Impose Editor > Marks > Captions
Availability: All Versions
Various types of Captions are available in the Workflow. Captions can be adapted to the Production requirements or in combination with Finishing settings with the parameters available for this purpose. Learn more in this article:
- Which settings are available for Captions
- Which settings are used in a pratical sense
- How you can create a Caption from both static and dynamic components
1. Options and settings for »Default Captions«
If you have decided to use a Default Caption, a Caption (i.e. placeholder text which contains information), will be created based on default settings created by the Workflow. The Captions drop-down panel contains various settings which allow you to customize and choose which information is displayed.
The following example we provide below was created using Tiling Mode as this mode provides the widest selections of placeholder. Please keep in mind that certain types of Captions are not available based on the Impose Mode chosen.
Figure 1: A default Caption with default settings when selected in Tiling Mode.
The following settings are available for Captions:
-
Origin [1]: Select the origin to which the Caption should be set. Not all origins are available in every Impose Mode. You can select one of the following options:
- Per Print Item – The Caption is generated for each Print Item (available in all Impose Modes).
- Print Items – The Caption is generated and aligned to an invisible rectangle which surrounds all Print Items on the sheet. (available in Manual, Step & Repeat and Nesting Modes).
- Artboard – The Caption is generated for each Artboard (available in Manual, Step & Repeat and Nesting Modes).
- Reference Point [13]: Select the reference point (edge) for which the Caption should be set. The options – Top, Right, Bottom and Left are available. Note that you can use the same Caption twice in a single Imposition by activating two separate reference points.
-
Position [2]: Select the Position to fine-tune the alignment and offset of the Caption. Positions are Impose Mode specific, therefore the following settings are available:
- ImageBox – The Caption is aligned to the text baseline and is set to the TrimBox (available in Manual, Step & Repeat, Nesting and Tiling Modes)
- ImageBox + Bleed – The Caption is set to the Production Format, TrimBox plus applied Bleed (available in Manual, Step & Repeat, Nesting and Tiling).
- Overlap – The Caption is set to the TrimBox plus the defined Overlap (available in Tiling only)
- Printed Overlap – The Caption is set to the TrimBox of the individual tiles, plus the defined Printed Overlap (available only in Tiling).
-
Alignment [14]: Once you have decided on a Position, you can use it to select where the Caption is aligned. The following options are available:
- Left, Center or Right – If the Position is set to Top or Bottom.
- Top, Center, or Bottom – If the Position is set to Left or Right.
- Placement [3]: This checkbox can be activated to place the Caption inside the Print Item based on the ImageBox.
- Indent & Offset [4]: Use this option to determine the X and Y offset relative to the selected Position and Alignment of the Caption. By unlocking the lock symbol an unproportional Offset can be applied.
- Rotate [6]: The Rotation option will rotate the Caption either 0° or 180°.
- Font [9]: Specify the Font family (e.g. Arial) and Font Style (e.g. Bold). Fonts can be uploaded to the server using the Font Manager [15].
- Font Size [10]: Font size can be defined in pts. By changing the font size you can improve the legibility of the Caption on certain - e.g.: coarse meshed textures or low-resolution print modes.
-
Color Options [11]: Use this option to define the Caption color. There are two options when selecting a color:
-
CMYK Color Values – The color value can be determined by entering CMYK values. By default the default CMYK color value is
0/0/0/100. - System-wide Spot Color – The user can also select an existing System-wide Spot Color.
-
CMYK Color Values – The color value can be determined by entering CMYK values. By default the default CMYK color value is
- Knockout Background [12]: This checkbox can be activated to create a white (unprinted) background. This ensures that a black Caption can also be read on a dark background.
- Rotate with Print Item [5]: Select this checkbox to specify whether the Caption should rotate with the subject when the Caption is placed on the sheet. This ensures that the top always remains on top from the perspective of the Print Item. If this checkbox is not activated, the Caption always stays in the same position if the Top reference point is selected, regardless of whether the Print Item is rotated or not.
- Caption Content [7]: The content of a Caption can be composed statically by entering text in the input field or dynamically by adding placeholders using the @ sign. We describe this process in more detail below.
