Any FusionPro users out there?

Started by DCurry, January 19, 2009, 01:36:21 PM

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DigiCorn

Quote from: gnubler on February 01, 2011, 10:22:33 AMI just watched the tute on barcodes. It's not just "a font". There are many barcode fonts for a variety of purposes. I have much to learn if we start using them.

I take it barcode fonts have to be purchased? (as was discussed in a separate recent thread)

No. Like I said, the bar code fonts (most common ones anyway) are included with FP when you purchase the plugin and app. Hope they're still running a special... we only paid $299 (reg. price is $599 I think). There are different fonts for different purposes. I think you can even generate UPC codes. Check out the forums via the link on bar codes. http://forums.printable.com/showthread.php?t=712

from the Printables site:
Hi all,

A question recently came up about which barcodes are supported with our FusionPro VDP products. Sounded like a good idea to put this information in the forum for others looking for the same info.

Included Barcode Fonts
All products in the FusionPro VDP suite include the following barcode fonts which are installed along with the software:

- AdvPNet - the popular "postnet" barcode font for postal discounting
- AdvPNETn - a narrow version of postnet
- AdvPLNT - the USPS "PLANET" barcode
- AdvPLNTn - a narrow version of PLANET
- AdvFIM - "Facing Identification Mark". USPS barcode for business reply mail
- AdvOCRa - "Optical Character Recognition" - Postal barcode
- AdvI25d - Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode for postal
- I25HTd - Human readable version of 2 of 5 barcode
- Intelligent Mail Barcode - aka IMB, OneCode, 4-state barcode. The new postal barcode for the USPS that will replace postnet
- 128 barcode
- 3 of 9 barcode
- 9 of 3 barcode
- 2 of 5 barcode
- UPC EAN barcode
- PDF417 barcode - a 2-dimensional barcode
- DataMatrix - a 2-dimensional barcode


Barcode Data Algorithms
When working with barcodes, the data that is to be included in the barcode often needs to be processed by an algorithm before it can be typeset with the barcode font. For example, if you want to use the postnet barcode and have the necessary data for that barcode (which is the 5-digit zip code, the 4-digit "zip+4", and the 2-digit "delivery point"), these pieces of data need to be processed by an algorithm to calculate a special "checksum" digit as well as append a leading and trailing control character....

So if you have the postnet barcode data as such:

60606 (ZIP) 1234 (zip+4) 12 (delivery point)

The algorithm turns that info this exact string of text:

(606061234129)

This text is then typeset with the postnet barcode font.

For every barcode that we include in FusionPro, we also include the necessary algorithm, if needed, for that barcode.

Note that some users do not need these algorithms as they have some other software (like Satori Mailroom Toolkit for CASS address validation) that performs this step. In those cases, the pre-processed barcode data that is provided by a product such as Mailroom Toolkit can be typeset with a barcode font directly (either an included FusionPro barcode font or a 3rd party barcode font).
__________________
--Mark Hilger
"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

gnubler

Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

gnubler

We bought FP today. I'll be installing it tomorrow if I have some down time.
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

gnubler

Digsig, are you (or anyone else) using FP with a Creo RIP?
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

DigiCorn

Quote from: gnubler on February 11, 2011, 08:22:27 PMDigsig, are you (or anyone else) using FP with a Creo RIP?
Nope. We run direct to Fiery/(hack)(cough)Solaris RIP.
"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

gnubler

I have a bunch of random questions about FP, have been poking thru their forums and reading docs.

Do you know if the FP installed fonts have to sit in the Library-Fonts folder or can I move them somewhere else? I already put them in a sub-folder within that folder so they don't get mixed up with other fonts and haven't had any issues other than getting this error today (see dump)
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

DigiCorn

Quote from: gnubler on February 14, 2011, 09:53:46 AMI have a bunch of random questions about FP, have been poking thru their forums and reading docs.

Do you know if the FP installed fonts have to sit in the Library-Fonts folder or can I move them somewhere else? I already put them in a sub-folder within that folder so they don't get mixed up with other fonts and haven't had any issues other than getting this error today (see dump)


Yeah... I get that error too. I don't know where the fonts have to reside, but I presume they can be anywhere, as long as you can point the software to activate them. Also, onloy use FEX - Suitcase Fusion has conflicts with FP that they won't admit to.


