xml to preps?

[WEB&PLATE]

has anyone connected to kodak preps via xml rather than JDF?, if so would someone be able give me advice?

 

[mattbeals]

Never heard of such a thing. I'd be curious to know how that works and what it's supposed to do.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

I am out of my depth here, however I will try to answer. I hope to learn more about this later this year.

I believe that JDF is written in XML, although JDF is complex. To achieve similar things with XML should be easier, however the data would be closed, vendor or product specific and not open as with JDF.

I am not sure if it is possible for Preps to directly ingest JDF, XML and create an imposition.

I believe that this is possible through Prinergy Connect/Powerpack, feeding in XML to pass onto Preps, Pandora or Packaging Layout Automation. I believe that the RBA or Rules Based Automation engine would handle the XML input and pass on instructions where needed to other Kodak software.

The XML would of course have to conform to the XML schema required by Prinergy and or Preps.

Where would the XML data be coming from, say an MIS system? What if the XML from a third party system did not match what was required in Prinergy/Preps? Can you configure the XML output in the third party system?


Stephen Marsh

 

[mattbeals]

JDF is XML and it is definitely very complex because of the rules associated with JDF, not because it is XML. From what I have seen of various JDF files there is a core set of required data for JDF but each vendor adds their own twist.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

JDF is XML and it is definitely very complex because of the rules associated with JDF, not because it is XML. From what I have seen of various JDF files there is a core set of required data for JDF but each vendor adds their own twist.

Thanks Matt, what I was trying to say is that if one compares a JDF (XML) file vs. a XML file correctly formatted for Kodak Prinergy RBA, the JDF file would be more complex (they are both written in XML). One does not have to join CIP4 to write the Kodak XML. The Prinergy workflow can accept both XML and JDF input, if correctly written. I believe that they can both offer the same input into the Kodak Prinergy workflow and the same output.


Stephen Marsh

 

[mattbeals]

Stephen, I think it depends on whose JDF you are talking about. I can tell you that while I am not JDF or XML fluent by any means the JDF from Metrix and other programs does seem to be rather readable. Where things get confusing to me is different vernacular for the same information and how the structure can be jumbled but still result in the same net effect.

All in all it's all XML. It just depends on how well documented it is. And that I suppose has been my biggest barrier, finding the documentation to make sense of the tags.