File Preparation Queue (Smart Workflow)

The File Preparation Queue holds the files that are ready to be checked and processed.

They remain in this queue until a fixed time has elapsed after they have been sent to Smart Print Controller's (SPC) print Waiting Queue.

The files can also be removed by selecting the item and clicking the Remove button..

N.B. A File can be also sent back to the File Preparation Queue, Directly from the SPC Print Queue. (See Smart Print Controller User Guide)

Each entry in the list shows information about the job that may be useful to the operator. This can be expanded to show additional information by clicking the small arrow next to the image

The Task column has multiple icons that represent a type of task that can be performed on the file.

The columns shown in the table can be defined; you can hide columns that are not required. To hide certain columns, click the small gear symbol that appears in the top right of the heading bar; doing so activates a dropdown menu where you can select the columns that are visible.

Top Bar Actions

Refresh Table Rows

Remove

Removing a job from the queue deletes the uploaded assets; however, a record about the job and the actions taken remain in the job history database.

Tasks

There are currently six task groups available (each group can be hidden as previously described):

All Steps have the following items:

Choose file to Process

• Use Original File
  Apply processing to the original file, with no processing applied.
  Note that this removes all processing by other stages.
• Last Processed File
  Apply Processing in addition to any previous process steps that have applied.

Manage Document

The operator may wish to duplicate a file in order to preserve the original file and use the duplicate to make a variant. 

The new variant may exist for a variety reasons:

1. • Only contains the first 5,000 pages used to fill a roll.
   • File may have been imposed.
   • Files have changed (for example, technical colors are removed, cue marks are added, and so forth).

Rename

Renames a job document

New name (text box)

• Default filled in with the original name, which can be edited to make new name
  • The file is renamed to use the New Name field within the same job.

Duplicate

Duplicates a document into a new job

New name (text box)

• Default filled in with the original name, which can be edited to make new name
  • A new job is created using the same file renamed as New Name field.

Job ID (text box)

• Default filled in with the original ID (If present), which can be edited to make new ID

Job Part ID (text box)

• Default filled in with the original ID (If present), which can be edited to make new ID

Project ID (text box)

• Default filled in with the original ID (If present), which can be edited to make new ID

Bypass Preflight (Toggle Switch)

• Turn on Bypass Preflight to skip Preflighting the Job again.

N.B. ID fields are only present when Duplicating a Job.

Manage Inks  

Color Management

Remove input inks.

This allows you to prepare a file for print excluding the colors that are not required.

This feature helps you to prepare a file for printing by eliminating the colors that are not needed.

Removing colors

The UI displays all the colors that are detected in the PDF file that you want to print. You can select the colors that you want to exclude from the file and remove them.

The UI shows a list of colors in the file with a dropdown option for each Color

• Print (default) - This option keeps the Color in the file.
• Do Not Print - This option removes the Color from the file.

Add Whites

Add whites to the the document using Copy White, Flood & Under Inks

1. File is prepared by creative; however, it is being printed on a clear substrate and whites need to be added.
2. File has a white in but the printer needs two passes to achieve the opacity. Also the two passes have to control the ink percentage so that the substrate is not too saturated with ink before the next printing station.
3. The white is incorrect and needs replacing.

There are four modes of adding whites to a job:

• Copy selected white - This allows you to select the Color that is the white; it then makes two copies at whatever name and ink percentage you choose for each copy.

Select white to copy

• This dropdown lists the separations used in a job so you can select the white ink.

First White Name

• The name and density of the first white

Second White Name

• The name and density of the second white

•  All Over - This creates up to two extra whites that fill the selected page box.
  
  

  

White Fill Box

• This is the box that will be used to determine the size and position of the white panel to be created.

First White Name

• The name and density of the first white

Second White Name

• The name and density of the second white

One - Two Whites

• Allows you to make one or two whites

• Under All Inks - This makes up to two extra whites that underpin any existing ink area.
  
  

  

  
  

  First White Name

  • The name and density of the first white

  Second White Name

  • The name and density of the second white

  One - Two Whites

  • Allows you to make one or two whites
    
    
    
  • Under All Ink (excluding white) - This is the same as above, except it excludes the separation you have chosen for a white in case the white was wrong to begin with.
    
    

    

    
    

    Select White to Exclude

    • This shows the separations used in a job so you can select the white ink or separation to exclude. This will be deleted from the calculation for the generation of the new whites.

