Licence

Specifying the licence in the metadata ensures that permitted uses can be traced automatically, e.g. for text and data mining.

Abstract

For example, use the hyperxmp + hyperref packages: create entries for pdfcopyright and pdflicenseurl in hypersetup. Example for naming the CC BY 4.0 International licence:

  • pdfcopyright={CC BY 4.0}, pdflicenseurl={https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/}

The following information should be available under File → Properties → Description tab → Additional metadata:

  • Copyright status (always, i.e. also for Creative Commons licences: Protected by copyright)
  • Copyright information (e.g. CC BY 4.0)
  • URL (e.g. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)

PDF/A compatibility

To ensure better long-term archiving, your document should be saved in PDF/A format.

  • Recommended versions: 2a, 2b, 2u or 1b, 1a

Document navigation with bookmarks

For easy navigation in the document, at least the headings on the first level should be referenced as bookmarks. This can be omitted for small documents (less than 30 pages).

Abstract

Use style sheets for headings in your word processing programme to generate the bookmark bar automatically.

Work with style sheet for headings, select the option "Create bookmarks" when creating PDFs.

  • "Create Adobe PDF": PDF-Optionen → Lesezeichen erstellen → Word-Überschriften in Lesezeichen konvertieren
  • "PDF/XPS-Dokument erstellen": Nicht druckbare Informationen einschließen → Textmarken erstellen mithilfe von → Überschriften

Using the hyperref package
\usepackage[bookmarks=true,bookmarksopenlevel=0]{hyperref}

Set bookmarks manually afterwards:

  1. Open the bookmark bar (bookmark icon in the left-hand menu)
  2. Mark the desired bullet point in the text
  3. Right Button → Add bookmark (or Ctrl+B)

View when opening

Settings can be made for the view when opening. Make sure that the navigation or bookmark window opens and that the first page of the document is opened.

Abstract

  • In the document properties (open with Ctrl+D or File → Properties) in the View when opening tab →
    • Navigation tab: "Bookmark window and page"
    • Open at page: e.g. 1 or i, depending on your setting for the front page