User Manual

8.3 User Interface Overview

Updated on

In this article we'll learn:

  • Which panels are available in the current version of the Workflow
  • Which functions are available for each individual panel

When using the Plug-in it is important to know that specific panels are only available based on the type of license you have for your Workflow. In this article we'll provide a general overview of the user interface and the panels and then provide slightly more detailed information concerning how each individual panel functions.

1. File Management

The File Management panel is an essential part of the Plug-in, the following functions are available:

  • Define connection settings between Workflow and Adobe Illustrator.
  • Choose the UI language.
  • Search for Print Items in specific parts of the Workflow through the Plug-in: Articles, Orders and Production Jobs.
  • Creating a new Production Job.
  • Checking Print Items in and out of the Workflow.
  • View the current status of running processes in the Workflow.

If you are not logged in to the Workflow, the File Management panel and additional panels will be unavailable. All other file management functions are described separately in the File Management article.

Figure 1: The File Manager panel of the Adobe Illustrator Plug-in.

2. Geometry Boxes

The Geometry Boxes panel can be opened via Window > Durst Workflow > Geometry Boxes in Adobe Illustrator. This panel allows you to set/add Bleed for the selected Print Item or to set both the Bleed and the TrimBox size for items. The following options are available in this panel:

  • Tools – Two tools are available in the form of buttons:
    • Set BleedBox [1] By entering a value in the Bleed input fields, and pressing on the Set Bleed button, this will add the corresponding Bleed to the document.
    • Set Trim + BleedBox [2] – By entering a value in the Bleed input fields, and pressing this button, the corresponding Bleed and TrimBox adjustments will be added to the document.
  • Bleed [3] – Here you can set the desired Bleed value.  To set the Bleed, you need to click on one of the two buttons described above.
  • Current Dimensions [4] – You can see the current dimensions of the open document (the current BleedBox and trimBox dimensions) in Illustrator.

Figure 2: The Geometry Boxes panel.

For instructions on how to set the TrimBox for a selected object, see the article Setting the Bleed and TrimBox.

3. White and Varnish

The White and Varnish panel can be opened via Window > Durst Workflow > White and Varnish in Adobe Illustrator. This panel allows you to apply white or varnish as a Spot Color to selected objects. The following options are available in this panel:

  • Tools – Two tools are available in the form of buttons and a third button displays information:
    • White [5] – By clicking on the add white symbol, the available options for adding a white layer to the object selected are presented. The white object is only created when you click on Add White [10].
    • Varnish [6] – By clicking on the add varnish symbol, the available options for adding a varnish layer to the object selected are presented. The varnish object is only created when you click on Add Varnish [10].
  • Information [7] – By clicking on the information symbol, the procedure for creating a white or varnish layer is described.  

Figure 3: The White and Varnish panel. On the left we see the available options and on the right, information on how to add white or varnish.

The following options are available in the White and Varnish panel:

  • Origin [8] – The origin can be set to: BleedBox, TrimBox or Object(s).
  • Offset [9] – Use this option to determine whether the white area is slightly larger or smaller. With the Tint Value you can define the opacity for the white object and with Miter and Miter Limit you can define the shape of the object corners.
  • Beside the Create White/Varnish [10] button, the Extract button is available, with which the object selected is "extracted" from of the underlying object.
  • Resize [11] – First enter a value in the Value input field and then press the Resize button, to resize the existing white/varnish object.

For more detailed instructions showing how to create white objects for text, please refer to the article Add White and/or Varnish to objects.

4. Spot Colors

You can open the Spot Colors panel by selecting Window > Durst Workflow > Spot Colors in Adobe Illustrator. Using this panel, you can set the necessary parameters in Adobe Illustrator to ensure that Spot Colors are handled the same way in the Workflow as they are in Illustrator. The following options are available in this panel:

  • Spot Color List [12] – A list of Spot Colors that are currently being used in the open document. Shows the current status of each color.
  • Options – If a Spot Color is selected in the Spot Color list, the following options can be selected:
    • Origin [13] – Different Spot Color definitions can be stored for the corresponding Spot Color in the Workflow. You can change the origin for some Spot Colors.
    • Technical Color [14] – Use this option to use the selected Spot Color as a Technical Color or to change an existing Technical Color back to a normal Spot Color.
    • Output as Separation [15] – This option sets the selected Spot Color to a Process Color from the printer or to separate the selected Spot Color from it.
    • Invert Separation [16] – This option inverts the selected Spot Color in the output. This checkbox is only available for Spot Colors that have been set using the Output as Separation option.

Figure 4: The Spot Colors panel.

5. Static Barcodes

You can open the Static Barcode panel by selecting Window > Durst Workflow > Static Barcode in Adobe Illustrator. This panel allows you to create a Static Barcode or QR Code in the open Print Item. This panel is divided into four sections:

  • Options [17] – In this area all parameters that can be used to create the Barcode or QR Code are offered.
  • Source [18] – In this area you can enter content for the selected Barcode or QR Code. This section also offers the ability to Generate, Preview and Reset the Barcode or QR Code.
  • Color [19] – In this area you can choose a foreground and background color for the Barcode or QR Code.
  • Info [20] – In this area the user is informed if the values entered for the barcode are valid and if an error has occurred in the connection to the barcode service in the Workflow.

Figure 5: The Static Barcode panel.

5.1. Create a Static Barcode

To create a Static Barcode, proceed as follows:

  1. In the File Management panel, select your desired Order Print Item, Job or Article and check the Print Item out of the Workflow.
  2. Open the Static Barcode panel by choosing Window > Durst Workflow > Static Barcode.
  3. Use the Rectangle tool to create a rectangle [21] in the desired size and position.
  4. Enter a Text or Number for the barcode in the Text [23] input field.
  5. Select the Barcode Type in the Options [22] area and choose whether text should be displayed with the barcode. Under the Additional Parameters settings you can enter values for the Quiet Zone and Bar Width Reduction among other options.
  6. Barcode foreground and background color can be chosen in the Color [25] area.
  7. To create the Barcode, click on Generate [24]. The Barcode is generated as a group of vector objects on the Print Item. The Barcode can be used as a normal vector object and integrated into the Print Item as needed.

Figure 6: A Static Barcode was created in the Static Barcode panel.

  1. After you have created the Barcode, you must checkin the Print item into the Workflow. To do this, switch back to the File Management panel and click on the check-in icon [26] in the footer of the panel.
  2. In the last step, confirm that the Print Item is in the Print Item in the Workflow and determine whether the generated Barcode and layout meet your requirements.

Figure 7: Check the Print Item in using the File Management panel which will then be available in the Workflow.

6. Variable Data

You can open the Variable Data panel by selecting Window > Durst Workflow > Variable Data in Adobe Illustrator. This panel allows you to create variable content: Text, Barcodes, Images, and Shapes in the open Print Item.

All other functions of the Variable Data panel are described separately in the article Variable Data.

Figure 8: The Variable Data panel.

Previous Article 8.2 File Management
Next Article 8.4 Variable Data
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