Based on a lack of training and a completely screwed up install, I'm not sure if our issues are problems inherent with Xitron or just specific to us.
First, the trapping. We've been told that you really can't preview or change trap in a ripped job. There is a rip with trap preview option that will give a bright green or red line where there will be trap, but you really can't see what the trap will look like, AND, get this: "If you use that preview and then send to plate, those colored lines will print".
The letters "w" "t" and "f" are barely adequate.
We were also trained on how to change the trap from "None" to "Standard" or "Middle". That can't possibly be the only control we have. What if I want to change the direction of one of the colors? What if just some type needs changed? Is there really no way to check or change trap with Xitron? We were told that if it has problems on press, we can go in and change to one of the other two trap options (and hope it works better).
Also, is it normal to have to mount several shared drives to process a job? We have to mount one to add jobs to the workflow list, mount another one to "roam" (there is not a real preview for ripped jobs), another one has to be mounted from the Mac with the Starproof rip (understandable that you'd have to mount something there for the hot folder to work I guess), and another drive if we want to drop files in to print to our little Prism. Seems like a PITA having to mount several volumes on every machine every morning and every rip crash throughout the day. Just wondering if that's normal or if again it may be a retarded install.
Probably the biggest issue I have is that we were assured up front that we were getting a ROOM workflow. As it turns out, this is not the case at all. We are creating PDFs, dropping them into one workflow for the starproof rip for color proofing, and then if and when OK, we drop that PDF into the "to plate" workflow which rips it (through a completely different rip on a completely separate machine) for the platesetter. Again, install guy says that it really is rip once output many because we'll be using "normalized" PDF's that will be sent to each process. He was then not only unable to explain how we need to "normalize" said PDF's, but also had no answer when I commented that we could've had a ROOM workflow with our old PS/M or Brisque workflows using that same logic (and files would actually work - AND we'd have control over trapping and could preview the job and the trapping in rip and change as necessary).
So far, we are 2 months into this and we spend about 10 times longer trying to fix files and get PDFs that will actually work with the rip than we ever did with either of our old Scitex rips. Someone please tell me that we are just victims of poor training and that this whole xitron "workflow" is not really this incredibly retarded to deal with. My co-worker and I both feel like we just went back in time 20 years technology wise with this nightmare.
First, the trapping. We've been told that you really can't preview or change trap in a ripped job. There is a rip with trap preview option that will give a bright green or red line where there will be trap, but you really can't see what the trap will look like, AND, get this: "If you use that preview and then send to plate, those colored lines will print".
The letters "w" "t" and "f" are barely adequate.
We were also trained on how to change the trap from "None" to "Standard" or "Middle". That can't possibly be the only control we have. What if I want to change the direction of one of the colors? What if just some type needs changed? Is there really no way to check or change trap with Xitron? We were told that if it has problems on press, we can go in and change to one of the other two trap options (and hope it works better).
Also, is it normal to have to mount several shared drives to process a job? We have to mount one to add jobs to the workflow list, mount another one to "roam" (there is not a real preview for ripped jobs), another one has to be mounted from the Mac with the Starproof rip (understandable that you'd have to mount something there for the hot folder to work I guess), and another drive if we want to drop files in to print to our little Prism. Seems like a PITA having to mount several volumes on every machine every morning and every rip crash throughout the day. Just wondering if that's normal or if again it may be a retarded install.
Probably the biggest issue I have is that we were assured up front that we were getting a ROOM workflow. As it turns out, this is not the case at all. We are creating PDFs, dropping them into one workflow for the starproof rip for color proofing, and then if and when OK, we drop that PDF into the "to plate" workflow which rips it (through a completely different rip on a completely separate machine) for the platesetter. Again, install guy says that it really is rip once output many because we'll be using "normalized" PDF's that will be sent to each process. He was then not only unable to explain how we need to "normalize" said PDF's, but also had no answer when I commented that we could've had a ROOM workflow with our old PS/M or Brisque workflows using that same logic (and files would actually work - AND we'd have control over trapping and could preview the job and the trapping in rip and change as necessary).
So far, we are 2 months into this and we spend about 10 times longer trying to fix files and get PDFs that will actually work with the rip than we ever did with either of our old Scitex rips. Someone please tell me that we are just victims of poor training and that this whole xitron "workflow" is not really this incredibly retarded to deal with. My co-worker and I both feel like we just went back in time 20 years technology wise with this nightmare.
