Find out in this article,
- which requirements must be met to carry out this Fixup and
- how to apply the Fixup.
1. Introduction
The Fixup Add a Second Dieline is available in the Workflow. The aim of this Fixup is to add an additional Dieline to the Print Item.
2. General
The Fixup Add a Second Dieline can be used to add an additional Dieline to the Print Item at the specified Offset to the original Dieline.
Find the Fixup in the Data Preparation tab of an Article, Order or Production Job by:
- entering the name of the Fixup in the Filter area,
- activating the option Object in the Category area,
- activating the option Add in the Action area,
- activating the option Dieline or Spot Color in the Search area.
3. Description
This Fixup can be used to create a second overprinting Dieline and rename the existing Dieline. The Dieline can also be assigned to the group and type of the intended processing stage by ISO 19593-1.
3.1. Requirements and Functionality
For the Fixup to do what it promises, the following requirements must be met:
- There is already a Dieline in the Print Item.
The Fixup Add a Second Dieline consists of three individual Fixups that have been combined in one dialog. It is possible to activate selected Fixups and thereby execute them.
Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Add a Second Dieline
The individual Fixups are described in detail below:
3.1.1. Additional Dieline
This Fixup is activated by default, which is indicated by the symbol [1]. This Fixup adds an overprinting Dieline at the specified Offset based on the initial Dieline.
Figure 2: The dialog of the Fixup Add a Second Dieline with the activated Fixup Additional Dieline
To create an additional Dieline, the user can refer to the following options:
- Skip creation if Dieline already exists [4] – activate this option if the creation of an already existing Dieline should be prevented for example, if the Dieline "Dieline" already exists and "Dieline" is used again as an additional Dieline.
- Dieline [5] – select the Dieline that is already in the Print Item from the drop-down menu. The additional Dieline will be added based on this Dieline with the specified Offset. All the Technical Spot Colors that are included in the Print Item can be selected.
- Spot Color Name [6] – select the Spot Color that should be used to create the additional Dieline from the drop-down menu. All the technical Spot Colors assigned to the Cut Contur type are available for selection.
- Line Width [7] – enter the desired line width for the Dieline that should be created. For Variable Content [13], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the line width should be retrieved.
- Offset [8] – enter the desired Offset for the Dieline that should be created in relation to the existing Dieline. For Variable Content [14], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the offset should be retrieved.
- Line Shape [9] – use the drop-down menu to select the line shape of the Dieline that should be created.
- Overprint State [10] – select the overprint state for the Dieline that should be created. Choose between Overprint and Knockout.
-
Blend Mode [11] – use the drop-down menu to select the blend mode for the additional Dieline. The following options are available:
- Normal – the Dieline is set to Knockout.
- Multiply – multiplies the colors of the additional Dieline with the Print Item in the background are based on the color information of the individual channels. The Dieline is thus overprinted.
- Overlay – performs a multiplication. The light and dark colors of the Dieline are preserved. The color in the Print Item is not replaced, but mixed with the color of the additional Dieline to reflect the light and dark colors of the Print Item.
- Screen – this mode functions by multiplying the colors of the Print Items and the Dieline. The result is always a lighter color, which results from the combination of the Dieline and the Print Items.
- Darken – this mode functions by comparing the colors of the Print Items and the Dieline. The result is always a darker color, which results from the combination of the Dieline and the Print Items.
- Lighten – compares the colors of the Print Items and the Dieline and selects the lighter color as the resulting color.
- Color Dodge – compares the colors of the Print Items and the Dieline and selects the colors of the Dieline to reduce contrast.
- Color Burn – compares the colors of the Print Items and the Dieline and selects the colors of the Dieline to increase contrast.
- Soft Light – Print Item colors are compared to Dieline colors in terms of brightness. If the color of the additional Dieline is darker than a 50 percent gray, the color of the Print Item will become darker. The effect is similar to spotlighting the image with spotlights.
- Hard Light – Print Items colors are compared to Dieline colors in terms of brightness. If the color of the Dieline is lighter than a 50% gray, the color of the Print Item will be darker. The effect is similar to illuminating the image with diffused light.
- Hue – the colors of the placed Print Item are used from the hue of the Dieline and the saturation or luminosity of the Print Item color.
