Xerox FreeFlow VI Design Express User Guide

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Version 16.0.3.0 December 2020 702P08489

Xerox

FreeFlow

User Guide

VI Design Express

, FreeFlow Process Manager®, VIPP®, and GlossMark®are trademarks of Xerox

Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Other company trademarks are acknowledged as follows:

Adobe PostScript

, the Adobe logo, Acrobat®, the Acrobat logo, Acrobat Reader®, Distiller®, Adobe PDF JobReady™, InDesign®,

, and the PostScript logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All instances of the name PostScript in the text are references to the PostScript language as defined by Adobe Systems Incorporated unless otherwise stated. The name PostScript also is used as a product trademark for Adobe Systems implementation of the PostScript language interpreter, and other Adobe products. Copyright 1987-2020 Adobe Systems Incorporated and its licensors. All rights reserved. Includes

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PDF Libraries and Adobe Normalizer technology.

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trademark of Denso Wave Incorporated in Japan and/or other countries.

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Changes are made periodically to this document. Changes, technical inaccuracies, and typographical errors are corrected in subsequent editions.

Produced in the United States of America.

Table of Contents

1 Installing VI Design Express .................................................................................................11

Supported versions of Adobe InDesign................................................................................... 12

Program Download ................................................................................................................ 13

Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download...................................................................... 14

Minimum System Requirements............................................................................................. 15

Installation Notes .................................................................................................................. 16

Windows installation.............................................................................................................. 17

Complete and Custom Windows installation .................................................................... 17

Mac OS X installation............................................................................................................. 18

Custom Install for Mac OS X ............................................................................................ 18

Licensing................................................................................................................................ 19

License file....................................................................................................................... 20

2 VI Design Express Overview..................................................................................................23

VI Suite Customer Forum ....................................................................................................... 25

Glossary of Terms................................................................................................................... 26

Documentation Overview....................................................................................................... 32

The InDesign Workspace........................................................................................................ 33

Supported Graphic Formats.................................................................................................... 35

Screen and Printer Fonts ........................................................................................................ 36

Overview of Specialty Imaging and VDE ................................................................................ 37

Limitations............................................................................................................................. 38

Sources of the Limitations................................................................................................ 39

Opening VDE Documents in Updated Versions of InDesign .................................................... 42

3 Using VDE ................................................................................................................................43

Setting VDE Preference Options ............................................................................................. 46

Interface tab ................................................................................................................... 46

Export Settings tab .......................................................................................................... 47

Font Export Options tab................................................................................................... 50

Batch Process PDF Files as Resources...................................................................................... 57

Modify PDF with Embedded EPS ...................................................................................... 57

Variable information and design layout.................................................................................. 58

Buttons, Check Boxes and Icons ............................................................................................. 60

Getting Started...................................................................................................................... 68

Opening the VDE panel.................................................................................................... 68

Preparing the workspace .................................................................................................. 69

Defining a Data File......................................................................................................... 70

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User Guide

Table of Contents

Defining the Delimited Data File...................................................................................... 70

Loading a subsidiary delimited data file........................................................................... 77

Defining an XML Data File ............................................................................................... 84

Selecting an asset folder ................................................................................................ 101

Defining VDE Data Object Types.................................................................................... 103

4 Rules ....................................................................................................................................... 107

Rule Term Definitions........................................................................................................... 108

Rule Creation....................................................................................................................... 111

LMOT Subset Retrieval Rule generation.......................................................................... 115

Rule Modification or Duplication .......................................................................................... 117

Rule Testing ......................................................................................................................... 118

Rule Deletion ....................................................................................................................... 119

Un-associate a visibility object from a layer.......................................................................... 120

Find a file with an unknown file extension............................................................................ 121

Importing and Exporting Rules and Transforms.................................................................... 123

Importing a New Data File and its Effect on Rules and Transforms................................. 123

5 VDE Design Elements ......................................................................................................... 125

Text ..................................................................................................................................... 126

Static Text ..................................................................................................................... 126

Variable Text.................................................................................................................. 126

Variable Text Files.......................................................................................................... 126

Text Fitting and Wrapping Options ................................................................................ 127

Variable Text On a Path ................................................................................................. 133

Variable Text around an Object ...................................................................................... 134

Distorted Text................................................................................................................ 136

Tabs............................................................................................................................... 138

Paragraph Indent........................................................................................................... 139

Create Outlines.............................................................................................................. 139

Suppress Blank Variable Text lines........................................................................................ 141

Tables Containing Variable Fields ......................................................................................... 143

Dynamic Character Styles .................................................................................................... 144

Basic Character Formats ................................................................................................ 144

Advanced Character Formats ......................................................................................... 145

Character Color.............................................................................................................. 146

Underline Options.......................................................................................................... 147

Using Dynamic Character Styles .................................................................................... 147

Mixing Static and Dynamic Text Styles........................................................................... 148

Graphics .............................................................................................................................. 151

Static Graphics............................................................................................................... 151

Variable Images............................................................................................................. 151

Barcodes.............................................................................................................................. 155

Aztec ............................................................................................................................. 157

Data Matrix................................................................................................................... 158

EAN-5............................................................................................................................ 159

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Table of Contents

EAN-8............................................................................................................................ 160

EAN-13.......................................................................................................................... 161

GS1 Databar.................................................................................................................. 163

MaxiCode ...................................................................................................................... 165

PDF417 ......................................................................................................................... 166

QR Code......................................................................................................................... 167

USPS 4-State Customer Barcode (IMB) .......................................................................... 173

UPC-A............................................................................................................................ 174

UPC-E ............................................................................................................................ 176

Barcode Fonts ...................................................................................................................... 178

Code 128 ....................................................................................................................... 179

Code 39 ......................................................................................................................... 180

EAN 128 ........................................................................................................................ 181

EAN (8-digit).................................................................................................................. 182

EAN (13-digit)................................................................................................................ 183

Interleaved 2 of 5 .......................................................................................................... 184

PostJPN ......................................................................................................................... 185

PostNet.......................................................................................................................... 186

UPC (Version A) ............................................................................................................. 187

OMR .............................................................................................................................. 189

Variable Layers .................................................................................................................... 192

PDF Fillable Form Fields ....................................................................................................... 193

6 VDE Text Pattern Swatches................................................................................................197

Creating a Text Pattern Swatch............................................................................................ 198

Using SI Effects in a Text Pattern Swatch ............................................................................. 201

Artistic Black VDE Text Pattern Swatch........................................................................... 201

Fluorescent VDE Text Pattern Swatch............................................................................. 202

Infrared VDE Text Pattern Swatch .................................................................................. 203

Micro Text VDE Text Pattern Swatch............................................................................... 204

GlossMark and Correlation Mark Text VDE Text Pattern Swatch...................................... 205

7 Xerox Specialty Inks............................................................................................................. 207

Static and Variable Text ....................................................................................................... 209

Text Limitations ............................................................................................................. 210

Static and Variable Images.................................................................................................. 211

Objects ................................................................................................................................ 213

Paths ................................................................................................................................... 214

The Completed Page Layout ................................................................................................ 215

8 Variable Color ....................................................................................................................... 217

Applying a Variable Color to a Frame Stroke or Frame Fill ..................................................... 218

Applying a variable color to a monochrome image............................................................... 221

9 VDE Business Charts ........................................................................................................... 223

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User Guide

Table of Contents

Business Chart Options ........................................................................................................ 224

VI Design Express Chart Options .......................................................................................... 225

Selecting Input Data...................................................................................................... 226

Bar and Line Chart Options ............................................................................................ 227

Pie Chart Options........................................................................................................... 229

Preview.......................................................................................................................... 231

Margins ......................................................................................................................... 231

Advanced VIPP

DDG Parameters ................................................................................. 231

10 PIF Options......................................................................................................................... 235

Using VDE PIF Options......................................................................................................... 236

Add a Note .................................................................................................................... 237

Add a URI...................................................................................................................... 240

Delete a VDE PIF Option................................................................................................ 243

11 Advanced Functions.......................................................................................................... 245

Activating an Advanced Function......................................................................................... 246

Setting Up the BOOKMARK Advanced Function ................................................................... 249

Adding a New Advanced Function........................................................................................ 251

Exporting and Importing an Advanced Function .................................................................. 254

Tagging an Advanced Function to a Frame........................................................................... 256

Placing the VIPP

Saving Advanced Functions.................................................................................................. 260

Deleting Saved Advanced Functions............................................................................... 261

Setting the Path For Saving Advanced Functions............................................................ 262

code within the Job Structure ............................................................ 257

12 Data Transforms................................................................................................................ 265

Create Data Transform Panel ............................................................................................... 266

User Input Masks................................................................................................................. 273

Arithmetic Expressions ......................................................................................................... 275

Creating an Arithmetic Expression Data Transform .............................................................. 276

Creating A Data Transform Named Add Two Numbers................................................... 276

13 Export and Printing ........................................................................................................... 279

Export Options..................................................................................................................... 281

Create VI Project Container: Project Settings........................................................................ 283

Create VI Print Package: Print Package Settings ................................................................... 286

Create VI Design Express PDF: PDF Settings......................................................................... 289

Export and Print Panels ........................................................................................................ 293

Print settings.................................................................................................................. 293

Multi-Up ........................................................................................................................ 298

Flattening...................................................................................................................... 304

Page Boxes .................................................................................................................... 305

PDF Resources Cropping................................................................................................. 306

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Media and Finishing ...................................................................................................... 306

Export Presets................................................................................................................ 319

Custom Export Presets ................................................................................................... 319

Printing the VPP, VPC, or PDF file ......................................................................................... 325

VI Print Package (.vpp)................................................................................................... 325

VI Project Container (.vpc) ............................................................................................. 326

14 Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data ......................................................................... 329

Page Layouts ....................................................................................................................... 331

Single Occurrence Field Master Page.............................................................................. 331

Multiple Occurrence Field Transaction Page ................................................................... 331

Transaction Continuation Page ...................................................................................... 331

Other Pages................................................................................................................... 332

Sample Test Files ................................................................................................................. 333

Transactional Workflow........................................................................................................ 334

Just Send the Data ........................................................................................................ 334

Test Environment ........................................................................................................... 335

InDesign Screen View and Actual Application Preview.......................................................... 336

Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data Formats.................................................................... 337

Header Record............................................................................................................... 337

Field Descriptor.............................................................................................................. 337

Prefix............................................................................................................................. 338

Customer Record Set...................................................................................................... 338

Root Prefix ..................................................................................................................... 338

SOF ............................................................................................................................... 338

MOF .............................................................................................................................. 339

First Multi-occurrence Prefix........................................................................................... 339

Prefix/Field .................................................................................................................... 339

Delimiter Character........................................................................................................ 339

Examples of Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data Files................................................ 340

Built-in Variables.................................................................................................................. 342

VPPpageCount (also shown in the Data Panel asVDE_PageNumber).............................. 342

VPPpageTotal (also shown in the Data Panel as VDE_PageTotal) ................................... 342

VPPpreviousValue .......................................................................................................... 342

VPPnextValue ................................................................................................................ 343

VPPfirstValue................................................................................................................. 343

VPPlastValue.................................................................................................................. 343

VPPspaceLeftInFrame.................................................................................................... 343

VPPprefixName ............................................................................................................. 343

VPPruntimeProductName............................................................................................... 343

Built-in Rules and Data Transforms....................................................................................... 344

Built-in Rules.................................................................................................................. 345

Built-in Data Transforms ................................................................................................ 346

Designing a Transactional Document................................................................................... 347

Creating a Transactional Document............................................................................... 348

Creating a Presorted Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data document .......................... 373

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Table of Contents

15 Using Specialty Imaging Effects.................................................................................... 397

Printer support restrictions ................................................................................................... 401

Limitations........................................................................................................................... 402

Important Printer Setup Information ................................................................................... 404

Purchase and install Specialty Imaging fonts ................................................................. 404

Set the Printer to Use Specialty Imaging........................................................................ 404

Installing Specialty Imaging support for VDE....................................................................... 408

Using a Specialty Imaging color swatch ......................................................................... 408

Specialty Imaging fonts for VDE .................................................................................... 409

Correlation Mark .................................................................................................................. 410

Single Layer Correlation Effect ....................................................................................... 410

Two Layer Correlation Effect.......................................................................................... 410

Correlation Mark font (deprecated)...................................................................................... 411

Single Layer Correlation Mark Effect Using Correlation Fonts (Deprecated) .................... 412

Two Layer Correlation Mark Effect Using Correlation Fonts (Deprecated) ....................... 413

Correlation Mark limitations and requirements............................................................... 413

Correlation Mark font table (deprecated) ....................................................................... 414

Correlation Mark Color Swatches.................................................................................... 415

Designing Documents with Correlation Mark.................................................................. 416

Fluorescent Mark Color ........................................................................................................ 417

Single Layer Effect ......................................................................................................... 417

Two Layer Fluorescent Effect ......................................................................................... 418

FluorescentMark color limitations and requirements....................................................... 418

FluorescentMark (UV) Color Swatches ............................................................................ 419

Designing Documents with FluorescentMark Colors........................................................ 422

GlossMark GlossMark

Void Pantograph.................................................................................................................. 429

Applying Specialty Imaging Effects to Monochrome TIFF images ........................................ 442

Infrared Color ...................................................................................................................... 443

MicroText Font..................................................................................................................... 448

SI Correlation Mark Effect CR Key Generation ...................................................................... 451

Text .................................................................................................................. 424

Text font (deprecated) ...................................................................................... 425

GlossMark Text Limitations and Requirements................................................................ 426

GlossMark Text font tables............................................................................................. 427

GlossMark Color Swatches.............................................................................................. 427

Designing Documents with GlossMark Text .................................................................... 427

How To Create Void Pantograph .................................................................................... 429

Applying a Void Pantograph to a Frame......................................................................... 431

Vector Pattern Design using VDE.................................................................................... 432

Infrared Color Swatches................................................................................................. 443

Designing documents with Infrared color....................................................................... 445

Use the Effect ................................................................................................................ 448

MicroText font limitations and requirements .................................................................. 449

MicroText font table....................................................................................................... 450

Designing documents with MicroText fonts .................................................................... 450

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Table of Contents

Generate CR Key............................................................................................................ 451

Applying a Key Swatch to a Frame................................................................................. 455

Deleting a CR Key .......................................................................................................... 456

Designing a Document with both SI Effect and Key ....................................................... 457

16 Hints and Tips.................................................................................................................... 461

Getting started .................................................................................................................... 462

Using Suppress Variable Blank Lines..................................................................................... 465

Using Data Transforms to correct case issues ....................................................................... 467

Using Data Transforms to sub-divide data base fields .......................................................... 470

UsingData Transforms to concatenate two strings ............................................................... 473

Using Data Transform to format numeric data..................................................................... 475

Create a Rule to Insert Text.................................................................................................. 477

Using Rules to control layer visibility .................................................................................... 479

Using VPPlayerName to Support Several Layers with a single Visibility Rule ................... 487

Page visibility................................................................................................................. 494

Adding Specialty Imaging.................................................................................................... 496

How to add MicroText.................................................................................................... 496

How to add FluorescentMark ......................................................................................... 497

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express

User Guide

Table of Contents

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

This chapter contains:

• Supported versions of Adobe InDesign....................................................................................... 12

• Program Download .................................................................................................................... 13

• Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download.......................................................................... 14

• Minimum System Requirements................................................................................................. 15

• Installation Notes ...................................................................................................................... 16

• Windows installation.................................................................................................................. 17

• Mac OS X installation ................................................................................................................. 18

• Licensing.................................................................................................................................... 19

Installing VI Design Express describes system requirements, installation procedures, and licensing.

