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HP Indigo press - pull from different stock drawers based on data


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You need to create two different Body pages, or sets of Body pages, and assign different page media to each one with the Finish Settings dialog. (From the menu in Acrobat, select FusionPro -> Manage Pages -> Page Usage, select each page and click Edit, then click Finish Settings and specify the desired options via JDF or PPD.) Then you can call FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage as needed in OnRecordStart to select the correct page (or set of pages) for each record based on the record's data file values.
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I do not know how to write the JDF or PPD file to specify the finishing options. Is there a reference or how-to regarding this? Or something you can help me with?

You don't write a JDF or PPD file. You either import an existing PPD file specific to your printer/RIP, and then select from the available settings, or you specify JDF settings if your RIP supports that. If you search for "PPD" or "JDF" in the FusionPro User Guide, you will find the "Page Media Settings" section with more information.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi there.

I was reading this thread and it has helped me to a certain point. I got the body pages set up with the correct PPD I'm using.

 

I am working on a MAC with an Indesign File that has only 2 variables in it.

 

The job has 8 pages that will be made into a booklet.

 

The first 11 x 18 sig has no variables in it but is 2 sided. The 2 second two sided sig has two variable boxes on it which is on a different paper than the first.

The data I am using is just a list of numbers only, nothing in it to tell the template to pull different stocks for each sig.

Is there some rule that can be used to say that body 1 and 2 go on this paper and body 3 and 4 to go on a different paper? Or, do I need to have the data redone to tell it to do it??

 

Any guidance would be helpful.

 

Chris

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From what I figured out, our indigo press cannot pull the stock drawers.

And having it pull drawers based on data is more complicated.

 

Fusion Pro has finishing options, under Manage Pages, that can give the direction for specific stock. I thought using an OnRecord Start rule to call the individual pages, and using Manage Pages to assign finishing option to those individual pages would work. But our indigo press cannot use the information even though Fusion Pro sends it, so I have no reason to continue trying to make this work. I am waiting for indigo to improve their functionality. Perhaps your device will do better.

 

I have had past success on some of our copiers with static jobs. where page 1 is on Stock A and page 3 is always on Stock B. I do not have experience pulling the stock based on a data record, where pages could be on Stock A, B, C, or D - based on the data field.

Good Luck!

Sandi,

Humble prepress person

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The job has 8 pages that will be made into a booklet.

 

The first 11 x 18 sig has no variables in it but is 2 sided. The 2 second two sided sig has two variable boxes on it which is on a different paper than the first.

The data I am using is just a list of numbers only, nothing in it to tell the template to pull different stocks for each sig.

I'm not sure I'm seeing what you mean just from the description. Imposition can get complicated. Can you post a sample job, or some sample output? 1 picture = 1000 words, etc.

Is there some rule that can be used to say that body 1 and 2 go on this paper and body 3 and 4 to go on a different paper?

No, there's no rule to say which pages go on which paper (media). That's what you define in the Page Usage dialog. Then, in the OnRecordStart rule, you tell FusionPro which pages to output for that record. If you want to output the same page with different media, then you need to duplicate the page and selectively output one of the copies.

 

I think what you need to do is to duplicate all 8 pages, with the first set of 8 pages assigned to the first type of paper/media, and the second set of 8 pages assigned to the second type of paper/media (in the Page Usage dialog). Then you can activate which ever set of 8 pages you need for different records with logic something like this in OnRecordStart:

var useAlternateMedia = !(FusionPro.Composition.impositionSheetNumber % 2);
for (var page = 1; page <= 8; page++)
   FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage(page, !useAlternateMedia);
for (var page = 9; page <= 16; page++)
   FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage(page, useAlternateMedia);

Again, though, without seeing the job, I'm kind of guessing here.

 

I should also note that, with FusionPro VDP Producer API (FP Server), there are more options to programmatically change the media assigned to a page, without having to duplicate pages as you have to do in Creator/Desktop jobs.

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Here is the job I'm working on. The 8 pages I was talking about turns into 2 four page sigs which ends up being a stitched booklet.

 

Body 1 and Body 2 (1 sheet printed 2 sides) is on stock A and Body 3 and Body 4 (1 sheet printed 2 sides with two variable boxes with the same number printing) is printing on stock B.

 

I have used the page usage to assign the specific information needed for each sig.

 

Maybe I'm thinking this is harder that it actually is.

Chris

TEST XEROX 2 STOCKS F2505.zip

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fusion Pro has finishing options, under Manage Pages, that can give the direction for specific stock. I thought using an OnRecord Start rule to call the individual pages, and using Manage Pages to assign finishing option to those individual pages would work. But our indigo press cannot use the information even though Fusion Pro sends it, so I have no reason to continue trying to make this work. I am waiting for indigo to improve their functionality. Perhaps your device will do better.

 

Sandi,

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, what Indigo press are you using and what RIP?

 

Thanks!

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  • 10 months later...

This is a late follow up but I have been able to figure out how to sent a variable job to the HP indigo presses with multiple stocks.

 

We have three HP Indigo presses. A 5500, 7000, and a 7600 running from a DFE.

 

I have modified an older Indigo PPD. I can send you this file on request.

 

You can specify the Media Type in Manage Pages then Page Usage Menu. Edit the highlighted page and select Finish Settings. Select the PPD and then a Media Type. This will not match a media type on the press or the HP DFE. When the file is ripped and on press the Stock will show "undefined" but there will be multiple stocks on the selected page ranges that can be reassigned on press.

 

Compose the file as a postscript with no imposition. I set up a hot folder on the DFE to impose the file during the rip stage. The Hot folder has specific Job Ticket settings. The most important is under the substrate tab - select substrate by JOB. Also make sure the check box "for PS or personalized jobs, use the substrate embedded in the job..." is checked.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks,

Tom

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I have attached my test file, hopefully. I'm sorry I had to remove specific info from the file since these are customer statements. I included a "Sample A. Sample" .csv file, some screen shots of the ripped file on press and the substrate tab of the job ticket. Also included in a test postscript file I just used this morning. The PPD I am using is in a sub folder call "Indigo". I hope this is everything, I'm new to this. Let me know f you have any questions.

 

Thanks,

Tom

VDP test.zip

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