Trapping software?

shorty83

Well-known member
Hi everyone, I work at a small printing company and I am the prepress specialist there. Only a one person shop in prepress and we are looking at getting some trapping software. We were looking at the Esko Deskpack software, but turns out it costs too much and a little more advanced than what we were looking for...Do any of you have a suggestion for stand alone trapping software for a small printing company? Thanks!
M
 
Re: Trapping software?

I've used InDesign's application trapping for a few years and have
found that it works just fine for what we do. I'd give that a try before
paying for a kit, depending on what your needs are. I've used the
trapping in CS2 & CS3.
 
Re: Trapping software?

I have a version of Trapwise version 3.6 just sitting here doing nothing. It runs well in Classic mode and worked great for me for years till we switched to RAMpage.
 
Re: Trapping software?

Visit www.trapping.org and have a look at the new standalone version of I-Trap with the Taskforce Rip.

This will let you set up a very inexpensive trapping station and export trapped PDF files from any kind of input - PS, EPS or PDF.

David Lewis
Lucid Dream Software
 
Re: Trapping software?

Take a look at Heidelberg's PDF Toolbox. It has a trapping application, trap editor AND the BEST PDF color management tool around.

rich
 
Re: Trapping software?

Artpro works pretty fine if you are in Prepress company. Save to pdf in illustrator and Artpro will do the trapping. It takes a minute to trap our labels.
 
Re: Trapping software?

Hi. This is my 1st time on the forum
I am looking for Trapwise for Mac if anyone has it and the dongle for sale.
Please email me the price if you have it.

Any other tips finding trapping software that is not to expensive. I am using Illustrator CS3 for Mac, but it is not that good.
 
Re: Trapping software?

We have Esko Deskpack, works great! ( most of the time )

But from my 20+ yrs in pre-press I gotta say nothing beats trapping by hand ( so to speak ) in Illustrator etc...

Slower, but better.
 
Re: Trapping software?

Doubting_Thomas: Do you mean manual trapping or the automatic-presets trapping? In the latter case, one's RIP needs to support Adobe In-RIP technologies doesn't it?
 
Re: Trapping software?

I agree with the statement that nothing beats application level trapping. I've tested autotrappers with my doozie files multiple times. The auto software works very quickly but nearly evertime something is just not quite right or indeed it is totally wrong.
Since I am considered by many to be a dinosaur STS, my fav of all time was Contex RipnStrip, a LW/CT dual raster compositor and trapper that allowed hand editing during and after the code was read. We ran it on an SGI Unix box with quad processing. The LW file would create the traps in seconds while the composite CT (inc CT spread) would take about three minutes for a tabloid size page once the finished LW was ready. And it could handle up to twelve colors! The beauty of RipnStrip was when language changes had to be made, we'd just merge the alternates with the common materials and produce multiple final versions in a few seconds. We used to have three operators produce the same work in the same time as fifteen guys on the Mac. Alas, all that is gone now. Once Contex was sold, IMO, the newer merged system was too complicated. My point however, is that trapping was object or zone controlled at all times so you could spread or choke differently within the same file at any point up until output including hand drawing a repair of an area. Today's auto trappers follow setting parameters that treat everything the same, ie an object either spreads or chokes period. For packaging work with many spot colors, this never works properly.
John W
 
Re: Trapping software?

Automatic presets trapping. We don't have a manual trapping application here
(outside of manually stroking elements). You only need to use the In-RIP
Trapping option from InDesign if you're printing comps to trap on your RIP.
We don't have the trap package for our RIP, so I let InDesign handle it.
The results work well for us, but we're a smaller shop running smaller presses.
To answer your second question though, yes, as far as I know. I use the
Application Built In option in the print dialog box instead of the In-RIP option though.
 
Re: Trapping software?

No. Harlequin's got it too. several variants.


The content of the message is below
 
Re: Trapping software?

We payed a lot of money for inrip trapping. You said you were a small shop there really is no need to invest a lot of money for trapping when InDesign does a fine job. The only thing you really need to know about it is how to make the settings suit your needs and that it only works well if your trapping a pdf. it will not trap eps's unless you export a pdf and bring it back in and it will trap like a champ.

Best Wishes
Brian
 
About Trapwise version 3.6

About Trapwise version 3.6

I have a version of Trapwise version 3.6 just sitting here doing nothing. It runs well in Classic mode and worked great for me for years till we switched to RAMpage.

I am an independent prepress specialist. I wonder if you still have Trapwise version 3.6, with dongle. It works with Mac OS classic? Do you consider to sell it? How much would you ask for?

Thank you.

qn
 
Re: Trapping software?

