User Manual

2.4 Prepare VDP Job

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In this chapter you will learn,

  • which settings can be selected for the VDP Editor and
  • which CSV files can be edited in the VDP Editor, as well as
  • how the Variable Data tab in the workflow is displayed before and after creating or saving a VDP job.
  • how to import and export VDP settings.

1. Introduction

The implementation of a VDP job requires quite some planning. The following tasks have to be carried out:

  1. Selecting parameters in the VDP Editor Settings - this can be done in the VDP Editor.
  2. Selecting and preparing the Print Item intended for the job and the image data that should be used. This can be done via Fixups in the Workflow and by creating a link to the storage location for the image data in the VDP Editor
  3. Preparing and uploading the control file that should be used – this can be done in advance by a database export or in Microsoft Excel.
  4. Creating the variable elements - this can be done in the VDP Editor.
  5. Saving the VDP specification for the Print Item - this can be done in the VDP Editor.
  6. Creating the Imposition in the desired order - this can be done in the Impose Editor of the Workflow.
  7. Outputting the VDP job to the desired printer - this can be done via a Production Job in the Workflow.

Since this article is about the preparatory tasks in the VDP Editor, the above mentioned points 1, 3 and 5 will be described below.

2. VDP Editor Settings

For the VDP Editor, the user has to specify the presets for basic functions. Proceed as follows to open the VDP Editor preferences:

  1. Open a Print Item or an Article and switch to the tab Variable Data tab.
  2. Open the VDP Editor.
  3. Click the VDP Editor Settings icon (gear icon) in the menu bar of the VDP Editor.
  4. Three options are available in the VDP Editor Settings dialog.

Figure 1: The dialog VDP Editor Settings

Dim Static Content

The VDP Editor offers a function to dim the static content in order to identify variable elements in the VDP editor more quickly. Determine the degree of the dim for the static content by entering the percentage value in the settings. Proceed as follows:

  1. Open the VDP Editor Settings dialog.
  2. Define the desired percentage value in the Dim static content by [1] input field.
  3. Save the settings.
  4. To dim the static content, activate the Dim static content option in the VDP Editor menu bar which is the "D" symbol.

Control Display of Variable Images

Depending on the file format as well as the file size of the images used for variable image elements, the available memory in the browser may overflow very quickly when displaying the preview. To avoid this, two additional options are available in the VDP Editor Settings dialog.

  • Maximum file size in MB for calculating the preview [2]: Determine up to which file size preview images are calculated for the variable images. When an image is bigger than the set file size, the dummy preview (placeholder image) is displayed in the browser. Of course, the high-resolution data will be used in the output.
  • Show only dummy preview [3]: Specify that only placeholder images are used in the preview for variable images and for barcodes/QR codes. By enabling this option, operators can act faster when setting up the variable elements. In the output, of course, the high-resolution images and barcodes/QR codes are used.

3. Handling of CSV Files

Control files, which serve as a source for filling the content of variable elements, are in practice created in advance. Subsequently the files are then uploaded to the Print Item as a CSV file in the Workflow or in the VDP Editor. Whether the data of the CSV file is created by a database export or manually in Microsoft Excel is not important for processing in the VDP Editor. What is significant, however, is that there is no function available in the VDP Editor to formulate logical if-then queries based on the CSV file. Thus, all contents must be correctly recorded in advance in the control file and saved as a CSV file.

3.1. Uploading CSV Files

CSV files can be uploaded and attached to the Print Item at two points in the Workflow. Only when the CSV file has been assigned it is possible to reference the content in the CSV during creation.

Uploading in the "Variable Data" Tab

To upload a CSV file in the Variable Data tab, proceed as follows.

  1. Open an Article or Print Item which should contain variable data.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab [4].
  3. Activate the Add CSV file [5] button there and select the desired CSV file in its file directory.

Figure 2: The initial view of a VDP job in the Variable Data tab

  1. In the Add CSV dialog, choose whether you want to upload a CSV file or import an Amazon Transparency Code.
    • To import Amazon Transparency Codes, select the option Import Amazon Transparency Codes [11] in Source and the corresponding package in Amazon Transparency Codes [12].
    • To upload a CSV file, select the option Upload CSV File [6] in Source and proceed as described below.
  2. Open the desired CSV file in the file system or drag the CSV file into the drop zone [7] in the Add CSV File dialog and select the settings that should be used. The following options are available in the dialog:
    • First Row is Header Row [8] – Activate this option if the CSV file contains a header row with column labels. Activating this option will not use this record in production.
    • Delimiter Definition [9] – specify which separator was used to create the CSV file.
      • Click the Selection list option and select the desired separator in the Column Separator [10] option from the drop-down menu.
      • Select the Customized option to manually enter the separator that should be used in Column Separator [10].
  3. Click Save to add the CSV file to the Print Item in the defined pattern.

