Have to write a description for imposition method/marks

[t-pat]

We've taken the big step in getting GMC Inspire for VDP. It's very powerful and complicated, and in general the more I learn the more I like it vs. XMPie. HOWEVER - and this is a big one - the imposition is not usable whatsoever.

I complained about it and found a fairly good custom scripted workflow that one of their support engineers wrote and posted in their forums, but it requires manual intervention for each job in a way that leaves a lot of room for error.

Their development team has recognized that the impo really fails in a big way and have generously agreed to tackle the job of improving it for release in a future update to their Designer program. They've asked me to help them, as a printing professional with years of impo experience.

They're engineers and programmers, and not printing people, so this really is a bit of a challenge - I need to teach them what makes for a usable imposition, and really describe in minute detail what does what, and why. Also need to account for different scenarios.

Anyone got any good resources that describe in general terms what marks and impo are? I've made a good start at terminology, but want to avoid writing a book that's already been written.

[Farabomb]

No, but I have a jump to conclusions mat you can use.

[Skryber]

No, but I have a jump to conclusions mat you can use.

Shut up! I have it too. It was a Christmas gift from a co-worker. The Office Space kit. Best gift ever.

[dubstep]

...

They're engineers and programmers, and not printing people, so this really is a bit of a challenge - I need to teach them what makes for a usable imposition, and really describe in minute detail what does what, and why. Also need to account for different scenarios.

Anyone got any good resources that describe in general terms what marks and impo are? I've made a good start at terminology, but want to avoid writing a book that's already been written.

For "Engineers", have them look up "2-dimensional Cutting Stock Problem", "2-staged guillotine pattern"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_stock_problem
http://www.gerad.ca/colloques/ColumnGeneration2008/slides/Carvalho.pdf

Getting a computer to do impo properly is tough.

[t-pat]

Thanks -  a bit more advanced than is needed, all pieces would in theory be the same size and it would be a simple X across by Y down deal. I'm ok with defining the step distance and repeat quantity, it's just that they don't have that figured out where everything works as expected (marks overlap, nothing is centered, bleeds step on each other, all kinds of ill behavior). It is abysmally broken to the point that I had to use some roughly thrown together scripts that one of their support guys made to help out someone else. I can get by with that but it requires all kinds of calculations that leave a lot of room for error if not done right.

 It doesn't need to be automated ganging, or anything beyond your basic grid. Best I could hope for is that we can simply get that working. I will pass it along with caveats though, thanks again.

[StudioMonkey]

Make sure it does creep properly.  A lot of impo software still does it wrong by MOVING towards the spine instead of DISPROing the artwork.

[t-pat]

Make sure it does creep properly.  A lot of impo software still does it wrong by MOVING towards the spine instead of DISPROing the artwork.

I should have really clarified this -

I'm only looking for bare bones grid impo of mailing crap, postcards, reply devices, tickets, and letters, n-up on a sheet, all the same size. The software replaces XMPie for us, which had terrible but functional impo. This program blows XMPie away in speed of output and flexibility of programming, but it isn't just a plugin for Indy, it's a big bad modular program that is in some ways a bit too flexible in that it's not just used for printing and is really open to customizing for virtually any variable data media. They didn't really do a good job on the built in "impo" but are willing to make it so a tard like me can use it easily.

They asked me to basically write the specifications for the module they want to create, for basic cut and stack impo.

Any books printed digital would be sent as single pages to the Spire or possibly done through a Prinergy impo, and they wouldn't be many pages. Most publications we'd mail would get printed litho, bound like normal, and the address sprayed on by inkjet after finishing, so I don't care about that.

I sent them a pretty good start last night so we'll see what they come back with.