VDP Booklets

[MichaelFlanagan]

I have a job that will consist of a few hundred 8 page booklets that each have Variable Data in them. My question is how to produce the booklets using my Xerox 700 with the Light Production booklet maker. I have a single PDF file that contains each page as an 8 1/2 x 11 page. So the PDF file contains page 1-8 (the first booklet), page 9-16 (the second booklet), etc.

The problem I am having is that when I go to print the job (I have the Creo rip) I don't see an ability to specify that the job should print in sets of 8 pages. I need the job to go 8 pages to 11x17 stock and then it is folded and stapled via the Light Production unit.

Anybody doing this?

Thanks.

 

[JasonFF]

If I understand correctly you are looking for a setup option that will take your many page PDF and tell it "convert pages 1-8 into booklet style" and so forth for each set of pages in your PDF?

I don't know if that option exists in the Creo rip. It might, but I know I can't do that on our Xerox rip. In case it turns out you can't do it on your rip, here is an alternate method.

The way I would solve this is by taking a step back to the VDP stage. I would lay out the docment so that when I process the first record (the first booklet) the PDF pages come out in the correct order for your booklet, and then run them double sided, 2 up, sequentially (as opposed to cut and stack), centered.

8,7 - 1,2 (last sheet 11x17, containing front and back in and outside covers)
6,5 - 3,4 (first sheet 11x17, center spread)

So your PDF would look like 8, 7, 1, 2, 6, 5, 3, 4 instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Then you won't need to use make ready or the RIP to convert it to booklet style. I hope this helps, and someone correct me if my booklet pages math is wrong.

 

[MichaelFlanagan]

Thanks for the detailed reply Jason. I am able to do what you suggest but that requires that I take the fold/staple process off the Xerox which is what I am trying to avoid. Doing it as you suggest would still require me to somehow let the printer know that 2 sheets need to be folded and stapled followed by the next 2 sheets.

My VDP application is Darwin and when I am creating the PDF I have the option to tell it how many pages per set but this just creates a separate PDF file for each booklet. That will work but I would then have to run 200 separate print jobs. Not the best workflow

I am sure I am missing something here. Maybe it is just the limitation of the Light Production unit and everyone just prints flats and then takes them offline to create the booklets?? Seems to me that it would be a very simple thing for the RIP to support. Just let me tell it how many pages are in each set and I am ready to rock and roll...

 

[JasonFF]

Very welcome Michael.

Surely there must be some way to tell the stapler how many sheets to staple together, regardless of which way it gets printed. My hunch is that any service tech for your unit should know how to do it. The option can't be far from the option to use / not use the stapler / folder.

If you manage to find it, I'd like to know the details because this is just the kind of knowledge that comes in handy.

 

[Printease]

Michael-

If I recall correctly from my Darwin/Creo days, I believe if you sent this over as VIPP(Or whatever VDP format it lets you use) instead of as a PDF, it should work. I know it requires having all of your VDP images(if used) available to the RIP, but it might be worth it rather than trying to impose/break into books with a long multi page PDF.

 

[PlanetDave]

Binding

Binding

The problem you are having is to tell the printer/CREO when is the end of set. You will have to send each booklet to the virtual booklet printer (make one up so you don't have to adjust settings) separately. Your VDP software needs to output each book as it's own file. This defeats the purpose of a compressed format like VPS, but it is the only way I figured out how to do it. Hope this helps.

 

[MichaelFlanagan]

The problem you are having is to tell the printer/CREO when is the end of set. You will have to send each booklet to the virtual booklet printer (make one up so you don't have to adjust settings) separately. Your VDP software needs to output each book as it's own file. This defeats the purpose of a compressed format like VPS, but it is the only way I figured out how to do it. Hope this helps.

If that is the only way to do it then I just can't see this as a workable solution. I just doesn't make sense that if I wanted 1000 Variable Data Booklets that I would have to generate 1000 separate files and then pick them one at a time to print. I'm really starting to think that the attached booklet maker just wasn't designed for this...

 

[PlanetDave]

More simple than that

More simple than that

If you create a virtual process queue with all the correct settings you don't have to pick them off to submit them. They would go in one at a time automatically. The software has to output to that queue and then split files by every 1 record.

 

[Printease]

I am pretty sure that if you send the original job out of Darwin using VPS it will work. The software and RIP will recognize that it is an 8pg booklet and treat it as such, including the finishing functions. When you send it over as a pre-ripped PDF, the RIP will just see it as a 1,600 page book(or whatever you total page count is in the PDF).

 

[F.I.ImGoingFishing]

I am not familiar with the creo but we use firey Command work station 4 and run this type work using Impose or the booklet maker feature and FreeForm drivers that came with it .


set up the template book go to the FreeForm Tab in command and print to master on comand work station.
Create a seperate document for the variable data (must match the master) Then set up exactly as you did the master and in the FreeForm tab select use master.

Draw back is the rip time.



I would have thought that these types of drivers would be available with any of the rips

 

[sarahd]

on the Creo if you go into Job parameters- Services - Split to booklets you can set the number of pages in your booklet. this shoudl work with any file type. Just a note if you are using coated stock you will need to change your paper settingon the Xerox and the Creo to uncoated. it will not let you send coated stock through the booklet maker tray.

 

[yanger]

On the Creo, there is an option to "Split to Booklets" function in the Creo's confused settings page and you can set it to staple every X pages ... maybe that will help... you can send a 1600 impression job, and have it staple every 10 pages (5-page booklet) vdp set...