XMF and Imposition

[impodave]

We are considering making a move to XMF very soon.  I currently use Dynastrip 5.3.1 with the present workflow.  I have viewed the online demo and have participated in the XMK webinar with the Fuji folks.
 
This is a custom shop using numerous run sizes and finish sizes.  It appears that the ability to catalog the imposition templates in XMF may have limitations. Has anyone worked out a method of dealing with this - or is it possible to import from Dynastrip templates as I need them - or is there a better way ??


XMF looks good with respect to preflighting files - an area we're trying to streamline from our present situation - I'm just concerned whether I will have to abandon Dynastrip - and learn imposition all over again...




This issue is time-sensitive so I need to make a decision NOW - thus I would appreciate any input right away... Thanx

[Joe]

Welcome to the forum impodave. I don't have any info for you but hang tight, frailer will be around sometime soon and he has XMF with the built in impo and I'm sure he can give you some good tips. He was using Dyna as well...

(He's in Australia so the time difference is 15 hours I think.)

[Farabomb]

Might want to pick up a universal translator as well.  :wink:

Welcome to B4 

[frailer]

Whew...here we go.
-We were on Dyna 4.6.2. Have flicked it, and taken the leap into XMF Impo. No regrets so far (3 months). We also had PREPS 5.3.3. Young op working with me swore he would not touch XMF impo...stick with PREPS. He has NOT been back to PREPS. His brag in PREPS was that he would make up impos on-the-fly. He now does this in XMF.   :cheesy:
   ~they are doing 3 monthly updates, improving all the time. Whatever shortfalls it has are made up by having it fully integrated into the APPE. We are a fairly small/simple operation, with limited sizes required...a few well-worn tracks, but I hear good things from people in your situation.

   ~Last update added a 'section sewn' facility so you can split sections for a saddle flow within a perfect-bound. This is a knockout feature.

   ~there are a few things that they have to catch up on, but niggly matters only. We have asked for the ability to place Stripping Template, and Stripping Sheet Templates, (think Dyna .DSH for these), into sub-folders. At the moment you can only have them in one long list. Careful naming will be your 'workaround' in the interim.

   ~ we have also asked that we be able to have multiple Flatwork sheets in a job, without those sheets wanting to 'relate' to each other in regards to numbering. Especially for calendar work. This will come, I am sure. They seem to accommodate users wants over time.

   ~our Dyna was old, and very incompatible with just about everything, so we dropped it. Haven't experienced bringing in Dyna Templates, cos we couldn't. from what I hear, your functionality/tweakability will be limited compared to XMF impo.  ...example, co-worker was given wrong page size by thems upstairs. He merely changed the page size in the Impo...the whole thing updated...shrank Sheet sizes etc...10 second fix. Good.

   I find, and many here seem to find in other workflows, that exact page-count Templates are of limited use. We use Stripping Sheet Templates mostly. Sorta like Dyna .DSH really. 'Build' the job from that.

Beware! If you are contemplating getting away with having a single impo 'seat', be awar that you have to quit the client so that Fred on the next Mac can pick it up! A pain. We have 2 seats, so TG for that. They are coy about telling you that. The alternative is to have impo client reside on a separate machine, so that you can do chair-slide swaps. If you can afford it, buy as many Client impo seats as you can.
I'll be in and out during the day...fire any further queries my way.

Beware too...Client not yet compatible with Snow Leopard. Fix touted for 03/10. I have tried a Java move-down, but that didn't fix it. Just achieved my being less scared of Terminal.   :laugh:

...I think Farabomb has a Strine translator in his bottom drawer somewhere. Request from him as necessary.

Oh, 'learning impo all over again'. Be not afraid. Anyone who has 'mastered' the dreaded Dyna will sail with XMF impo. Just the usual lack-of-familiarity for a coupla weeks; then the pain disappears. It's all about getting used to the GUI/windows, like anything. The thing that bothers me most is that the little running 'XMF Man' seems to not have any head room. My back hurts just watching him.

...gratis, random translations:
-Egg  Nishner=air conditioner
-Gloria Soames=glorious homes
-Mare Chick= magic
...and the author's name = alphabetical order...of course.   :rolleyes:

 Thanks Farabomb, for reminding me. I meant to buy the Omnibus re-release of his 60s books..."Let's Stalk Strine". Tomorrow! Freakin' hilarious. Well, we think so, but then we understand 'em.   :cheesy:

[frailer]

Further down the track, contact me on how we soft-proof. There is some interesting stuff in there. Also using alternative workflows to do this. XMF is pretty much set up for re-purposing to another, say, digital press. You can have the 2+ workflows there to shoot off in whatever direction.
Also, the Java-based 3D proofing is terrific. Biggest problem is dumb-arsed designers, in our case intermdiaries in-house, who wn't make the effort to get clients to use it.  I use it to 'flick' through a job before it goes anywhere. Check for crossovers/lineups, page flow...

[frailer]

Further, (happy), thought. You Save As...to a Stripping Sheet Template, in the same way you do in Dyna. You go back to the 'Sheet' Menu, and save from there, a la Dyna. There are a few things which are similar, which is nice.
Then, when you kick off a new job, you start with any old impo...and 'Replace' with a Stripping Sheet Template. You then add different SSTs by clicking on 'New'...this takes you to SST listing (pretty sure; am at home).
Or, you 'copy' further SSTs as you need them. You then just drag them into their right position from the thumbnail listing at the bottom. In Dyna it was a little dialogue box to do that...so easier in XMF.
One little trap..if your pagination is outa whack, your Sheets have become separated in the 'Assembly Sections' Menu. (see further down in previous XMF thread). Just a matter of removing the separators...bingo...pagination correct.

You can also change the binding style from the Assembly Sections Menu. A drop-down and click. Reasonably kick-ass, though I guess you'd use that once in a blue moon.