Figure 3: The Add CSV file dialog with the possibility to select the Column Seperator

Uploading in the VDP Editor

The process of uploading the CSV file in the VDP Editor works the same way as uploading in the Variable Data tab in the Workflow. The only difference is the starting point. Proceed as follows:

  1. Open an Article or Print Item that is to contain variable data.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab [13].
  3. Activate the VDP Editor button [14], which will start the VDP Editor.

Figure 4: The initial view of the Variable Data tab in the Workflow when initiating a VDP job

  1. After opening the VDP Editor, the Transform & General Settings tab [15] is automatically displayed in the settings area.
  2. Click the button Upload File [12] in the General Settings area.

Figure 5: The Transform & General Settings in the VDP Editor

  1. This will open the Upload CSV File dialog, where you can select a CSV file by simply dragging it into the drop zone or either by importing Amazon Transparency Codes.
  2. Select the desired settings in the dialog and finish the process by clicking Save.

Figure 6: The Add CSV file dialog with an already inserted CSV file

  1. When the upload process is finished, the user will be informed with a message.
  2. After the CSV file has been uploaded, the File Name [13] of the CSV file is displayed in the Transform & General Settings tab.

Figure 7: The Transform & General Settings tab in the VDP Editor with an already assigned CSV file

3.2. Updating, Downloading, Deleting and Viewing CSV Files

If you have assigned a CSV file to the Print Item, it is possible to access the data in the columns when configuring the VDP elements. However, if you have uploaded the wrong CSV file or want to update a CSV file, you can do so as described below.

Updating CSV Files

An already uploaded CSV file can be updated or replaced retrospectively, either directly in the VDP Editor or in the Variable Data tab of the Workflow. Proceed as follows.

  1. Open an Article or a Print Item including variable data and a CSV file.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab.
  3. Click the Replace CSV File button [18].
  4. Alternatively, open the VDP Editor and click the Upload/Replace CSV File icon.

Figure 8: The Variable Data tab in the Workflow with an already assigned CSV file

Delete CSV File

An already uploaded CSV file can be deleted retrospectively. This can be done directly in the VDP Editor or in the Variable Data tab of the Workflow. Proceed as follows.

  1. Open an Article or a Print Item including variable data and CSV file.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab.
  3. Click the Delete CSV File button [19].
  4. Alternatively, open the VDP Editor and click the Delete CSV File icon there.

Figure 9: The Variable Data tab in the Workflow with an already assigned CSV file

Deleting a CSV file

Note that deleting a CSV file may invalidate a VDP Job when you have used VDP elements as a data source. If you want to update a CSV file, replace the CSV file. This means that if the CSV file does not differ in terms of structure (number of columns), the VDP job weren't to become invalid.

Download CSV File

A CSV file that has already been uploaded can also be downloaded again afterwards, but not deleted in the process. This can be done directly in the VDP Editor or in the Variable Data tab of the workflow. Proceed as follows:

  1. Open an Article or a Print Item including variable data and CSV file.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab.
  3. Click the Download button [20].
  4. Alternatively, you can also open the VDP Editor and click the Download icon there.

Figure 10: The Variable Data tab in the VDP Editor with an already assigned CSV file

3.3. Inspecting CSV Files

Before creating the variable elements that should be linked to a CSV file, it is useful to get an overview of the CSV file's contents first.

It is possible to inspect the CSV file in the Variable Data tab in Workflow or the Transform & General Settings tab in the VDP Editor.

3.3.1. "Variable Data" Tab

The list of all records can be viewed below the file name [21] of the CSV file. Navigate through the list [22] as you are already familiar with from the Workflow in other lists.

Figure 11: The Variable Data tab in the Workflow with displayed content of the CSV file

3.3.2. "Transform & General Settings" Tab

When pressing the Show CSV File [22] button in the Transform & General Settings tab in the VDP Editor, the CSV file dialog is opened. There all records of the CSV file are displayed. Navigating through the list is possible as you are used to from other lists in the Workflow.

Figure 12: The Transform & General Settings tab in the VDP Editor (left) with displayed content of the CSV file (right)

The list is not displayed properly separated within columns

If the list of records is not displayed properly separated in columns, you have selected the wrong separator when uploading the CSV file. In this case, replace the CSV file and select the correct separator for columns. Only if the list is displayed as shown in the figure, error-free processing can be assumed.

3.4. Structure of a CSV File

The requirements for the CSV file are kept very simple. Consider the following notes when creating the CSV file:

  • When exporting the CSV file store it as a classic CSV file
  • All glyphs except control characters are allowed in the CSV file.
  • Header in CSV file: A header line with a description of the values should be inserted for a better overview. However, this is not mandatory
  • File names of the images must always have a .jpg, .pdf, .png  etc. extension in the CSV file. The path to the directory in which the images are stored is selected as a global path specification in the Transform & General Settings tab in the Image Directory option.
  • Decimals in color definitions should be made with a point - i.e. 0.33 for 33%.
  • Color definitions can be made in the following formats:
    • 0,1,0.5,0.4 – CMYK definition: C=0% | M=100% | Y=50% | K=40%
    • 70%,8%,12%,0% –  CMYK definition: C=70% | M=8% | Y=12% | K=0%
    • 255,0,128 – RGB definition: R=255 | G=0 | B=128
    • 0.7,0,-0.5 – Lab definition: L=70 | a=0 | b=-64
    • PANTONE 327 C,1,0.03,0.56,0.15 – Spot Color definition with CMYK values: Pantone 327 C with color vlaues C=100% | M=3% | Y=56% | K=15%

4. "Variable Data" Tab

The Variable Data tab in the Workflow provides access to the creation and management of VDP orders for the selected Article and Print Item.