- Update Caption [8]: Press the Update button to apply the text entered in the input field. All dynamic placeholders are updated automatically when entered.
2. Adding a Caption
In the input field for Caption Content [7], the Caption can be created by entering either static or dynamic placeholders. The default text [Caption] is only an example, the formatting with square brackets is only used to semantically label the Caption.
A Caption can be created by:
- Entering text characters – Any UTF-8 text character except control characters can be used for this.
- Inserting placeholders. To select a placeholder, place the cursor inside the inout field and enter the @ sign, this will open a drop-down menu displaying all currently available placeholders. Placeholders have the following syntax
${variable.names}. Placeholders can be selected from the list using the @ symbol or entered manually.
Figure 2: The currently available placeholders which are available in all impose modes.
2.1. Default Placeholders
The following placeholders are available for Manual, Step & Repeat and Nesting Mode.
2.1.1. Tabular list
| Category | Name | Variable | Example | Information |
| Color Policy | ||||
| Color Policy - ID |
${color_policy.id} |
1 | Uses the ID of the Color Policy | |
| Color Policy - Name |
${color_policy.name} |
Best Match [CMYK] |
Uses the name of the Color Policy | |
|
Print Configuration |
||||
| Print Configuration – ID |
${print_configuration.id} |
1 |
Uses the Print Configuration ID |
|
| Print Configuration – Name |
${print_configuration.name} |
High Resolution |
Uses the name of the Print Configuration |
|
|
Print Item |
||||
| Print Item - Comment |
${motif.comment} |
This is a comment | Adds the Comment of a Print Item | |
| Print Item – External ID |
${motif.external_id} |
1 | Adds the External ID of the Print Item | |
| Print Item - Height |
${motif.height_mm} |
210 mm | Uses the height of the Print Item | |
| Print Item – ID |
${motif.id} |
1 |
Uses the internal ID of the Print Item |
|
| Print Item – Name |
${motif.name} |
2020100-3 / Name |
Uses the name of the Print Item | |
| Print Item - Number of Copies |
${motif.number_copies} |
45 | Uses the number of copies for a Print Item |
|
| Print Item - Width |
${motif.width_mm} |
1400 mm | Uses the Print Item width | |
|
Print Order |
||||
| Print Order - Customer External ID |
${print_order.customer.external_id} |
45 | Uses the External ID of the Customer | |
| Print Order - Customer Name |
${print_order.customer.name} |
PPD Inc. | Uses the name of the Customer | |
| Print Order - External ID |
${print_order.external_id} |
1 | Uses the Print Order External ID | |
| Print Order - Name |
${print_order.name} |
20-01-1000 / Name |
Uses the Print Order Name | |
|
Print Order Item |
||||
| Print Order Item - Contact Person |
${print_order_item.contact_persons} |
Mr. John Doe - Sales | Uses the Contact Person from a Print Order Item | |
| Print Order Item - Delivery Address |
${print_order_item.delivery_address.builded} |
5th Avenue, New York - New York | Uses the Customers Delivery Address from a Print Order Item | |
| Print Order Item - Due Date |
${print_order_item.delivery_date} |
5.25.2020 | Uses the due date from the Print Order Item | |
| Print Order Item - Name |
${print_order_item.name} |
Corrugated Display | Uses the Name of the Print Order Item | |
| Print Order Item - Order Info |
${print_order_item.comment} |
Please send a soft proof first! | Uses information from the Print Order Item | |
|
Printer |
||||
| Printer - ID |
${printer.id} |
1 | Uses the ID from the selected Printer | |
| Printer - Name |
${printer.name} |
Rho P5 250 HS | Uses the name of the Printer | |
|
Production Job |
||||
| Production Job - ID |
${production_job.id} |
1 | Uses the ID from the Production Job | |
| Production Job - Name |
${production_job.name} |
Corrugated Display | Uses the Name of the Production Job | |
| Production Job - Date |
${production_job.production_date} |
14.05.2020 | Uses the date of the Production Job | |
| Production Job - Render Start Time |
${production_job.render_date_time} |
00:22:04:23 | Displays the start time when rendered | |
| Production Job - Shipping Date |
${production_job.shipping_date} |
22.07.2020 | Displays the Shipping Date of the Production Job | |
| Production Job - User (starting ripping) |
