Printing Variable Data

1. Start your application, create a new file and design your variable data template.
2. Define the name of each variable field, and then create spot colors named as "VDP_(name of variable field)."
   In this example, we assume three spot colors named "VDP_Name," "VDP_From" and "VDP_Photo" were created for three variable fields ("Name," "From" and "Photo").
   For information on how to create the spot color, refer to the documentation of your application.
   Note
   
   • Enter "VDP" in all capital letters. Also, be sure to enter "_"(underscore). If the spot color names are not correctly set, VersaWorks will not recognize the variable fields.
3. Draw rectangular shapes (rectangle or square) using the spot colors created, at the locations you want to specify the variable fields.
   These shapes will be recognized as variable fields in VersaWorks.
   Note
   • Non-rectangular shapes such as circles and trapezoid are not properly recognized as variable fields in VersaWorks.
   
   
4. Save the data.

1. Create a database using the application such as a spreadsheet software.
   For example, create the data as follows:
   
   
   • Enter the names of spot colors in the first row (NOT first column).
   • To print an image in the variable field, type the path of the image file.
     In this example, we assume the absolute path (e.g., C: \Sample\John.tif) of the image to be placed in the "VDP_Photo" variable field, created in Step 2 of "Step: 1: Create a design template," is typed in "VDP_Photo" column.
   • An image file should be in a file format (TIFF (LZW-compressed or uncompressed), EPS, JPEG, PDF or PostScript) that can be directly opened in VersaWorks.
2. Save the database file as a CSV (comma-delimited), text (tab-delimited or space-delimited) or XML file.

• You can also edit the data in [Variable Data Settings] by clicking in the [Job Settings] window.
  Editing the database

1. Add the design template file in the job list.
2. Select and double-click the job from the job list.
   The [Job Settings] window appears.
3. Click , and then select [Enable Variable Data Printing].
   A preview of the design template file is displayed in the layout area, and the [Attribute] window appears. Also, the names of the variable fields (spot color names with the prefix "VDP_" removed) created in step 2 of "Step 1: Create a design template," are displayed in the first row of the list in [Variable Data Settings].
   
   
4. Click .
   The [Load from File] window appears.
5. Select the database file created in "Step 2: Create a database file," and then click [Open].
   The content of the data appears in the list.
   Clicking the cursors at the bottom of the layout area displays the previews for each data set.
   
   There are two types of variable fields: [Image] and [Text]. The type of each variable field is displayed in the [Type] list in the [Attribute] window. When the database file is loaded, data that starts with strings that denote paths (such as "C:\") is recognized as [Image] data, otherwise it is automatically recognized as [Text] data.
   

• You can resize the layout area and the settings area by dragging the portion highlighted in the screen below to the left or to the right.
  

Setting the attribute and size of a variable field

1. Select the field to be configured.
   

   To apply the same setting to all data

   Click the first row (variable field name) in the list.
   The settings will be applied to all data.
   
   

   To apply the setting to the selected data

   Click each cell in the list.
   The settings will be applied to the selected data only.
   
   
   The border line and the name of the selected field appear in the layout area.
   
   
   
2. Set the data attributes in the [Attribute] window.
   

   When [Type] is [Image]

   Fit	Select whether you want to fit the image in the variable field. Original image None Places the original image without resizing. Fit to Fields Changes the size of the image to fit in the variable field. Fit proportionally Changes the size of the image proportionally to fit either in height or width in the variable field
   Alignment	Select the alignment of the image in the variable field.
   Opacity	Set the opacity of the image. Set 0% to make the image transparent.
   Draw on White Background	Select this to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.
   Color	Set the background color inside of the variable field. If you click the square, the [Color Settings] window appears. In [ColorSpace], select RGB, CMYK or Transparent. When you select RGB or CMYK, use the slider bar or type the value to specify each color value.

   When [Type] is [Text]

   Font	Select the font type.
   Font Size	Select the font size.
   Tracking	Adjust the spaces between two characters. Setting to 100 makes the spacing one-character wide.
   Auto Sizing	Select this to automatically adjust the font size to fit the text in the variable field when the text is larger than the variable field.
   Alignment	Select the alignment of the text in the variable field.
   Opacity	Set the opacity of the entire variable field. Set 0% to make it transparent.
   Draw on White Background	Select this to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.
   Effect	Click the following icons to set the text effect. Italic Bold Underline Shadow Outline
   Offset	Set the offset widths of shadow characters in percent.
   Stroke	Set the stroke widths of the outlined characters in points.
   Color	Set the color of the text and the background color inside the variable field. 1 Text color 2 Shadow 3 Outline 4 Background If you click the square, the [Color Settings] window appears. In [ColorSpace], select RGB, CMYK or Transparent. When you select RGB or CMYK, use the slider bar or type the value to specify each color value.

   Tip
   
   • You can always change the variable field type by clicking the first row (variable field name) in the list in [Variable Data Settings] and selecting a different field from the [Type] list in the [Attribute] window .
   
   
3. Configure the size and location of the variable field.
   Perform one of the following:
   

   Configuring in [Field Settings]

   X and Y set the distance from the top left corner of the job to the top left corner of the variable field.
   W and H set the width and height of the variable field.

   Dragging the mouse in the layout area

   Pointing to the selected field changes the pointer to a . Drag the field at this point to move it.
   Pointing to the squares on the border line of the selected field changes the pointer to a . Drag the square to adjust the size of the variable field.
   Tip
   
   • To undo or redo the operation, use or .
   • Clicking [Reset] with the variable data field selected will revert any changes made to the variable data field to its original settings.
   • Selecting [Show All Variable Data Fields] displays the border lines and field names of all variable fields in the layout area.
     
     

Editing the database

To change texts or images

Double-clicking the cell which you want to change allows you to enter the text.
On fields with the [Image] attribute, you can right-click and select [Browse] to display the [Load from File] window and change the image file.

To add a data

Click to add a new row at the bottom of the list. Select each cell and enter the text or the location of the image.

To delete a data

Click the data number to be deleted, and then click .

To save the data list

Click .
In [File type], select CSV (comma-delimited), Text (tab-delimited or space-delimited) or XML, and then click [Save].
Tip

• The cell color changes if the attribute of the data in the cell does not conform with other data.