I agree with the statement that nothing beats application level trapping. I've tested autotrappers with my doozie files multiple times. The auto software works very quickly but nearly evertime something is just not quite right or indeed it is totally wrong.
Since I am considered by many to be a dinosaur STS, my fav of all time was Contex RipnStrip, a LW/CT dual raster compositor and trapper that allowed hand editing during and after the code was read. We ran it on an SGI Unix box with quad processing. The LW file would create the traps in seconds while the composite CT (inc CT spread) would take about three minutes for a tabloid size page once the finished LW was ready. And it could handle up to twelve colors! The beauty of RipnStrip was when language changes had to be made, we'd just merge the alternates with the common materials and produce multiple final versions in a few seconds. We used to have three operators produce the same work in the same time as fifteen guys on the Mac. Alas, all that is gone now. Once Contex was sold, IMO, the newer merged system was too complicated. My point however, is that trapping was object or zone controlled at all times so you could spread or choke differently within the same file at any point up until output including hand drawing a repair of an area. Today's auto trappers follow setting parameters that treat everything the same, ie an object either spreads or chokes period. For packaging work with many spot colors, this never works properly.
John W

Not so much of a dinosaur in my mind John - MaxPro works in a very similar way - Graphic Republik - Innovative solutions for Packaging Professionals
 
prepress_qn, yes I still have it. I think I still have all the documentation as well. Trapwise runs in classic without any issues. Make me an offer.
 
I believe that Michael Jahn at Compose-USA is a distributor for the following:

PaSharp_Key Modules_Trap Sharp_Automatic trap

Perhaps Michael can comment or supply sample video or sample before/after trapped files etc? Is this a stand alone application for separate purchase, or part of a larger suite purchase? Is it an Acrobat Pro plug?


Best,

Stephen Marsh
 
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I agree with the statement that nothing beats application level trapping.

John, do you mean manually adding overprinting strokes on existing paths or duping existing paths and placing them in a trap layer for overprinting strokes?

Or do you mean using the Illustrator pathfinder/trap filter on selected objects?


Stephen Marsh
 
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Depending on the type of output device you are using and your existing workflow we may have a solution. The RTI Harlequin RIP can output TIFF files and with the TrapPro option you can have the TIFF files automatically trapped. You can find pricing for the TIFF RIP and the TrapPro options using the following links:
TIFF Software RIP for Computer to Plate CTP - TIFF Separation Software for Platesetters 1-bit, 1bit or 8-bit, 8bit
TrapPro Trapping Software for Prepress and Printing Applications - Harlequin in-RIP Trapping

If you like you can also download a demo version of the software from:
Harlequin RIP Demo, RTI Harlequin Demo TIFF, Epson, HP, CTP Platesetter RIP Software

The demo version is a fully functioning demo and you will be able to unlock the TrapPro option on a 30 day free trial. The demo does place watermark boxes on the output. If you have any questions about configuring the software or the trapping parameters please let us know.

Thank you.
 
Hi John,

Prinect Trap Editor is a PDF trapping engine that allows you automatic trapping but completely editable based on any layer or zone. This is the trapping engine in our Prepress Manager workflow or is available as an Acrobat plug-in. The trapping algorithms actually hail back to the Linotype-Hell DaVinci workstation, so back to the era of Contex:). When it released in 2001 as Supertrap, it won a GATF InterTech Award. So there is a solution that will give you the control you were use to back in our younger days.

Heidelberg - Prinect Trap Editor

Regards,

Mark


I agree with the statement that nothing beats application level trapping. I've tested autotrappers with my doozie files multiple times. The auto software works very quickly but nearly evertime something is just not quite right or indeed it is totally wrong.
Since I am considered by many to be a dinosaur STS, my fav of all time was Contex RipnStrip, a LW/CT dual raster compositor and trapper that allowed hand editing during and after the code was read. We ran it on an SGI Unix box with quad processing. The LW file would create the traps in seconds while the composite CT (inc CT spread) would take about three minutes for a tabloid size page once the finished LW was ready. And it could handle up to twelve colors! The beauty of RipnStrip was when language changes had to be made, we'd just merge the alternates with the common materials and produce multiple final versions in a few seconds. We used to have three operators produce the same work in the same time as fifteen guys on the Mac. Alas, all that is gone now. Once Contex was sold, IMO, the newer merged system was too complicated. My point however, is that trapping was object or zone controlled at all times so you could spread or choke differently within the same file at any point up until output including hand drawing a repair of an area. Today's auto trappers follow setting parameters that treat everything the same, ie an object either spreads or chokes period. For packaging work with many spot colors, this never works properly.
John W
 

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