I attached 2 screenshots you'll probably want to know about
"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

gnubler

Thanks. I've already used the Load Fonts deal. Kind of a pain that you have to relaunch Acrobat every time you want to load a new font for FP to use. I also use FEX and so far it's playing nice, but you have to do the load/relaunch deal for it to show up.

When I generate my VPS file I'm also getting these other files: .cfg, .msg, .def, .dif

What are they for and do I need to hang onto them for any reason? I've only been importing my .vps file to print so I'm not sure what the others are for.
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

DigiCorn

Quote from: gnubler on February 14, 2011, 11:00:58 AMThanks. I've already used the Load Fonts deal. Kind of a pain that you have to relaunch Acrobat every time you want to load a new font for FP to use. I also use FEX and so far it's playing nice, but you have to do the load/relaunch deal for it to show up.

When I generate my VPS file I'm also getting these other files: .cfg, .msg, .def, .dif

What are they for and do I need to hang onto them for any reason? I've only been importing my .vps file to print so I'm not sure what the others are for.
Those are the files that contain reference data for your VDP. If you make alterations and regenerate a final output file, you'll see it add a second .def file with "~1.def" as the file type. If you delete them, it wipes out your "instructions," so you'll have to tell it the sequence, .csv file and/or .fpi all over again.
"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

Slappy

We're starting to look at alternatives to HP's SmartStream, it's become overly expensive & unreliable, and I had a much earlier version of FusionPro, Ver 3.2 I think so I'm wondering if it's "grown up" since then. I need to know how easy it is to send to Indigos (maybe Dan can lend some insight here). I tried to do a simple variable field insertion into a body of text through FP and it was impossible, at least in my old version. Is that kind of thing easier now?

Is there even a demo installer? All I see on their site are Webinars & Schedule a Demo options. Going to look around at other alternatives too, if anybody has suggestions.
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.

gnubler

They don't offer a demo. I did the webinar before we bought FP and I recommend it.

I'm finding FP slightly *buggy* on the Mac, but overall I really like it. At $700 it's not an atrocious rip off with everything it can do.
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

Slappy

I see they have a Webinar next week, I'll sign up for that then. The asking price for FusionPro VDP is at $799, we don't qualify for an Upgrade since our previous version is so old, although I may ask. I don't see any System Requirements either, anybody see OS & Acrobat versions? We're up to Acrobat 9 but our Macs are stuck on 10.4 for the most part.
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.

gnubler

Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

DigiCorn

"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

DCurry

Quote from: Slappy on March 21, 2011, 09:09:35 AMWe're starting to look at alternatives to HP's SmartStream, it's become overly expensive & unreliable, and I had a much earlier version of FusionPro, Ver 3.2 I think so I'm wondering if it's "grown up" since then. I need to know how easy it is to send to Indigos (maybe Dan can lend some insight here). I tried to do a simple variable field insertion into a body of text through FP and it was impossible, at least in my old version. Is that kind of thing easier now?


FP is fairly easy for simple jobs. It can quickly get complicated if you need to do anything tricky. As for sending it to the Indigo, I guess it will depend on what file format you are feeding the Indigo. We've only had luck with PDF, but the downside is that the Indigo won't see it as a variable job, just a 10,000-page PDF (or whatever number of pages). No big deal unless you are trying to track that kind of info. Also, it will take a lot longer for the Indigo to RIP that PDF as opposed to a .jlt from SmartStream.


I've been more impressed with SS the more I use it. It makes it real easy to build a complex rule using multiple values, whereas with FP you need to have a grasp of JavaScript to do something like that. With its built-in impo, it is faster and easier to use for Indigo jobs than FP IMHO.


We have someone on this board from the SmartStream development team (Hi, Amir!). I had a problem with it over the past couple of weeks and he and his colleagues really bent over backwards to help me get things sorted out (it was a problem on my end, not theirs).


FP is a very mature product, it just needs to be made more user-friendly for those of us who don't know JavaScript.
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