XMPie layer visibility rules

Started by DCurry, December 01, 2023, 05:47:16 PM

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DCurry

December 01, 2023, 05:47:16 PM
At my new job, we use XMPie for VDP jobs. Old shop used SmartStream. I'm wondering if there isn't a better way in XMPie to make a layer visible using a rule.

For example, let's say I have 5 different versions driven by the data, so I build an InDesign file with 5 layers (one layer for each version.) In SmartStream, I could trigger which layer is shown a couple different ways. First way is to build a switch rule that states if the trigger field says "Version A" then show Layer 1, else if the data says "Version B" then show Layer 2, etc. No matter how many different versions I have, I can build them all into one rule. The other way I could do it in SmartStream is to tell it to turn on the layer whose name matches what is in the data. So instead of the layer being named "Layer 1" it would just be named "Version A" because that is how it appears in the data. The beauty of this method is the rule never has to be modified when new versions are added, and as long as there exists a layer that matches what is in the data it will work.

The way I was shown to accomplish this in XMPie involved making 5 different rules. Had to make a rule for Layer 1 that says "make this layer visible when the data says "Version A" and then that rule is assigned to Layer 1. Now do it 4 more times to get all 5 versions accounted for.

This seems like a difficult way to accomplish the desired result. Is there a better way? Just looking at XMPie I can tell that it is pretty robust so it would surprise me that there isn't a better way and the way I've been shown is just the way they've always done it because they didn't know any better.
Prinect • Signa Station • XMPie

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a night. But set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

DigiCorn

#1
December 01, 2023, 07:56:19 PM
You just blew my mind! I had an epiphony; whenever a customer makes a change to text, create a new layer with the change and keep the original text on a non-printing layer. That way, when they want to revert, you have it ready to go.
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway

pspdfppdfxhd

#2
December 02, 2023, 04:51:58 AM
Not sure if this helps but DesignMerge does it with master pages. The rule will specify which master to use depending on the condition.

pabney

#3
December 04, 2023, 08:51:07 AM
No need for 5 different rules for this. You can use a switch rule, visibility rule with layer names, or an audience rule. I am swamped at the moment, but will try and get you some examples later today if I get caught up.

Paul

pabney

#4
December 04, 2023, 11:58:01 AM
Ok, I have created a couple of different examples of layer visibility rules you can look at. The demo 1 file uses both standard rules and an audience rule.

Demo 2 uses standard rules and shows how to control multiple layers with one rule.

Basically, you just want to return a string and if the layer name matches that string it will be on, otherwise it is off. you can control multiple layer names by concatenating the names with a | (pipe) symbol.

demo files

If you have any questions let me know.

DCurry

#5
December 04, 2023, 05:54:20 PM
Thanks a ton - I'll try to take a look at those files this week if I have time. Today I worked on a file where whoever set it up built it more in line with my thinking and the guy who showed me how to do it probably just doesn't know the easier way.

Not terribly impressed with a couple things so far - the Imposition window sucks (no preview, can't save presets, and making the crop marks behave is confusing as hell) and I'm surprised that you can't split the output while generating the merged file.
Prinect • Signa Station • XMPie

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a night. But set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

DCurry

#6
December 04, 2023, 06:58:15 PM
Another XMPie question - when using multi-page PDFs as variable image assets, can I tell XMPie which page of the asset PDF to show? We do a lot of postcards and I want to place p1 of the PDF on the first page and p2 of the same PDF on the the 2nd page. The name of the PDF is pulled from the data.

I realize I could split the asset PDFs into 2 PDFs and do it that way, but I'd rather leave them as 2-page PDFs. Currently I can only make it show the first page.
Prinect • Signa Station • XMPie

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a night. But set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

Slappy

#7
December 04, 2023, 07:05:05 PM
Quote from: DCurry on December 04, 2023, 05:54:20 PMNot terribly impressed with a couple things so far - the Imposition window sucks (no preview, can't save presets, and making the crop marks behave is confusing as hell) and I'm surprised that you can't split the output while generating the merged file.
Yup, a lot of why I never used our version much to do jobs it should be more than capable of-just clunky with some unforgivable UI for as long as its been around. Good luck!
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.

DigiCorn

#8
December 05, 2023, 01:55:53 AM
Quote from: DCurry on December 04, 2023, 06:58:15 PMAnother XMPie question - when using multi-page PDFs as variable image assets, can I tell XMPie which page of the asset PDF to show? We do a lot of postcards and I want to place p1 of the PDF on the first page and p2 of the same PDF on the the 2nd page. The name of the PDF is pulled from the data.

I realize I could split the asset PDFs into 2 PDFs and do it that way, but I'd rather leave them as 2-page PDFs. Currently I can only make it show the first page.
The short answer is, "Yes." The long answer is I can't answer it. I only used XMPie for a brief period, and it's since been forgotten. The company I worked for did A LOT of XMPie for local Native-American casinos and I would prep the ID files into layered multi-page PDFs for XMPie, but I didn't personally do the programming, so I know it's possible, but I don't know how.
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway

pabney

#9
December 05, 2023, 08:20:35 AM
You can tell XMPie which page of a pdf asset to use. However, it just splits the page for you in the background. Take a look at:

uCreate Print 13.0 (xmpie.com)
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