- Exclude – this excludes the color information of the additional dieline and the Print Item's color with the lower luminance value from the color with the higher luminance value.
- Luminance – this creates a result from the Hue and Saturation of the Print Item's colors and the Luminance of the Dieline's colors.
- Saturation – the result is generated from the luminosity and saturation of the Print Item's colors and the saturation of the Dieline's colors.
- Color – the result is generated from the luminosity of the Print Item's colors and the hue and saturation of the second Dieline's colors.
-
Variable Content [15] – select the desired placeholder – database field or custom field – from which the value for selecting the Blend Mode should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field for the selection to be executed:
Normal
Multiply
Overlay
Screen
Darken
Lighten
ColorDodge
ColorBurn
SoftLight
Hue
Exclusion
Luminosity
Saturation
Color
- Layer Name [12] – enter the name of the layer on which the new Dieline should be created. If you do not want that a new layer is created, remove the name from the input field. For the Variable Content [15], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the layer name should be retrieved.
3.1.2. Rename Dieline
Click on the Add icon [2] (Figure 1) to activate the Fixup Rename Dieline. This allows to rename the existing Dieline of the file.
Renaming takes place afterwards
Please note that the additional Dieline is created first and only after that the original Dieline is renamed. Therefore, the additional Dieline cannot be created with the same Technical Color as the original Dieline in the file.
Figure 3: The dialog of the Fixup Add a Second Dieline with the activated Fixup Rename Dieline
The following option can be used to rename the existing Dieline:
New Spot Color Name [17] - select a new Spot Color name for the existing Spot Color from the drop-down menu. All system-wide defined Spot Colors that are assigned to the Cut Contour type are available for selection.
3.1.3. Add Processing Steps (ISO 19593-1) Information
This Fixup is activated by default, which is indicated by the symbol [3] (Figure 1). With this Fixup, all information on processing steps (ISO 19593-1) can be added for the newly created Layer.
All subsequently added Dielines should be created by default according to ISO 19593-1 on the Structural layer in the Structural group of the Cutting type. Find further information on the ISO standard in the description Processing Steps ISO 15931-1.
Figure 4: The dialog of the Fixup Add a Second Dieline with the activated Fixup Add Processing Steps (ISO 19593-1) Information
The following options can be selected to add information on processing steps:
-
Group [18] – select which group the Layer should belong to in the selection menu. The following options are available:
- Structural – contains all objects that describe downstream processing steps in final processing.
- Dimensions – contains all objects that are used to specify sizes (lines, arrows, and also the labeling (units of measurement)).
- Braille – contains all objects that display Braille texts and information.
- Legend – contains all objects that are used to describe administrative e.g.: product information and technical information e.g.: control strips outside the print product.
- Positions – contains all objects that are used to position information for various graphic and non-graphic elements.
- White – contains all objects that have to be printed with the printing color white. Thereby, objects are printed with a more intense color on metallic or transparent media.
- Varnish – includes all objects that need to be finished with varnish
-
Variable Content [20] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for selecting the group should be retrieved. The following values must be found in the selected field so that the group is selectable:
Structural
Dimensions
Braille
Legend
Positions
White
Varnish
-
Type [19] – In the selection menu, select the type of Layer to which the objects should be assigned. For the Variable Content [21], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the type should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field so that the type is selectable:
Schneiden
PartialCutting
ReversePartialCutting
Creasing
ReverseCreasing
CuttingCreasing
ReverseCuttingCreasing
PartialCuttingCreasing
ReversePartialCuttingCreasing
Drilling
Gluing
FoilStamping
ColdFoilStamping
Embossing
Debossing
Perforating
Bleed
VarnishFree
InkFree
InkVarnishFree
Folding
Punching
Stapling
Figure 5: Left: Values in the selected field for the Group option; Right: Values in the selected field for the Type option
3.1.4. Before/After
To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Add Second Dieline.pdf". A kiss cut has been placed around the Print Item. An additional Dieline should now be added at a Spacing of 3 mm.
After applying the Fixup, the file "Sample_Add Second Dieline_End.pdf" is created. An additional Dieline was added here at an Offset of 3 mm. The values from Figure 2 and Figure 4 were used.
Figure 6: Left: initial file; Right: edited file where a second Dieline was added
Article update: Workflow 1.19.1 - 02/2025