XMPie, Xerox Free Flow & iGen

[Lammy]

What's the most efficient format to use coming out of XMPie to feed variable print files to an iGen running FreeFlow? I used to feed a NexPress with .vdx from Fusion Pro with smashing success. It doesn't seem to work so well with the iGen. A PPML/VDX file out of XMPie is a larger file size than a normal PDF of the same record range. The PDF rips, but takes forever!

Xerox's preferred choice would be VIPP, but I don't have a license for that.

 

[MailGuru]

Hi Lammy. Coming out of XMPie, we use PPML that drops to respective hot folders for the RIP on each printer. However, we are using EFI Fiery RIPS and the printers are Xerox 8000AP's and 8002's (not the iGen). The file size, itself, may be larger than PDF's, but the RIP speed is much much faster.

 

[Lammy]

How many records/pages do you typically have in a print file at a time?

 

[MailGuru]

Depends on the application:
Simple 4-up 6 x 9 duplex post card with no varying art (just varying text) - 5,000 - 10,000 records at a time.
4-up 6 x 9 duplex post card with varying art (4 - 5 diff images) and varying text - 2,000 - 3,000 records at a time.
Complex 2-up 24 to 36 page 6 x 9 booklets with lots of varying art and text - 100 - 200 records at a time.

 

[Lammy]

This job that's driving me nuts right now is 4 pages, 2 of which have variable text. 1 page is blank, the other three the entire page is a PDF. The Free Flow rip has crashed three times now trying to process files that are 5,000 PAGES, 1250 records. I used to do 10,000 pages at a clip on the NexPress with VDX files without batting an eye.

 

[MailGuru]

Try this. Coming out of XMPie, select your output to PPML (not PDF), specify which printer (or hot folder) you want it to go to, then select the radio-button to "compress output". See if that helps.

 

[Stiv]

It has been a while since I ran the iGen but I used to write PS from XMPie and then distill to PDF. The FreeFlow RIP only had a 70GB server so I had to chop it into pieces, then delete the jobs when finished printing. Also, check to make sure you are not RIPping the entire file before printing.

The site, <http://www.colorprintingforum.com/xerox-iGen/>, is an excellent resource for all things iGen - check them out.

 

[youston]

If there's any transparency in the file, try using PDF-VT out of XMPie. We don't have all that much luck running ppml files out of XMPie if there's any art at all in the file. YMMV.

(Really miss .vdx on the NexPress. Oh well.)