When first installed, VI Design Express (VDE) runs for 30 days without a license. After 30 days, a VDE license is required to operate. To obtain a license, contact a local Xerox representative for details.

System clock

Do not attempt to change the system clock to circumvent the license. If you attempt to change the system clock, VDE detects the change and fails to operate.

Updates are released as Full Installers.

You are able to install any FreeFlow VI Suite 16.0.3.0 update over any prior release of the FreeFlow VI Suite. Installation of VI Suite components require Administrator privileges.

Active products must be stopped prior to update installation.

Any active product, such as FreeFlow VI eCompose or VI eCompose services must be stopped prior to any update installation.

Pre-requisite for installation

If you are using this 16.0.3.0 release of the VI Design Express software, upgrade the VI Compose software on the printer to VI Compose 16.0.3.0. If you are using VI eCompose software, upgrade the software version to VI eCompose 16.0.3.0.

Support removed

Adobe InDesign CS5.5 and Adobe InDesign CS6 are no longer supported in this release. Adobe InDesign CC2019 and CC2020 are supported.

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express

User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Supported versions of Adobe InDesign

VDE supports two versions of Adobe InDesign software, as documented in Minimum system

requirements. As VDE is updated to support newer versions of Adobe InDesign software, Xerox

reserves the right to drop support for earlier versions of Adobe InDesign software.

WARNING: Do not choose automatic Adobe InDesign or Creative Cloud updates without first

verifying that your version of VDE will run on that later version of the Adobe software. You may

need to disable this automatic update process.

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Program Download

To download the VDE program electronically, go to www.xerox.com/support, search for VIPP, then select Software. Set the Operating System type to Windows OS or Macintosh OS X, (depending on your target platform) to display the correct installer file. Click the FreeFlow VI Design Express installer file to download.

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FreeFlow®VI Design Express

User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download

To download Specialty Imaging and Barcode fonts, go to www.xerox.com/support, then search for

VIPP, and select Software.

Note: When downloading fonts, you will be directed to review an End User License Agreement.

In order to download the fonts you must review and accept the End User License Agreement. If

you do not accept the End User License Agreement you will exit from the font download page.

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Minimum System Requirements

VDE is supported on Windows 10, Mac OS X, and Intel Only systems. Windows support includes 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

Note: Support for VDE on Windows 10 systems depends on Adobe support for that operating

system.

VDE 16.0.3.0 requires an installed version of VI Compose 16.0.3.0 on the target printer. If VI eCompose is installed on the printer, it should be upgraded to version 16.0.3.0.

The minimum requirements to run VDE are the same as the minimum requirements to run Adobe InDesign on a supported system. VDE is supported on these versions of InDesign:

• Adobe InDesign 2019

• Adobe InDesign 2020

It is required that Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud is installed prior to installing the VDE software. Refer to the Adobe InDesign or Adobe Creative Suite for OS support.

The requirements for Windows are:

• Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 (including R2), Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server

2019. Service Pack Levels as required by Adobe InDesign

• For processor and memory requirements, refer to the system requirements for installing the Windows operating system

• 4GB or better RAM

• 5GB or better available hard-drive space

• 1024x768 monitor

• DVD-ROM/CD-ROM Drive

The requirements for Mac OS X are:

• Mac OS X (Intel processor)

• 4GB or better RAM

• 5GB or better available hard-drive space

• 1024x768 monitor

• DVD-ROM/CD-ROM Drive

VDE does not require that VI Compose is installed on the workstation. However, when you send the exported VI Project Contained (.vpc) file to the printer, it is required that VI compose is installed on the target print device. If using the Export option, VI Design Express PDF, then VI Compose is not needed, however, exporting to VI Design Express PDF is not as efficient as exporting and printing the .vpc file.

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Installing VI Design Express

Installation Notes

All Windows and Mac OS X:

• Both the Windows and Mac OS X software installations must be done with the user logged in as an Administrator with administrator privileges.

• It is recommended that you uninstall the current version of VDE prior to installing the new version.

Windows 10 and above:

• When installing on a Windows 10 system, a Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA) dialog can display the following message:

This program might not have installed correctly.

If no error messages were displayed by the VDE installer, the software was installed successfully and the PCA message can be disregarded. To complete the installation, click This program installed correctly.

Specialty Imaging effects:

• Specialty Imaging effects are supported on FreeFlow Print Server (FFPS) and EFI devices that drive Xerox production print devices. Inkjet and Xerox Solid Ink technology and similar systems are not supported. Specialty Imaging effects are supported only when using .vpc or VIPP print device. Expor ting and/or printing Specialty Imaging effects from a PDF file is not supported.

code on the

• Do not install Specialty Imaging fonts when Specialty Imaging features will not be used. To install the fonts later, run the Custom Install, then read and follow the onscreen instructions.

• Specialty Imaging fonts are screen fonts intended to replicate the color and size of the Specialty Imaging font effect on the screen only. They cannot be used for printing. To print an application that uses these fonts, download the Specialty Imaging fonts used in the application. Refer to

Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download for more information about downloads. Download

the printer fonts needed. Some of these font files can be large. Xerox recommends that you only install the fonts used in your application.

Barcode Fonts:

• A zip file that contains printer barcode fonts (BarcodeFonts.zip) is available for download. For more information, refer to Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download. This file contains printer barcode fonts for use in VIPP printer fonts on the target print device.

The Windows Uninstaller removes the VDE package. The Mac uninstaller functions as before.

-based applications. These fonts need to be installed as

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Windows installation

Note: Prior to beginning this installation, refer to Installation notes for important background

information.

Windows installation takes place via the zip file downloaded from the www.xerox.com/support website. Refer to Program download for more information. The zip file contains the installer executable, the readme file, and a folder VIPP used for the examples located in Hints and Tips.

To install VDE, you must be logged on and have administrative rights.

When downloading the VDE installation application, VDE_Installer_xx.exe, place it in a temporary directory and extract the files into that directory. Where xx is the software version.

Double-click the extracted installer file to install the plug-ins.

Once the installer starts, select the appropriate language for the installer to use, then follow the onscreen instructions to read and confirm the End User License Agreement (EULA), and install the software.

Also, during the installation process, choose one of the following:

Example that contains files and resources that can be

Typical To install the VDE plug-in and related files. Use this option to install VDE when

Specialty Imaging features are not required.

Complete To install the VDE plug-in and all of the Specialty Imaging screen fonts.

Custom To select the features and fonts to install.

Other files installed with the Plug-Ins are a README file, the Xerox EULA, an Adobe EULA, and Legal Notices PDF files. The FreeFlow VI Design Express User Guide in the selected language is also installed.

When Installation is complete, restart the computer.

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Note: Prior to beginning this installation, refer to Installation notes for important background

information.

Use the Complete option during the initial installation process to install VDE and all of the Specialty Imaging fonts. The Custom option is used during the initial installation process, or at a later time, to install some or all of the Specialty Imaging fonts.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. When Installation is complete restart the computer.

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FreeFlow®VI Design Express

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Installing VI Design Express

Mac OS X installation

Note: Prior to beginning this installation, refer to Installation notes for important background

information.

The Mac OS installation takes place via a .dmg file located in the downloaded zip file, downloaded from the www.xerox.com/support website. Refer to Program download for more information. The zip file contains the installer .dmg file, the readme file and a folder (VIPP and resources that can be used for the examples located in Hints and Tips.

Place VDE_Install_x.x.dmg where x.x is the version number in a user-preferred location. Double-click the .dmg file to mount the VDE installation disk on the desktop. If the disk image does not open automatically, double-click it to open a new Finder window.

Double-click the installer application to install the pl. An Authorization dialog will appear on-screen if the logged on user has administrative privileges; enter the appropriate password. If the logged on user does not have administrative privileges, a nonPrivAuth dialog appears and the appropriate passwords must be entered.

When the Language dialog appears, click the drop-down menu to select the appropriate language for the installer to use. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Follow the on-screen instructions to read and confirm the End User License Agreement (EULA), and install the software.

Example) that contains files

During the installation process, choose one of the following:

Easy Install To install the VDE plug-in and related files. Use this option to install VDE

when Specialty Imaging features are not required.

Custom Install To select the VDE features and Specialty Imaging screen fonts to install.

Other files installed with the Plug-Ins are a README file, the Xerox EULA, an Adobe EULA, and Legal Notices PDF files. The VI Design Express User Guide in the selected language is also installed.

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Note: Prior to beginning this installation, refer to Installation notes for important background

information.

Use this option to install the Plug-ins, and some or all of the Specialty Imaging fonts. This is the option used to install Specialty Imaging fonts when they were not included in the initial installation of VDE.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

Installing VI Design Express

Licensing

When your product is first installed, it will function for 30 days without a license. To use the product after the 30 day trial period you must convert the trial to a fully licensed version of the product. To do this you need to purchase a production license.

The process to license VDE will depend on where and how the VDE software was purchased. This is due to unique licensing requirements based on geographical regions. This information will be included in the kit you receive/download when you purchase VDE.

System clock

Do not attempt to change the system clock to circumvent the license. VDE will detect such a change and will fail to operate if this is attempted.

License file for manual load

When using the manual process of the Load License option, you will be provided a license file. License files (*.dat) for all VI products are generated via an automatic process. The process saves the file as HardwareAddress.dat, where HardwareAddress is the address of the computer on which the product will be licensed. Therefore, it is possible to receive more than one product license file with identical file names. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not overwrite existing licenses when saving a new product license. When license files used on a single computer will expire at the same time it is possible to request one file that will activate all the VI products on that computer.

To view how many days remain in the trial or the status of the license, select the VDE panel menu at the top right of the VDE panel shown below.

Selecting the VDE panel menu will produce a menu with these entries

License....

This option is discussed in detail in the chapter you are now reading.

Preferences...

This option is discussed in Setting VDE Preference Options.

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Installing VI Design Express

VI Compose Printer License...

This option is discussed in the Prerequisites to Support Xerox Office Printers section.

Modify PDFs with Embedded EPS

This option is discussed in the Batch Process PDF files as resources section.

About FreeFlow VI Design Express

This option should be used when reporting a software problem to Xerox. This option will display the software version information that is critical in any troubleshooting activity. If possible always include a screen shot of error messages and a screen shot of the version information.

User Guide

This option will open the FreeFlow VI Design Express User Guide.

Frame Inspector

The Frame Inspector is used to list VDE-specific information about a Frame. To display the Frame Inspector, choose the Frame Inspector item from the drop down menu on the VDE panel. When the Frame Inspector is open and a graphic frame or text frame is selected in an InDesign document, the frame options for that frame are displayed in the Frame Inspector. Frame options include text-fitting, Xerox Specialty Inks, text distortion, variable frame color, and barcode information.

LLiicceennssee ffiillee

The License... option produces the FreeFlow VI Design Express License panel. This panel provides access to information about the installed license and three unique licensing options. Use the panel to choose the option suited to your location.

License panel options:

License Information

This panel includes:

License type

Days Remaining The number of days until the existing license expires.

License Host ID: VDE finds and displays this information from your computer. If a valid

license is loaded, the Host ID used by the license is shown.

Product Version The installed version of the VDE software.

If you have an activation key...

The information in this panel is designed for users who have received a software activation key as part of the software license kit for the VDE software.

If you do not have the license kit, and are in a location that requires this option, contact your Xerox sales representative to purchase the software license kit for the VDE software. Once the order has been processed a ship kit containing the Software Activation Key and Serial Number if provided will be shipped to the customer location.

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For further instruction, go to Using the Activation Key option.

If you have obtained a license file...

Use this option when you have received a license file (*.dat) usually via email. When the file is delivered be sure to store it in a safe and accessible place on your computer.

For further instruction, go to Using the Load License option.

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Note: Retain the Software Activation Key and Serial Number (if provided) in a safe location as

they may be required for future upgrades, support, etc.

If you have the Software Activation key, use the automated license process outlined here:

1. Choose one of the available System Host IDs for the license HostID. (The default is

recommended.)

Note: If the automated license process fails you need to have the System Host I D string

and the Software Activation Key available when you contact the Xerox hotline for

assistance.

2. Enter the Serial Number of the device on which the software is installed.

3. Enter the Software Activation Key in the area provided and click the Activate... button.

4. The Xerox License Server may return a form requesting additional information. Fill in the form as

requested and select OK when done.

5. This information and the Software Activation Key will be submitted to the Xerox License Server.

6. At this point the Xerox License Server should have all the information required to validate the

license request. If additional information is required, a new screen requesting additional information will be displayed. Fill in the required information and select OK.

7. The Xerox License Server will validate the information and either enable the license or return an

error code if the information supplied does not match our records. If an error code is generated, report the error code to your local Xerox representative so they can assist you further.

If the information entered is valid, a license file will be generated and loaded to your system. Details of the license will be displayed in the License Information area of the License screen. To apply the license, click the OK button. When the OK button is selected, the license will be applied.

On occasion, the automated license activation may fail. When this happens, contact the Xerox hotline for assistance. Have the System Host ID of the workstation and the Software Activation Kit supplied in the ship kit available. Further assistance may result in a license file being emailed to you. If this happens, use the process below to manually activate the license.

Note: If you fail to connect to the license server using the method shown above, go to any

internet connected device and login to the portal using this URL: https://www.xeroxlicensing.

xerox.com/activation.Enter the Activation Key and follow the on screen prompts. You will need

to know the System Host ID of the PC where VDE has been installed. A License file will be emailed to you. Move the license to a safe location on the VDE system and use the Load License option to install the license.

