Imaging 12 - Fujifilm Graphic Systems

Smart pre-flighting
One of the most interesting recent developments
has been the marrying of preflight
checking to file delivery systems. It’s
the same idea as the newspaper systems
that won’t send files until they’ve passed
muster. Indeed, 4Sight’s Transmission
Director works for both newspaper or
commercial applications.
Starting with a QuarkXPress document,
Transmission Director controls the conversion
to PDF, using receiver-supplied Adobe
Acrobat Distiller profiles if needed. It validates
the files (though the checks are
fairly basic), attaches job tickets and sends
directly to the receiver. The receiving end
can also validate files and, depending on
the job ticket, launch an AppleScript
routine or send the file to a hot folder.
Extensis Preflight Online emphasises
the pre-flight aspect and works with any
Internet link. It’s available either as a
service hosted by Extensis itself (for a
£4200 set up fee plus about 70p per file),
or printers can install their own servers
and customise the appearance. Senders
access the receiver’s URL within the site,
which downloads a plug-in to run preflighting
on their computer. It can read
QuarkXPress 4.x, PDF or EPS formats.
Problems are reported to both ends but
only passed files can be uploaded.
Markzware’s MarkzNet is essentially a
toolkit to write routines for automated
pre-delivery validation routines, file upload
and post-delivery processing. Job tickets
containing validation checks are generated
on the fly and downloaded in response to
initial job details provided by the sender.
MarkzNet is the basis of the online preflighting
part of Fujifilm’s myfujifilm.com
online services trial in North America. It’s
also part of the Newspaper Society’s
AdFast and the Periodical Publishers’
Association’s Pass4Press online preflighting
services. Costing from about
£5000 it’s powerful and flexible, but can
be hard to set up, so Markzware has
introduced GoodToGo, a simplified system
that it hosts itself and which applies 20
pre-flight checks. It works with most DTP
and graphics file formats and is available
in three service levels, starting with a
£2457 set-up fee and £140 monthly
subscription for up to 350 transactions.
Extending services
Reliable file transfer and validation between
customer and service house are
possibly the biggest benefits of online
services so far. However, file transfer,
though vital, is only the first of the comms
services to affect pre-press and printing
companies; the concept of pre-flighting by
remote control opens up the market for
bi-directional workflows between
customers and suppliers.
The past couple of years has seen the
emergence of sophisticated customersupplier
links that allow proper online
trading relationships to be set up. These
allow requests for quotes (RFQs), job
ordering and the delivery of validated files
by customers, and in the other direction,
the supply of live job status information,
stored images and digital proofs.
The emerging JDF print production file
format (see cover story, last issue) will play
a part here too: it lets customers define
initial job specifications which can be
transferred straight into the estimating
modules of MIS systems, for accurate and
speedy automation of RFQs. Online
storage and management of customers’
digital assets by repro companies is finally
starting to happen too (see page 12).
Online services offer new ways to build
relationships, add value and differentiate
yourself in an increasingly commoditised
print market. Customers may think that
the printing is the same everywhere, but
making it easier to get jobs in, checked,
and out again might make all the difference
to who gets to do them. ■
All prices quoted in this article are approximate UK list prices
and were correct at time of going to press; potential
customers for the products and services mentioned should
confirm pricing with the relevant supplier.
ONLINE ALPHABET SOUP
Online info
AdExpress
www.adexpress.co.uk
AdFast
www.adfast.co.uk
Extensis
www.extensis.com
GoodToGo
www.gtgeurope.com
Group Logic
www.grouplogic.com
Hermstedt
www.hermstedt.co.uk
Markzware
www.markzware.com
Net Integration
www.eurographicsales.com
Quickcut
www.quickcut.com
Wam!Net/4Sight
www.wamnet.co.uk
Vio
www.vio.com
Here’s a guide to some of the terms used in the comms and online
services business.
ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line – high speed digital
Internet connection via standard phone wiring, typically gives
512 Kbit/sec download, 256 Kbit/sec uploads. A permanent
connection, with flat-rate pricing.
Bandwidth – measure of data carrying capacity of a digital link.
512 Kbit/sec and above referred to as ‘broadband’.
Contention ratio – how many subscribers may be sharing a digital
link (usually ADSL, though also applies to dial-up modems) at once.
Usually 50:1 for ‘home’ packages, 20:1 for business.
Dial-up – ‘old fashioned’ modem-based Internet access via standard
telephone line. Limited to 56 Kbit/sec and you won’t get that out of
most phone lines.
ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network – the standard in
prepress datacomms, ISDN supports multiples of 64 Kbit/sec
adapted phone lines, most commonly two, giving 128 Kbit/sec. Can
provide Internet and point-to-point connectivity but charged by
usage; multiple lines count as multiple calls.
FTP – File Transfer Protocol – the network standard for copying files
across the Internet; most Web browsers support FTP but there are
also various FTP utilities for batch/high volume work.
ISP – Internet Service Provider – the company providing your point
of connection to the Internet.
Point-to-point – sending data directly to its ultimate recipient
(eg 4Sight ISDN Manager) as opposed to sending via a third party
(eg sending via an ISP’s email service).
Imaging 12 autumn 2002 11