    First White Name

    • The name and density of the first white

    Second White Name

    • The name and density of the second white

    One - Two Whites

    • Allows you to make one or two whites

Merge Whites

Merge one or more spot colors to the white channel

This allows you to merge several separations together and create a white separation. The white separation you've created can be output twice using different percentages, which avoids too much ink wetting.

The need to merge colors in the way is to combine a White 1 and/or White 2 together or maybe a tactile Color to be printed as white.

Options - Merge Colors

A list of colors in the file with a dropdown choice

• Keep as Spot - Keeps the Color in the file as is
• Output as White - Combines with other colors selected to create a new white

First White Name

• The name and density % of the first white

Second White Name

• The name and density % of the second white

Imposition

Static Step and Repeat

Create Step and Repeat imposition for static jobs

Sometimes a design to be printed doesn't fit exactly on the media that is being run.

• Therefore it makes good sense to step and repeat the image to get the maximum usage out of the available substrate that is being printed on.
• This task can also automatically calculate the print repeats required for specific label quantity or number of meters.
• It can also extract the size of the design from the designs metadata.
  
  

  

Available Substrate Size

Cross Print Direction (number)

• This is the width of the substrate feeding the machine. 

In Print Direction (number)

• This is the height of the substrate if it is sheet fed, or the maximum/optimum image length of the machine. 

Auto Fit (cross print direction) - (switch)

• Off - the width of the final files will be the same as the substrate width.
• On - the width of the final file will be reduced to only include the steps images and gap distance on the edges to make the file smaller to rip.

Auto Fit (In print direction) - (switch)

• Off - the height of the final files will be the same as the substrate height; this is used for sheet-fed press configurations.
• On - the height of the final file will be reduced to only include the steps images and gap distance; this is so the images will always be the same distance apart for roll/web-fed press configurations.

Repetition Options

Auto Fill Off - On - switch 

• Off - Manually enter the impressions across and down needed to fill the sheet.
• On - (Default) this will take into account the rotation and the dimensions of the design together with the desired gap and work out the maximum images it can fit in the printing area of the substrate/machine.

Gap Size

Gap Size Cross Print

• The gap you want between the images across the sheet width

Gap Size In Print

• The gap you want between the images along the sheet height or the direction of print

Margins

Left, Right. Top and Bottom

• The Margins you want to add to the Job

Page Box for Step and Repeat

• Choose from
  • Manually selected; the design size must be measured and entered. 
  • Choose which page box to get the size from.

One Up Orientation

• This allows you to set the orientation to suit the printing side and the orientation of the finishing machine tooling downstream .

Meters/Label Quantity

• Off - Meters (this will calculate how many copies you need to fill X meters; it is useful if you need to fill a roll of substrate loaded on the machine.
• On - Labels required (this will calculate how many copies are need to deliver the total number of labels required, taking into account how many labels are on each copy).

VDP Step and Repeat

Create Step and Repeat imposition for variable data jobs

This workflow is for a pre-executed variable data file, with many pages that contain different content.

Like the Grid Step and Repeat, this is also designed to optimize media usage; the difference is that this can place hundreds of thousands of different pages side by side in a grid format.

It makes good sense to place the different pages together on larger sheets to get the maximum usage out of the available substrate that is being printed on.

VDP stands for Variable Data Printing,

Content Filling Options

Page Count

• Pages (width) - The number of pages printed alongside each other (width) - media width
• Pages (length) - The number of pages printed underneath each other (height) - media height 
  

Gap Between Pages

• Gap Cross Print - The gap between the pages in the width of the media
• Padding Down - The gap between the pages in the height of the media
  

Margins

Left, Right. Top and Bottom

• The Margins you want to add to the Job

Mirror and Rotation

• Mirror (Toggle Switch) Off for No Mirror, On for Mirror
  
  

  

  Off for no Mirror
  

  

  On for Mirror
  
  

• Rotation - This determines the rotation and mirror of the page to suit the finishing and printing conditions.
  

  

  
  

Roll / Sheet Mode

Roll Mode On

• Off - Sheet mode; the pagination options are better suited for sheet working where the sheets would be stacked as they come off the press before finishing.
• On - Roll mode; the pagination options are better suited for processing roll/web finishing processes.

Start Position and Direction

• This dictates the print order of and position on the media.
• An image appears under this selection representing a 300-page 3x3 layout to demonstrate the result for each option chosen.
  
  

  

  
   Example of a sheet fed layout (above)                      

Example of a roll/web fed layout (above)

Copies

This is the amount of times the whole document is copied. 

