Variable data software fav's

[Aaron]

So we might be looking into a digital press.... *cough* color copier.... that we will be running variable images and mail lists through. Most-like just mail merge onto static image.

What is everyone in love with? Printshop Mail? XMPie?

I have no experience with this category of software. Any advice would be mucho helpful.

[gnubler]

I'm in the bottom of the barrel and am able to accomplish quite a bit with InDesign's Data Merge using a background image for static elements (so, sending 2 files to my "color copier" that get merged together for one output).

Multi-up and cut & stack is a big pain, I have to do it manually and chop up my spreadsheet files to do so.

[youston]

So we might be looking into a digital press.... *cough* color copier.... that we will be running variable images and mail lists through. Most-like just mail merge onto static image.

What is everyone in love with? Printshop Mail? XMPie?

I have no experience with this category of software. Any advice would be mucho helpful.

We use XMPie. I dig it.

[DCurry]

We use FusionPro and also HP SmartStream. FusionPro is very powerful for the money and has good support. SmartStream is proprietary, to be used only if you have an Indigo. It's not as powerful as FP. If I had to choose between the 2 I'd pick FP.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll check out FusionPro. Hadn't heard of that one. Printshop Mail is quite expensive. Are the others 5K+?

gnubler, you are using InDesign? Is the data merge a plug-in?

[gnubler]

Data Merge comes with Indy (I'm using CS4)

[Aaron]

huh. I'll have to check that out too. Thanks gnubler.

[Tracy]

under window/automation/datamerge

[gnubler]

Aaron, if you want I can upload some sample files to show you how I use Data Merge. Generally I put static items on one layer to print as background image, and the variable data on another layer to export as PDF through the Data Merge palette. I've done names, addresses, personalized letters, numbering, variable images, etc all with Data Merge. You have to know how to work with spreadsheets and export the data as .csv.

[Aaron]

Cool. I'd love to see how it works. thanks gnubler.

[youston]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll check out FusionPro. Hadn't heard of that one. Printshop Mail is quite expensive. Are the others 5K+?

gnubler, you are using InDesign? Is the data merge a plug-in?

Our XMPie installation was $250,000.

[gnubler]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll check out FusionPro. Hadn't heard of that one. Printshop Mail is quite expensive. Are the others 5K+?

gnubler, you are using InDesign? Is the data merge a plug-in?

Our XMPie installation was $250,000.

:laugh:

That's why I'm reduced to using Data Merge.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll check out FusionPro. Hadn't heard of that one. Printshop Mail is quite expensive. Are the others 5K+?

gnubler, you are using InDesign? Is the data merge a plug-in?

Our XMPie installation was $250,000.

You are joking, right???  :shocked:

[gnubler]

Here's an example of some awards I did recently. Static background, but variable "award" image based on 1st/2nd/3rd place and variable data based on age groups.

One static bg file: 233797_Award-DOTT10_bg.pdf
One variable data file (48 pgs): 233797_Award-DOTT10_5kRunF.pdf

You can see in my Indy file that I have 2 layers - one to export as bg, one for variable data. If you turn on Preview in the Data Merge palette and keep pressing the little arrow icon you'll see each "cell" of the variable data for the age group. (make sure .csv is linked)

I ended up running this one 1-up because it was too much of a PITA to do a multi-up (I got into that in another thread somewhere)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/43cdj8

[boosted29]

Yeah my owner is cheap so I use the Data Merge out of InDesign CS4 as well and haven't really had any problems at all.

I like it quite a bit in fact. I usually only merge files 1000 Names at a time but thats just because of my lack of RAM on my work machine