2011-03-29
Dismiss this until next updateThis documentation has been updated

The latest version of PrintShop Mail is currently 7.1. This documentation was updated on 2011-03-29 and covers the changes made in this version. If you are still using an older version of PrintShop Mail, you can access its documentation by using the Version: menu at the top-right corner of this screen.

If you wish to upgrade to PrintShop Mail7.1, you can do so via the Upgrade Request page. Note that in order to upgrade, you will need a valid OL Care contract as of 2010-09.

PPML

PPML is short for Personalized Printing Markup Language . A PPML file describes the entire personalized printing job and contains all necessary elements to print the contents (layout and variable data).

The technology PPML in PrintShop Mail is very similar to PPML/VDX. The difference is that the content (PDF) and page layout description (PPML) are sent separately.

Windows
Print Technology specific settings

  1. Create ZIP archive: When checked, the PDF and PPML files will be zipped before being sent to the printer. This option is used for specific printers, which expect a PPML-ZIP file. The ZIP file contains the PPML and the PDF file.

  2. Embed images in PDF: When checked, all images will be embedded in the PDF.

  3. Environment: The path specified in the Environment setting will place the images with a "Global Scope" in the Environment. The Consumer (RIP) stores and/or caches the images for later use.

  4. Send.

    4.1- Send "All Images": A PDF file will be created containing images that have a "Global Scope" or a "Local Scope". This option also creates a PPML job, using this PDF, with instructions to use the Local and the Global images. Images with a "Global Scope" are stored in the specified Environment. After this job the "Global images" can be reused for recurring print projects, for example with the option "Send Local Images".

    4.2- Send "Global Images": A PDF file will be created containing images that have a "Global Scope". This option also creates a PPML job, using this PDF, with instructions for storing these images into the specified Environment.

    4.3- Send "Local Images": A PDF file will be created containing images that have a "Local Scope". This option also creates a PPML job, using this PDF, with instructions to use these Local images and the Global Images that are stored in the specified Environment. For that reason, images that have a "Global Scope" should be present in the specified Environment. Images with a "Global Scope" will only be referenced in the PPML job.

Note: The settings "Environment" and "Send" should not be changed when you are not familiar with PPML terms!

For more information about PPML, visit the Website of PODi (Print On Demand Initiative), http://www.podi.org.

PrintShop Mail offers an option to define if an image should have a "Global Scope". If the Global Scope of an image is set to "Yes" in the Properties Panel, the image will have a "Global Scope". For recurring print projects, a central benefit of PPML is its ability to reference Reusable Objects using Global Scope. This feature allows for transmitting smaller datasets and eliminates repetitive processing of the reusable content.

Note: Please make sure that your RIP supports at least PPML 1.5, including the "application/pdf" source format.

Printing speed can be improved by using a "Global Scope" for one or more images, or possibly (depending on your RIP) by unchecking the "Embed images in PDF’" checkbox in the Print dialog.

Mac OS

When using PPML as Print Technology, printing directly to the printer/RIP will result in the output being placed o the Desktop (either a ZIP file or a folder), which conatins the PPML file and (if used)images recurring in the document. In order to print the PrintShop Mail document you need to download the output to your printer/RIP.