Collate copies

• Off - Each page is printed x times of the copy amount in order.
• On - The whole document is printed, then the next copy is printed. 

Manage Pages

Transform

Mirror, Rotate, and Scale the job document

The operator may wish to change the size of the file:

1. 1. To compensate for press stretch;
   2. To change the size and rotation to ensure the design fits with the tooling that is used later on in the production cycle.

Mirror

• Mirrors the file for reverse printing
   

  

Rotation

• Rotates the Page for Printing
  

  

Scale Horizontal and Vertical

• This scales the file as a percentage:
  • 100% keeps the file the same size 1:1
  • 98% makes the file 2% smaller 1:0.98
  • 102% makes the file 2% bigger 1:1.02
    
    

    

    
    

Current Sizes (mm)

• Displays the Page Box Sizes for the Current Job

Set Page Boxes

Set the PDF page boxes

This is a more complex use case where a file has not been correctly supplied; normally a PDF can contain up to five different page boxes. Most creative users are unaware of their purpose; however, these are important reference boxes when printing.

• Crop Box
  • This is the extent to what most RIPs render by default.
• Media Box
  •  This is normally used to indicate the media width.
• Trim Box
  • This is normally used to indicate the size that the product will be trimmed to X/Y
• Bleed Box
  • This is normally a few mm bigger than the trim box and is where the print is extended to. This extra print area beyond the trim ensures that there are no white unprinted areas if the cutter is not perfectly aligned.

This task is split up into four separate tasks that can be used in isolation or together:

1. Set Reference Mode
2. Post Set Resize
3. Simplify
4. Compare Mode

Reference Current Sizes 

This allows you to toggle the switch to see the current Page Box sizes of the Job.

Set Reference Mode

This allows you to set one or all reference boxes to the content of the PDF or another reference box.

Set to the Content

• Set which box you want to change.
  

  

  
  
  
  

  Many PDFs have content outside the reference boxes; this often goes unnoticed as it is clipped in the viewer if this falls outside the crop box. 

Set to Existing Box

• Set which box you want to change. 
• Set the reference box to for the size you want to set to.

Post Set Resize

This allows you to resize a page box, but this is done after the Set Reference Mode has completed.

1. You may need to adjust the trim box because that is the size of the cutter and you want to use that size later for imposition.
2. You may need to clip off some of the art work before printing (such as an information panel that is not to be printed), 

Post set resize

• Off - do nothing
• On - resize page boxes

Box to resize 

• This specifies the box to resize.

Reference box 

• This is the box to be used as the initial setting for size; the box chosen to resize will first be set to the reference box size.

Resize

• Enter the amount that you want to change the the chosen box size.

This does not change the size of the artwork within a job; it simply changes the size of a potential clipping/reference box.

Simplify

Once the page box is adjusted to clip off any extra content, Simplify trims any content outside the page box.
This simplifies artwork in the PDF file and optimizes the file for quicker ripping times.

Simplify switch

• Off - do nothing
• On - simplify the artwork

Level

• Low (default) - simply clips any objects outside of the media box
• Medium - clips objects outside of the media box and removes all transparent objects 
• High - clips objects outside of the media box and removes all transparent objects; merges overlapping objects of the same properties into one.

Compare Mode

Use this to compare the output with the original file to check for continuity. 

Compare mode Switch 

• Off - Pressing the View button shows final result.
• On - Pressing the View button permits the comparison on before and after.

Delete Pages

Deletes the page selection from the document

This feature allows a user to choose which pages to delete from the file. This allows management of the print run to suit shift patterns or reel sizes, or to create a new job that starts where printing finished.

Page Manage Mode 

• Select Pages to Delete 
• Delete All Pages After
• Delete All Pages Before

Page Range field - This changes depending on the mode selected:

• Select Pages to Delete - A comma-separated list of pages to be deleted from the incoming file(s). Ranges are supported as well (for example, 1-5,16,27 will remove page 1 to 5, page 16, and page 27 from the file.
• Delete all pages after - All pages after the entered page will be deleted.
• Delete all pages before - All pages before the entered page will be deleted. 

Finishing

Add Marks 

Add marks to document (Corner Marks, Eyemark, Colorbar %, Colorbar Area and Barcode)

Sometimes the file comes in ready to print but the printer needs to add extra information to the file; for example:

• Corner Marks for trimming machinery later on in the process
• Side Marks 
  • Cue Marks for triggering/synchronizing finishing machines
  • Color bars for Inline/offline QA systems
  • Barcodes for inline production management, shop floor data collection, and traceability.

