Advanced Production Options

Set advanced print parameters to determine the specific variant of your print output format, to suit the workflow and the specific print controller you are using.

Note: The available options vary, depending on the chosen print output format.

Option

Description

PDF Export Settings

Choose the job options file for producing this PDF. All job options files installed on the uProduce server are available for selection.

For information on managing and using job options, see Work with PDF Job Options.

PDF Compatibility Level

PDF Standards Compliance

These are advanced parameters. If you are unfamiliar with them, please leave the default values, or go online for further reading.

Transparency Implementation

Define how transparency is implemented in the output, by choosing one of the following options:

  • Flatten transparency in print output file (default): All transparent content is flattened when XMPie produces the Print Output file, without relying on the RIP’s ability to implement transparency.

    Choose this option in the following cases:

    • The RIP has no transparency implementation.

    • You are not sure if the RIP implementation supports transparency.

    • If you experience that the RIP transparency implementation is significantly slower than the production of flattened PDF, PDF/VT-1 or PDF/VT-3.

  • RIP transparency: Transparency is not flattened, but rather maintained in the PDF, PDF/VT-1 or PDF/VT-3 Print Output file. This option results in a significantly smaller and more efficient output file, in case transparency is used. With this option, the RIP is expected to implement transparency support of PDF, PDF/VT-1 or PDF/VT-3. Choose this option when you are using a PDF, PDF/VT-1 or PDF/VT-3 compatible RIP with transparency support.

Image Rendering

Choose the method of rendering images in the XMPie print output:

  • Allow non-InDesign Rendering (Optimized for performance): Allow XMPie to bypass InDesign handling of images, by adding the images directly to the output to improves performance.

  • Require InDesign Rendering (Enhanced color management): Images will always be handled by InDesign.

Limit used instances to (to allow other jobs to run in parallel)

By default, uProduce production engine automatically splits the job between all the available uProduce instances to optimize the production speed.

It is possible to limit a job to use only a specific number of instances, so that another job can also be run at the same time on the idle instances.

The production optimization is not available in the following cases:

  • XLIM documents

  • The following print output formats: VDX / JPG / PNG / HTML / PROOF_SET / FLAT / RECORD_SET / INX / IDML / EPS / CUSTOM.

  • uProduce system with SI license

  • When the Separate File for each Record option is selected in the Production section of the Process page.

  • When the number of recipients processed in the job is below a certain limit (100 recipients by default).

Use uProduce Global Caching

For PPML, VPS, Postscript, VIPP and PDF output formats, you can optimize the production speed by enabling the Use uProduce Global Caching option. This option caches the graphic descriptions of reusable elements in the process of producing print output files. For more information, see Working with uProduce Global Caching.

Embed

Specify which of the following elements should be embedded in the print output file. Note that the available options depend on your image rendering setting.

Complete Fonts

Choose whether to embed fonts or not:

  • If you choose to embed fonts, a complete font definition will be embedded in the print output file.

  • If you choose NOT to embed fonts, the print output file will only contain references to the used fonts. Note that CID fonts are an exception: these fonts are not referenced but embedded as a subset.

This option controls the embedding of all fonts except for Chinese, Japanese and Korean (CJK) fonts. If the document uses CJK fonts, they are always embedded as subsets, regardless of this setting.

Assets

Resources

Choose whether to embed assets and /or Resources in the print output file. When the check box is unselected, the print output file includes references to external asset /Resource files resulting in a “thinner” VPS, VIPP, or PPML file.

If your printer’s RIP (Raster Image Processor) supports external assets/Resources, you may choose the Do Not Embed options.

Note that when Require InDesign Rendering (Better color management) is selected, assets and resources are always embedded (so these check boxes are disabled).

Supplied Resources in PPML Stream

Choose whether to embed PPML Resources in the PPML print output file:

  • When this box is unchecked (the default option), uCreate Print produces two print output files:

    • A PPML file: a file containing a reference to reusable resources, which is submitted to the printer server (RIP).

    • A reusable resources file: before submitting the PPML to the RIP, this file should be placed in the RIP’s images folder (sometimes referred to as the “HighRes” folder). When processing the PPML file, the RIP resolves the reference to this file.

      Choose this option if your RIP does not support PPML 2.1, or does not support embedding reusable resources.

  • When this box is checked, uCreate generates a single file to be submitted to the RIP (no additional actions are required).

    Choose this option if your RIP supports PPML 2.1, or supports embedding of reusable resources in earlier PPML versions.

    Checking this option also allows you to select whether to compress the output file.

Use RIP Global Caching

For PPML/PS 2.1, PPML PS/1.5, VPS, PDF, PDF/VT-1 and PDF/VT-3 print output formats, you can select the Use Global Caching option to create the print stream in a way that enables the RIP to make use of cached elements from previous runs. The cached elements are shared between runs of the same document (with possible differences of the target data set). For more information, see RIP Global Caching.

Project Name

Name the project to be generated in the VIPP print output format. This name enables the RIP to locate referenced images of the VIPP file that reside in the corresponding project folder.

Choose Automatic to use an automatically-generated name, or choose the text field and enter the name you wish to use.

