JDF Imposition of PDF's

[pcmodem]

Does anyone do Imposition with a PDF's with an application like Dynastrip, Preps, etc and then output a JDF?

We are just starting out with a PDF workflow and in Preps the marks get output to a PDF inside of the JDFMarksFlat folder.

Is this a Preps thing or a JDF thing?

 

[Laurens]

JDF = job related data

JDF = job related data

JDF is the JOB definition format. As such, JDF data do not contain graphic objects such as crop marks or color bars.

- One way in which those can be added is by putting all these graphic data in a separate set of PDF files, which is what Preps and some other imposition applications do. The workflow picks up that background template and overlays the pages on it. It has been a while since I played around with this. I know that in the beginning there were some issues with handling marks that you want on top of page content and others that should be masked by the pages. I assume that has been fixed. Maybe others can shed some light on this.

- Another way in which marks can be handled is by delegating this task to the workflow. Since a JDF file can tell the workflow everything about the press sheet, the number of colors and the target press, a workflow like Apogee Prepress can automatically select an appropriate set of marks (crop marks, text marks, press registration marks, color bars,..) based on this information. This is typically the way JDF data coming from an MIS system that supports stripping are handled.

 

[Joe]

Does anyone do Imposition with a PDF's with an application like Dynastrip, Preps, etc and then output a JDF?

We are just starting out with a PDF workflow and in Preps the marks get output to a PDF inside of the JDFMarksFlat folder.

Is this a Preps thing or a JDF thing?

Yes, it's a Preps thing. I think you are using Nexus, correct? I assume you will be bringing the JDF into the Nexus JDF to PDF module? To get that to work there is a setting in that module where you have to give it the path to the location where those marks files are going to be. For example, like your old Pages and Links folders, it's a good idea to create a folder on a drive that Nexus can see. We created a PDF folder on the same drive where we had been using Links and Pages. Save your JDFs into job folders in that folder (PDF) and it will put the Marks files with it but you have to specify this location in the JDF to PDF module. I would give you an example but I don't have Nexus anymore and don't exactly remember the procedure but I remember it was kind of an obscure setting. Long can help you with it.

 

[WiseGuy]

This is a JDF thing. JDF uses a separate PDF for the marks when the source files are combined. With DynaStrip you the marks PDF is sent to a subfolder of the output and combined in a MIME package so it looks like a single JDF package. inpO2 (our Acrobat based imposition package) outputs it's JDF like this too.

Different packages and workflows handle a little different, but in essence they all do the same thing.

I hope this helps!
Michael Reiher
Dynagram