These marks can be applied at page level, typically set outside the artwork or Sheet level where they are aligned to the inside of the substrate to be printed on. 

Page - Sheet on 

• On for sheet mode (two extra parameters are now displayed Sheet size x and Sheet size y)

  • Cross Print Direction (width X)  - size in the X direction of artwork

  • In Print Direction (length Y) - size in the Y direction of artwork
    
    

    

    
    
    

• Off for page mode

• In sheet mode, the marks are placed inside the sheet area chosen.
• In page mode, the marks are placed outside the chosen reference page box.

Corner marks

• off - does nothing
• on
  • Sheet mode places corner marks on the outside edge of the sheet size.
  • Page mode places the corner marks on the outside edge of the Media page box.

Left and right mark switches

• Left and right mark options have the same except one affects the left-hand marks and the other affects the right-hand marks.

Type - Allows the choice of mark

• Eyemark - This is a black quadrilateral paced on the size of the artwork and is commonly used a trigger for downstream finishing units. 
  
  
• Colorbar % - This shows swatches of all the colors in the job together with the ink coverage in percentage used as a QA tool.
• Colorbar Area - This shows swatches of all the colors in the job together with the ink coverage in square mm used as a QA tool and shop floor data collection
• Barcode - This places an auto-numbering barcode on the side, which reflects the pages (page mode) and copies (sheet mode).

Eyemark

Horizontal - Allows you to set the horizontal size from 5-15 mm in 1-mm steps

Vertical - Allows you to set the vertical size from 5-15 mm in 1-mm steps

Position - dropdown menu 

• Top - Aligns to the top of the sheet/media box
• Centre - Aligns to the middle of the sheet /media box
• Bottom - Aligns to the bottom of the media box

Offset - This moves the mark out from the media box (page mode) or in from the sheet edge (sheet mode)

Always use positive numbers; the mark moves from the edge of media automatically, depending on side selected.

Colorbar and ColorbarArea

• Colorbar % reports the usage in percentages
• Colorbar Area report the usage in mm2

Position - dropdown menu 

• Top - Aligns to the top of the sheet/media box
• Centre - Aligns to the middle of the sheet /media box
• Bottom - Aligns to the bottom of the media box

Offset - This moves the mark away from the media box (page mode) or sheet edge (sheet mode).

Always use positive numbers; the mark moves from the edge of media automatically, depending on side selected.

Barcode

Offset - This moves the mark away from the media box (page mode) or sheet edge (sheet mode).

Always use positive numbers; the mark moves from the edge of media automatically, depending on side selected.

The position is always set as the centre.

Add Slug Mark

Add Slug Mark to the Job, Inside of the Page Gutter

The functionality includes the ability to select specific fields for inclusion using toggle switches. Additionally, users can choose the offset for the Slug Mark according to their preferences.

Lead In Lead Out

Add/Create Lead in and Lead Out pages

The File (Job) is always created with 1 Lead In Page and 1 Lead Out Page at the beginning of the Job, and the main Job added to the End

The Number of LI LO Pages and the number of copies are included in the .complete file that will be sent to the SPC.

When printing on high-speed presses, quite often you need some setup material to use at the start of the job to allow the operator to align the tooling (for example, the cutter so it is not offset to the design and the whole label is contained within the finished cut size).

Quite often several jobs are printed consecutively and a visible change is needed between the jobs.

After the print the press is allowed to run on producing several more labels, this is used to protect the inner labels from damage. The reels need to be easily identified when there are in storage.

The Lead In Lead Out Task helps prepare file to optimize this process by adding extra print before and after the main run. It also allows you to choose what colors you need to print for each section:

Lead In scenario

As ink is expensive for the Lead In, you may only want to print the die-cut ink and the black ink; also to save money, print both of these in black ink. There are enough copies set for the operator to align the cutters.  

Lead Out Scenario 

You will want enough copies to allow protection and to allow identification of the product in the roll. It is possible to also select only the inks required keeping the main Color on for easy ID by Color.

It is possible to add an information panel printed in the centre of each repeat with key production data on. This information can be manually input of it can be acquired from the MIS system via the JDF. Additional custom text can also be added.

Main Section 

You may want to turn off technical colors so that they do not print and other colors that may be applied later in the finishing processes like BlockGold, Varnish, and Adhesive. 

Lead In

Lead In

• Off - No Lead In copies will be created.
• On  - Lead In Copies will be created .

Copies

• Number of copies of the Lead In Sheet

Choose Colors

This is a list of all the colors detected in the job by the side of each Color is a dropdown choice list on how to handle it.