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Installing VI Design Express

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To activate the VDE license using a license file:

1. Select the Load License option.

2. Browse to the location of the license file, select it, then click OK.

3. The license will be installed. The new license information will be displayed at the top of the license panel.

4. Select OK to activate the license.

Xerox®FreeFlow®VI Design Express User Guide

VI Design Express Overview

This chapter contains:

• VI Suite Customer Forum ........................................................................................................... 25

• Glossary of Terms....................................................................................................................... 26

• Documentation Overview........................................................................................................... 32

• The InDesign Workspace............................................................................................................ 33

• Supported Graphic Formats........................................................................................................ 35

• Screen and Printer Fonts............................................................................................................. 36

• Overview of Specialty Imaging and VDE .................................................................................... 37

• Limitations................................................................................................................................. 38

• Opening VDE Documents in Updated Versions of InDesign ........................................................ 42

VI Design Express (VDE) is an application plug-in for use with Adobe allow a graphic artist to:

• Create applications that contain variable information.

• Export the variable data application. VI Design Express provides three export types.

VI Project Container Recommended for Xerox Print devices enabled with the VI

Compose software. This is the most efficient wa y to print

VIPP

applications, taking full advantage of VIPP®Pro and

Dynamic Document Construction (DDC).

VI Print Package Targeted for office or non-Xerox devices enabled with VI

Compose. This takes advantage of the speed that DDC brings to printing variable data applications.

VI Design Express PDF This is the VIPP

This does not take advantage of VIPP take longer to print when the record counts exceed 1,000 or more. Do not use Specialty Imaging effects when exporting to a VDE PDF. Specialty Imaging is not supported when generating a PDF file.

• Print the application at production speeds when exporting the job using the VI Project Container

format (.vpc).

• Set in-line feeding and finishing for the application (device dependent).

InDesign. It is designed to

PDF emitter, recommended for small jobs.

Pro or DDC and can

• Allow further advanced design modification using the code based FreeFlow VI Design Pro tool or

allow processing to PDF via VI eCompose.

In addition, VDE allows the graphic artist to do all of that without having to learn VIPP programming techniques or the VIPP®Pro language, while at the same time providing the benefits of

VIPP

Pro, such as:

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• no chunking data files

• no waiting for precomposition so .vpc and .vpp output only

• easy reprint capabilities.

VDE is available on both Mac OS X and Windows platforms, and is designed to facilitate creation of variable data applications that take advantage of the speed VIPP

Pro software provides, from within

a familiar design environment.

With InDesign and VDE, the static and variable elements of the application are inserted or defined using the InDesign environment and VDE. Static elements of the design are created using InDesign tools and graphic resources. VDE is used to introduce the variable elements, such as database fields and conditional logic, all of which are controlled through a simple-to-use GUI interface. When ready to print, the InDesign Export option is used to output a .vpc, .vpp or a PDF file. The .vpc or .vpp file can be printed to any Xerox device that is VIPP

Pro-enabled has the VI Compose software installed and licensed at the rip to take advantage of Dynamic Document Construction, while the PDF file can print to any engine that supports PDF printing.

Both .vpc and .vpp packages take full advantage of dynamic document construction and both are the most efficient output formats to print large volume applications. Xerox recommends using these formats for applications with more than 1,000 records. For small jobs, the VDE PDF output option is also available. Because the PDF emitter has to compose the PDF, this output will take longer to print than the .vpc or .vpp option. However, the PDF option does not require that VI Compose be installed and licensed at the print engine.

VDE provides a simple and easy to use GUI interface while delivering speed and flexible output options. When InDesign and VDE are used together, the advantages are a familiar and powerful design tool for the layout, and speed and/or flexibility for the printed output. When using the power of the VI Compose engine on the printer, and the .vpc or .vpp output from the VDE Export menu, jobs can be printing in minutes, with no waiting to compose print ready files. Or, if flexibility is important, use the VDE PDF output option to print anywhere.

Intended audience

The VDE plug-in for InDesign, and this documentation, are intended for use by graphic designers with experience using Adobe InDesign. If InDesign related training is required, or to become familiar with InDesign, refer to the tutorials and documentation provided with that program.

Documentation

This documentation describes the VDE plug-in as used on a Windows operating system. VDE functionality is identical on both Windows and Mac operating systems, however, Mac users will have to adjust for possible discrepancies between Windows and Mac mouse functions and key strokes. For example, when the instructions indicate a Right-click, Mac users should use the Mac shortcuts, mouse clicks, and so on. The VI Project Container, or .vpc, is referred to throughout this document. Unless noted, these terms are interchangeable with the VI Print Package, or .vpp file. Both are output formats supported by VDE.

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VI Suite Customer Forum

Xerox hosts a Community Support Forum. The VI Suite Customer forum is now part of this larger support forum, allowing you to post and review information about Xerox products and services, all from one location. Take a minute to log into this customer forum community: https://VIPPsupport.

xerox.com.

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Glossary of Terms

VDE breaks down the wall between the world of creative document design and variable data applications. As such, there are terms used in this document that may not be familiar to graphic artists or to IT professionals. Because of the unique capability of the VDE product, descriptions of some of the graphic art and IT terms used in this document are included here.

Advanced Function

A unique type of VI Design Express Rule used to insert an Advanced Function into the document. Advanced Functions can be used to insert the VIPP is generated by VDE, or to insert custom VIPP BOOKMARK command is processed by FreeFlow VI eCompose to set a split point when generating PDF output.

APPE

Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE). VDE output can be printed to the APPE engine of the FreeFlow Print Server. The APPE supports advanced features such as PDF-referenced XObjects, transparencies, and so on.

Application, design, and layout

In the context of the VI Design Express, these terms are used to describe what appears in the InDesign Document Window. The words Design and Layout are used interchangeably to describe what appears onscreen. The word Application is used to describe the entire VDE job, including the way that the job looks and how the job works.

BOOKMARK command into the VPC file that

code at a particular location in the document. A

Artistic Black

A Xerox Specialty Imaging effect using patterned ink. For more information, refer to Specialty Imaging With VIC in the FreeFlow VI Compose User Guide.

Asset and Resource

Synonymous terms used to describe the files used in an InDesign or VI Project.

Bleed

A graphic art term used to describe an area outside of the document page boundary. For example, a bleed of 3.175 mm (0.125 in.) adds a new bleed boundary around the document. Use this extended boundary to place objects. When the page is cut at the document page size and not at the bleed boundary, a clean cut through an area of color occurs. If the cut is not in absolute alignment, using the bleed boundary avoids the possibility of stray white areas. So, a bleed area adds area to a design, and the added area can be cut off later.

Chunk

Chunk means to break apart a larger submission file into smaller chunks. Applications that precompose the print file outside of the printer output of VIPP chunked in an attempt to produce output quicker at the print device, and provide some level of reprint capability rather than processing the whole data file again.

Data object/Data Object List

In VI Design Express, the Data Object is a data field, rule, or transform imported into VDE or generated using an option within VDE, such as a Data Transform Object. These Data Objects are listed in the Data Object List in the VDE plug-in panel. A Data Object can be one of several different types.

SE typically require data files to be

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Delimited Database File

A delimited data base file is used to drive the variable data application when designing applications in VDE. A delimited data file is typically an extraction from a larger database system. A Database Administrator is the typical contact for more information about delimited data files.

Duplex/Tumble Duplex

Duplex and Tumble Duplex are settings in the VDE Export menu, in the Print Settings panel. Selecting either of these options can result in content being printed on both sides of the sheet. The Duplex option prints on both sides of the sheet with the top of each page image at the top of the sheet. Tumble Duplex prints the front side with the top of the page image at the top of the page, while the back page image is flipped. The settings used for specific printers vary, according to how the paper is fed through the print device, and settings such as portrait, landscape, shortedge feed, long-edge feed, and other duplex options on the print device that can affect how pages are printed. Under normal operation, the start of a new record can be printed on the front of the next duplex sheet, if necessary, a blank back side sheet is forced. To disable printing a new record on the front of the next duplex sheet and forcing a blank back side sheet, select Duplex, Continuous or Tumble Duplex, or Continuous. Use caution when using this option because the start of a new record does not force printing on the front side of the next sheet. Instead, the start of a new record prints on the next available side. It is recommended that the options be tested on the target device. If output is not printed as required, re-export the job, then select the other duplex option.

Elements

In the context of the VI Design Express, elements are the various components of the InDesign layout that make up the basic design. Elements can include lines, boxes, or other graphics, files, variable information, layers, and any other component of the design. Elements used with VDE are either static or variable.

• Static elements: In a VDE application, static elements are the parts of the design that do not change when the application changes from one record to the next.

• Variable elements: In a VDE application, variable elements are the parts of the design that change when the application changes from one record to the next. Variable elements in the design can include text, text files, graphics, and layers. Variables are inserted in the application directly, or through the use of rules, which are based on conditions defined in VDE.

Static elements

In a VDE application, static elements are the parts of the design that do not change when the application changes from one record to the next.

Variable elements

In a VDE application, variable elements are the parts of the design that change when the application changes from one record to the next. Variable elements in the design can include text, text files, graphics, colors, and layers.

FreeFlow Print Server (FFPS)

A term used to describe the Xerox FreeFlow Print Server family of production print devices driven by the FreeFlow Print Server controller. The acronym, FFPS, is used in this document.

FreeFlow

VI Compose (VIC)

Formerly called VI Interpreter. A PostScript output, device-resident software that provides the means to print complex documents at production speeds. Using VI Compose with the VIPP language provides enhanced variable data printing performance through the use of cached object

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elements, dynamic text flow, data driven graphics, data formatting, conditional processing, and workflow improvements.

FreeFlow

Variable Information Suite (VIS)

A suite of software programs designed to enhance the production of print jobs that contain variable information on VIPP

-enabled print devices. The suite consists of these applications:

• FreeFlow VI Compose

• FreeFlow VI Design Express

• FreeFlow VI Design Pro

• FreeFlow VI eCompose

• FreeFlow VI Explorer

• VIPP

Manage

Init File

An init file is a set of VIPP

header instructions that can be prepended to a data file or, on some devices, added to a printer queue. These actions allow an application that is run multiple times using the same resources to be run independently from VDE. The new data file can be extracted from the database, and the init file can be prepended or set up in the printer queue.

LMOT

LMOT is an acronym for Limited Multiple Occurrence Tag and is used to describe groups of data in an XML file that can be repeated a limited number of times. For example, a customer record can contain an LMOT group that contains information such as phone type, area code, phone number, and location. For any customer this information could be repeated for each phone type on record. Phone types could be home, work, or cell phone numbers. Each phone type has the same tags, but the data contained within the tags can be different. Using the phone type record example, the LMOT group would contain three phone iterations.

Margin

A term used to describe an area of the physical sheet of paper on which printing is not permitted. A margin, in effect, reduces the printable area of a physical sheet of paper.

Page Size

The physical size, in width and height dimensions, of a sheet of paper. Refer to Sheet Size.

Physical Page/Logical Page/Multi-Up

Used in the context of VI Design Express. InDesign creates a document layout consisting of pages, as defined under the Document Setup menu. During the export function, there is an option to select a page size. This option is defined as the Physical Page or sheet on which the printer can print the job. This size can be the same or bigger than the document size defined in InDesign. Often the intention is to print a document multiple times on the physical sheet. In an IT world, this is referred to printing many logical pages, or printing the original document onto the physical sheet used by the printer, which is also known as Multi-Up. The export function in InDesign handles these options for VDE.

Prefixed Transactional Delimited Data File

Prefixed Transactional data describes a data format supported by VI Design Express and used to generate transactional documents such as telephone bills, credit card statements, etc. The first field of each data record contains a prefix that is used to determine how that record will be placed

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in the document.

Production speed

A term used to describe print speed. When a printer is printing at production speed, it is running as fast as the printer and application allow.

Rule

Used to control the logical flow in a variable data application. A rule is an IF or ELSE condition, which are decision points. If something is equal to x do y, otherwise do z. In VI Design Express, a rule can be used to test a database field or a value, and can be based on the result of an action such as placing text or an image. In addition, a VDE rule can turn on or turn off the visibility of an InDesign layer.

Sheet size

In the context of VI Design Express, this designation is used in the InDesign Export menu when the final output parameters are created. Sheet size refers to the size of the sheet of paper on which the application is printed. Refer to Page Size.

Slug/Crop Marks

Slug is a term used to specify a mark, normally a short thin line, that is printed on the final output of the page and used as a guide to finish the application. It is used typically to guide a cutting operation. A slug is printed typically at each corner of the document, just outside of the document area defined by the document size that is used in the Document setup menu. The term crop mark is used often to describe the same thing.

Specialty Imaging

A reference to the area of specialty printing in the offset industry that covers special printing effects. VI Compose includes support for MicroText Font, Correlation Mark and Fluorescent Mark. These unique printing capabilities can be used to deter fraud and add visual effects to documents.

TransPromo

TransPromo or TransPromotional is a mixing of promotional content with transactional type data. For example, a telephone statement is made up of transactions. By adding promotional material to the billing statement, such as advertisements for a new mobile telephone service, or coupons for store discounts, value can be added to the billing statement. TransPromo has been replaced by the

Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data feature, which VI Design Express now supports.

Variable Information

A term used as a generic description of the data that is used in VIPP

applications. The generic description refers to the many resources that can be inserted into an application, and to the way elements of the design can be placed conditionally into the application. The most recognizable Variable Information application is a mail-merge application, in which the variable data, name, address, and so on found in a data base file, are inserted into a letter.

Variable Information Production Printware (VIPP

)

A programming language used as a basis for VI Compose, and the software that is included in the FreeFlow VI Suite of applications. When a document is exported, VDE writes all the VIPP that is used at the print device to format the application. Learning to program VIPP

is not

Pro code

necessary.

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VI Design Express PDF

VI Design Express PDF is an export option. When selected, VDE will process the variable data application on the PC or Mac, and generate a PDF file. .

VI Print Package (VPP)

A VPP is a print ready package output during the Export function of VI Design Express. The VI Print Package is designed for direct submission to an office device and is a self contained print file. VI Design Express software will package up all resources, control files, license files, if available, and so on into the .vpp file. Unlike the .vpc file (described next), the printer does not need to extract the files onto disk, however, system resources on the target device must be sufficient to allow the . vpp file to store all resources in memory. If there is not enough system resources, you need to review how to submit a .vpc file to an office device.

