PREPS spine markers

[dauby]

We are using Preps 5.3.1 and Nexus Total pdf workflows version 8.6.1. When we use preps with ps files all the marks, crosshairs, colorbars etc, are eps files. But when we use total pdf's all marks, crosshairs, colorbars etc, need to be pdf's. So we take those files and drop them onto distiller and they create pdfs. All thats good except when it comes to our spine markers. I get a Postscript coversion error, couldn't convert the ps file to a PDF. I downloaded new files with the same results. Needless to say we need spine markers on our signatures. Has anyone run into this problem and do you have any fixes?

Thanks, Dauby

 

[Joe]

Re: PREPS spine markers

Try opening the EPS in Illy and saving back out as an Illy 8 eps and then try distilling that.

 

[Al Ferrari]

Re: PREPS spine markers

I don't have any experience using Preps in a pdf to pdf job, but surely there must be a way of placing sig collating marks in an all pdf job.

I can however say that you are not going to create one by distilling an eps mark. Those collating marks work by reading Preps variables in the postscript output stream and "modifying themselves" by moving to a new location and printing the sig number. This dynamic behavior is simply not possible in a pdf file. I had this discussion a long, long time ago with Ray Johnson in the old Preps usenet newsgroup. For those who don't know about Ray, he is the creator of most of the original Preps eps marks (open some of them in a text editor, and you will see his name in the header comments).

Al

 

[Al Ferrari]

Re: PREPS spine markers

If you search the Preps GUA forum you will find several threads dealing with this issue. Evidently it is done with Smart Marks, but I have no experience with those.

http://www.mygua.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Al

 

[Joe]

Re: PREPS spine markers

Ahhhh...I didn't get collation marks when he said spine markers. Should have paid closer attention. In that case yes, smartmark collation marks should work in a PDF to PDF workflow.

 

[dauby]

Re: PREPS spine markers

All fixed. Thanks for all your help.