XMF Newbie Blues ....

[frailer]

It's a bit of a work-in-progress, but it's getting there. The big plus is the full integration into the APPE flow. Genuine late page replacement; that's what I like. I was never a power user of PREPS, so can't comment there, but wouldn't you still have to have made up Templates...and bring them in, as you would have for XMF/Sierra?


I don't know whether Sierra has avery interface bit that XMF does, but under Dynamic Marks, once you have got a range of stuff that you would see as a 'default', that suits, you can save it to pop up every time by clicking on this little button as per shot below. Saves a lot of time on Stripping Sheet template construction.

[Ear]

Yep, it does have the same interface, almost exactly. It really is the same product, just repackaged.

You're right, the old ROOM workflow I was on was basically slow and clunky. It was not APPE and was going through a PS stage, creating low res placement files and hi res sideline files. Dumped into Preps, then back to the workflow. Not fast at all. The only advantage was the actual building and paginating power of Preps... it is more intuitive than any other imposition software to date. Of course, I still remember when Quark was superior to Ragemaker and pre-CS InDesign. Hopefully, it will evolve into a beautiful swan.  :cheesy:

I am able to use the built-in imposition for a lot of jobs and when I do, it's easy and super fast. I see jobs that would take an hour or more in the old system complete and heading to proof/plate in 5-10 minutes now. For instance, I just put together a 68pg book (sheetfed cover and 4 single-web sections), ripped for 2 presses under one workflow job, created impo native, from scratch, ripped and down to proof in 15 minutes. So yes, it screams when it does what you want. Overall, I'm quite happy... I just get pissy when I don't get my way.  :tongue:

[frailer]

... I just get pissy when I don't get my way.  :tongue:

   I understand....   :laugh:

Oh, yeah...Tabbed multiple Workflows. Gotta love it. I use it mainly for 'spreads' proofing... in a 2nd workflow. We are dumb-simple short-run sheetfed, mostly. Low-page-count saddle or Perfect, plus odd flatwork. Less complicated than your web stuff. But glad to hear the web stuff works OK.
And v3 has 3d proofing of RIP'd file.  Sounds pretty good.

[impodave]

Hey.....

It's great to see some activity in the XMF forum.  What I have to do for impos that I use often is create an 8 page sheetwise SST , and then a 4 page work and turn SST, saving each. Of course, you'll want to add the page numbers for an 8page and a 4 page W&T respectively, so that the pagination will take in future jobs that you copy from these.  Then, for example, I replace the first section with the 8PG SST.  Lets say this is a 36 page booklet.  Copy this section1 4 times, then replace whichever of the 5 sections with your 4Pg W&T SST.  Don't forget creep and  creep override if applicable.

Personally, I think having a separate W&T SST is a step back from what I'm used to dealing with in Dyna, but what can one do ??  Sometimes, it acts a little glitchy calculating creep, but I always get it to work.

FYI, we're running V3.0.1.5 here, as of two months ago.

Later....

[Ear]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm happy that Sierra and XMF are almost clones so I can have others to feel my pain.

I talked to another rep about the release of v3 and the fact that Fuji has already released theirs... he said that Fuji is a bigger company and is able to get licensing and such delivered and sorted b4 Xenith does. Anyway, should be in the next month or so. They said they're going to give it to me first... don't know if this is good or bad.  :laugh: :rolleyes:

Yes, Frailer, I heard that the new 3D proofing will be from the rendered file, which will make it actually useful instead of just being a novelty.

Dave, thanks for the tip on mixing sheetwise and W&T forms. Based on your description, I was close but was going about it a little differently. I'll try doing it the way you described.

[Ear]

Okay guys... I would love to know if Version 3 will allow you to create this pagination. I can't seem to get my current version to understand this and hope V3 will. This is an imported JDF from Preps.

[impodave]

OK, I'm probably not going to be much help ti you after all.  Never worked around web impos - been doing impo for 30 years.
All sheetfed.  Good luck to you .....

[impodave]

I may try it later when I have time to see if it will - supposed to have support for web offset now - but, again, no need for it here ....  :grin:

[Ear]

OK, I'm probably not going to be much help ti you after all.  Never worked around web impos - been doing impo for 30 years.
All sheetfed.  Good luck to you .....

I hear ya dood. It doesn't have to be perfect, just want to see if it really will handle in-line collation like my sample. If you don't have time, no worries, I have someone who will try it at the Expo for me in October. Your advise has so far been very helpful to me.