Variable Data Printing

R

reetzorion

Member
Hello All,

My company is currently using Print Shop Mail for our variable data printing needs.

We're looking to see what other software is available out there that is comparable to Print Shop Mail's functions.

Our needs are specifically for 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 duplex printing. Numbering, Address fields, etc. Minimal image fields.

We're looking into Fusion Pro Desktop but wanted to get the forum's feedback on this before we go ahead and buy the product.

Any comments regarding this subject would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks everyone!
 
Look into Filemaker pro. I have been using it for years on simple programming jobs instead of using the big guns. Its simple not expensive and can create everything that you will need.
 
I'm curious to know why you're thinking of switching programs - just too many weird errors with PSM? We use PSM and XMPie, but I've migrated everything over to XMPie because the output is more consistent.

I love XMPie, and you can certainly do anything with it that you could with PSM, except for automatically splitting output into various chunks actually, XMPie doesn't do that.
 
Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. We'll be looking into them all to see what is the best option for us.

JasonSpr, we really like PSM but when we purchased the software years ago we bought a dongle with unlimited clicks and now it is showing up with only 600,000 clicks left and counting. PSM does not support the old dongle and will not provide a new one without us paying for it (plus additional $$$ for a service contract we don't need - and that's where they're hitting our wallet hard). Our dongle will run out in approx six months so in the mean time, we are looking into other possibilities.

PSM is a great software package but since we don't need all the bells and whistles is comes with, it doesn't seem worth the money for the upgrade.
 
Sounds like you are doing light VDP work so why not use indesign or do you plan on growing your VDP work and need a larger program?
 
I would suggest sticking with PSM. Dollar for dollar it is the best product on the market and I support various VDP solutions. The MSRP to buy the new Version 7 is $5,995.00. I would try to work with your supplier to see if you can get a discount since you currently have a version of PSM. Think about all the growing pains you will go through if you switch. Is it worth saving a the extra dollars? Just playing devil's avocate.
 
We're going through some growth in providing variable data print, and we're finding more and more projects that completely outstrip Indesign's simple VDP capabilities. We're definitely hitting the 9,999 page limit in Indesign, as well as its propensity to bog down and often crash with increasing numbers of fields and records.

The projects that have killed Indesign have been a 60,000 record mailing with just address data, and a series of pieces that use 30-40 fields of data and have around 10,000 records each. Breaking the 60,000 piece project into 11 files sucked, and still took the better part of a day to merge and RIP to our Docutechs. The other project had to be broken into chunks of 500 and took the better part of a week to process. The catalyst for my search for better software is a 100,000 record project with 20-30 fields. I'm sure I'd have to budget 2 weeks of processing under Indesign, assuming I did nothing else in my work life.

So, our software needs to move up to the next level. It appears XMPie Udirect is about $3000, and PSM is $6000. We're Mac-based, so either seems like it would work there. Unfortunately, my boss is under some odd impression that good VDP software should be about $500.

Anyone have any impressions as to what the strengths and weaknesses of either product is? The $6000 pricetag of PSM is a pretty big weakness if I have a boss who thinks he'll be spending $500. ;-)
 
Hi, Dear, If you want to achieve variable data publishing & batch printing function, but also to meet the budget, you maybe have a try another VDP-UCCSOFT Smartvizor, and engineer will provide solutions accordingly.
 
DesignMerge is a must for your VDP!

DesignMerge is a must for your VDP!

Greetings,

DesignMerge software can utilize the two most powerful and popular composition engines in the world, QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign. All of the composition features that you have grown accustomed to are fully supported by DesignMerge. Every aspect of the composition process, including kerning and letterspacing, hyphenation and justification, runarounds, multi-page composition, styling, tables, etc. are all available for you to use. You just take an existing document, and use DesignMerge to "Make It Variable".

I would encourage you to take a look at DesignMerge or call me if you have any questions.

Layers Magazine Review
DesignMerge for InDesign | Layers Magazine

DesignMerge Videos
DesignMerge Videos, Introduction

Greg Bane
DesignMerge Channel Manager
888-983-6746
 
If DesignMerge is built as a plug-in for InDesign, how does it get around the limitations of InDesign documents? Namely that as the number of text blocks, fields of data and numbers of records in a merge increase, there appears to be an exponential rate at which InDesign slows down and eventually crashes. Currently we use one such plug-in - InData, which I love in and of itself - but it can't get past those InDesign limitations.

