How to move from Xerox Freeflow Makeready

[gsb]

Hi everyone,

we are currently plagued with the Xerox makeready software, which after upgrading to version 9 has been a complete nightmare. Jobs get ruined by just opening them, complicated jobs are impossible to assemble, making changes to old jobs completely ruins the job when saving, sometimes pages are shuffled when inserting pages to existing jobs, and i could go on...

Xerox has been incredibly slow at acting upon this problem, and after a month we had two specialists on site scratching their heads. This was three weeks ago, and we have heard nothing at all since. Given a long period of changing problems with different versions of this software, we are now looking for new possibilities. I have contacted EFI requesting a trial of their SeeQuence suite, but I am wondering if other good alternatives exist..? Also, does anyone here have experience in switching platforms..? We are considering switching all our Xerox software to EFI in order to become supplier independent, however we have 5 years worth of production stored in .rdo jobs. Is it possible to migrate them to other platforms succesfully..?

I really hope that someone has done a similar swap, as our production has been a complete nightmare for a long period.

Best regards, Jacob

 

[Steve0]

Consider EFI MicroPress or Fiery Central (Central requires that your print devices have a Fiery controller, the only exceptions being Docutech and Digimaster); also look into the suite of products from Alto Imaging Technologies, esp. Image Arranger.

 

[DanB]

You can simply save all your RDO's as PDF's. This will at least save the content and I'm sure you will be able to use the PDF's regardless of the system you move to. You will lose your programing such as pages tagged to be printed front only and paper choices and what not.

We have been using Freeflow for many years and have had few problems with it. On the other hand we are still running on version 8. Perhaps you should get your Xerox analyst to get you back on Version 8 while you decide what you are going to do.

Dan

 

[arossetti]

We upgraded to version 9 with no problems, however. We looked at Prisma's software and they had a program that converted rdo's on the fly to work in their pdf based program. Also I know there is a company out there that will convert your entire library for probably around $10,000.

I just did a google search and found this: RDOPrint: Convert RDOs to PDF and PostScript (Homepage)

 

[c2k]

what did you version did you upgrade from??

 

[jokar]

We have had Freeflow for many years...I think we started with a version 4...and upgraded to version 9 without any problems. I would suggest you request a different Xerox analyst to checkout your system, they all are not created equal.

We also have EFI MicroPress and have had constant problems. It took them over 4 months to get it set up and running.

 

[gsb]

Hi everyone, and thank you for the input. As we print 90% of our jobs on carbonless CB/CFB/CF mixed with 90gsm and cardstock, our typical job uses 3-6 different paper types so we depend on having our special pages converted correctly. I will take a look at the RDOPrint solution, it seems like a possibility. I have worked with EFI software for proofing before with success, and our dutch partner seems to be satisfied with it as well. However they dont use the seequence software. In short, we don't use normal imposition features very often so the focus would be a simple software that provides the ability to step pages out and mark them with different stocks, and it seems that seequence can do this. However i will take a look at anything that people can recommend(like Alto - thanks!).

We upgraded from version 7 to 9, and have had one of two absolutely critical issues solved(it seems for now...) after a 6 week wait for Xerox to report back. Version 7 was ok with an occasional crash, however it started out with some issues when printing variable data, which is also a crucial part of our production.

 

[callumr]

RDO conversion including all page programming/cover sheets/inserts/etcc

RDO conversion including all page programming/cover sheets/inserts/etcc

Hi everyone, and thank you for the input. As we print 90% of our jobs on carbonless CB/CFB/CF mixed with 90gsm and cardstock, our typical job uses 3-6 different paper types so we depend on having our special pages converted correctly. I will take a look at the RDOPrint solution, it seems like a possibility. I have worked with EFI software for proofing before with success, and our dutch partner seems to be satisfied with it as well. However they dont use the seequence software. In short, we don't use normal imposition features very often so the focus would be a simple software that provides the ability to step pages out and mark them with different stocks, and it seems that seequence can do this. However i will take a look at anything that people can recommend(like Alto - thanks!).

We upgraded from version 7 to 9, and have had one of two absolutely critical issues solved(it seems for now...) after a 6 week wait for Xerox to report back. Version 7 was ok with an occasional crash, however it started out with some issues when printing variable data, which is also a crucial part of our production.

If you want to convert RDO files with all page programming included (Media attributes, Tabs, special pages etc..) then the best solution is 'DP Convert' from Oce. This will not only convert RDO files manually or batch processing via Hot Folder but will also convert the various job ticket items in the RDO file. This means coloured inserts, cover pages, finishing (corner staple) will also be written into the resulting PDF file after conversion.

If you want to step pages out & mark them with multiple assigned stocks then Oce's Prisma Prepare will handle this and give you a visual representation of how the job will be printed and finished (Inline finishing). The converted RDO file will display in Prisma Prepare all the media, special pages, tabs etc..that was set in the Freeflow RDO. I would strongly suggest looking at these two products from Oce as they are both Print engine independent!

Hope this helps..