VI Project Container (VPC)

A VPC is the physical grouping of resources of the project. VPC is a compressed archive that contains all the resources of a VP plus the VPF file, and is used for transporting and archiving VPs.

VI Project Resource

A file that is part of a VI Project. Generally, VI Project resources are VIPP also be non-VIPP

files included in the project. The non-VIPP®files are not processed by VI

resources, but there can

Compose. A project resource can be part of a VI Project with a VPF, or a non-VPF project. The directories that contain project resources are determined by the value of the SETPPATH command in the xgfdos.run or xgfunix.run file, together with the SETPROJECT command in a VIPP job.

VIPP

Pro/VIPP®SE

Pro describes the type of VIPP

Pro code that is processed directly by VI Compose at the device without the need to go through a costly pre-composition step. The data file is processed at run time on the device. A pre-composition VIPP composed print file is generated outside of the printer. With VIPP

workflow is referred to as VIPP®SE, in which a pre-

Pro, changes can be made right up to print time, the data files do not need to be chunked, and it is quick and easy to reprint one or more records. Total processing and print time is much faster with VIPP VDE outputs a VPC file, the type of VIPP

VIPP

Resource

A VIPP

resource is a file that is used by a VIPP®job or VI Project. VIPP®resources include the

Pro code contained inside the VPC file is VIPP®Pro.

Pro.

following:

• Forms

• Images

• Segments

• Text, data, and program files

• PostScript files

• Submission files

VIPP

Pro-enabled

Describes a device on which VI Compose software resides. VIPP can be sent to a VIPP

Pro-enabled print device.

documents and VDE applications

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Xerox Specialty Inks

Xerox Specialty Inks is an optional fifth color, available on the Xerox 1000 Printer or Xerox 800 Printer. The VI Design Express supports the creation of variable data documents targeted for this device by allowing users to easily apply Xerox Specialty Inks to text and graphics without the need to apply spot colors or overprint.

XML

Extensible Markup Language (XML), is a data format that uses <start> and </end> tags to encapsulate the data and attributes associated with a data file. XML data files can be imported into the VDE panel, which allows you to select XML data elements to publish on a page, or for use in conditional logic.

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Documentation Overview

This document is intended for use by InDesign users who have a basic knowledge of how to design documents that contain variable information. In addition to this Overview, this document covers the following:

• Installing VI Design Express

• Using VDE

• Rules

• VDE design elements

• VDE Text Pattern Swatches

• Xerox Specialty Inks

• Variable Color

• VDE Business Charts

• PIF Options

• Advanced Functions

• Data Transforms

• Export and Printing

• Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data

• Using Specialty Imaging Effects

• Hints and Tips

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VI Design Express Overview

The InDesign Workspace

The basic InDesign workspace is shown. Generally, the terms listed are reserved for descriptions of actions performed in InDesign rather than in VDE. For information about InDesign, refer to the tutorials and documentation provided with that program.

When you use VDE with InDesign to create variable data jobs, access to the variable data required for the job is through the VDE panel. You can find the VDE panel in the InDesign menu. The VDE panel is placed typically in the InDesign docking area. The VDE panel is described in detail in this document.

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VI Design Express Overview

Supported Graphic Formats

VDE supports all graphic formats that are supported by Adobe InDesign for static objects. The formats include single-page PDF files, .png, . bmp, .eps, .tif, .jpg, and other common formats. A subset of formats are supported for variable objects, which includes single-page PDF files, PDF objects, .tif, . eps, and .jpg formats.

When you use PDF files as variable resources, VDE provides an option to embed an EPS (encapsulated PostScript) version of that resource into the PDF file. This action is required when the target device is a PostScript RIP (raster image processor), because a VIPP natively print a PDF to a PostScript engine, because printing a VIPP use any print drivers that are invoked typically when printing PDF files to a PostScript engine. This embedding of EPS into the PDF file can occur during export. Each PDF takes 1–3 seconds to process, or you can use a batch mode before you start the application design.

For more information, in the InDesign Export Options, refer to Modify PDFs in Asset Folder with Embedded EPS and Batch Process PDF files as resources.

Note: If the target device is an FFPS Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE), you do not need to

embed EPS into the PDF resource, because APPE can print PDF file formats directly.

job in a .vpc or .vpp format cannot

file in those formats does not

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Screen and Printer Fonts

When you use TTF, TTC, and OTF fonts, VDE makes the fonts available to VI Compose on the target print device. VI Compose packages the fonts with embedded CID technology, in an internal format in the .vpc or .vpp file that is generated at export. VDE checks for any font licensing restrictions imposed by the font owners and vendors, then issues a warning during the export action if any restrictions are found. If restrictions are found, the user is presented a dialog with the actions required to continue.

Note: Mac OS Dfonts are not supported.

When using Xerox Specialty Imaging and barcodes, VDE uses a placeholder image to represent the approximate size and placement of the object. VDE does not render these items. The items are rendered on the printer or in the PDF that is generated using the VDE PDF option.

To render on the printer, the Specialty Imaging printer fonts or printer fonts for font-based barcodes such as Code 128, Code 39, EAN, 2of5, PostNet, and UPA, require installation of a printer font on the print device. All 2-D barcodes, UPC-A, and UC-E barcodes available in VDE are drawn by the rendering engine and do not require printer fonts. Legacy UPC-A and UPC-E printer fonts are still available, if needed. The same applies when exporting to a VDE PDF file. Install printer fonts to the Adobe Normalizer fonts folder, found in one of these locations:

• On a Mac: /Applications/Xerox/VIPP/VPP/normalizer/v2vnormproc/fonts

• On a 64-bit PC: C:\Program Files (x86)\Xerox\VIPP\VDE\normalizer\fonts

• On a 32-bit PC: C:\Program Files\Xerox\VIPP\VDE\normalizer\fonts

You can download Specialty Imaging and Barcode printer fonts. For more information, refer to

Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download.

Note: Due to the large number of characters and glyphs found in TTF, TTC, and OTF fonts with

embedded CID technology, you need to increase the Adobe InDesign Font Embedding Glyph

Count setting to a minimum of 70,000.

• To increase the Adobe InDesign Font Embedding Glyph Count setting, from the GUI, click Edit→Preferences→General.

• When using TTF, TTC, and OTF fonts with embedded CID technology, the font package that is built by VDE during export can become quite large. Each CID font that is used in the application can be greater than 40 Mbytes. The large font file size can impact performance during export, building the .vpc file, and during execution on the printer or proofing tool, because a large font package is created, then extracted on the target device. These actions can add as much as 30 minutes to your processing time.

• To avoid these delays, install the printer fonts to your device and proof tool, and use the VDE Font Substitution option to avoid the need to package the CID fonts.

• Instead of packaging the large fonts, VDE uses a reference to the printer fonts that reduces greatly the size of the font package that VDE builds during exports. The action reduces the time to extract the resources on the target device, speeding up your total design and print time. While font substitution was designed for use with CID fonts, the VDE Font Substitution option can be used with any font used in your application. For more information about the VDE Font Substitution option, refer to Font Export Options tab.

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Overview of Specialty Imaging and VDE

Xerox Specialty Imaging is supported on Xerox print devices that are driven by FFPS and EFI Digital Front Ends. Xerox Specialty Imaging allows low cost, low-level security or novelty effects to be added to documents using the standard toner delivered with the printer. No special equipment or toner housings are required. Not all effects are copy proof, but by using a combination of color and variable data, you can add interest and low levels of document security.

Specialty Imaging effects are supported only when using .vpc output. Specialty Imaging effects are not supported on Xerox Office devices, or when generating or printing PDF output.

Do not use the effects for documents that require high levels of document security.

• When using Xerox Specialty Imaging technology, use the Specialty Imaging screen fonts that are installed by the VDE Custom Install option. During the design phase, these fonts represent the height and width of the Specialty Imaging effect used for printing.

• When you use GlossMark Text, Correlation Mark Text, or Micro Text effects, install the Specialty Imaging printer fonts on the printer . Failure to install the printer fonts results in a VIPP GLT Font Not Found error.

MPR or

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Limitations

In the most simple terms, there are limitations to what VDE can do because of differences between how VDE and other software programs send applications to a printer.

InDesign, and most other desktop programs, use a traditional composition model to print the final output. However, when VDE is used with InDesign, jobs are printed using the technology at the core of VDE, which is based on the Dynamic Document Construction (DDC) model used in production plants across the world.

In the DDC model, the final assembly of the document is done at the last moment in the workflow. The final composition of the job is usually inside a viewer or the print controller, which is referred to as a Digital Front End (DFE). When using the DDC model to print, the instructions that describe the assembly and presentation of the document are created in the design phase. The variable and static elements that comprise the document are sent to the printer in a VI Project Container (VPC). Because the elements are inserted into the design at the DFE, both the time needed to print, and the space required to hold the job in a queue is reduced significantly.

In contrast to the DDC model, the traditional composition model does the assembly and presentation of the components of the document early in the workflow and creates a print file in a PDL format, such as PDF, PostScript, PPML, and so on. These print files can be 1 Gbyte or more, because they describe fully the presentation of each element on each page of the document, even when the same element is presented in the same manner in each page. Print files can take a considerable amount of time to be created by the composition software, then the files are transferred to the DFE that processes the PDL and composes each page before it is printed. In the composition model, after the PDL file has been created, any change in the presentation of the document, including assets and variable data, requires that the entire document is recomposed, and that a new PDL file is created.

VDE leverages fully the DDC model by employing the user interface provided by InDesign to design the document, then exports the internal InDesign instructions to assemble and present the document using the VIPP

Pro language. Through the use of VPCs, VDE submits all the assets, including VIPP

Pro templates and variable data files, to the DFE, in a single step.

The limitations occur when combining feature-rich InDesign applications with the need to include variable data and to print the final output at production speed. VDE is intended for fast production of high volumes of simple variable documents. VDE has been designed purposely with tradeoffs to achieve this target. The following sections describe the most important of the limitations, and provide a general explanation of what drives these limitations, to understand what works or what does not work.

It is recommended that you proof the job before submitting the job into production. Other VIPP

based tools such as VI Design Pro, and VI eCompose, can be used to view or process the VPC file that is generated by VDE, or the PDF file that is generated using the VDE PDF option:

• Any user-defined name requires filenames that are composed only of 7-bit ASCII characters. User-

defined names include rules, transforms, layers, colors, Data Base field names, and Job resources that are called in tags.

• To prevent potential conflicts with PostScript, VIPP

command syntax, or parameter handling, do

not use the following characters: { } ( ) [ ] < > ~ ! @ $ % ^ * I : ' ' ? / \ "

• It is recommended that user-defined labels or Data Base field names use three or more

characters, to avoid the special characters.

• The label can contain at least one or more uppercase characters and one or more lowercase

characters. It is recommended that the underline character _ be used instead of a space character

to avoid the label being treated as a VIPP

or PostScript command.

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While the DDC model is efficient, some of the current technology limitations in PDLs and DFEs impact the InDesign feature set available to VDE. One of the most important features is related to transparency and the process of merging superimposed page objects to produce a single object with the correct appearance, or flattening.

InDesign software provides features such as drop shadows that use transparency. These features are created by flattening the objects using transparency and generating a bitmap out of them. Current PDLs and their interpreters in the DFEs, cannot perform the flattening in a predictable manner. For this reason, VDE supports only InDesign features that use transparency and do not contain variable information.

Note: In the following sections:

• Variable text is any InDesign text object that contains VDE data objects of the type Text or Text File. Any text string that contains such a VDE data object results in the entire string being treated as variable text by VDE.

• Variable graphics are any graphic files of type Graphic that are inserted into an InDesign layout using a database record or conditional rule.

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There are limitations for variable text related to some of the InDesign presentation features for text that does not apply to non-variable text. In general, effects that result in InDesign rasterizing are not available in VDE. Rasterizing is the process to create a bitmap representation of text. The most important limitations for variable text are as follows:

• Only the font-based spacing between characters is supported.

• Variable text reflow between frames, shapes, and tables is not supported.

• Hyphenation is not supported for variable text.

• Footnotes and Headers are not supported.

• Ensure that the created text frame can accommodate the complete text content. When the text variables are resolved, the text fits in the specified text frame.

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There are limitations for variable graphics, related to some of the InDesign presentation features for graphics, that do not apply to non-variable graphics.

• Graphic frames that contain variable graphics cannot be distorted or sheared.

• Variable text with an in-line graphic, or a graphic placed directly into the text frame and not placed in a graphic frame, are not supported. Use the option Variable Text Around an Object.

• The alignment of the graphic inside the frame is limited to options that are applied using the Frame Fitting Options panel only. Do not use a Fitting option chosen from the menu. For more information, refer to Fitting an image to a frame.

• Do not use the white arrow tool to move or modify the image after insertion within the frame, because the changes do not remain in the layout. For more information, refer to Fitting an image

to a frame.

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VDE relies on InDesign software to flatten fixed objects and provide an EPS (encapsulated PostScript) file for the resulting flattened object. For fixed layers that appear on each page of the document, InDesign generates a single EPS file. However, when conditional logic based on variable data is created to turn off or on the layers for a specific page, several combinations of layers require flattening and one EPS file is required for each combination, which increases greatly the complexity of the job.

To avoid unexpected results, minimize the number of variable layers that are called or switched on or off, using a visibility object that is used in the application. The following combination factors into the performance of the VDE Export when creating the output .vpc file: The number of visibility controlled layers available, and the total number of visibility controlled layers that are used on a page. When possible, minimize the number of these visibility layers used per page, and combine the information into one or two layers. The action of combining the information makes a significant difference in the export performance, and the total file size of the VPC file created for printing.

When you select the Export option, and before creating the VPC file, select several related Export options. When using variable layers that are controlled using a visibility object, review the information in the Flattening menu. The Flattening menu has two required entries under the heading Number of layers per page with variable visibility. It is important to enter the correct minimum and maximum values. For more information about setting these values, refer to Flattening.

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Due to the way VDE separates static data objects from variable objects, care should be taken to avoid placing static elements over a variable element. Although the presentation in InDesign can appear correct, VDE does not render the objects in this order, and the variable object overwrites, or knocks out, the static object.

Tip: To avoid knocking out the static elements, force the static object to be treated as a

variable object. Depending on the object you are working with, there are ways to do this, for

example:

• For text objects, create a Data Transform object that contains an empty field or a space character, then add that transform to the end of the text string. This action forces VDE to treat that text as a variable.

