Automating Prepress file prep tasks

[_Hexabuzz_]

I'll try and keep this as simple as possible...

When it comes to scripting and automation, I'm pretty clueless, so I'm hoping some of you more analytical and "under the hood" programming types can help me out...

I'm trying to simplify some of the repetitive tasks that need to be performed on every job we get in, and was wondering if any of this could be done with a script?

I'll give you a basic example, and then if it's within the realm of possibilities, we'll work our way up to impossibly complicated...

All of our jobs are built to a dieline, which defines the structure of the package.

Here are the rules for the dieline art:

Lives on its own layer with nothing else. Everything else such as callouts, measurements etc. that may have been on the original die layer are removed at the beginning of the job.

1pt stroked lines, solid or dashed. Grouped into a single item.

Colored to a spot color called ZDIE (we have a persistent swatch library with this color already defined)

Stroke set to overprint.

The bounding box of the dieline defines our document size. Documents are 1/2" larger in width/height than dieline. (i.e. 24.65" x 31.875" die, 25.15" x 32.375" document).

Dieline and all art are centered to the document (i.e. 1/4" from edges of die to document edge on all sides).

Also, we prefer that files are rotated, if possible, so that they are higher than wide, but this is not mandatory...

I'm going to make a couple of generalizations now about the majority of files we get in...

They will have multiple layers of art, with the die on its own layer, and, they are not built to any consistent document size relative to the dieline (i.e. they are usually just plopped in the middle of a large document with no regard to being centered, etc.).

Now, assuming the document has been prepared to the following point:

The dieline is on its own layer, with no stray points, or any extra art or items on the layer to make its size inaccurate.
No hidden layers/items
No locked layers/items

Can the following procedure be automated?

1) Select the art on the dieline layer, group it, color it ZDIE, set it to a 1pt overprinting stroke.
2) Determine the size of the outer dimensions of the die (bounding box), and change the document setup to (Width of die + 1/2") X (Height of die + 1/2") OPTIONAL: If wider than high, make the long side the height.
3) Select all art/layers, and center it to the artboard based on the bounding box of the die layer (so the die is centered, with 1/4" to the edge of the document on all sides), rotating all art if necessary, based on if the document width/height were flipped in step 2.

I'm sure I'm leaving out critical pieces of information, so PLEASE, ask question...

If this can be automated, we stand to save literally HUNDREDS of man hours a year, not to mention insuring consistency and accuracy in all documents...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Dave

[JETalmage]

The below speaks in the context of AI Javascript. I don't mess with Applescript, and have only dinked around a little with VBA.

> Can the following procedure be automated?

> 1) Select the art on the dieline layer, group it, color it ZDIE, set it to a 1pt overprinting stroke.

Yes, this can be scripted.
This can also be automated by an Action, if you provide a way to isolate the paths you want selected (i.e., group them and give the group a name; hide all layers, then show just the die layer, then select all.)

> 2) Determine the size of the outer dimensions of the die (bounding box)...

Yes, this can be scripted.
The script can select and/or get the dimensions and position of objects (including groups) or selections. But...

> ...and change the document setup to (Width of die + 1/2") X (Height of die + 1/2") OPTIONAL: If wider than high, make the long side the height.

...this is where you get into problems. To my knowledge, the Artboard bounds are read-only properties in the scripting model, and cannot be changed for the current document. The workaround is to script methods of the app object to create a new document with the desired dimensions, select/copy/cut objects in the original document and paste into the new.

> 3) Select all art/layers, and center it to the artboard based on the bounding box of the die layer (so the die is centered, with 1/4" to the edge of the document on all sides), rotating all art if necessary, based on if the document width/height were flipped in step 2.

Yes, this can be scripted.
May be a bit involved, and possibly run slow, depending on how consistently the documents are structured. That is, if there is little consistency, the script may have to use several loops to cycle through all the objects in a layer, get their collective bounds, move them accordingly, etc.--in order to accommodate all carelessly-constructed caveats.

