I needs some help please...

To use powerlock we have been trained to put the security screening watermark thingee in only one of the channels. So say it is a straight four color process job we would only apply the security image thingee to the cyan channel (if the cyan channel is the strongest channel). We have done a few tests already on actual printed jobs but the security watermark is so well hidden that we cant even find it!

So is it correct to place the security screening watermark thingee in one channel only? Or should it be applied to all the channels? Also, would using a higher line screen affect the results and make it harder to pick up the security screening image with the film gauge that gets played out? Any other tips or advice?

As always any advice much appreciated!  :cool:

Came across a bug in Artpro which I though I would share... Could possibly help someone with multiple copies of artpro and not enough copies of the Step & Repeat Nested module to go around. (might even work with other modules)

You need to save an artpro file with the Step&Repeat Nested window open from a copy of the software that has that module activated. Now if you open that file in a copy of artpro which does not have the Step&Repeat Nested module the Step&Repeat window will still be there, even if you close the original file.

I have come across one problem so far, the 'analyze cad file' button will not work, but I have found a work around. The cad data can be brought in through the following menu: File/Import/Cad. With the only option ticked being the 'Analyze cad on import' which will bring in the .cf2 cad data. From here everything works as normal through the Step&Repeat window.

Im just hoping ESKO dont see this and fix it... though dont think it would matter as the service contract was too $$$ for us anyway...

Dont know if this is even possible.. but thought I would take a chance and ask..

We are using Artpro/Powerstepper for the stepping of jobs. If the cad data is linked to a PDF it gets its on-screen preview from the Embedded page thumbnail within the PDF. As standard this is totally crap and looks like a couple pixels pasted together to form the preview. So is there a way to up the resolution of the embedded thumbnail?

Now we have been able to setup a hot folder on our rip (trueflow) to create outline PDF's with a decent quality embedded thumbnail which does show up nicely within Artpro. So I know it is possible for a PDF to have a decent quality thumbnail embedded, but is there a way to do this through acrobat with pitstop or even at the printing stage of the PDF?

Hoping someone can help me out. On a daily basis I have to join hundreds of paths within Illustrator to fix die drawings, artwork or whatever... With freehand this is easy, you just select all the paths you want joined, click join and it joins all the paths... Easy...

With Illustrator it seems I am only able to join two paths at once. This involves selecting the end point of one path then the end point of the next path and joining the two. Move on to the next path and repeat, etc, etc, etc... Anybody know if there's an easier way of doing this?

This is the error message that I get to see a thousand times a day. It comes up if you have more than two paths (or any stray points) selected and try to join them.

Nested cad data linked to artpro file. We can do 10 exports in a row without changing any of the export settings and of those 10 stepped up PDFs three were missing the varnish, die drawing and even parts of the artwork (in no particular order). The weird thing is that the PDF had the spot colour listed under the separations when viewed in acrobat. It seems to be a random thing that happens to 1 out of 20 jobs that we step through artpro/powestepper.

I guess we lucky that what it decides to leave off is seriously noticeable, will be more concerned once it starts leaving out smaller things though.

Does anybody know if this is a new feature in Version.9? Never worked on any earlier versions so am wondering if they are as good at making PDFs as V.9.

We have just gotten Artpro with the Powerstepper module to replace flatworker which we currently use for stepping. In flatworker we would define the sheet size and then place the cad data on the sheet a certain distance from the edge of the paper which would be the grip. We would also place our step wedge, colour bars and plate info bar to do checks that the plate is OK.

Is there anyone using this setup for stepping? We are totally confused as to how we would add all the required colour bars etc.. Once we have the stepped up artwork we would export a PDF to trueflow, but there just seems to be nowhere to add all the info we need to add to the plates. If anybody could help point us in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!

Posted the below in the screen forum with no luck... have had even less luck from our screen support guy who says trueflow would not support this. Though it is (or was) my understanding that a rip is a rip is a rip and should rip the data according to the info contained (in this case) within the stepped up PDF. 

Quote from: SA on October 02, 2008, 06:41:12 AMWe are in the process of getting Artpro with the powerstepper module. This will be replacing flatworker which we currently use for the stepping of artwork which once stepped gets JDF'd to trueflow for ripping etc..

Now would anyone know of a way to get trueflow (ver. 4.01) to recognize and use the screening info from a stepped up PDF coming out of Artpro?

We are in the process of getting Artpro with the powerstepper module. This will be replacing flatworker which we currently use for the stepping of artwork which once stepped gets JDF'd to trueflow for ripping etc..

Now would anyone know of a way to get trueflow (ver. 4.01) to recognize and use the screening info from a stepped up PDF coming out of Artpro?

Has anyone out their experienced size issues when opening a DXF file into Illustrator CS3. Say you have a 50mm x 50mm square inside a DXF file and you open that file in Illustrator CS2, you will get a 50x50 square.

Now open the same DXF file in CS3 and the square now measures 49.804 x 49.804. With a small little square being out by 0.196 is not important, but when working with a stepped up die drawing it becomes a bit of a problem. Is there anyone that has come across this yet?

Thanks
SA