• For graphic objects, try calling in the object with a graphic rule.

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InDesign software allows the creation of a special type of page that can be used as a template for creating other pages. Such pages are called masters. VDE supports only the use of masters that do not contain variable text or graphics.

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InDesign allows the inclusion of many types of objects that are not considered to be simple objects like text or graphics, for the purpose of non-printing applications. These objects are often media elements such as buttons, sound files, URLs, and movies. Such types of objects are not currently supported by VDE, and using the objects can create unpredictable results. It is recommended that only simple objects be used for print presentations.

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Note: URLs and PDF Notes can be added to applications that use the VDE PIF options to

export to PDF. Refer to PIF Options.

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VDE supports XML data files. The following limitations apply:

• Transactional type XML files are not supported currently. For more information about Transactional records, refer toPrefixed Delimited Transactional Data.

• Job resources that are called in the tags require 7-bit ASCII. Do not use the following characters for Job resources: { } ( ) [ ] < > ~ ! @ $ % A * I : ' ' ? / \ ".

• This release can support XML data files with limited multiple occurrence tags (LMOT). For example:

• The XML element that is defined with the tags <PHONE> and </PHONE> is an LMOT. There are multiple sets of <PHONE> and </PHONE> tags within the single customer record. The customer record that is defined by the <RECORD> and </RECORD> tags is considered an LMOT because <PHONE> is repeated only in a customer record a limited amount of times, once for each type of phone the customer has.

• This release cannot support XML data files with nested LMOTs within LMOTs. For more information on using XML data files, refer to Defining an XML data file.

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Opening VDE Documents in Updated Versions of InDesign

When you open a VDE document that was created in an earlier version of Adobe InDesign, a conversion process is initiated by Adobe InDesign. The conversion can affect settings to the application made by the VDE plug-in. It is recommended that you view or proof your document to validate that no objects, rules, transforms, or positioning of frames have been affected. If the application has been changed due to the conversion process, it is recommended that you recreate the application using the newer version of the Adobe InDesign software.

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This chapter contains:

• Setting VDE Preference Options ................................................................................................. 46

• Batch Process PDF Files as Resources.......................................................................................... 57

• Variable information and design layout...................................................................................... 58

• Buttons, Check Boxes and Icons ................................................................................................. 60

• Getting Started.......................................................................................................................... 68

VDE works by allowing the insertion of variable data elements into an InDesign document and by controlling variable elements or layers via conditional logic or Rules. The variable elements are additional content that can be placed into the original InDesign document design, and are driven by values in a data file. Each document can be customized based on data. This is called a data driven variable data application. Delimited, Prefixed Delimited or ransactional, and non-transactional XML data files are supported.

These features are driven by the VDE plug-in:

• The effect of the variable data in the design can be seen in the InDesign layout as the record number changes.

• Data can be transformed. For example, a name can be transformed from lower case to title case, or a numeric value can be formatted for currency.

• Text and images can be modified on the fly to fit within text or graphic frames. Blank lines can be suppressed in name and address blocks.

• Visibility can be turned on or off at the layer or page level.

• A subset of a larger data file can be selected for printing using Record Range.

• A single record can be repeated multiple times within a job.

Static elements can be added to a document at any time using existing InDesign tools, and variable elements can be added any time using VDE tools. The following is an example of the typical actions taken to create a variable information application using InDesign and VDE:

• Use InDesign to create the initial design. Open InDesign normally and create the document page using the Document Setup properties. To use bleed options, specify bleeds at this point in the process. VDE ignores any Slug options selected using this InDesign menu option. Slugs may be selected later in the VDE Export menu.

• Create the basic static layout of the document using the InDesign tools. This includes placing graphic files and text frames and applying special effects to these objects. All InDesign graphic formats can be used in this static layout, as can special effects such as drop shadows, etc. At this point, the static layout can be treated in the same manner as any other InDesign layout. The basic layout can also include multiple pages. The number of pages is defined during the initial design by changing the default value in the InDesign New Document→Number of Pages field, or additional pages can be inserted via the InDesign Add Page option found under the Layout→Pages menu.

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• Create a new folder on the system, use a meaningful name so that the folder can be located easily. Copy all external resources used in the application into the new folder, which is referred to Asset folder as an in this documentation.

• Start the VDE plug-in. Refer to Getting started.

• Select the delimited or XML data file. Refer to Loading the delimited data file, or Loading the XML

data file.

• If using a delimited data file, set the correct delimiter. Refer to Defining the delimited data file.

• If using an XML data file, set the iterator tag. Refer to Defining an XML data file.

• If using prefixed delimited transactional data, refer to Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data.

• Select an asset folder. Refer to Selecting an asset folder.

• As the data file is imported into VDE, the field names and data values will populate the Data Object List. VDE will assign the field Type such as Text, Text File, Graphic File based on the attributes in the data file. However, the user should verify that the correct data type has been applied by VDE and modify as necessary. Refer to Defining VDE data object types:

– Text – Text File – Graphic File – Visibility – Color

• Insert variable information into the InDesign layout. Refer to Rules. – Add variable data objects to text frames and graphics frames. – Create variable Rules, Transforms, and Advanced Functions if needed. – Create additional layers and apply variable Visibility information as needed.

• Test and adjust the design. – Test long text strings if needed. – Scroll through the records and view the variable effect on the design. – Test conditional logic and element placement and adjust as required.

• Save and print the application. Refer to Export and Printing. – Export the Application:

– Select .vpc, .vpp, or VI Design Express PDF as the output format from the Export menu. – Select output sheet size. – Select Page Range or Record Repeat, if required. – Select Multi-Up and Z-sort Imposition options, if required. – Select crop marks if required. – Adjust Gutters to achieve desired results, as needed. – Set Variable Page conditions if required. – Define and select feeding and finishing options, if required.

– Proof the application.

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– Test and validate the application before going into production. – Send the .vpc, .vpp, or PDF generated by the Export option to the printer, or to a print

provider, for production.

Using VDE

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Setting VDE Preference Options

The VDE Preferences panel is used to set interface and VI Projects preferences. Xerox recommends use of the default settings.

Options are set for the current logged on user. If multiple user accounts are supported on the computer, then each user will have their own preference settings.

Choose Preferences

The VDE Preferences panel has four tabs, which are described in the following sections:

• Interface tab

• Export Settings tab

• Font Export Options tab

• OMR Configuration tab

from the VDE panel menu to display the VDE Preferences panel.

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The Interface tab has three available settings.

Maximum sample data records

This option sets the maximum number of data records VDE will load into the VDE data object list. VDE must process every record in the selected data file when scrolling through data records. By

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changing the maximum sample data records value, the number of records processed is increased or decreased. This can affect the time VDE needs to scroll through each record. The default value is 500. The allowable range is 10–100000.

Maximum XML data file size

This option sets the default delimiter used in the data files that are accessed to create the VDE job.

Default field delimiter

This option sets the default delimiter used in the data files that are accessed to create the VDE job. Select Other to change the default when most of the data files being processed use a delimiter other than None, Tab, or Space.

Default decimal delimiter

This option sets the default decimal delimiter value used in the VDE. The options are a period or a comma. The default setting is based on your location. For example, in the USA, the decimal delimiter should be set to the period. The option selected should be based on the target local for the data and application.

Show advanced VIPP

Enable this option to select advanced VIPP

DDG parameters

DDG parameters in the Business Chart feature. If the

check box is not selected, the DDG parameters are not available.

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The Export Settings tab has nine available settings. These settings will be the default values found on the VDE Export panel, or the values that will be specified in the VIPP

Pro code generated by VDE.

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Default VI folder name

The Default VI folder name option is used to specify the folder name VDE will use when exporting the document to a VI Container file. This is the folder where VI Compose will locate job and resource files during the print operation. This folder is located under the xgfc folder. The default folder name is VIDesignExpress. This may be changed based on individual requirements. The folder name is case sensitive, it must be no longer than 32 characters, and it can contain only dash (-), underscore (_), period (.) and alphanumeric characters.

Default VI project name

The Default VI project name specifies the name used for the VI Container project name. This is the job name used for the document. The default value is <default>. When set to <default>, VDE will use the InDesign document name as the project name. When changed, all jobs will use the value specified as the Project Name. This may be useful to prefix all the jobs with a set value, such as MyJob_. During the export process the unique job name can be added to the prefix. The total number of characters in the project name used by VDE cannot exceed 32 characters. It is case sensitive and can only contain the dash (-), underscore (_), period (.) and alphanumeric characters.

Font/color switch string

This setting is used to change the default font and color switch settings that the Export function will use when generating the VI Project Container. These settings are used when the job is processed on a VIPP

Pro-enabled printer to control the fonts and font colors used by the

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application. The default character string is |~|. It is unlikely you will need to change this value. However, when the data includes the string |~| in the data, it will be interpreted as a font/color switch. To avoid this, change the default setting using this preference menu to a character string not used in the data file. This string has a minimum of 3 characters and a maximum of 6 characters. It must only contain lower (7-bit) ASCII characters, excluding the space character, backslash, open and close parentheses, and percentage sign.

Font/color switch index length

This value specifies the length of the string following the font/color switch that will be used to name the font or color index. This information is used by VI Compose when processing the job. The default value is set to 4. Do not change this value unless you are familiar with the VIPP language and need to use more than 4 characters to describe the font/color switch name. The allowable range is 4 to 6.

Crop marks width

This option sets the default thickness of crop marks, when the VDE crop marks option is selected in the VDE Export menu. This value will be displayed in the units of measure currently selected under the InDesign Edit→Preferences→Units and Increments panel. (The InDesign unit selections are: Points, Picas, Inches, Inches Decimal, Millimeters, Centimeters, Ciceros, Agates, or Custom.) The default value is 0.5 points. The allowable range is 0.2 to 9.0 points.

Pro

Crop marks length

This option sets the default length of the crop mark, when the VDE crop mark option is selected in the VDE Export menu. The default value is 18.0 points. The allowable range is 4.0 to 72.0 points. This value will be displayed in the units of measure currently selected under the InDesign Edit→Preferences→Units

and Increments panel.

Crop marks offset

This option sets the default offset of the crop mark from the corner of the page logical page if using the Multi-Up option, when the VDE crop mark option is selected in the VDE Export menu. The default value is 4.5 points. The allowable range is 0.0 to 18.0 points. This value will be displayed in the units of measure currently selected under the InDesign Edit→Preferences→Units

and Increments panel.

Maximum VM size threshold

This option sets the maximum threshold for VIPP

imposition operations within VI Compose running on the printer. It is set to 10MB to avoid definition of a stack size (ZSORT) parameter that exceeds the available virtual memory on the device. When VDE detects a ZSORT parameter that exceeds this threshold limit it warns the user. When warned, either increase the threshold VM limit, if enough memory is available on the device, or, reduce the stack size in the ZSORT option.

Note: The stack size should be equal to or less than the number of sheets the off-line cutter

can handle. The normal range is between 200 and 500 sheets.

Default Print Quality

The Default Print Quality specifies a particular print mode for the printer. Support for Print Quality is more often found on office devices than on production devices. When a device does not support Print Quality, any setting other than Printer Default will be ignored.

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The Font Export Options tab provides a mechanism to substitute OTF/TTF/TTC fonts used in the InDesign application with printer fonts installed on the target print device.

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When you export the job, VDE will build a font package based on the fonts used in the document. Using standard font sets non-CID fonts the font package will remain relatively small, so the time to build the font package and the time to expand the font package on the printer is not significant. However, if using large fonts such as OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology, the font package can quickly become large, as these fonts can be in excess of 40MB a piece. This will increase the time to build the font package (from seconds to minutes), and require additional time on the printer to extract these fonts.

Avoid this added time by installing printer fonts on the target device, then using a VDE Font Substitution table to exclude certain fonts from the font package. By pairing a font used in your application to a printer font installed at the target printer, those fonts will not need to be included in the font package, as VDE will issue direct calls to the printer fonts. This will result in much smaller font packages and thus, save time during export and printing. Although originally designed to save time when using OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology, this process can be used with any OTF/TTF/TTC font used in your application. You may only see significant time improvements when using font substitution with OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology.

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When using Font Substitution, the process is first to define a Font Substitution table, then, during the export function, choose to use the Font Substitution table by checking the Enable font substitution check box in the Project Settings panel. Only visible when a Font Substitution Table has been created.

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To create entries in the font substitution table you must know the printer font's PostScript name not the file name. Because of this requirement, some knowledge of printer fonts is required. This is especially true if using OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology, as you need to know how to specify a fully qualified PostScript font name.

Go to the VDE menu bar and select Preferences, then select the Font Export Options tab. The window below is displayed.

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When the Font Export Options tab is initially opened, any local font with a user-entered PostScript font name will be included on the Font Export Option tab's Local Fonts list.

If the fonts you will use in your application do not appear in the Local Fonts list, or have not had their corresponding PS font name entered, you must enter them manually. To do so, add the fonts individually by clicking the + sign, or add all of the fonts used in your current InDesign document by selecting Add Document Fonts.

When you use the + button, a new Local Fonts drop-down selection box, and a Substitute using printer PS font name data entry window will be opened. The Local Fonts drop down box will be populated with a list of all of the fonts installed on your computer. Click on the font you want to add, then manually enter the appropriate PS font name.

When you click on Add Document Fonts, VDE will automatically enter all of the Local Fonts used in your current InDesign document. You must manually enter the appropriate PS font name for each of the local fonts.

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To delete entries, place the cursor in the gray area between the Local Font entry and the Printer Font PS Name entry, then click to highlight the entry. Pressing the delete button (-) will remove the highlighted entry from the table.

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The check box to the left, when checked, indicates that this Font Substitution entry is active, meaning this Local Font will not be included in the VDE font package when the document is exported. Uncheck this checkbox to manually control what fonts in a Font Substitution table are active or not. When unchecked, VDE will include the Local Font in the font package.

Activate the radio button under "Substitute using printer PS font name" to enter the PS font name when required.

The radio buttons under "Font is already installed on the printer" indicate that status.

Printer Font PS Name

The Printer Font PS Name entry is a user entered field. This field is the PostScript font name not the printer font file name and, in the case of OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology, this needs to be the fully qualified PostScript font name.

OTF/TTF/TTC fonts

The PostScript font name can be found by viewing the printer font in a text editor. Search for "/ FontName". For the Xerox Sans font used above, the search would result in the string /FontName / XeroxSans def, where XeroxSans would be the PostScript font name that would need to be entered as the Printer Font PS Name.

OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology

The PostScript font name for OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology requires a fully qualified PostScript font name. This is a combination of the font name, the character set, UTF8 encoding, and

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writing direction. Knowledge of CID Printer fonts, CMAPs, etc., is required to obtain the fully qualified PostScript name. In the above example, Ryumin-Light_UniJIS-UTF8-H is the fully qualified PostScript name required where:

FontName = Ryumin-Light

CharacterSet = UniJIS

UTF8 Encoding = UTF8

Writing Direction = H (Horizontal)

If the Printer Font PostScript name is entered incorrectly, the job will not find the printer font and, depending on the printer's font substitution settings, will either abort or use the default printer font.

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The following options are available when using fonts in variable objects in a document:

Font Embedding With Resident Font detection

The Do not use Font Export Options checkbox in the VPC Export Project Settings panel must be checked if Local CID fonts have been set up and enabled using the Preferences→Font Export Options panel. In this case, each OTF/TTF/TTC font with CID technology is placed in its own EPS file and gets included in the VPC as a VIPP EPS Font Package. If the CID fonts referenced in the job are not found in the target print device, the embedded fonts will be used instead this will result in the same behavior as in previous releases. However, a significant performance improvement will be observed when loading and processing the job if the CID fonts used in the VIPP target print device.

job resource. The corresponding UTF-8 CMaps are all placed in the

job are installed and found resident on the

No Font Embedding, Same font is installed on the target device

In the Preferences→Font Export Options panel select Font is already installed on the printer for each font that you have already installed on the target device, and make sure the "Do not use Font Export Options" checkbox in the VPC Export "Project Settings" panel is unchecked. In this case, the OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with CID technology enabled in the Font Export Options panel will not be embedded in the VPC; only the UTF-8 CMaps are embedded in the EPS Font Package. This provides the benefits of a much smaller VPC file size and improved performance when loading and processing the VIPP fonts on the target print device and each font is found when the VIPP

job. It is expected that users have already installed the required CID

job is submitted and processed. If standard (non-CID) PS fonts are set up in the Font Export Options panel, they will not be embedded in the VPC and, therefore, they are expected to be installed on the target print device as well.

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Note: It is very important to make sure the exact PS Font Name referenced in the VIPP®job is

found on the print device; otherwise, errors may occur. The key is that the font MUST match exactly font family, style, weight, type and version; otherwise, there could be some differences in the fonts that could change the rendering of the page. It is also possible that the UTF-8 CMap may not work for all characters causing the end result to have white/black boxes instead of the expected characters, or no characters at all.

Font Substitution, No font embedding - substitution font is installed on device

In the Preferences→Font Export Options panel select Substitute using printer PS font name for each font that you have already installed on the target device, and make sure the

Do not use Font Export Options checkbox in the VPC Export Project Settings panel is unchecked. This option works the same as previous releases. The substitution font on the target print device must have a name that matches the PS Font Name set up in the Font Export Options panel exactly.

Note: Fonts installed on the print device MUST exactly match font family, style, weight, type

and version, the fonts referenced in the VIPP

job, as it was created using VDE. Otherwise,

results will be unpredictable.

To process and/or view the VIPP

job with other VI Suite software, the same OTF/TTF/TTC fonts with

CID technology must be stored in the following directories:

VI Design Pro:

VI Explorer:

VI eCompose:

X:/vide/resource/CIDFont

X:/vviewer/resource/CIDFont

X:/xvtp/bin/normalizer/Resource/ CIDFont, and/or C:/Windows/Fonts

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The Font Substitution table will be used by default, unless you select Do not use Font Export Options on the Project Settings panel.

When selected, VDE will not include the active font substitution Local Fonts as defined in the font substitution table, and will instead use calls to printer fonts that must be resident on the target printer.

WARNING: If the printer fonts are not available on the target printer, or the PostScript font

names entered in the Font Substitution table are incorrect, the job will either abort or use the default printer font based on the Font Substitution policy on the target printer. When using Font Substitution tables, it is recommended that you verify that the correct printer fonts are being used before going into production.

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User Guide

Using VDE

OOMMRR CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn ttaabb

Defines the configuration of the OMR code for OMRINIT/OMRSHOW.

OMR Configuration tab has four settings.

Configuration String

Each character in the string represents a bar in the OMR symbol. More detailed information can be obtained by clicking the info icon beside the Configuration string field.

Bar width

Adjusts the width of the bar

Bar length

Adjusts the length of the bar

Space between bars

Adjusts the space between the bars.

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Using VDE

Batch Process PDF Files as Resources

PDF objects can be used as static and variable resources in a VIPP®applic ation. However, to use a PDF as a variable resource, the PDF file needs to have EPS image information embedded in the PDF file in order to print correctly on a PostScript printer. This is not required when printing to a supported APPE engine. VDE provides two options to process PDF resources and add the EPS image information to the PDF. This section describes the Batch process.

To batch process PDF files in a resource folder, access the PDF Batch Processing option from the VDE Options menu. Then browse to the folder location containing the PDF files. When the folder is selected, the batch process automatically begins.

Depending on the number of PDF files you access in your application this can take several minutes. The status of the files being processed is indicated on a status bar.

Once the PDF files have been processed in this manner, the EPS information will not be reapplied. Thus, when you go to the Export option and select Modify PDFs in Asset Folder with Embedded EPS, VDE will add the required EPS information only to those files in which it is required.

EPS and file size

Embedding EPS into the PDF files will increase the original file size. Ensure that you have enough storage space on your file system.

Transparency limitations

When printing to a PostScript engine you need to be aware of transparency limitations. For example, a variable image with transparency laid over a background will knock out what is below the image.

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VDE can generate VIPP®applications that use variable references to PDF images. While VIPP supports the use of variable PDF images, these PDF files can only be used when the target print device is a FFPS APPE engine or VI eCompose. When targeting a PS engine, this resource type is invalid. When exporting your VIPP Modify PDFs in Asset Folder with Embedded EPS option. When checked, this option will modify the original PDF by embedding an EPS version of the original PDF image inside the PDF. When targeting a PS VIPP FreeFlow VI Explorer, available from the Xerox e-store, contains a batch file that can be used to automate this embedding process as a pre-process step in the workflow.

Advanced PDF options

Advanced PDF options such as transparency, are lost when generating the EPS image file, but are still retained in the PDF file. When printing the PDF to the PS interpreter, VIPP embedded EPS language.

Do not use this option with the FFPS Adobe Print Engine (APPE)

When you design applications targeting the FFPS APPE that use PDF resources, it is not necessary to use this option. APPE can directly ingest the PDF resources in a VIPP

- enabled device, VIPP®will use the embedded EPS information instead of the PDF.

application to VI Projects (.vpc) you have the option to check the

will use the

application.

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FreeFlow®VI Design Express

User Guide

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Variable information and design layout

VDE allows entry of these variable information types into the existing InDesign layout:

• Text Strings

• Text Files

• Graphics

• Visibility

• Style

• Color

These variable types allow designs that vary according to the job requirements using one basic InDesign layout as the basis for the design. With VDE, the text, graphics, and even the layout of the design can change according to the data fields and layers assigned to, and the Rules created for, the job, including page visibility.

For purposes of illustration, the examples contained in this section of the FreeFlow VI Design Express User Guide are based on an application designed to create Identification Cards that use:

• Static InDesign features such as layers, text and graphic boxes

• Variable VDE features that allow the static design to vary according to set Rules and data fields

• Specialty Imaging features to add variable information to the finished ID card, which add an extra level of security to the printed output

An example of the finished ID Card is shown below.

The variable information included on the ID card is:

• Employee's first and last name

• Employee's Department

• Employee ID

• Employee photograph

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Using VDE

• Specialty Imaging features on the photograph or MicroText, and on the gold bar under the department name or Fluorescent text.

Familiarity with the VDE panel, along with knowledge of variables, and the creation of Rules to govern those variables, is required. The following sections are intended to provide that information.

Note: For information on designing in or using InDesign, refer to the appropriate InDesign

tutorials and documentation. This document only provides information on the use of the VDE

plug-in.

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User Guide

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Buttons, Check Boxes and Icons

The VDE panels contain buttons, checkboxes and icons, which are used to enter information into the design or into transforms and Rules. The information in this section provides an overview of these controls.

To insert data into the basic InDesign layout, use the buttons and check boxes that appear on the VDE panel.

Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

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Description

Choose the buttons at the top of the VDE panel to minimize or maximize the panel, close the panel, to load or view the licence, set file preferences or read about VDE.

For more information refer to Setting VDE Preference

Options.

These buttons are located at the top right of every InDesign fly-out panel, and are used to access pop up menus related to those panels. For example, clicking on this button on the Swatch fly-out panel produces the menu from which VDE swatch options are defined.

Select Data file

Using VDE

Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Description

Use the Da ta File button to browse for and select the data file used in the application.

For more information on the Data File button, refer to

Loading the delimited data file.

Choose Asset Folder

Use the Asset button to browse for and select the folder in which the assets (resources such as graphics, etc.) for the application reside.

For more information on the Asset button, refer to

Selecting an asset folder.

Show User Data

Select Show User Data to switch between actual data and header information Check this box to show actual contents of the data object instead of the label (name) of the data object. If this box is not checked, the selected field name, layers wit h variable visibility states, and variable graphics field names are displayed.

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Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Description

Highlight fields

Select Highlight Fields to indicate the variable text data fields in the job by highlighting them. This checkbox will highlight the text data objects inserted into an InDesign document. This is useful when the Show User Data checkbox is selected, as it will provide a guide to what is static and what is a variable object in the job.

Record number box

Use the record number box to select the record in the data file that will display on-screen. The data appears in the InDesign workspace and in the corresponding list on the bottom portion of the VDE panel.

Variable color toggle

This icon is a toggle switch used to apply variable color to the frame stroke or the frame fill. If the filled box is on top, then the Frame Fill will be selected. If you click the icon to

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Using VDE

Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Description

toggle it so that th e outline is on top, then the variable color will be applied to the frame stroke.

Text value field lengths

Click the a button to find the record with the shortest text value for the selected record.

Click the aaa button to find the record with the longest text value for the selected record.

Because the data contained in variable text objects may be of variable length, these two buttons are available to help determine if there is enough space available in the format to accommodate all of the data that may be contained in the data file. Highlight a field name and click a to view the shortest record, or aaa to view the longest record in that field.

This is an example of a test record created using the longest first and last names in a data file. The first is an example of the intended results, and the second is an example of unplanned results; both have highlighted fields that illustrate the areas of concern.

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Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Description

By making a simple adjustment to the text or the text box in the design, all of the data in all of the records can be correctly included in the job.

Search Option

The field found next to the magnifying glass on the Data Object List, is used to locate Data Object field names in the Data Object List. Simply type the first few characters of the Data Object field you need to locate and the first Data Object field that matches that search criteria will be highlighted.

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Using VDE

Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Description

Data Field, Rule and Data Transform display

The triangular buttons to the left of the object type list at the bottom of the VDE panel allows the lists to expand or collapse. Click the button to see a complete list of options, or to shorten the list.

Advanced Function button

Click the Advanced Function button to insert an Advanced Function (BOOKMARK).

For more detailed information about what is being inserted and how to insert it, refer to Advanced Functions.

Export and Import buttons

Click the Export (up) or Import (down) arrow to export or import a Rule or Data Transform.

Data Transform button

The Data Transform button is used to invoke a panel on which a Data Transformer of type Text, Text File, or Graphic File is created. For more information, refer to Data

Transforms.

Create Rule button

The Create Rule button is used to invoke the Create Rule panel on which a conditional Rule is defined. For more information refer to Rule creation.

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Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

VDE Panel Icons used to indicate object types

Description

Edit Rule/Data Transform button

The Edit Rule/Data Transform button is used to invoke an Edit Rule or Edit Data Transform panel on which an existing conditional Rule or Data Transform can be modified. For more information refer to Rule creation and

Rule modification or duplication.

Delete Rule button

The Delete Rule button is used to delete a highlighted Rule from the VDE panel.

When a data file is selected, the fields in the selected file appear in this area of the VDE panel. An icon, indicating the object type, appears at the left of the data object’s name.

Text icons

Data field, Rule, and data transform.

Text File icons

Data field, Rule, and data transform.

Style Rule icon

Graphic file icons

Data field, Rule, and data transform.

Visibility icons

Data field, and Rule.

Color icon

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Using VDE

Buttons, fields, and icons

VDE Panel buttons, fields and icons

Buttons and Icons found on panels

Description

Variable Color, and Variable Color Rule. The color of the box will changed based on the Color Name in the Swatch panel. If no color is defined the icon is gray. To correct this, make sure you have a valid variable color name defined.

Keyboard icon

Whenever a string is entered in the Rule panel, a keyboard icon appears next to that field.

Add and Delete buttons

Large plus/minus buttons are used to add or delete entries.

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User Guide

Using VDE

Getting Started

Getting Started describes how to open VDE, and provides the basic background information needed to understand the VDE panel and what it does, and to set up the InDesign application to use VDE. The background information is found in these sections:

• Opening the VDE panel

• Preparing the workspace

• Defining a data file

• Selecting an asset folder

• Defining VDE data object types

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To view the VDE panel, if not already displayed, select Window→VI Design Express from the InDesign menu bar. The VDE fly out will be displayed on the screen.

InDesign provides a docking area for plug-ins and other panels, which is usually found to the right of the workspace. However, the VDE panel can be placed anywhere on-screen using the drag and drop function.

Entering information or selecting functions on the VDE panels, can be completed by double-clicking

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Using VDE

the function, right-clicking a button, or manually entering information into a selected object. The controls on the VDE panel will be enabled only when the appropriate InDesign page element and/or data object list item is selected.

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Note: First, set the InDesign Display Units using the InDesign Preferences Menu

Edit→Preferences on the InDesign Menu bar. This will set the units InDesign and the VDE will

use to display grids, rulers, and Export functions.

Variable information can be added to an existing design, or the design can be built adding the variables at the same time. No matter what method is chosen, prior to adding any variable data to the design, select a data file to use, assign the asset folder in which the variable resources reside, and verify the file type for each item that appears on the VIPP

The basic steps for preparing the workspace are described in these sections:

• Defining a data file

• Selecting an asset folder

• Defining VDE data object types

The process begins on the VDE panel:

data objects list.

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User Guide

Using VDE

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VDE can import a delimited data file or XML data file. The process to import both types of data is similar, however, there are fewer restrictions on naming conventions, and so on, when importing an XML file. A brief description for each data file type, and of the process to import the data file for use within VDE, is described below.