These things are not clear from your description:

You receive the documents that need to be reworked from outside sources, correct?

The recieved documents already have the appropriate diecut artwork in place, correct? If so, is the diecut artwork properly built? (That is, is it on its own layer; does it contain only the correct objects, do the paths already have the correct Appearnaces [stroke, weight, etc.]?)

Are all the diecuts the same, or do you have a collection of different ones?

If the diecut artwork is included in files from outside sources, where do the outside sources get the die cut artwork in the first place? If you provide them, why don't you provide them as template files that already have the diecuts correctly positioned on the correctly-sized Artboard?

Are other workarounds of the Artboard size problem vialble? For example, if the die cut path data is being sent to a plotter, does the diecut artwork really have to be centered on the Artboard, or does the diecut artwork only need to have its origin at .25Y, .25X relative to the Artboard origin? Or, would definition of a new Crop Area .25" beyond the bounds of the diecut artwork suffice instead of changing the size of the Artboard?

Have you fully explored a simpler macro-based (Actions) solution instead of scripting? For example, starting with a master file that contains only the proper diecut art and Artboard setup, it may be possible to batch-process an Action that:

1. Opens the first file that you store in an "Incoming" folder.
2. Unlocks all objects and layers.
3. Deletes the diecut layer.
4. Selects all.
5. Groups.
5. Copies.
6. Pastes into the master file.
7. Aligns to Artboard.
8. Saves to an "Output" folder.
9. Repeats for all the other files in the Incoming folder.

JET

[_Hexabuzz_]

James,

First of all, thanks for the prompt and insightful reply...

Now that we've got the ball rolling, I'll address some of your concerns, and try to provide some clarifications.

Regarding the die structures themselves:

We do not provide them to the customers. It would be great to set them up as a template with instructions to "build to this OR ELSE", but unfortunately it is not the case. Typically we do not even see the structure until it arrives with the file. Clients are getting the dielines from packaging structural engineers, and forwarding them on to designers to create the artwork. As usual, the printer is the last to know about anything, and any concerns that we could have addressed at the start of the process are left for a frantic panic at the end. Also, except for a few instances of reprinting new art on old structures, almost every job is a unique, new die structure.

Regarding the necessity of centering files to the artboard:

Yes, it is necessary to center to the artboard, not just establish a relative position. Once we have prepared the .ai file, it is sent into out RIP workflow, Artwork Systems Nexus. It's pdf based, and is only processing what is on the artboard - the 1/4" all around the die is used for bleed. Also, for plating considerations (Preps) it simplifies everything if the file is centered. The artboard can be larger that (die + 1/4" all around) as long as the die is centered. In fact, this happens on a number of jobs where certain information must be present on the proofs, but not on the press sheet - we enlarge the artboard, add the information, but when plating, center the file and pull in bleeds to 1/4".

Our largest press uses a maximum sheet size of 77", so theoretically, we could build and center files on an 80" x 80" artboard, or something similar...

Another problems that concerns me is the necessity of preserving the layer structure of a document. It seems unavoidable to reduce the document down to a single layer, and that really wouldn't be acceptable... They are complicated enough as it is in multiple layers, and the thought of performing the kinds of edits that we do on a non layered document is giving me chills just thinking about it...

I think perhaps I'm in over my head here with hoping to automate the process...

I'm not even sure if it's viable to attempt any part of this to save time...

Thoughts?

Dave

[JETalmage]

I think you could automate (or semi-automate) significant parts of your problem, and probably save yourself significant time. The solution may be a combination of Javascript and Actions.

But you are going to need the person doing the scripting dedicated to your problem for a while. You need to bring someone in to look at the problem, consider all the specifics and caveats, and then build you a solution.

Because you don't really have control over the material you receive, you don't have a simple, consistent problem that can be fixed by an exchange in a user forum.

JET