How to Create a Cross-Media Variable-Data-Publishing System

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How to Create aCross-Media

Variable-Data-PublishingSystem

Cynthia L. LesliePresident, Citation Software Inc.

[email protected]


• Involved with variable-data publishing since 1986

• Software developer and software reseller

• Provide services and products for on-demand- publishing and variable-data-publishing

• Help people to create variable-data publishing systems

Who we are and what we do


Definition ofvariable-data publishingA form of on-demand publishing in which all the documents in a production run are similar but not identical.


Example of variable-data publishing: Portfolio Summaries


Dates are the same on many documents, but they’llprobably change each time a new batch of documents is printed

Account number isdifferent on each document

Name and address are different on each document

Dollar figures are differenton each document

Pie chart looks differenton each documentDollar breakdown

for pie chart isdifferent on eachdocument


These are the only things that are thesame on allthe documents


When you use your word-processing software to do a mail merge, you are doing a simple form of variable-data publishing.


Examples of variable-data publishing • customized newsletters• customized marketing brochures• invoices• portfolio summaries• license plates• graduation diplomas• itineraries• coupons

• insurance policies• employee-benefit statements• checks• bank statements• real-estate ads• tickets• luggage tags• merchandise labels


Variable-data publishingis also known as

• personalization• customized publishing• variable-information publishing• one-to-one (1:1) communication


Probably, most people think of paper documents when discussing variable-data publishing.

However, sometimes it makes sense to publish variable-data documents in electronic format in addition to printing them on paper. A system that can do this is known as a cross-media variable-data-publishing system.


Today, for most people who are doing variable-data publishing, the term “cross-media publishing”probably means:

• printing on paper, and

• making documents available on the Web in PDF format or HTML format


Example of cross-media variable-data publishing

• Corporation prints personalized employee- benefit booklets once a year and mails them to employees via U.S. Mail.

• An employee can use company Intranet anytime throughout the year to obtain his personalized booklet in PDF format.


How does a variable-data-publishing system work?

Database

Template

Composition Engine

Doc

Doc

Doc

Doc

Doc


You don’t have to be a programmer to create variable-data documents.


Terminologyvariable-data-publishing system: a collection of software and hardware that you will use to create particular kinds of variable-data documents. Forexample, your variable-data-publishing system might create coupons.

variable-data-publishing software: “off-the-shelf” software that you will use to create your variable-data-publishing system. It has two main components:

1 — design tool: lets you create a template

2 — composition engine: produces variable-data documents by marrying data with a template


Setting up a variable-data-publishing system

STEP 1: Design basic layout (pencil or electronic).

STEP 2: Obtain data.

STEP 3: Use design tool to create template.

STEP 4: Use composition engine to do test runs. (Do extensive testing to ensure quality!)

STEP 5: Go to production.


Ideal cross-media variable-data-publishing system

• easy to use• easy to maintain• works well with your equipment • exploits employees’ current skill sets• meets future needs as well as current needs• not too expensive


• Don’t write your own variable- data-publishing software!

• Don’t create one system for paper documents and another system for Web documents!


What’s wrong with having two separate systems?

• Increases up-front costs

• Increases maintenance costs

• Employees must have two different skill sets

• It’s always an effort to achieve cosmetic fidelity

• Error prone (what if you change something in the paper-production system but forget to make the corresponding change in the Web-production system)?


Criteria for selecting variable-data-publishing

software forcross-media publishing


Your variable-data-publishing software must be designed in a way that allows you to integrate it programmatically with your production environment.

Can the software be integrated into your environment?


• Most vendors provide free demo software. Get your hands on it and experiment extensively.

• Some variable-data-publishing software lets you use virtually any application to create boilerplate documents (layouts)

• Some variable-data-publishing software is designed as a plug-in or Xtension to an application that you might already use

Is the software easy to use?


Ideally, your variable-data-publishing software will be able to output PDF or PostScript or PCL or Metacode or AFP, etc. for paper docs and will also be able to output HTML or PDF for Web docs.

Can the software generate the output formats that you need?


• PDF format gives you precise control over fonts, placement of text & graphics, and page breaks — but not all Web browsers can display PDF without additional software

• HTML can be displayed by all Web browsers — but you can’t control a document’s layout very well

How to decide what format to use for Web documents


• Converting PostScript to PDF is sometimes feasible, but it must be planned carefully. (Using Acrobat Distiller on server violates license.)

• Converting PDF to HTML can work well.

• Using HTML to print paper documents is a bad idea — even if you convert the HTML to PDF or PostScript first.

What about converting output to another format?


• Optimized output allows your printer to print at or near rated speed.

• Variable-data-publishing software must generate output that’s designed to work well with your particular printer.

• When evaluating demo software, test extensively with large documents and/or large production runs.

Does the software generateoptimized output for printing?

Go here to learn about optimization: www.CitationSoftware.com/faqppml.htm


• Large PDF files that are not linearized will take a long time to display in Web browser

Does the software generatelinearized PDF output for Web?

Go here to learn about linearization: http://partners.adobe.com/asn/developer/ acrosdk/docs/filefmtspecs/PDFReference.pdf (See Appendix F)


Buy variable-data-publishing software that meets potential future needs as well as current needs.

Why? Because buying different software later will cost you additional money for the purchase itself — and your employees will need two skill sets instead of just one skill set.

Will the software work well for future projects?


• Costs for variable-data- publishing software vary a lot. Shop around!

• Don’t make a decision in a hurry.

Is the software a good value?


If you buy variable-data-publishing software that can create XML output or structured PDF output, you’ll be in good shape if you ever want to generate documents for eBooks or handheld/wireless devices (e.g., Palm).

XML output & Structured PDF output


Thank youfor

listening!

[email protected]

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How to Create a Cross-Media Variable-Data-Publishing System