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VDE can handle two types of delimited data file specifications. This section describes a standard delimited data file where one delimited data line equals one customer record. A Prefixed Delimited Transactional data file used for transactional or transpromo type applications is also supported. This is described later in Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data, refer that section for more information.

A delimited data file is used to drive a variable data application. Typically, a delimited data file is the result of some data extraction or query from a larger database system. A delimited file can also be created in a text editor or a spreadsheet and saved in a comma-separated format.

There is a limit to the maximum number of data fields allowed in a data file loaded into a document. The maximum limit will depend in the number of characters per field name. As a general rule, assuming each field name has 8 characters or less, the maximum number of data fields allowed would be about 350. So, it is recommended that you keep the limit in mind when defining field names because, as the number of characters for each field name increases, the maximum number of data fields allowed decreases.

• When defining field names in a data file it is important to avoid name conflicts with PostScript and VIPP upper and lower case characters for example FirstName, LName, Status or use an underscore as prefix/suffix for example ._firstname, _lname, _status.

It is also recommended that you use at least three characters or more or field names to avoid possible reserved word conflicts. Also, you must not have field names that are composed of only numeric characters (e.g. 1234). In addition, the following characters should not be used to avoid potential conflicts with keywords and parameter handling:

{ } ( ) [ ] < > ~ ! @ $ % ^ * I : ' ' ? / \ "

• All job resources called directly in a VIPP have filenames composed of ONLY 7-bit ASCII characters. In addition, the following characters should not be used due to potential conflicts with PostScript and VIPP parameter handling:

{ } ( ) [ ] < > ~ ! @ $ % ^ * | : ' ' ? / \ "

reserved words. therefore, it is highly recommended that you use a combination of

job or referenced through a variable or data field must

command syntax or

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Using VDE

Note: Information about characters that can be used in filenames and field names: Sample or

Production data filenames imported to VDE may contain characters beyond the 7-bit ASCII range. However, it is still highly recommended that you avoid the list of characters that can cause potential conflicts with PS/VIPP

command syntax and parameter handling as shown below. Data file field names may contain characters beyond the 7-bit ASCII range. However, you still need to avoid the list of characters that could cause potential conflicts with PS/VIPP

command syntax and parameter handling as shown below, AND avoid name conflicts with PS and VIPP

reserved keywords by using more than two characters in your field names and using a mix of upper and lower case characters, for example, Fname instead of fname or FNAME. Any other job resources for example image or text files MUST have filenames composed of ONLY 7-bit ASCII characters and MUST avoid using the list of characters that can cause potential conflicts with PS/VIPP

command syntax and parameter handling as shown below. The following characters should not be used in file names or field names to avoid potential conflicts with keywords and parameter handling:{ } ( ) [ ] < > ~ ! @ $ % ^ * I : ' ' ? / \ ".

The data file is made up of many records. The record count is determined by the data extraction. VDE is not affected by the number of records in the data file, however, when th eproduction data file contains many records a shortened version is often used for test purposes.

The first record in a delimited data file used by VDE must contain the fiel d names, separated by the delimiter character. All subsequent records contain user data in the fields.

A typical delimiter character is the comma thus, the comma separated file, or CSV file. Sometimes a record within a comma delimited file contains a comma, as shown in the table below, which can cause data extraction problems.

Field name (first record):

Extracted data (second record):

Looks like this in the data file:

Address1 Bonus

123 West 5th Avenue Suite 45A

123 West 5th Avenue, Suite 45A, $5,000

If this is left as is, the comma is looked at as a separator character. The value, $5,000, is lost, because the text Suite 45A is considered to be the data value for the Bonus field. If the user data contains the delimiter character one of these two options must be chosen:

• The database file must be regenerated using a different delimiter character, which is not used in the data.

• A technique known as quoting must be used when the database file is created. When quoting is used, the database file looks like this:

Field name or first record:

Extracted data or second record: 123 West 5th Avenue, Suite 45A $5,000

Looks like this in the data file: 123 West 5th Avenue, Suite

Address1 Bonus

45A, $5,000

When processed, the quotes protect the comma included in the user data.

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Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data import is described in Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data.

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Once the basic InDesign layout for a variable data job has been completed, a data file must be loaded to associate variable data with the job. The delimited data file a CSV file) contains the variable information for the job. In its simplest form, the job is driven by the data contained in the data file's records only. For more complex or individualized jobs, Rules can be defined.

In a delimited data file, the character used as the delimiter can be any ASCII character, but is typically a comma default, a colon, a space character, or Tab. The Data File Properties panel will display the first line of the data base file from which the delimiter can be determined. If in doubt, contact the database administrator or the person who provided the file. If the delimiter is None used for single field data files, Tab, or Space, select that in the GUI screen. If the delimiter is anything else, select Other and then type the delimiter character in the area provided.

The data file used in the design phase is often a subset of a much larger file that is selected during the Export phase of the project. When this occurs, both data files must share the same characteristics, such as field names, and delimiter character. While it is typical to select a larger production file during the export phase, it is also legal to use the file selected here as the print data file.

Once data file selection is complete and the delimited file loads into the job, the VDE panel is populated with the names of the database fields found in the delimited file. All the fields are loaded

into VDE with a default data type of Text, as shown by the

icon, or Graphic, as shown by the icon, to the left of the field name. Therefore, if the database file contains records that do not contain text, those records' data type must be changed to the correct data type based on the descriptions below. The actual records contained in the data file can consist of any one of the following entries:

Text

Text File

Any character or string of characters.

The name of a file containing text.

Note: The text file must be a UTF-8 or ASCII with character codes less than 0x80 text file. Any

proprietary formatting commands or tags will be ignored and printed as text.

Graphic

the name of a graphic element. Valid image file resources have one of the following file extensions: .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff, .eps, .ps, or .pdf. All other extensions will be ignored and will not

job.

Visibility

be included when generating the VIPP

a visibility field can contain an indicator On or Off that is used to control the visibility of a layer or page.

Color

a variable color field that contains the name of a defined color in the Color Swatch. If the color does not exist, you must create the color swatch. If the color swatch is not defined, the default color White is used.

The data types listed above can also be assigned to a VIPP

data object via a conditional Rule, and added to the InDesign layout. Those objects will appear on the VDE panel list when the Rule is created.

To load the data file that is used for the job, click the Select Data File button.

The Select Data File dialog will open. Browse for and highlight the data file for the job, then click

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Open.

Using VDE

VDE opens the Data File Properties panel.

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The Data File Properties panel contains these fields:

Data File Encoding

A drop-down box contains a selection of the currently supported file encoding types. Data File encoding allows selection of different encoding schemes based on the data. When unsure of the correct encoding option, choose Unicode (UTF8), as it is appropriate for most US and European languages.

The current supported encoding types are:

• Unicode (UTF8)

• Unicode (UTF-16) (support for CSV only, not XML data)

• Western European (ISO Latin-1)

• Western European (ISO Latin-9)

• Western European (Mac OS Roman)

• Western European (Windows-1252)

• Central European (ISO Latin-2)

• Central European (Windows-1250)

• Central European (Mac OS Latin2)

• Cyrillic (Windows-1251)

• Cyrillic (CP-866)

• Cyrillic (Mac OS Cyrillic)

• Thai (Windows CP-874)

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• Thai (TIS-620)

• Vietnamese (Windows-1258)

• Japanese (Shift-JIS)

• Japanese (EUC-JP)

• Greek (ISO Latin)

• Greek (Windows-1253)

• Turkish (ISO Latin-5)

• Turkish (Windows-1254)

Using VDE

Note: Currently, any data file selected for the InDesign document through VDE is always

converted to UTF-8 before the data is copied into the VPC submission file. This allows VIPP

to handle both the variable data and existing text strings from the document itself, using the same encoding within the VIPP

Pro code i.e., no mixed encodings on the same job.

Restrictions:

The converted data from ISO Latin-1 and ISO Latin-9 to UTF-8 could potentially be two or three times as large as the original data, depending on the number of upper-ASCII characters > 0x7F found in the data. The lower ASCII characters are always one byte in ISO Latin-* and UTF-8.

For applications that will be run many times such as a daily report, and so on, where only the data changes, and there are no changes to any of the resources such as forms or images; VDE supports the Just Send the Data model of VIPP

Pro, where the new data file is extracted and sent directly to the printer. Creating a new VPC using VDE is not necessary. To support this Just Send the Data model use one of these options:

• Define an init file on the printer queue refer to Glossary of terms that contains the VIPP

header

file.

• Use the .nub file located in the original .vpc file for this job, and append that to the top of the new

data file before submitting directly to the printer.

The text above is an example of a .nub file. To use this Just Send the Data method, the data must use UTF8 encoding. Append the .nub file to the top of the data file. The contents of the .nub file is shown above. The blue text represents the new data file that must conform exactly to the original data file. Field names must be the same and in the same order.

Use caution when manually editing the VPC data submission file because the encoding must be maintained as UTF-8. This means that if the data must be manually edited, it must be done using a text editor that handles and displays UTF-8 correctly, and the modified file must be saved to the disk as UTF-8.

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First Line of the Data File

The data comprising the first line of the delimited data file appears here. In order to work as expected with VDE, the first line of the delimited data file MUST contain header information. The First Line of the data file is displayed to help select the Delimiter Character used in the file. For questions about the data file encoding and delimiter used in the file, see the person who generated the data file.

Data Field Delimiter

The program defaults to Other and inserts a comma in the Other field. When the data file contains a different delimiter, that delimiter can either be selected, using one of the option buttons, or be entered into the Other field. The Delimiter Character is the character used to separate the fields in the data file. There are four options:

None

No delimiter, each record contains one field.

Tab

The delimiter character is the tab character, this option allows selection of a tab as the delimiter character (it is not always easy to enter a tab as a delimiter character, it is often done by using the hex value, this avoids having to do that).

Space

The space character is used to delimit the file.

Other

Some other character is used as a delimiter. When selected, the character must be typed in the box provided. VDE defaults to a comma.

Decimal Delimiter

The program defaults to Period (.). A comma can be selected as the decimal delimiter if required.

Strip leading and trailing quotes

Used to strip leading and trailing quotes. If the delimiter character is used inside the data base file, it is typical for database programs to enclose the data fields in quotes. This option strips these quotes when the data field is being resolved. When checked, the quotes are discarded when populating the list. When unchecked, the quotes appear as part of the data in the list.

Strip leading and trailing spaces for field data

Used to strip leading and trailing blank spaces from the beginning/end of the field data.

Data file contains prefixed multiple-occurrence fields

Do not select this check box unless using a Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data file that meets the TransPromo data specifications listed in Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data. Refer to that section for more information.

OK and Cancel

Click OK when all selections are completed, or Cancel to close the panel without assigning a data file. Once this panel is completed, select the OK button. The database fields immediately show up as a list in the VDE panel.

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Using VDE

When changing the record number on the VDE panel, the field value for the new record is displayed to the right of the field name. In addition, once the InDesign layout includes inserted data file fields, the text or images will change on-screen as the records change.

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Subsidiary database is a capability to import an additional CSV file having a field which matches a field in the main CSV file.

It works similarly to the main database file. Let's see a scenario to illustrate the usage.

1. Open the VDE panel, if not already open.

2. Load the main data file (customer.csv) from the VDE panel.

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3. After loading the main data file, the Import subsidiary data file option will be enabled as shown

below.

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Using VDE

4. Click on the option Import a subsidiary data file. It will launch a new dialog where the user can

load the subsidiary data file and provide the required inputs.

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User Guide

Using VDE

5. After filling the required details click OK. A separate collapsible node with all fields available in

the subsidiary data file (dealers.csv) will appear in the VDE panel.

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Using VDE

6. The node provides the following two options for the subsidiary data file in the context menu

• Edit Subsidiary Data File - opens the dialog where the user can make modifications.

• Delete Subsidiary Data File - removes the subsidiary data file from the InDesign document.

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Using VDE

7. The subsidiary data fields are available for creating Rules and Data Transformations as shown

below.

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Using VDE

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Using VDE

8. All subsidiary data fields behave the same as main data fields. They can be used anywhere in the

InDesign documents as the main data file fields.

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An XML data file generated by a web service, or extr acted from a database, can be used to drive a variable data application designed using VDE. XML Extensible Markup Language is a data format that uses start and /end tags <tagname></tagname> to encapsulate the data and attributes associated with the data file. VDE allows you to import an XML file into the VDE Data panel, and then select XML data elements to publish on the page, or for use in conditional logic.

Data may be presented within the XML data in one of two ways:

• Single Occurrence

• Limited Multiple Occurrence Tag (LMOT)

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Using VDE

• Unlimited Multiple Occurrence Tag (UMOT)

The first 2 are dedicated to promotional type XML postcards, tickets, and so on. The last one is related to transactional type XML. When a tag is selected as UMOT additional VDE features are enabled to support processing of transactional data.

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A single occurrence, the most common form of XML tag, is a single data element contained within the start-tag and end-tag. For example, you may have a start-tag, <PET>, and end-tag </PET> and within that tag have the value or PET element contents Dog:

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A limited multiple occurrence tag (LMOT) is a tag that may be repeated more than once in a single customer record. That tag may contain other tags, but it cannot contain a nested LMOT. Nested LMOTs are not supported.

In the XML data shown below, the tags, <PHONE> and </PHONE>, are Limited Multiple Occurrence Tags that are contained within the tags, <RECORD> and </RECORD>. The <PHONE> element appears twice, once containing information about the work phone number, the second occurrence containing information about the home phone number. Unlike transactional data, these are limited. You can only have so many phone numbers. Your application may require that you print all available values for the selected tags in the LMOT group the default behavior or select a subset of the tags in the LMOT group. To select a subset, it is necessary to create a Rule. For more information, refer to LMOT Subset

Retrieval Rule generation.

UUnnlliimmiitteedd MMuullttiippllee OOccccuurrrreennccee TTaagg ((UUMMOOTT))

An unlimited multiple occurrence tag (UMOT) is very similar to a LMOT except that the number of occurrences can be very large (UMOTs typically contains transactions) and may not fit on a single page. Therefore when placing UMOTs in a frame a mechanism to automatically create continuation pages will be enabled. VDE can process only one UMOT group for a given XML file.

Although the data format is different, VDE is using the same mechanisms to process XML UMOT data as it does to process Multiple Occurrence Fields for Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data. Please refer to this chapter Prefixed Delimited Transactional Data to learn how to design a transactional document and understand how transactions can flow on duplicated or continuation pages.

