5 Using ImageServer

The preceding chapter described how to set up ImageServer volumes and printer queues via HELIOS Admin. This chapter gives notes on image layout generation, and describes folder-specific OPI settings, tagging images with ICC profiles, the export/import of metadata such as XMP information, the “touch” program, which allows refreshing layout images, print options for printing from QuarkXPress and InDesign, and how to view HELIOS XPPV documents.

5.1 Notes about layout generation

The automatic generation of layout files is volume dependent. If you have retouched your high-resolution original image files using an image processing application, make sure that you save them in a volume on which Create Layouts is enabled (see also 4.2 “Volume settings”). OPI will not generate layouts for files that you save on your local hard disk.

Important:: You should always select unique file names for your high-resolution original images, at least if you want to save them in the same folder! Different extensions will not do. For example, if you save “flowers.psd” (Photoshop) and “flowers.tif” in the same folder, they both will produce a “flowers.tif” layout image. The contents of this layout may show either the content of “flowers.psd” or “flowers.tif”.

Important:: If you are using clients running Mac OS 8/9, make sure to limit the file name of the images to 31 characters! Mac OS 8/9 shorts file names which exceed this limit to 31 characters. OPI would not work then anymore.

The generation of layouts will take a few moments, it starts after a user-defined time delay. This is – by default – after a delay of 30 seconds (see Layout Delay in 4.1 “ImageServer settings”) before the OPI server starts generating them.

Layout files are generated in a “layouts” subfolder. ImageServer always generates layouts, even if the resolution of the original image is lower than the default layout resolution. In this case the layout would inherit the resolution of the original.

5.1.1 Notes for Photoshop users

Since Photoshop 6, layers can be vector-based. So you should consider before saving your high-resolution originals, that not every image format can handle such layers. The file format of the high-resolution image determines whether the vector data (not the vector layer!) in the document is maintained in the layout file, although the preview in the Finder may show it anyway.

It is recommended to stick to the Photoshop native (PSD) format when vector-based data is employed within the document.

When saving the file to EPS-format Photoshop, the following warning is issued:

Files with vector data will be rasterized by Photoshop when opened.

Note:: You can switch off the Include Vector Data option in the EPS-Options dialog. Then the layout file, generated by ImageServer, will contain the (rasterized) text.

We recommend to activate the option Maximize PSD File Compatibility in the Photoshop preferences in order to provide a better compatibility with ImageServer.

5.2 Define folder specific OPI settings

Usually, all OPI settings that define the attributes of layout files are server or volume specific (see Fig. 4.1 in 4.1 “ImageServer settings” and Fig. 4.5 in 4.2 “Volume settings”). It is, however, possible to specify alternative settings for individual folders, for automatic layout generation on the OPI server, by simply changing the folder name, e.g. from a Mac or Windows computer.

The “%” character always introduces a new specification. You can add different definitions following that character, including: resolution, file format, and color space.

Resolution

A 1, 2 or 3 digit dpi value for the resolution of the layout files that are to be generated within this folder. %0 means that no layout is generated at all!

File format

The t flag will produce TIFF layouts even if the high-resolution image contains a clipping path or spot colors. If you want to use TIFF layout files for multi-path handling, do not use high-res EPSF files with a clipping path (see also MaskToEps and SpotToEps in 9.1.2 “Global OPI preferences”). An EPS image is special since the “opisrv” does only check the raster-based information of the image and does not look in additional object/vector based image parts. ImageServer supports both vector-based and raster-based EPSF files.

Note:: As a workaround, you may use the “layout” command (see 6.1 “layout”) to create TIFF layouts from an EPSF image.

For other layout file formats use the following flags:

`%t`	TIFF (and enforce raster layout images)
`%e`	EPS
`%j`	JPEG (and enforce raster layout images)
`%g`	PNG (and enforce raster layout images)
`%n`	Neutral

The %n flag causes the folder to use the OPI server settings, ignoring all folder specific OPI settings of any parent folder.

Platform

`%m`	Mac only
`%p`	Cross-platform/PC

Example:: Folder_name%80em will produce 80 dpi Mac EPSF layouts.

Color space

`%b`	Grayscale
`%r`	RGB
`%c`	CMYK
`%l`	Lab

Specify the color mode of the printable and screen previews. If you use l, TIFF layouts and the printable previews of EPSF layouts will be in Lab, the screen previews of EPSF layouts will be in the RGB color space.

General

`%u`	Ignore spot colors
`%v`	Enable spot colors
`%x`	Ignore masks
`%y`	Enable masks

Important:: The chosen parameters in a folder name affect all subfolders, i.e. they are automatically valid for the complete directory tree!

Folder name syntax

The folder name must end in %, followed by none or more digits for the resolution, and by the other options in the order as listed below. Options are not case-sensitive. Other characters or spaces in the options string are not allowed.

1.	Resolution (in dpi)
2.	e, t, g, j, n
3.	m, p
4.	b, c, r, l
5.	u, v
6.	x, y

Example:

The appended “%0” of the “test-images%0” folder will prevent the OPI server from creating layout images from the high-resolution originals saved to that folder.

The folder named “test-images%36pb” is for high-resolution images you want to substitute with 36 dpi layouts containing PC previews in Grayscale color mode for printable and screen EPSF and TIFF previews.

5.3 Tag images with ICC profiles

For high-quality color matching, the OPI server needs an ICC source profile (image profile) for each image and an ICC output profile (printer profile) for the printer queue.

HELIOS ICC Tagger serves to tag high-resolution original images with an ICC source profile and thus allows correct color data transformation (for details about color data transformation with ICC profiles see Fig. B.1 in B “Colors, color matching, proof printing – basic concepts”).

