Transparency issue with FreeFrom VDP - Fiery EX770 System 10 - Xerox 770

Hi Guys,
Im printing some VDP 4x6 postcards.
I have a static background image that I have to merge with a multipage PDF with transparent object and text created from Photoshop.

I created my Master page using impose and save it as PDF (no big deal). Then I created my imposed Cut & Stack PDF from the multipage document using the same template to match the position of the Master.

I loaded the Master into FreeForms assigning all the properties needed for printing and preview it on screen....it looks perfect.

The problem is when I assign the same properties to the multipage VDP PDF and using the Master for the static background the transparent object leave a white box and the background is not visible at all.

I tried several things:
• Optimize RGB transparency
• Composite Overprint
• Remove white PPT background
I mean...everything I can think of.

Can you guys help me?

I have a Xerox 770 with Fiery EX770 and Fiery Graphic Art Package ver.1 System 10

I suspect that if you simply print the variable part, without making it any part of a FreeForm workflow, you will also get these artifacts.

You told us that you imposed them using Impose and saved the results as a PDF, the goal of which is to have a simple variable PDF to overlay onto the master. And you say you get these artifacts as a result of this imposition and saving as PDF.

What happens if you leave everything 1-up, both master and variable, set up the FreeForm master and variable relationship, and then run Impose on the variable piece and save it as a .dbp and then print it?

I suspect these artifacts would go away.

What version of Command Workstation are you using? Is it 5.5 or earlier?

Thanks adam1991 for your reply. I have CWS 5.3.1. We tried to upgrade a few months ago and something went wrong and I decided to go back to the latest stable version.

Im not sure how to setup the master and variable relationship that you are talking about and impose. Can you help being a little more specific. I believe if I can somehow make the whole job work as a .dbp as you said it will work, but I dont know exactly how to do it that way.

My impose file should be 3 x 3 for a 9up run. (4x6 postcards with bleed) on a 13x19 sheet.

One test that I did was to drop both background image and few pages of the variable text on InDesign to test and see if it gives me transparency issues and everything works fine.

Can I setup and Impose template and somehow use it directly in CWS? or how it works the way that you are describing it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Right now you're using Impose to make a 3x3 background sheet and save it as a PDF on the server, then you're using Impose to make a 3x3 foreground sheet and saving it on the server, and THEN you're doing FreeForm.

Because you're using CWS 5.3, the act of saving the imposed job as a PDF is causing you grief. There was a nasty, nasty bug in the "save as PDF" mechanism back then, one that wasn't fixed until CWS 5.6. And the bug manifested itself exactly as you describe.

So instead of imposing first and then doing FreeForm, do it backwards. Leave everything 1-up and set up the FreeForm relationship first. Process and hold the background, then tell the foreground file to use that background.

Then--assuming you have Impose--right click on the foreground (variable) file and choose Impose. You will get a slightly different Impose window, one designed for VI. But you can do your 3x3 imposition right there, and it may solve your problem.

Assuming you have Impose, that is.

Hi Adam,
let me try and I'll keep you posted.

Do you think its safe for us to upgrade to CWS 5.7 on our EX770? Anything that I need to be aware of if we do it?

Should we contact Xerox service and ask them to do the upgrade? Is the impose/compose will be updated too? Is the old dongle going to work with the updated version?

Thanks.

You can and should update to CWS 5.7 on your own. Nothing bad will happen, everything else will work just fine. Your Xerox 770 is on EFI System 10, so no problems there. Impose/Compose will work just fine.

You should do this. Now.

In the end, you will have Fiery Software Manager installed and running. It will alert you to updates, which you should take.

Keep in mind that you own your printing system for your purposes, and you are enabled for setting it up for your purposes--setting printer defaults, any color and job ticket window customizations, Impose templates, etc. This includes Command Workstation.

Adam, thanks, I'll run the update soon then.

I noticed that you cannot use FreeForms with .dpb files on CWS 5.3.
Is this something available on 5.7 now?

Where can I find a complete list of "whats new" of CWS 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 and 5.7 so I can be aware of all the new gadget available in the new version? Can you provide me a link?

Again, thanks for your help.

I don't know exactly what you mean by running FreeForm with dbp files, but here's the deal: you set everything up as if you're going to print it 1-up, finished size. Set up the FreeForm relationship and everything. You might even RIP and hold it to see that what you get from the variable file are 1-up cards.

Now, remove raster. Right click the variable piece that you know does FreeForm properly, and choose Impose. That's it.

You don't impose first and then try to do FreeForm with a .dbp file. That's backwards. You set up the FreeForm relationship first, then impose the variable file. The end result is a .dbp file.

Got it.

I did try it the way you describe it and I noticed two things:
• after doing the relationship and using Impose, you are right, it takes me to a different view of Impose and Im no longer able to define a custom size for the postcard, but not a big deal.

• it did the imposition and after processing and hold the background is not visible, pretty much the same results that I got before posting the issue here.

I endup asking the customer for a vector version of the variable data file instead of transparent object, but I want to know if I can somehow find a workaround for this issue using CWS 5.3.1

thanks.

You may want to try:
taking APPE off it is on
adjusting your grey black setting
Working inside the Expert color settings
Separate RGB/Lab to separate CMYK source
Bring both background and vdp PDFs out of CWS and then try bringing them in either as is or Postscripted, Adobe can even optimize the pdf.

Sorry Adam1991 but i thought these might help jricart

Dan