An Unlimited multiple occurrence tag (UMOT) is a tag that may be repeated more than once in a

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single customer record with no limit. This may cause page overflow when composing the document. This is what we call transactions, for example: list of bank operations, list of phone calls, etc. That tag may contain other tags, but it cannot contain a nested UMOT. Nested UMOTs are not supported.

In the above XML Data, the <line> and </line> tag are Unlimited Multiple Occurrence Tag (UMOT) that are contained within tag <lines> and </lines>. The <line> appears unlimited times for each record and are not fixed for each record.

In the sample XML data file that follows, the tag <lines> <line> .... < /line> <line> ... </line> </lines> are

example of UMOT group. There can be any number of <line> ... </line> tag for each record. When an UMOT group is shown in the VDE panel only the first occurrence of the UMOT <line> tag will be shown, remaining values will be added to the transaction table when created.

Each field inside the <line> tag will be shown in the VDE panel under the UMOT group name <invoice><lines><line>. Expanding the tree, you will be able to see all the fields and corresponding values as shown in the below image.

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The XML file used in the design phase of the application should be a subset of the larger production XML file that can be selected during the export phase of the project. Using a subset of the larger production file will allow VDE to work more efficiently during the design phase. This test file should contain all the expected tags and LMOT/UMOT groups, if used that will be found in the production XML file. The tag names must match the production data. If your production XML file is relatively small then you can use that file for both design and production.

Once XML file selection is complete and the XML file is imported into VDE, the VDE panel is populated with the names of the XML tags found in the XML file. VDE will assign the default Type

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value of Text to all tags, unless the file extension can be interpreted as a graphic , or text file

type as shown by the icon to the left of the tag name.

It is recommended that you review the type value that VDE has associated with the tags. If the automatically assigned type value is incorrect, manually change the tag type based on the descriptions below. This is important because the tag type determines the functionality that can be assigned to the tag.

Text

Text File

Any character or string of characters.

The name of a file containing text. NOTE The text file must be a plain UTF-8 or ASCII with character codes less than 0x80 text file. Any proprietary formatting commands or tags will be ignored and printed as text.

Graphic

The name of a graphic element. Valid image file resources have one of the following file extensions: .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff, .eps, .ps, or .pdf. All other extensions will be ignored and will not

job.

Visibility

be included when generating the VIPP

The visibility field can contain an indicator On or Off that is used to control the visibility of a layer or page.

Color

The variable color field that contains the name of a defined color in the Color Swatch. If the color does not exist, you must create the color swatch. If the color swatch is not defined, the default color White is used.

The data types listed above can also be assigned to a VIPP

data object via a conditional Rule, and added to the InDesign layout. Those objects will appear on the VDE panel list when the Rule is created.

An example XML data file follows. The tag names used below are for example purposes only. Other XML data files may use different tag names.

The data encoding is defined in the first line. it is defined as utf8, which is the default if not otherwise specified.

Some HEADER data is supplied between the tags <HEADER...> and </HEADER>. This is optional and may not be present in all XML data files.

All customer records are found within the <RECORDS> and </RECORDS> tags. The sample below contains three customer records, which are defined within <RECORD> and </RECORD> tags.

It is important to identify the tag that starts each customer record. It is called the iterator tag. Similar to defining the delimiter for a delimited data file, the iterator tag must be identified so that VDE can identify each customer record. In the following data file example, the <RECORD> tag is the iterator, as it defines the start of a new customer record. The full XML path would be <RECORDS><RECORD>.

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Loading the XML data file

To load the XML data file:

1. Click on the Select Data File button. The Select Data File dialog will open.

2. Set the File of Type option to Extended Markup Language files (*.xml) and select the XML file

from the list displayed.

3. Select Open to continue.

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The data encoding used should be specified in the XML data file. If it is not, utf-8 will be used as the default encoding.

The current supported encoding types are:

• Unicode (UTF8)

• Western European (ISO Latin-1)

• Western European (ISO Latin-9)

• Western European (Mac OS Roman)

• Western European (Windows-1252)

• Central European (ISO Latin-2)

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• Central European (Windows-1250)

• Central European (Mac OS Latin2)

• Cyrillic (Windows-1251)

• Cyrillic (CP-866)

• Cyrillic (Mac OS Cyrillic)

• Thai (Windows CP-874)

• Thai (TIS-620)

• Vietnamese (Windows-1258)

• Greek (ISO Latin)

• Greek (Windows-1253)

• Turkish (ISO Latin-5)

• Turkish (Windows-1254)

Using VDE

When the Data File Properties panel shown above is displayed, you need to verify or change:

Iterator Tag

The Iterator tag is the first tag of each new customer record and will be used by VI Design Express to identify the start of the new customer grouping.

Decimal Delimiter

The decimal delimiter should be set based on your country default. The allowable options are period or comma.

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CChhoooossee TTaagg TTyyppee

Please specify the type of Multiple Occurrence Tag

Once you have identified the Iterator Tag and Decimal Delimiter, click the OK button.

VDE will parse the data file and try to identify the tag type. If fields are not identified correctly you can right click the incorrect tag to modify these settings.

VDE will display the data panel. The data panel will display the tag type, the tag path right justified and the tag value.

This will list all the Multiple Occurrence tag from the XML and prompts the user to choose the type of occurrence LMOT or UMOT. There can be only one UMOT.

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If, when parsing the XML data file, VDE will display identified LMOT group in green and identified UMOT group in purple. If there are multiple LMOT groups, they will be shown in alternating shades of green. LMOTs will use Type marker with green and UMOTs will use Type marker with purple color.

In the sample XML data file that follows, the <PHONE> ...</PHONE> tags are an example of an LMOT group. The first customer record has two occurrences of phone data, one for the land line phone and one for the cell. When an LMOT group is displayed in the data panel, the first occurrence of the tag

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values are shown initially. You can change the occurrence shown by right-clicking on an LMOT tag, highlighting the tag and selecting the occurrence you want to display in the data panel.

The tags highlighted in green are considered to be LMOT groups. The values displayed are the first occurrence values in the LMOT group for those tags. You can change the occurrence being displayed by right-clicking any of the LMOT tags and selecting the LMOT Occurrence option. This will display all occurrence values for that LMOT tag. Changing the occurrence for one tag will change all tags in that LMOT group. It may be necessary to change the occurrence being displayed to validate rules using LMOT tags. Otherwise, it has no bearing other than that the occurrence selected will be the tag data displayed in the data panel and in InDesign when the tag is placed on the page.

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If there are multiple LMOT groups within a customer record, each group will be highlighted in alternating shades of green.

UUssiinngg XXMMLL DDaattaa iinn yyoouurr ddooccuummeenntt ddeessiiggnn

When using either single occurrence, Limited Multiple Occurrence or Unlimited Multiple Occurrence tag XML data into your document you must be aware of the type of XML tags that are included, either single occurrence or Limited Multiple Occurrence tag.

A single occurrence tag can be placed on the page by inserting the text tool into a text frame or table and double-clicking on the tag element in the data panel. This is very similar to placing delimited fields into a text frame (or table). The majority of XML data is treated as Single Occurrence Tags. These can be used in rules, data transforms and placed in text frames in your document using the same operations used for delimited data.

A Limited Multiple Occurrence Tag (LMOT) is a different type of tag element, which will react differently when placed in the document. Because the tag is part of a repeated set of related tag data, the value for the tag varies, depending upon the occurrence of the tag within the LMOT group. Using the XML data example on page 91, the first customer record tags within <RECORD> and </RECORD>, have two sets of <PHONE> data, each set, called an occurrence, contains the same set of XML tag names, but, with different data values for the tags depending on the occurrence.

When an LMOT tag(s) is placed in a text frame the value, shown in the tag occurrence selected in the data panel, will be shown on the InDesign screen. However, when printed, the corresponding tag values will be printed one below the other for each occurrence of the selected LMOT tags within the currently selected customer record.

To select only some occurrences from an LMOT group, you need to create a rule to retrieve a subset of that group. Refer to LMOT Subset Retrieval Rule generation. The rule will be evaluated and will create a subset data element in the data panel. Placing this data object in a text frame will print just the subset of evaluated values.

Because of the way an LMOT tag is processed and the fact that it will print each occurrence of the tag's values one below the other, care needs to be taken when mixing static and/or variable data with a LMOT tag.

To print the sample below using the XML code sample above:

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You may be tempted to create a single text frame and place the static text Use these Phone Numbers: followed by the <AREACODE> LMOT tag, and a dash character followed by the <PHONE> tag. This is incorrect as the text frame will be repeated for each occurrence of PHONE in the LMOT group. Doing so would produce this:

The correct method to create the desired output is to create two text frames. The first text frame containing the text Use these Phone Numbers: The second text frame containing the <AREACODE> LMOT tag, and a dash character followed by the <PHONE> tag.

When processed, this produces the correct output as only the <AREACODE> tag, the dash character, and the <NUMBER> tag will be repeated per occurrence. However, only the first occurrence value, or the currently selected occurrence value for the LMOT tags will be displayed in the text frame in InDesign.

Because of this different action with LMOT tags, it is recommended that you do not mix static and variable text with LMOT tags, unless you understand the expected output. The text frame with the LMOT tags will repeat down the page for each occurrence in the LMOT group for the current customer record.

To print all the area codes and phone numbers with location= home from the above example, you need to create two LMOT subset retrieval rules. These rules will be used to select the values for <AREACODE> and <NUMBER> when the location tag is equal to home. This will generate two LMOT data objects in the data panel that can now be used to place the area codes and phone numbers as a subset of the LMOT group in a text frame. This is explained in more detail in LMOT Subset Retrieval

Rule generation.

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Using XML data in tables

XML data can be inserted into InDesign tables.

For single occurrence tags the process for placing a tag in a table is similar to the process used for delimited data: Place the Type Tool cursor in the table element and double-click the tag in the VDE panel that you are placing into the table.

For limited multiple occurrence tags (LMOT) the process is similar, but because the tag is a LMOT, there could be multiple values for the LMOT tag. Therefore, the table is created as a single row table with optional headers or footers in a text frame large enough to contain the multiple LMOT values for the tags selected. If the largest LMOT group for the tags selected, has three occurrences, the text frame needs to be large enough to populate three rows, plus the optional header and footer. Each LMOT value will be placed in its own row in the table one below the other. If the table contains multiple columns, the data in the columns will also be repeated. Static data or single occurrence tags will be repeated in each row, LMOT tags will print the next value for the LMOT occurrence.

1. To create a table that will contain a list of phone number details using the example data file

beginning on page 91 , follow the steps below. In the example, the maximum number of phone Go to Next Page occurrences in a customer record in the production data will not exceed three. For your jobs, the supplier of the XML data file should supply this type of information to the designer.

2. Create an InDesign text frame large enough for three rows of data. If a header and/or footer will

be added to the table, the text frame must be big enough to accommodate any header or footer rows in addition to the data rows.

3. With the Type Tool cursor in the text frame, select the Table option from the InDesign menu bar.

The Insert Table panel is displayed.

4. Set the Body Rows value to 1. This is the setting used whenever LMOT data is used in a table.

5. Enter the values for the numbers of columns and Header/Footer rows. This example table will

contain two columns, one header row, and will not include a footer row.

6. Adjust the text frame to fit the data. The text frame needs to be wide enough to contain the

Area Code and Phone Number. It also needs to be high enough to support the maximum number of LMOT values for Phone, plus a row for the optional Header Row. Information about the maximum number of LMOT values is supplied as part of the XML data file. In the example data file, the maximum number of occurrences of PHONE in this LMOT group is 3.

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7. Adjust the column widths to fit your requirements.

8. Add the Header Text. The table header will be printed only once.

9. Add the XML tags for the table.

10. In the first column add the Location element tag.

11. In the second column add the AREACODE tag followed by a space character, a dash character and another space character followed by the NUMBER tag.

Although only one row is shown in the InDesign layout, when the document is exported using the example data file, the following tables are built for each customer record.

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UUssiinngg UUMMOOTT iinn ttaabblleess

For unlimited multiple occurrence tags (UMOT) the process is similar, but because the tag is a UMOT, there could be indefinite values for the UMOT tags. Therefore, the table is created as a single row table with optional headers or footers in a text frame large enough to contain the multiple UMOT values for the tags selected. If the table contains multiple columns, the data in the columns will also be repeated. Static data or single occurrence tags will be repeated in each row, UMOT tags will print the next value for the UMOT occurrence. Here are some rules to follow:

• A frame that contains UMOTs (fields from the transaction tag) is a UMOT frame.

• A page that contains a UMOT frame is a UMOT page.

• There can be several UMOT frames in a UMOT page and several UMOT pages in a document.

• All UMOT pages must be consecutive.

• All UMOT frames of all UMOTS pages are filled in sequence.

• If no UMOT frame is filled in a given UMOT page, that page is not imaged for the document created for the data set related to the current iterator tag.

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• If necessary the last UMOT page is re-used until all transactions are exhausted.

If the value UMOT occurrence overflows the residing UMOT text frame, then the information is passed to next UMOT text frame in same or next UMOT Page. If there is only one UMOT frame and the values overflow, then table is carried over to the next page until next record.

1. Place a text frame in the page long enough to accommodate all the UMOT tags comfortably. (if

not the data will shrink in the cell)

2. Now make sure the text frame is selected and Right click on the UMOT group in the VDE panel

and then click create transactional data table.

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Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Installing VI Design Express

Supported versions of Adobe InDesign

Program Download

Specialty Imaging and Barcode Font download

Minimum System Requirements

Installation Notes

Windows installation

Mac OS X installation

Licensing

For further instruction, go to Using the Activation Key option.

VI Design Express Overview

VI Suite Customer Forum

Glossary of Terms

Documentation Overview

The InDesign Workspace

Supported Graphic Formats

Screen and Printer Fonts

Overview of Specialty Imaging and VDE

Limitations

• Variable text is any InDesign text object that contains VDE data objects of the type Text or Text File. Any text string that contains such a VDE data object results in the entire string being treated as variable text by VDE.

Opening VDE Documents in Updated Versions of InDesign

Using VDE

Setting VDE Preference Options

• Interface tab

Batch Process PDF Files as Resources

Variable information and design layout

Buttons, Check Boxes and Icons

Getting Started

• Opening the VDE panel

• Unlimited Multiple Occurrence Tag (UMOT)

Loading the XML data file

Using XML data in tables