MetaData

[kaiserwilhelm]

Is there a way to add metadata PER page? Third party would be ok.
IE, page 1 metadata COVER page 2 metadata SIG1, etc, etc.

 

[leonardr]

Is there a way to add metadata PER page? Third party would be ok.
IE, page 1 metadata COVER page 2 metadata SIG1, etc, etc.

Not exactly sure what type of metadata and for what purpose you are looking for. Is this for PDF or some other format?

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

Say I had two digital machines. I want to put a 128 page magazine to both. I want P1,2,127, 128 and a four page spread in the middle to go to machine a. i want all else to go to machine b.
My thought was meta data to each page. Call out the above mentioned pages with metadata that says, "A" for instance. The other pages with "B"
The alternative is to make two pdfs. I am not in favor of that.

 

[leonardr]

Say I had two digital machines. I want to put a 128 page magazine to both. I want P1,2,127, 128 and a four page spread in the middle to go to machine a. i want all else to go to machine b.
My thought was meta data to each page. Call out the above mentioned pages with metadata that says, "A" for instance. The other pages with "B"
The alternative is to make two pdfs. I am not in favor of that.

That's what JDF (Job Definition Format) is for - specifying the job criteria. It lives outside the PDF and is a standard supported by most modern workflow systems.

Alternatively, you'd have to find a custom/proprietary plugin solution for Acrobat to enable this.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Say I had two digital machines. I want to put a 128 page magazine to both. I want P1,2,127, 128 and a four page spread in the middle to go to machine a. i want all else to go to machine b.
My thought was meta data to each page. Call out the above mentioned pages with metadata that says, "A" for instance. The other pages with "B"
The alternative is to make two pdfs. I am not in favor of that.

Would you be printing to each machine, or would you be dropping the PDF in a hot folder for the machines? If printing, why not use the print command and specify page ranges?


Stephen Marsh

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

Isn't that what standard workflows are for?
Would you need metadata for this?
It was for these reasons JDF was invented as I understand it.

 

[rich apollo]

Is there a way to add metadata PER page? Third party would be ok.
IE, page 1 metadata COVER page 2 metadata SIG1, etc, etc.

Are you imposing the document? If so, can you simply send each signature where you want them to go? The imposition software should allow for this without splitting your document and it should be MUCH less labor intensive than assigning metadata to each page.

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

This is all digital variable data. We have a digital web press now. In the old world, yes, you are right, easily done with how you print, and or impose.
If you are talking a run of 500,000 pages, of which 4/128 are going to one press and 124/128 going to another...well, you can see how ONE pdf that is 500K pages with JDF or something driving 1-4, 129-132, etc to press one would help.
I can do this via my variable output software to two pdfs. I don't like that idea because of the fact that something ALWAYS goes wrong. Then, press A has the old file and press b has the new.
The paradigm shift going on in my head is causing me headaches. I am learning variable data software instead of my old layout programs. For this to work, all the software has to start to morph. IE, my layout software for my platemaker is fantastic...but completely useless in 18 months. My variable data software is WEAK when it comes to imposition.
I cannot wait until Graph Expo in about two years. I expect to see a renaissance of small software companies that have figured out the way out of the paradigm shift.

 

[rich apollo]

Ahhhh. Now I see what you're driving at.

We have a similar situation that we work with. We have an order that comes in for ≈ 80,000 variable data membership cards with 5 or 6 different bases. The solution we've settled on for the moment is to have the guys in the digital division generate PDFs of the cards. Then I take them down here and impose them using Preps. I know it's not very slick, nor automated, but Preps cranks out PDFs of imposed flats so unbelievably fast that it's tough to argue with. It's one of those make-do situations.

The problems this solution solves are:
1) The variable data software they're using is WEAK for imposition (seems like they all are)
2) Working this way we can put the files together in a day - and the digital press can process the flats MUCH more quickly. Trying to rely on the variable data software brought the RIP to a crawl.

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

We have GMC (Print Net T or Inspire depending upon which version you have.
We can impose through it, but it is a little painful. (IE crop marks, etc).

Imagine that you wanted to print 100,000 different magazines. The guts are all variable as are the covers. Obviously, the covers will run on an Igen. The guts will run on a variable web press.
I can probably get my GMC software to only emit Pages 3-126......then, skip 127,128,129,130...then start up on the guts on the next one.
Then, do the opposite (only p1, p2, p127,128, 129,130, etc)
It just seems dumb though. It creates two files.
I should be able to create one file with all pages. Then, tag those pages automatically on the way out the door (JDF??) Then, my Igen sees the JDF with IGEN on it and ONLY prints those pages?
Just a concept. Obviously, I was off from the beginning on calling this meta data.