${production_job.send2printer_user} |
00:22:04:23 |
Displays the start time when a specific user started ripping the Production Job | |
|
Substrate |
||||
| Substrate - External ID |
${substrate.external_id} |
1 | Uses the External ID of the Substrate | |
| Substrate - ID |
${substrate.id} |
1 | Uses the ID of the Substrate |
|
| Substrate - Name |
${substrate.name} |
Avery White Adhesive | Uses the Name of the Substrate | |
|
Substrate Category |
||||
| Substrate Category - Name |
${substrate_category.name} |
Corrugated |
Uses the Substrate Category Name |
|
|
Substrate Definition |
||||
| Substrate Definition - External ID |
${substrate_shape.external_id} |
1 | Uses the Substrate Definition External ID | |
| Substrate Definition - ID |
${substrate_shape.id} |
1 | Uses the Substrate Definition ID |
|
| Substrate Definition - Name |
${substrate_shape.name} |
1400x1600 |
Uses the Substrate Definition Name |
2.1.2. Examples
Below are a few examples of how Caption placeholders are used in practice. You can simply copy the string and paste it into the Caption input field in the Impose Editor.
-
${production_job.name} | ${printer.name} | ${print_configuration.name} | ${color_policy.id}– By using this string the name of the Production Job is displayed with the name of the Printer, the Print Configuration and the ID for the Color Policy.
Application: If you print this Caption, any operator can see when and with which Print Configuration this Production Job was printed. -
${motif.name} (${motif.id})– By using this string, the name of the Print Item followed by the Print Item ID is displayed in brackets.
Application: If you print this Caption for each Print Item, a user can always determine from the printed sheet which Print Item it is and which Print item ID must be entered to identify the Print Item in the Workflow. The Print item ID is always unique. The name of the Print Item can be used several times in the Workflow. -
${production_job.name} - ${motif.name}– By using this string only the name of the Production Job and Print Item name will be displayed. In connection with the choice of the origin - Print Items or Artboard, all Print item names that are placed on the Impose sheet are listed separately using a pipe "|" - e.g.: 20-01-1000 - motifs 1 | motif 2. It would be similar if you used the Print Item ID in addition to or instead of the name.
Application: If you print this Caption in the Margin of the Artboard you can see which Print Items are on a specific roll if you using a roll media for example. If you print this Caption on the bottom left edge of the Artboard, Step & Repeat will always print the current Print Item names of the current repetition when using variable data for example. -
Job: ${production_job.name} | Cut: ${x}– By using this string, the name of the Production Job is given with the name of the Cutfile.
Application: If you print this Caption on the Artboard, the operator working on the cutting device can see which Cutfile needs to be loaded.
2.2. Special Placeholders for »Tiling«
Additional placeholders are also available specifically for Tiling Mode. You can simply copy the string and paste it into the Caption input field in the Impose Editor.
Figure 3: Additional placeholders specifically for Tiling Mode are displayed below.
2.2.1. Tabular list
| Name | Variable | Example | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Number – Current |
${imposer.current_page_number} |
1 | Provides the current Tile number |
| Page Number – Total |
${imposer.number_of_pages} |
9 | Provides the total number of Tiles |
| page Number – Neighbor Tile |
${imposer.page_number_neighbor} |
2/3 | Provides the next and below Tile numbers |
2.2.2. Examples
Below is a pratical example. You can simply copy the string and paste it into the Caption input field in the Impose Editor.
-
${production_job.name} - Page ${imposer.current_page_number}/${imposer.number_of_pages} - Next Page: ${imposer.page_number_neighbor}– By using this string the name of the Production Job is given followed by the current tile followed by the total number of tiles and the number of the adjacent tile. This string is automatically applied in all overlapping areas of a tile if Overlap is selected for the position.
Application: If you print this Caption in the Overlap, the operator can always see which Tile is the next adjacent Tile.