XMPie impositon

[Stiv]

I have been doing postcards forever and now I have a 16 page 8.5 x 11 doc with variable data on a few pages.

My problem is that I need to output this thing in spreads. I don't see how unless I break this doc down into 12 x 18 spreads and I would end up with 4 separate 12 x 18 docs with variable data.

Is this how you guys do it?

[t-pat]

I have been doing postcards forever and now I have a 16 page 8.5 x 11 doc with variable data on a few pages.

My problem is that I need to output this thing in spreads. I don't see how unless I break this doc down into 12 x 18 spreads and I would end up with 4 separate 12 x 18 docs with variable data.

Is this how you guys do it?

We don't do xmpie for books, but if we were forced to I would think we'd have to build everything in printer's spreads first because xmpie impo is shit. Not sure you'd need separate documents though.

[Stiv]

I cannot specify which pages to print from XMPie and there is not a way to specify the pages at the RIP. All the RIP "sees" is a 14,000 page doc. This is a real PITA.

[t-pat]

I cannot specify which pages to print from XMPie and there is not a way to specify the pages at the RIP. All the RIP "sees" is a 14,000 page doc. This is a real PITA.

yes, that's normal

Is that ok to have that many pages or do you need to be able to slip sheet after x pages, or are you trying to stitch? If you're trying to stitch, there's the bitch.

[t-pat]

just be glad you're not in this hell, here are the headers for the job I'm working on now (all fields are in play and most have some sort of logic to check for length or suppress, and there's layer visibility triggers based on these too):

IMBAlpha,oel,prefix,first,last,company,visual-indicator,package,tray,alt-address,delivery-address,city,state,zip,
ForiegnPostalCode,Country,fullname,alpha1,IMBNumeric,alpha2,DealerCode,DLRNAME,DLRADDR,DLRCITY,
DLRSTATE,DLRZIP,DLRPHONE,DLRWEB,DealerContact,DealerTitle,Days1,Hours1,Days2,Hours2,Days3,Hours3,
Days4,Hours4,Coupon1Title,Coupon1Offer,Coupon1Disclaimer1,Coupon1Disclaimer2,Coupon1Expiration,
Coupon2Title,Coupon2Offer1,Coupon2Offer2,Coupon2Offer3,Coupon2Offer4,Coupon2Disclaimer1,
Coupon2Disclaimer2,Coupon2Expiration,Coupon3Title,Coupon3Offer,Coupon3Disclaimer1,Coupon3Disclaimer2,
Coupon3Expiration,Coupon4Title,Coupon4Offer,Coupon4Disclaimer1,Coupon4Disclaimer2,Coupon4Expiration


It maxed out BCC Mail Manager, cannot fit one more record/character.

(Edited by Admin: Added returns)

[Stiv]

 

[t-pat]

and there are 4 base shells we're imprinting on - so 4 different lists. I'm trying to keep it together but on top of it the client is being shitpicky about formatting and of course changing their minds about stuff. 

[Ear]

Where's youston? He's an XMPie ninja.

[t-pat]

Where's youston? He's an XMPie ninja.

ninjas can't fix the fact that there is no provision for booklets in xmpie. You have to craft your solution out of balsa wood, float it down the gutter and see if it sinks.

[youston]

Where's youston? He's an XMPie ninja.

ninjas can't fix the fact that there is no provision for booklets in xmpie. You have to craft your solution out of balsa wood, float it down the gutter and see if it sinks.

Sorry I missed this.

I don't know how you solved your issue, but I would have:

1. Given each record a unique ID #.
2. Built a separate table that only contained the information that Mail Manager needed to sort the list.
3. Brought it back into a database program and added the stripped-out information back to the sorted list using the unique ID #.
4. Had XMPie output single-page PDFs.
5. Built the imposition in Preps using the individual page PDFs that XMPie created.
6. Had preps output a PDF of each sig.
7. Profit?

[Dan Chak]

Good Gump, you are my new bestest friend.
I was given a 20 minute lesson on XMPie by the (gleefully) departing graphic artist I was replacing 4 years ago. Everything since then I have learned on my own, and there's always a great deal of pain involved. I haven't done anything others might consider super complicated but it sure has stretched my poor brain cell from time to time.

[youston]

I don't use it at all anymore, but I spent the last 4 years with my head all up XMPie's ass, so if there's anything you need, let me know. Maybe I'll be able to help. Maybe not.

[t-pat]

I don't use it at all anymore, but I spent the last 4 years with my head all up XMPie's ass, so if there's anything you need, let me know. Maybe I'll be able to help. Maybe not.

do you use something else now and if so what and why?

[youston]

I don't use it at all anymore, but I spent the last 4 years with my head all up XMPie's ass, so if there's anything you need, let me know. Maybe I'll be able to help. Maybe not.

do you use something else now and if so what and why?

No, I don't do any vdp anymore, and I totally miss it.

We pretty much looked at every vdp package out there, and -- four years ago, at least -- XMPie smoked every one of them. It was more difficult to learn, and I was very, very far from being able to say I was able to use all of its capabilities, but it'll do some wicked awesome stuff.

[frailer]

Thought, shit, this stuff sounds 'deep'. I wonder, if I had to embark in this direction, would lynda.com have it on the list.    :undecided:  No.