• Do Not Print (default) - This will not print the Color.
• Print - Selecting this option will allow this Color to be printed.

Color/Black

• Off - The content of the selected Color to Print will be printed in Color
• On - The content of the selected colors to Print will be output using the black ink only.

Lead Out

Lead Out

• Off - No Lead Out Copies will be created.
• On  - Lead Out Copies will be created.

Copies

• Number of copies of the Lead In Sheet

Choose Colors

This is a list of all the colors detected in the job; by the side of each Color is a dropdown choice list on how to handle it.

• Do Not Print (default) - This will not print the Color.
• Print - Selecting this option will allow this Color to be printed.

Color/Black

• Off - The content of the selected Color to Print will be printed in Color.
• On - The content of the seceded colors to Print will be output using the black ink only.

Add Text Panel

• Off - No text panel will be created. 
• On - A text panel will be created containing all the details that are entered in the MIS Text Fields.

Main Section

Choose Colors

This is a list of all the colors detected in the job; by the side of each Color is a dropdown choice list on how to handle it.

• Print (default) - Selecting this option allows the colors to be printed.
• Do Not Print - Selecting this option does not allow the colors to be printed.

Create Separate Files

• Off - The Lead in if selected will be added to the front of the main section, and the lead out will be added to the end of the main section to run as one file.
• On - The Lead in and Lead out will be created as separate jobs so they can be sent to Smart Print Controller (SPC) Queue and managed in SPC. 

MIS Information

When the text panel switch is on, it will reveal the text fields you can enter/edit. 

If a JDF/JMF has started the job, certain key references will be pre-filled from the JDF data.

This information can be overridden by manually typing into the boxes. The Custom text paragraph enables you to enter your own information.

Send File to Printer (Default On)

Creating a LILO Job will automatically send the Job to the SPC (PDF and .complete file) This can be turned off via the toggle switch.

Choose SMD

• Available Media to use when sending Job to SPC.

Add Info Panel

Adds Customer/Job/Production information panel on to document

The customer might need to have copies with printed references on; this could be needed for a variety of reasons:

1. The printer wants to print a small batch and send them out for approval; the information panel helps to identify the artwork with multiple references.
2. The printer wants to make an ID copy to print out the roll with key information in place.
3. The printer needs to make file copies to be held on file for comparison to past/future prints.

In addition to the Customer and Job information that can be entered on the page, the following are automatically calculated and inserted on the Information panel:

• All the inks used and grouped according to the tags
  • CMYK
  • Spots
  • Varnishes
  • Technical
• The Ink coverage
  • Percentage %  
  • Area
• Detected BarCodes
  • Type
  • Content
• Add Information 
  • Dimensions
  • Tick Marks
  • Corner Marks

This allows key information at a glance to ensure that the file content and the production data is correct.

Print Config Settings

Clicking this button shows Basic SPC's settings used for the job. 

This view is read only.

Preflight results

It is possible to define the set of preflight checks the system carries out; please contact your representative for more details if you wish to change the defaults.

In the File Preparation Queue, you can view the file and check the preflight report. 

Traffic Light

No Errors or Warnings

Warnings

Errors

Skipped (Preflight Steps skipped on Import or Duplication of Job)

The gives a quick visual indication of the result of the preflight analysis.

Clicking the traffic light allows downloading of an .rtf report showing a list of all the items that preflight analysis was set to examine, and the co-ordinates of the objects in the file.

Proofscope Viewer

Click the

You can also highlight each message instance of the preflight report; clicking on it takes you to the location within the file for a closer look.

Refresh

Clicking the refresh button

Current Status

This area displays the latest status of the job.
 

Send to Print Queue

The default SPC's settings are stored in the form of the PrintRun.Config.

Overide SPC Settings
Overide Print Config Size - In FundamentalsCustom.json there is an option to override the SPC Settings when using the Send To Print Queue Task

Enable override and set it to 0, 0 for the size to be the same size as the PDF in the Job Station, alternatively you can set it to a fixed size if the machine has a fixed media.

"OveridePrintConfigSize":     {
     "Override":"yes",
     "SizeX": 0,
     "SizeY": 0 }

Copies or Meters

• You can specify the desired number of copies or meters for printing. The system automatically calculates this based on the jobs and tasks executed within the specified job.

Choose SMD

• By default, the system will utilize the currently active media set in the SPC (System Print Controller). However, users have the option to select alternative media sets as listed in the Printrun.config file obtained from the SPC