Extract reusable content to external files

Create external files that hold the document’s reusable elements, which are referenced by the VIPP, PPML and VPS print output file, to optimize the document’s processing by certain print controllers.

This option is useful for troubleshooting errors in the PPML file.

Extract unique content to external files

Create external files that hold the document’s unique elements, which are referenced by the VIPP and PPML print output files, to optimize the document’s processing by certain print controllers.

This option is useful for troubleshooting errors in the PPML file.

Tag each record as a document group

If your RIP supports document groups, determine the way to mark a document set (in PPML version 2.1) or a job (in PPML version 1.5) in the PPML file.

  • When selected, each record in the collection of documents is tagged as a document set/job.

  • When deselected, the entire collection of documents in the PPML file is tagged as a single document set/job (this is the default option, compatible with most RIPs)

Tag fixed background as a master page

This option applies only to Xeikon RIPs. It allows you to mark a background that is used for all records in a way that enables the RIP to process the print output file more efficiently.

If the document contains one or more Spread Visibility rules, no tagging as master page is performed, even if this option is checked.

Add metadata to each record

Add recipient information values of any content object (except for tables) as metadata. These metadata are stored in the PDF/VT Metadata node of each recipient.

Work with PDF job options

When processing a print output file, where the print format is either PDF, Legacy PDF (deprecated), PDF/VT-1 or PDF/VT-3, you can control its PDF generation settings. These settings include choices of image compression parameters, fonts handling and output intent color profiles.

These settings are controlled by choosing an Adobe Job options file. Job options files contain PDF generation settings and are normally created and edited in either Adobe InDesign or Adobe Distiller.

Use job options

uProduce uses PDF job options to print and proof PDF, PDF/VT-1 and PDF/VT-3 documents. uProduce provides two default job options files:

  • XMPieQuailityHigh: high quality, default for creating print output through the Process page.

  • XMPieQuailityProof: proof quality, default for creating proofs through the Proof page.

For process jobs, you can replace the default job options file with other files.
This is done by going to the Process page’s Advanced section and changing the selection in the PDF Export Settings list.

For proof jobs, you cannot replace the default job options file. However, you can edit its settings, as explained in the following section.

Modify or add new job options

You may wish to set different selections for the PDF generation settings.
For example, you may wish to select a specific color profile for the output intent. To do this, either modify the existing job options files, or add a new job options file (for Process jobs only). This is done by changing the contents of the uProduce job options folder.

Job options files are placed in the following uProduce folder:

<XMPie Installation Drive>:\XMPie\XMPieData\Shared\Settings\JobOptions

You can modify existing job options files, to change the way these files create PDF print files. For example, to change the PDF generation settings of a Proof job, edit the XMPieProofQuaility file.

You can also add new job options for Process jobs. The new files you place in the JobOptions folder are added to the Process page’s PDF Export Settings list.

Note: When adding new job options, make sure that no InDesign instances are running.

Work with job options on extension servers

If you are working in a PersonalEffect Cluster configuration, the uProduce Director that manages the Cluster synchronizes its JobOptions folder with those of all Extension Servers. There is no need to manually update the JobOptions folders on the Extension Servers.

While job options are handled automatically, you are required to handle color profiles manually. A job options file allows you to choose a color profile that serves as the output intent for PDF output. Color profiles are NOT synchronized by the uProduce Director on all Extension Servers. Therefore, if you use a non- system-default color profile, you must install it on all Extension Servers.

Restrictions on job option selections

The XMPie production process requires certain hard-coded settings, which override the settings in the job options file. You should be aware of these restrictions when you modify job options or add new ones. These overridden settings depend on the type of file you are processing, with some uProduce internal considerations:

  • Single-Record PDF: when generating a separate PDF for each recipient (that is, when going to the Process page’s Production section, setting Print Format to PDF and enabling Separate file for each record), there are no restrictions.

    • PDF: when generating batch PDF print output for more than five records, the production process creates a PDF file. In this case, the Adobe InDesign job options are applied to the file, with the following exceptions:

      • Optimize for fast web view: set to off.

      • Acrobat Compatibility Level and Standard are ignored.

      • Marks and Bleeds: all settings are ignored.

    • Others: when generating batch PDF print output for five or less, the production creates a PDF directly with InDesign. In this case, the following settings are ignored:

      • Optimize for fast web view: set to off.

      • Marks and Bleeds: all settings are ignored.

    Note that in certain cases a PDF will be generated, for example when using Imposition.

  • PDF/VT-1 and PDF/VT-3 Print Format

    • Optimize for fast web view: set to off.

    • Acrobat Compatibility Level and Standard are ignored, as PDF/VT-1 and PDF/VT-3 require specific settings.

    • Marks and Bleeds: all settings are ignored.

  • Legacy PDF (deprecated): when generating batch PDF print output for more than five records, the production process creates a PostScript file, which is later transformed into a PDF file through a mechanism called "Distilling". In this case, any job options apply to Adobe InDesign, but not to Adobe Distiller, are ignored. Note that any settings that are implemented in PDF, but not in Postscript, are ignored as well.