Would love to see a case study where a merge containing, say, 5,000 records, 10 fields of data and comprised of more than 5 text or graphic blocks in an InDesign document runs without bogging down or crashing/locking up InDesign.

From what I understand that's just not possible. Would love to be proven wrong.

In fact, I'll quote a support engineer from InData:

The number of frames per page has a large bearing on InDesign’s slowing down.

However, InDesign has the same uneconomy of scale with regards the number of pages in a document (Quark does too...). A 50, or even 100 page document is usually just fine. 200 pages gets a bit balky. 500 pages can be downright unstable. I wouldn’t even consider creating a 1900 page document. Rather, as Chris Roueche suggests, break the import into smaller batches, especially as these documents won’t really need to be in a single document.

It really has little or nothing to do with InData or any other page-building method.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
DesignMerge Software

DesignMerge Software

Republic,

DesignMerge works in part by repeatedly merging a reasonable number of pages to ensure adequate performance. The pages are output and concatenated across the entire session. In addition, we have developed a number of proprietary routines for optimizing the document in advance of the merge. Unlike InData, we do not create one large document containing all merged records (although that is entirely possible to do with DesignMerge using our "Build Document" feature, but if you choose to do so, you will run into the same large document issues that you have experienced with InData).

The DesignMerge engineers spent almost two years perfecting the methods that we utilize to obtain the best possible performance for large-record merges. In addition to performance, most VDP output formats have been "optimized" to ensure that (for example) multiple instances of graphic images do not get printed more than once.

Regards,
Greg Bane
[email protected]
888-983-6746
 
I also advocate FusionPro Desktop. It should fill your requirements and be there when you grow in the future. We use it as part of our pdf workflow, printing to our Konica Minolta 1050's or our Canon C7000VP. The templates work well on sheet sizes up to 13 x 19. And you can use it for VDP or straight non-merge jobs. :D
 
Hi there...
I hope you don't mind my hijacking this forum with a question regarding 'Data Merging in InDesign CS3', as I tend to run or design jobs accordingly for digital print via our Digital Printer that can take SRA3.
My question is this:
I am getting a source document saved in whatever format I need to place into my text placeholder windows to allow the data (5,000 or 10,000 Certificate names) to flow, which obviously means if planned 1-up on an SRA3 sheet means 5,000 or 10,000 passes. I would like to place the variable data into a page set-up that is 2-up where by the information can be run so that two different names appear per spread. How do I do this?
I have tried to select source data per place holder text window to no avail as when I select the source I have a window message appear stating that it will need to be redone (words to that effect), I have tried to create two text sources but again I can not bring in the two sources onto my data merge window pane to select either source where necessary. The data will flow but only one up...
Any suggestions.......
 
Jason G, it would appear we have the same name.

If I understand correctly, you want to print a variable document two up instead of one record per page? To accomplish this I often create a regular 1 up PDF, but I make sure that my PDF dimensions would allow it to be run two up on the sheet I want to use.

Then I set the layout "2 up" at machine level, and again at machine level select "Cut and Stack". Does your printer have these options?
 
JasonSpr does it the way I would do it ... impose at the machine.

If you cannot do this for whatever reason, you simply need to divide your column into two columns (such as [name1] and [name2] as well as all of the other information you're putting in there). Then, create a 2-up design file and apply the appropriate 1's and 2's to their appropriate positions.
 
pa_rider99 said:
Look into Filemaker pro. I have been using it for years on simple programming jobs instead of using the big guns. Its simple not expensive and can create everything that you will need.
Click to expand...

I use Filemaker Pro for database programming, but I wouldn't use it for output. There are many drawbacks, not the least of which is that it doesn't write any VPD output streams (PPML, VPS, Opt-PDF, etc). That means the output is very, very fat.

I also have huge problems printing from Windows that doesn't affect the Mac side, such as placed EPS graphics coming out at low-resolution.

Occasionally, we'll use FMP for sheet-labels or a few envelopes, but not much else print-wise. From a database standpoint, it's great, and we generate all our final CSV files with it.
 
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