PPML and drop shadows

Anyone with experience using PPML and the drop shadow feature. We are new to PPML, but it's lightning quick compared to PDFs. However, when we process, the drop shadow behind variable text looks horrible, using any of the three possible drop shadow processing options in Fusion Pro. It can't be flattened because it's a variable text block, but trying to process this with conventional PDF workflow, or even with Fiery FreeForm just chokes our system. Any workarounds? The drop shadow really adds dimension to the piece and we'd like to keep it if at all possible. Thanks!

I would just make another text box(same variables), offset it(x and y cords) and use that as my drop shadow.

 

Let me know if that works or not really what you wanted to do?

Thank you for the reponse. But that would create a hard-edged reproduction of the text underneath, which wouldn't have the same soft fade-out effect of a true drop shadow. I've tried all the formats I can use (VIPP, VPS, PPML, etc.) and none reproduce the drop shadow.

I would wait for another answer but do you have something that is comparable to Direct Smile or XMpie's U-image? If no one else has anything else, I would then look into making .jpgs for the variable.

 

Good question.

That might be a thought. We don't have either product but have webinar'd DirectSmile and are interested. But even going that route, the variable graphic would then have to be flattened prior to printing. That's at least where the issue is occuring with PDFs. I'm wondering if PPML just doesn't support drop shadows? Anyone?

But even going that route, the variable graphic would then have to be flattened prior to printing. Anyone?

 

The placed graphic would be a flattened .jpeg, no transparencies at all.

 

I wonder if there is a way to output to a .pdf, then "optimize" that .pdf so that the drop shadow is optimized somehow or cached once? Then send the "optimized" .pdf to the RIP. I'm reaching here but ya never know.

 

Is it taking a long time to produce the files or just ripping at the press?

 

How big are your batches that you are producing(records and mb size)?

Hello,

 

For starters, please ensure you are using the preferred drop-shadow type - selectable in the Graphics tab of the composition dialog. That would be:

 

- Standard. This is a rasterized drop-shadow of a specific resolution (specified in the Drop Shadow Resolution box in this dialog). This is the format recommended if you are NOT composing PDF and the background that your drop-shadow will appear over is NOT white. This format allows for a semi-transparent effect by placing completely opaque bits next to completely transparent bits. From reading distance, it should appear to be semi-transparent but from up close you can see 100% opaque bits next to 100% transparent bits.

 

- Use soft mask effect (PDF Only) - This is a vector drop-shadow that varies in transparency across the effect. Note that this type of drop-shadow uses a specific PDF element setting for semi-transparency that does not exist in PS-based print-streams (all of our other output formats except VDX). This setting is therefore recommended for PDF output ONLY. Even then, it's up to the RIP to correctly interpret this setting on the PDF element and translate that into a raster that reflects the intent of the designer. Some RIPS can do this without a problem while others may not handle it (making it 100% opaque or 100% transparent in some cases).

 

- Use gray scale (white background only) - This is a raster drop-shadow that is 100% opaque of shades from black, through gray, to white at the outside of the drop-shadow. This drop-shadow type is recommended for all output formats when the background behind the drop-shadow is white (since the border of the shadow is white and there is no transparency. The white edge on the shadow does produce an interesting effect when placed on a non-white background so it's up to the designer to determine if they want this effect in their design w/ non-white backgrounds behind the shadow.

 

 

For non-PDF output formats where the background behind the drop-shadow is not white, the Standard drop-shadow type is likely the preferred format to use. From personal experience, I can say that playing around with different settings for the drop-shadow resolution is often required to produce a drop-shadow of acceptable appearance in the final output. The default of 150 can be used first but then try stepping that up to 300, 450, 600, etc. Note that with this increasing resolution, there is added processing time needed by FusionPro (there's more bits to calculate so that takes longer at higher resolutions).

 

Also, different resolutions might produce undesirable moire patterns in the drop-shadow so experimentation with different drop-shadow resolutions and/or different drop-shadow settings on the frame may be necessary (maybe 315 dpi resolves a moire that a 300 dpi shadow had - perhaps a spread setting of 6% works better than 5%). Two recommendations for figuring out the best resolution for drop-shadows to avoid a moire pattern:

 

1) You have to print the output to see what it looks like. What you see in PDF output on the screen is often NOT what you will see in the print-output. This is because Acrobat may render the high-res drop-shadow in a way that shows/doesn't-show the moire yet the print device. This is because the printer is actually capable of producing the output at the requested resolution vs. down-sampling it to 72 or 96dpi for onscreen viewing like any software will for monitor display.

 

2) One potentially helpful approach is to make a test FusionPro template with different frames on it that shows the drop-shadow at different drop-shadow settings. You can then see which settings give the best appearance off your print device and use that in your design. So make 1 frame with the word "Test" in it. Set the drop-shadow settings for that frame. Duplicate that frame (copy/paste) and place it up a number of times on the sheet. Set each frame to have different drop-shadow settings (recommend varying opacity and spread as those 2 elements will vary the moire appearance vs. changing angle and distance). Then, compose this job at different drop-shadow resolutions and output formats, print on your device, and inspect the hard-proof output. (Note to self - make a super simple sample template and publish it in the forum for this...).

 

 

Granted that the soft-mask PDF-only drop-shadow produces the best effect for PDF only workflows. It's unfortunate that there is no capacity in the PostScript language to express this setting on elements so users with PS based RIPs cannot utilize this effect efficiently (pre-rasterization of the varying transparency of variable text in a VDP output file would be painful, to say the least). Until more VDP specific PDF-based RIPs are made available to the market and the market upgrades to these RIPs, we as an industry will have this pain-point in the workflow. The RIP manufacturers know this, of course, so hopefully we will see a solution here soon.

 

hope this is helpful.

(Note to self - make a super simple sample template and publish it in the forum for this...).

 

Mark,

What RIP/Press do you guys test "production" on?

 

Thanks,

Ryan

Hello Ryan,

 

We perform RIP tests for our output on a number of devices including those from HP, EFI, Creo, Kodak, and Xerox. We do not, however, have any of the production-level printers/presses that our customers have so our testing is limited to on-screen previews or working with a customer or partner that has a specific print device.

 

We do have some office-class printers that we can print to as well but these are certainly not going to be a full indication of what to what a majority of our customers are working with in production.