Preps 6 Pro

[Erock67]

Hello,
I just got back from training for the NexPress. My shop foreman wants me to impose all the jobs going to this press before they get on the press user interface. He figured I would just use InDesign to do it, but it takes way too long.
While I was in Rochester, I looked up a guy who trains people on pre-press applications, and he showed me Preps 6 Pro. It has some really nice features as compared to Preps 5. I have downloaded a demo of the program so I can learn my way around before presenting this option to my boss.
I was checking out the ganging feature, and I had a question. Say you have a 2 sided business card, common front, 10 different backs. Is there a way to number the front page 1, then number the back 2-11?
Also, can you save a layered pdf file from this program? With the dimensional ink, the pdf needs to retain the layers in order to work.
Any other advice or opinions on this program would be greatly appreciated. I really like the fact that you can do an imposition without having to make a separate template, etc.
With the small profit margins in digital printing, this program seems to be a very fast solution for imposing and ganging for the digital press.

Thanks!

 

[WiseGuy]

Another option for you that would be more cost effective would be our inpO2 for Adobe Acrobat with our Optimization Module. This would allow you to do what you want with advanced ganging for under $2000. If you'd like, I could give you an overview on a webinar so you can see for yourself.

Just thought I'd point it out so you have all your bases covered.

Let me know... you can call me directly or drop me an email.

Thanks!
Michael Reiher
Dynagram
Ph: 570-212-2276
email: [email protected]

 

[landonvoth]

Yes, there is an easy way:
1. Place the front art on the front of the sheet.
2. Create the layout quickly with the step & repeat tool
3. Flip to back of sheet and drag each back artwork into a page position and override the back auto page numbering by holding the Option (Alt on Windows) key down.

All layers in PDF should be left alone on output.

Send me an email if you have any questions on this.

Thanks,
Landon

Eastman Kodak Company
[email protected]

 

[Van]

Not sure what version of InDesign you are using but the latest version is where we quickly impose - 1 sided or 2 - for our digital press. I'm sure the new CS5 coming out in May will have more features and improvements as well.

Here are some additional helpful user forums in making your decision:

Dynagram

Preps - GUA Forums

 

[semi-tech]

Is anyone using Preps 6 with Tiger? We're looking to perhaps upgrade our Preps 5.3.3. We're supposed to be getting an OS upgrade (Leopard) but it doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon, so it may be Tiger when (if) we get the upgrade.

 

[Erock67]

Ok, today I am trying something with Preps that I haven't done before. It is a Cut and Stack impose for over 2,800 pages. I set up a test file with some numbers on them so I could see if they were going to fall into the right spot.

The job is 1 sided, and I thought I had set everything up right, but when I generated press runs, it came up with sig 1 having page 1, then sig 2 had page 3. It is skipping all even numbered pages. Any idea of what I could be doing wrong?

When the company got the program, they never had a technician come in to answer any questions I may have had. I printed out the instructions about how to create a cut & stack from the help menu. I followed step by step, and it didn't work. I made a few changes and got it to the spot I'm at now.

Also, if I go to the press runs list and expand, it shows "Press Run 1 Front" 1 sided, and it also shows a "Press Run 1 Back" grayed out. The front is not grayed out.

Thanks for any help!

Eric

 

[Erock67]

Oh, the stock is 13x20 on the digital press, and the page size is 9x6. My test file is 40 pages, 4 pages on each sig. Sig 1 should have page 1, 11,21 & 31, but it isn't coming out right.