Example please how to use auto page mapping in XMF?

[Lyzan]

I am trying to figure out how to use the auto page mapping but still no luck to make it work. I will use it for automating web imposition.

thanks in advanced.

[frailer]

Not in a web shop here; not sure what you're chasing. But there will be others here who can help..

[Farabomb]

I remember Joe having issues when trying to implement XMF in a web environment. I'm pretty sure it had to do with imposition.

I'm shitfed sheetfed over here and still chugging along with preps 5.

[Joe]

I've since found Preps has the same limitations with JDF folding patterns that XMF had (which also uses JDF folding patterns) when doing some complex web impositions. And I've since learned that our web presses don't use industry standard folders on the web presses as they have been modified by our boys down in the machine shop so at this stage I can't really blame XMF, Preps, or JDF fold patterns. Which kind of explains why people that come in here and look at some  of our impositions go  .

But I'm not sure what the OP means by auto page mapping either but my exposure to XMF was pretty brief.

[Ear]

Lyzan, I am using Sierra (SMF rebadge, same interface and function) and I work at a Web/Sheetfed shop.

Not sure what you mean by auto mapping but XMF is great for web work. Which version are you using and what, specifically, are you trying to achieve?

[Ear]

Are you talking about flowing pages into a multi-web run?

I add a job to the workflow, then add all pages into the Job Structure as a section. I then achieve the pagination in the Signature tab of the imposition modification. You set it to multi-web and paginate accordingly. You can then copy and flow (using right click on the imposition view). This will automatically adjust page numbers to accommodate the needed page count.

Example: 32 page tabloid run as 2 @ 16 (each 16 is 2@8, multi web). Paginate and save one 16pg form and when you flow pages, it knows to turn page 16 into page 32 and so on. It is not like Preps where you manually set all page numbers, since it is native and can read the actual job structure.

 

[Ear]

I hit this up again in your thread about gutters because after viewing your screenshot, it looks like you're doing it the hard way, the Preps way.

Took me a little bit to learn to trust the XMF auto paginate, being a die-hard preps junkie. Once you accept what it can do, it is a LOT faster than working in Preps (non native). I have a handful of base stripping templates and just make minor modifications, then copy>flow pages (auto map, as you call it) and it takes care of the rest. Just make sure gutters and marks, etc.. are set the way you want on the first sig, before you copy and flow. It will duplicate everything and adjust page numbers based on how you have the assembly sections set (Saddle stitch, Perfect Bound, Flat Work). It also does a great job with traveling spine indicators for perfect bound.

[Tracy]

In the page mapping you can rearrange pages if you need to, by dragging the pages in the spot that you want
I think it can get pretty complex, I have kind of a simple one here where we ran all the color pages together
and the black and white pages together, most of the pages were 4/1, that's why some of the backs run first
 it was just a 3 hole drill so pagination wasn't an issue.
Notice how page 1 is really page 10 etc..

[Ear]

Thanks Tracy. That looks like the hard way to do it.

I would rather add pages in read order, base-paginate the first sig and let Flow take care of the rest. I can see much room for human error doing manual page mapping. Looks like a recipe for disaster.

[Ear]

I do a lot of 4/1 work, especially on the web. I just release the CMYK sides and the K sides, respectively, to plate instead of messing with it in imposition.

[Tracy]

I think your talking about something I know nothing about
I had a 130 something page pdf and Ran the 4c pages on the first 2 forms 4/k
and ran the rest of the forms in K only, are you saying there is an easier way to do this?
please let me know!!!

[Ear]

Yes, my dear, it's called the lazy efficient way.  :cheesy:

I have scenarios like this on both web and sheetfed, regularly. A lot of tabloids we print want color on only 1, 2 or 3 sides of a multi web form. I pre-check the PDF in Acrobat (convert to gray, etc...) then add it as one PDF, in read order. Paginate, as one would and rip for CMYK.

At this point, I know that, for example, side 1,2 & 4 print CMYK and 3, 5 and 6 print black only. Then, when I send it to the platesetter, I don't just release plates, I double click the Plates to open Plate Job Status, at which point I right click Output for each sheet and release the seps I need to.

Attached is an example where I released CMYK on sheet 1-4 but released black only on sheets 5-8.

[Ear]

You can see the CMY show Held... but it doesn't matter on those sides, because they are black only PDF pages and looking at rendered mode shows nothing but marks on the CMY.

[Ear]

... thinking more about your question, Tracy... we might be talking about something different.

If you're talking about sheetfed forms that are cut apart as single pages and manually collated, basically ganging pages to make the press runs easier, then I think your page mapping is the best way to go. No easy way to deal with it.

That is the one nice thing about web presses... the boss can't get too creative because the web only does what it does.  :rolleyes: At least independent pages are easier to deal with in XMF than Preps, for sheetfed gang runs with finished pieces of different size. Still not fun, but quite flexible.

[Tracy]

Thanks Ear, yeah Sheets getting cut down, you must have got the upgrade recently?
your interface looks different, I have the update but waiting to install