4.1. Before Creating a VDP Job

To create a VDP Job, the user must first select the Print Item and then jump to the Variable Data tab. Only after starting the VDP Editor and adding at least one variable element, the Print Item will be marked as a Print Item with variable content. This is done in the user interface by attaching a green tag with the label Variable Data.

If the Variable Data tab is displayed as shown in the figure below, the selected Print Item is not yet a Print Item with variable content.

Figure 13: The initial view of the Variable Data tab when creating a VDP job

4.2. After Saving a VDP Job

The Variable Data tab will look as shown in the figure below when at least one variable element has been created, optionally a CSV file has been added, and the contents of the VDP Editor have been saved,

Figure 14: The Variable Data tab at the end of VDP job build

After creating and saving the VDP job, the following options are available:

  • VDP Editor [27] – Open the VDP Editor for the selected Print Item to change the layout or structure of the VDP job.
  • Delete VDP Settings [28] – Removes the description for the layout and structure of the variable elements for the selected Print Item. After removing the settings, the Print Item is no longer a variable job!
  • Replace CSV File [30] – Replaces the existing CSV file by uploading a new CSV file.
  • Delete CSV File [31] – Irrevocably deletes the CSV file for this VDP job. Note that this may invalidate VDP elements and cause output errors.
  • Errors and Warnings [32] – Display of errors found in the layout and structure of the VDP Job. Errors such as overlapping VDP elements, VDP elements extending beyond the ImageBox, images that cannot be loaded, etc. are displayed here.
  • Download [33] – Downloads the current CSV file.
  • Preview with toolbar [24] – The preview file is displayed including variable elements. The user can use the live preview, as the VDP Editor, and zoom in and out of the Print Item. It is also possible to display a specific record by entering a page number in the pagination [29].
  • File Name [25] – Display the file name of the currently loaded CSV file.
  • Content of CSV file [26] - Display of the content of the CSV file.

5. Import and Export VDP Settings

Recurring VDP jobs can be challenging in some cases. The following scenarios may be encountered:

  • New CSV file: When only one new CSV file with the same structure is used for an existing Print Item, you can quickly replace the CSV file in a VDP job.
  • New Print Item: However, should you create a VDP job with a Print Item variation, the same layout of the variable elements on the Print Item must be rebuilt. Alternatively, it is possible to duplicate an already produced VDP job and to replace the new Print Item. This process is prone to error and requires a 100% check before the series goes into production.
  • Deleted VDP Job: An obsolete VDP job needs to be reproduced. However, the VDP job has been deleted from the Workflow. The entire VDP job must be recreated.
  • VDP Job on another Workflow: An old VDP job is still available on your backup computer. You would like to produce it on your production machine. The entire VDP job has to be recreated.

For all these scenarios, the Workflow offers the option of exporting [34] and re-importing [35] the VDP settings  these include the positions of the VDP elements, the used CSV file, and the assignment of the VDP elements to the CSV file.

Figure 15: The Variable Data tab for a valid VDP Job

5.1. Export VDP Settings

To export the layout of a VDP Job, proceed as follows:

  1. Open an Article or a Print Item including Variable Data and CSV file.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab.
  3. Click the Export VDP Settings [35] button (Figure 15).
  4. Enter the Name that should be used in the Export VDP Settings dialog and complete the operation by clicking Save.
  5. The exported file is saved in the selected target directory with the specified name and the suffix .wvdp.

Figure 16: The Export VDP Settings dialog

5.2. Import VDP Settings

To transfer the layout of a VDP Job to another Print Item, proceed as follows:

  1. Open the desired Article or Print Item that does not yet have VDP settings.
  2. Switch to the Variable Data tab.
  3. There, click the Import VDP Settings [34] button (Figure 15).
  4. Upload the desired VDP settings to the drop zone [36].
  5. Workflow then analyzes whether the VDP settings can even match the selected Print Item. If there are discrepancies, the corresponding warnings [37] are displayed in the dialog. Automatic layout adjustment isn't provided, so you will nevertheless have to take a close look at the result in this case.
  6. By clicking Import, the VDP settings are transferred to the Print Item, including the associated CSV file. If you do not want to accept the CSV file, activate the option Do not import CSV file [38] before clicking Import.

Figure 16: The Import VDP Settings dialog

Article update: Workflow version 1.19.0 – 11/2024

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