PPML Language vs PDF Questions for VDP (using XM Pie)

[TMP]

Hello Everyone,

Our company is experimenting with more efficient ways to print VDP. From reading some articles/threads, I got the impression that PPML is probably the best way to send VDP files to our output digital press. This is b/c it would vastly reduce the size of the file so that the printer can print at a higher speed and not be bogged down RIPping the files. Up until now we did small amounts of VDP and just used Datamerge in InDesign to get by. Now we need a better solution b/c the processing time on larger files isn't acceptable.

We currently use XMPie uDirect Designer b/c of a web storefront but needed to download a 30 day trail version b/c what we owned did not support the Dynamic Print funtionality in the plug in. The trial only lets us print 5 records but we've created a test variable postcard with various dynamic words and images so we could try printing a PPML file (we have no experience with PPML). We saved the file as a PPML and as a PDF to compare file sizes. However, it turned out that the PDF file was much smaller than the PPML file which is not what we expected based on what we've read about PPML's ability to reduce the file size. And since we can only test 5 records at a time I'm not sure if this is even a large enough sample to judge the differences. Regardless, what is the process to be able to print a PPML file to our digital press? Up until now we've always sent every version of the variable file as a large PDF.

Also, since we are completely new to PPML should we save our files as (PPML/VPX, PPML/PS1.5, or PPML/PS2.1)??? Can anyone explain the differences between those 3 file extenstions that XMPie is giving us the option to save as?? Appreciate any knowlege you could provide as we are trying to learn how to do VDP! Thanks,

Mitch

 

[Digital Press Guy]

Mitch,

You can find extensive information on PPML on the Print On Demand Initiative's website PPML - Home

As podi sets the standards for PPML much of the information is free without having to join.

Jet Letter's PSL supports PPML as well as PDF output. A fully functional trial version can be had at their website PSL - Jet Letter- Variable Data Printing Software.

Good Luck, -Thomas

 

[ChrisMK]

There will be a PODi webinar on September 22 at 12pm EDT that you might find interesting. It's free. It will go over the different VDP languages and then Dr. Paul Jones, the foremost expert on PPML and developer of the specifications, will demo PPML3.0, CheckPPML, and answer questions. https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/541335040

 

[Bo3b]

The best VDP language/protocol to use is dependent on what RIP you have and what application you are using to create the output.
XMPie uses indesign to do most of the work so the PPML, VIPP it creates is what some would call 'fat' - you do have the option of externally referencing graphic elements instead of embedding them in the file - although I think they have to be eps files for ppml. Which does make the output files much smaller.
When XMPie creates PDF output it first creates the PostScript then distills this to PDF this can limit the output file size as acrobat cannot handle a ps file larger than 2GB.
Then, when printing the output most RIPs have to convert PDFs back to PostScript before processing, this takes some time.
I've found for heavily graphic intensive VDP on our particular RIP it's best to use optimised PostScript - the file size is larger than the PDF but is created quicker and is also rips and prints quicker than the Optimised PDF output.
If you're using a Creo RIP then VPS is probably the best option, PPML also works quite well.
VPS or VIPP from Darwin or DesignMerge - which last time I looked at it did create 'proper' thin VIPP will rip the fastest, but won't do all the clever design stuff that XMPie will give you ( transparency effects, drop shadows etc )
Using transparency effects does slow XMPie down somewhat and will also increase the output file size considerably as well as taking longer to rip.
Anything requiring transparency effects will be using the application to generate the output - simple variable data in VIPP (but not from XMPie) will have very small files as all the processing/building of the pages will be done at the RIP - VIPP can process these 'thin' VIPP files extremely quickly (I've seen 20,000 records processed in less than 5 minutes on a very slow, old RIP)
The fatter files do take longer to process but as long as the RIP can process the files faster than the printer can print them there's no issue - You do have to print the files 1-n, this way most rips can rip and print at the same time. If you print n-1 then the rip has to rip the entire file before printing starts

 

[Vardges]

Hello, I saw in your post about trial version product as you described. I suggest you to use RenderX product - XEP. XEP is formatting not only PPML but also PDF,PS,HTML and so. It is too easy for using. You can find a trial version in XSL-FO, XML to PDF, PostScript, AFP, HTML, SVG, Print - RenderX
Also for more questions you can ask to their forum, which web address is cooltools.renderx.com

A little more, in trial version of this product haven't limitation of generating.