Preps 6/7 - How far down the rabbit hole?

[SpicyVindaloo]

We're finally transitioning to Preps 7 from Preps 5.
We normally save a template for every job we do, just in case we need to add ghosting bars or special id tags, etc. Usually we pick up a template, modify it and save as a new job number, not recreating everything from scratch. It seems like using the folding pattern way is kinda like recreating everything from scratch for every job. Is there really a time savings to doing it this way? Is there any other benefit?

Also wondering if people are creating a paper stock for each weight/manufacture? Seems like it would be useful for the different calipers and doing creep/bottling.

We're still negotiating training, so right now I'm trying to figure it out solo. Not sure if having 15+ years of Preps experience is a benefit or hinderance right now.

[Joe]

We still use templates because we have so many different web press, plate sizes, web sizes that it is indeed recreating everything from scratch for every job using folding patterns. I see them as a benefit for sheet fed presses that pretty much use the same stock size all the time and they know their spacing by heart. For the web presses you need a scientific calculator and a degree in math to figure the spacing on all of the different jobs so we still use our pre-made templates that already have the correct spacing for about every imaginable plate and web size.

We do not create paper stock for all of our different papers. We base our templates on plate size and if we need to do creep bottling we still do it manually by entering the creep amount in the Preps job...not in the template.

I still think your Preps experience will be a benefit but things are a lot different than they were in Preps 5 so you have to be open to new things. :laugh:

[David]

open to new things is putting it lightly.
a mind bending experience is more to the truth.

[Joe]

That is my new Zen type of approach to life. :tongue:

[frailer]

Zen and the Art of PREPS Maintenance.

[SpicyVindaloo]

Thanks Joe for some insight. We we're sold the idea that impositions would be so much easier with folding patterns. In actuality, with all of our templates we have done in the past, stripping jobs isn't that much of a big deal or time consuming task. Right now I'm just focusing on how to actually get Preps 7 to do what we've been doing all along. So I'll be sticking with the Template way instead of the folding pattern way.

With all the different paper stocks we use, the idea of having each one set up with the correct caliper and having creep figured out automatically is very appealing. We should be able to incorporate that into our Template system, correct?

[Joe]

Last week this forum was down and we used a temporary forum that week. Over there is thread about auto creep and auto bottling and how it does not work when using templates...only works with folding patterns. That thread is about Preps 6 though so I'm not sure if it works in Preps 7. You might want to check over at the Partner Place for the Preps 7 release notes and see if it says anything about fixing this issue.

Here is the thread at the temp forum.

Preps 6 - Fold Patterns

[DCurry]

I'm still a newbie with Preps 6, but folding patterns and templates aren't mutually exclusive, are they? You can still use a folding pattern and save your template for future use.

[Joe]

Yeah, you could setup a job using folding patterns and then save as a template but then it is no longer a folding pattern. In our case we already have hundreds of templates with the correct spacing for many different web sizes and different presses. No way we want to have to get the calculator out and figure all of that out every time we need to impose a job. Plus we've not found a way to get folding patterns to work correctly on a something like a multi-section multi-web double parallel run and other complex layouts.

[DCurry]

I just made a layout using a fold pattern, saved as template then re-opened it and it is still a fold pattern.

[David]

SURPRISE!!!

[SpicyVindaloo]

DCurry,
Did you get the training on Preps 6/7 or are you just winging it like me?

I just spent 3.5 hours trying to figure out why I couldn't modify gutters. Seems like you need to have the "Show Trim Boxes" checked to do it. I had it turned off so I wouldn't be confused with all the lines Preps wants to put all over the place.

[Joe]

I just made a layout using a fold pattern, saved as template then re-opened it and it is still a fold pattern.

I'm confused.

[Joe]

I just made a layout using a fold pattern, saved as template then re-opened it and it is still a fold pattern.

A template is a file in your templates folder with a .tpl extension. Your saying if you add that template back in it is not a template but a folding pattern?

[DCurry]

Joe - I'm saying if I open that template it is still contains a folding pattern. I've attached said template.

Spicy, I am just winging it like you. I downloaded all the videos and tutorials I could from Kodak's site and it helped a little bit, but in practice it's a little more challenging. I also haven't fully immersed myself in 6 yet, as most of our work uses existing templates and our Prinergy is still configured to use 5, so I really just use 6 on anything that requires a new layout that we don't already have.