3. Let's use imagination...

Let's use imagination...


  • Hi,
    I come from digital printing. You see, we have some special needs not always addressed informal workflows.
    I'll give you a couple of ideas that might attract crowds from this world.

    • smart pdf multipage importer: a tool where a multipage pdf (usually same page size for all pages) imports all the pages on a grid XY, where I can define how many on x, how many on y, spacing between pages and from the canvas margins would be pure gold.
      Add an option to recognize a specific color/attribute/combo and definite it as a cut path (simply put: another layer with that object(s) overlay the pages it belongs. Standard Pdf page canvas/trim/etc should also be supported. Automatically add needed canvases if space runs out.

    • even as an additional paying plugin a decent nesting solution would be welcome. It should support cutting path recognition, free rotation nesting, front and back, cut marks. Griffin is a damn good piece of software should you want to take a look.

    • the easy of use of InDesign image containers with the flexibility of Illustrator. Let's say you have an image 600x200cm and you need it cut to 12 pieces 100x100cm.
      If you import an image inside AI you then have to mask it and edit the mask as needed. in ID it's much easier, you just easily reshape the container without affecting the content unless you really want it. It can be done in AI too but anyone using both programs and having tried cutting into adjacent pieces a huge image (any image actually) should agree it's 3 times faster doing it as ID does.

    Bring this inside VS workflow and it would be cool. Honestly I can't remember how VS deals with linked images at the moment, it's been a while since I've tried last time.

    Too late, my brain is shutting off 🙂 good nite crew.

    1 3 Replies
  • administrators

    @Torakikiii Some of these ideas are partially supported.

    • When opened, multiplage PDFs are placed on separate canvases (not artboards). Placing as a grid of artboards is not supported (yet).
    • not clear what the "cut path overlay" means in this context. If you refer to clipping, that is quite easy to setup in VS.
    • there is some tiling / arrangement options of multiple artboards, when printing into PDF/PS. Is this the Griffin tool?
    • editing the image frame with the node tool is possible: Use Object -> Convert to Curves on the image frame, and maybe uncheck Object -> Content -> Relative to Frame. The only difference is that the image may change its position if the frame is edited (will improve that).
    • clipping can also be done by drag&drop an image into any shape in the Layers panel.
    • VS works with linked images: there is a Links panel listing all images (linked or embedded) of a document. It is also possible to place the same image multiple times (from the Links panel) without duplicating it.
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  • administrators

    @Torakikiii For images (or anything else) you can also drag&drop the image into any shape (Layers panel) and then edit the shape with the shape editor (Node) tool.

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  • administrators

    @Torakikiii Just checked Griffin. Doing this automatically for any shape (shape nesting) is not possible now, maybe in a later version.
    Collision snapping in VS, with user defined gaps can be used to manually arrange objects, but that is no replacement for automatic shape nesting.

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    • griffin: https://tilialabs.com/products/griffin/
      it's the same but probably fuji rebranded it. Yes a good nesting module is no joke to program!
      But even basic functions would be super useful. Maybe you can consider a paying modules/plugin architecture? Not on the top of priorities I understand.

    • I really need to check how VS works, my recalls are months old and I only had some time to check it out. I probably couldn't explain well how easy is to section a big image on InDesign versus Illustrator.
      It's quite possible that VS handle it similarly now and I don't know/remember about it.
      Possibly other guys using InDesign knows better what I'm referring to.

    • linked images: ok that's not an issue, it's how you handle panelization. You know, in graphic design there are 2 worlds. One create intricate designs and the other one make it possible to print it on the expected canvas. They sometimes collide. Anyway I need to check again how VS works, maybe it's fine already,

    • Pdf import. Most of the time designers send you a Pdf with either: 1 page, 2 levels. Bottom level the graphic, top level the cut path.
      Pdf 2 pages, first page design, second page cut path
      99% of the time the cut path is a 1 pt stroke 100% magenta (or cyan)

    I'm not going into talking how different RIPs handle Pdf with cut paths, but different machines need different ways of working. Therefore some times it's ok to send a single page pdf with the cut path overlay, other times you need to extrapolate a DXF/AI files just for the cut paths.
    That's why if there's a way to automatically import many pages (either single/dual as above), grid them in some ways and have a bottom layer with the graphic and the top layer with the cut path that could be great in many production environments.

    Somehow I feel it's still unclear sorry ☺

    1 1 Reply

  • @Torakikiii If the PDF is in CMYK mode and has a die cut shape with a spot color for the stroke (say, one named 'diecut'), it should import correctly and show in the Print dialog or in the RIP as a separate plate.

    You might need to set the die cut shape's stroke to overprint however.

    ………………………………………

    Also: if I understand correctly, when you receive a 2-page PDF (page = artboard) where the 1st page has the artwork and the 2nd one has the die cut shape, you'd like to have the option for both to be overlapped directly on import on a single artboard?

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