pdf input in Nexus

[Joe]

You're right, Joe.

Ideas?

This PDF was written for networking with the Mac OS and Prinergy but if you do the stuff listed for the Mac OS it helps a lot for dealing with both AFP and SMB shares. Still not perfect but better.

[smg id=581 type=av]

Joe,

We got XtremeZip when we got our new server.  We were told this would take care of those issues.

What say you?  Shouldn't this work for this instance as well?

beck

The XtremeZip is installed on the Windows server, right? These tweaks are to the Mac OS so yes, I believe these will work in this instance as well. A good test would be to try it on just one of the iMacs running Snow Leopard and see if it helps. it helped on my lone Snow Leopard Mac. I still have a few issues but not as bad as it was.

[beck]

Yeah, on the Windows server.

I'm leery of dicking with the IMac, since we are SUPPOSED to have new Nexus boxes in a week or so. 

beck

[Joe]

The process is reversible if you have any problems. The networking issues are in the Mac OS so new Windows servers isn't going to solve that.

[andyfest]

I finally talked to Sean Hampson, a TSR with Esko support. The 2 gB ceiling in Nexus processor is built in. He says there may be a way of changing it to raise the ceiling, but it is not easy. I told him that the about the files we were inputting ie: 100 + position dielines using 100+ different files in a gangrun and how they were either choking in Nexus processor (with Artpro files placed) or in pdf/ps interpreter (with trapped pdfs placed). He suggested that we try modifying our low-res link/high-res OPPO file workflows that we use for most of our more conventional folding carton work. Eventually he did say that we were going to have to migrate to the Nexus pdf workflows or at least put the pdf RIP at the back end of our present Nexus set-up. Pricing for the whole pdf shebang didn't sound too bad - they are selling $56K US set-ups for about $17K US right now.

Anyway after our talk, I ended up modifying workflows so that we input the supplied pdfs to a simple trapping workflow that exports trapped pdfs. Those are then dumped into another workflow that exports low-res links and high-res OPPO files. The low-res links are then positioned into an Artpro layout using a cf2 & a layout script. The resulting Artpro imposed layout links the individual low-res files to the individual high res OPPOs on the server and RIPs to 1 bit tiffs in about a minute. No failures in testing yet, even with pdfs loaded with transparent effects. Nexus appears to like processing the individual "bite-size" chunks, rather than 1 big chunk. If anyone has been having similar issues, I can post screenshots of the workflows.

ps - Gtown - the original workflows were set up by Kevin ? from the old Artwork Systems about 7 years ago using Nexus 7.0 - I think he was from Richmond, VA. Over time we modified and created our own, more efficient (I think) workflows. A couple of years ago we had an excellent TSR (Jean-Francois) from Montreal come in and tweak some of our low-res link/high-res OPPO workflows.

[Joe]

I finally talked to Sean Hampson, a TSR with Esko support. The 2 gB ceiling in Nexus processor is built in. He says there may be a way of changing it to raise the ceiling, but it is not easy. I told him that the about the files we were inputting ie: 100 + position dielines using 100+ different files in a gangrun and how they were either choking in Nexus processor (with Artpro files placed) or in pdf/ps interpreter (with trapped pdfs placed). He suggested that we try modifying our low-res link/high-res OPPO file workflows that we use for most of our more conventional folding carton work. Eventually he did say that we were going to have to migrate to the Nexus pdf workflows or at least put the pdf RIP at the back end of our present Nexus set-up. Pricing for the whole pdf shebang didn't sound too bad - they are selling $56K US set-ups for about $17K US right now.

Anyway after our talk, I ended up modifying workflows so that we input the supplied pdfs to a simple trapping workflow that exports trapped pdfs. Those are then dumped into another workflow that exports low-res links and high-res OPPO files. The low-res links are then positioned into an Artpro layout using a cf2 & a layout script. The resulting Artpro imposed layout links the individual low-res files to the individual high res OPPOs on the server and RIPs to 1 bit tiffs in about a minute. No failures in testing yet, even with pdfs loaded with transparent effects. Nexus appears to like processing the individual "bite-size" chunks, rather than 1 big chunk. If anyone has been having similar issues, I can post screenshots of the workflows.

ps - Gtown - the original workflows were set up by Kevin ? from the old Artwork Systems about 7 years ago using Nexus 7.0 - I think he was from Richmond, VA. Over time we modified and created our own, more efficient (I think) workflows. A couple of years ago we had an excellent TSR (Jean-Francois) from Montreal come in and tweak some of our low-res link/high-res OPPO workflows.

Glad you got it going in the right direction. Sean is the right person to talk to. Very knowledgeable and has a direct line to Belgium.