Please note that for tagging both the images and the profiles have to be available on the server. The volume in that tagging is to be done must have enough disk space available – at least as much space as the largest image would need, because “opisrv” might temporarily duplicate data.

: Map the network drive “HELIOS_APPS” (Windows) or mount the volume “HELIOS Applications” (Mac), open the “Windows” folder (Mac: “MacOS”) and then “OPI Tools”. Double-click the “HELIOS ICC Tagger” program icon.

The HELIOS ICC Tagger program allows creating so-called ICC info files that contain tagging instructions for all images in a given folder or tagging single images individually.

: Select File and New from the program menu. If HELIOS ICC Tagger issues an error message that the profile repository (by default this is the “ICC-Profiles” volume) cannot be found, mount either the volume or, if your profiles are stored in another volume, change the profile search path by clicking the Change button and specify the correct path.
Confirm with OK.

Creating an ICC info file

The dialog (Fig. 5.1) lets you set general tagging options as well as specific options for all the different file formats that are supported by ImageServer.

Fig. 5.1: Setting general options for a new ICC info file

You can define separately for each single file format (TIFF, EPSF, etc.) whether you wish to tag the profiles by reference or embed them into the image file.

: In the corresponding pop-up menu select an RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale profile for the specific file format.

The Overwrite existing profiles checkbox should be used carefully. Whenever you save an image that already contains an image profile to the folder that contains this particular ICC info file (or if you move the image to that folder) the old profile will be overwritten.

By selecting Update Folder Contents, current ICC profile settings are applied immediately to the images in the respective folder (allow “opisrv” some time to apply the changes).

After setting the “General” options (Fig. 5.1), which apply the chosen CMYK, RGB, and Grayscale profile for different file formats, individual profiles can be assigned in the same way for specific file formats, which can be selected from the scroll list at the left. Selecting General from the pop-up menu means that the profiles which you have specified in the “General” section are applied. Fig. 5.2 shows an example for the TIFF file format.

Fig. 5.2: Setting “TIFF” options for a new ICC info file

Note:: General is the default setting in the pop-ups for the different file formats unless the file format denies tagging of a particular profile type, e.g., PICT images cannot be tagged with a CMYK profile.

Saving an ICC info file

When you have set up tagging for all required file formats, you can save your new ICC info file.

: Click the Save button to open the dialog that lets you select the destination folder (Fig. 5.3).

Fig. 5.3: Saving an ICC info file

Please note that there are a few important things you should know about saving:

The file name for an ICC info file is “!iccinfo.oic”. This name must not be changed.
The tagging instructions that are contained in the file are applied to images in the destination folder only – they are not valid for subfolders. But: if you save an ICC info file in the volume root directory, it will be valid for all folders in the volume that do not contain their own ICC info file.
Images that were already stored in the destination folder are not tagged automatically. Tagging is only applied to images coming in later. If you want to tag existing image files, the Update Folder Contents checkbox must be active (as already described in Creating an ICC info file above).

The ICC info file can be re-edited at any time. Just double-click the file icon to open the HELIOS ICC Tagger.

Note:

If you have added your own image profiles to the “ICC-Profiles” volume issue the following command to update the ICC index file, in order to notify the OPI server about the changes:

# srvutil reconf opisrv

Tagging single images

You may also tag single images one by one with the HELIOS ICC Tagger program. The procedure is similar to that described above.

: Select File and New from the program menu to open the ICC info file dialog.

: Select the file format of the image you want to tag and choose the correct profile. Then click the Tag Image button to open the dialog that lets you choose the desired image file.

The HELIOS ICC Tagger program internally creates an ICC info file which is used for tagging the images and then deletes it afterwards.

About tagging layout images

The HELIOS ICC Tagger program may only be used for tagging high-resolution original images. If you happen to tag a layout image this will be silently ignored because layouts are tagged automatically by the OPI server. The rules for layout tagging are as follows:

If the layout inherits the color space of the high-resolution image (e.g. CMYK) it also inherits the profile. For a high-resolution image without a profile the layout will not have a profile either.
If the high-resolution image and the layout have a different color space the layout will be tagged with the profile that has been used by the OPI server for color data transformation. See also OmitProfile in 9.1 “ImageServer preferences”.

Note:: For details about color spaces of layout images refer to 3.5 “How ImageServer modifies color modes”.

Information about tagged profiles

There are two methods to find out about profile information that has been tagged to an image file with the HELIOS ICC Tagger program:

: Select File > Open Tag Info. Then drag and drop the file(s) you want to get profile information about into the window.

Another possibility is to select Open from the File menu, navigate to the image and highlight it and then click Open. The “Tagging Information Window” (Fig. 5.4) lists the file(s) and gives information about possible profile tagging and whether the profiles are referenced or embedded.

Fig. 5.4: “Tagging Information Window”

You may also use our “oiimginfo” program to find out whether a specific image is already tagged with a profile. See 6.4 “oiimginfo”.

5.4 Export/Import XMP etc. information

An image file can contain XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform), metadata or clipping path information. ImageServer enables users to export this information to a file, and likewise, to import such information in an image file.

5.4.1 Export

: Specify “oiimginfo” for an image file with the -f option and an export file name (See also -E <ExportType> in 6.4 “oiimginfo”).

Example:

$ cd /usr/local/helios 
$ bin/oiimginfo -E XMP -f /demovol/Info.xmp image.jpg

ImageServer will create a file in the specified directory (in the example above in “/demovol”), which contains the extracted XMP information.

5.4.2 Import

: Make sure the XMP file is UTF-8 coded.

: Specify “layout” with the -f option (see 6.1.10 “Tagging ICC profiles, path information, and metadata to images”).

Example:

$ cd /usr/local/helios 
$ bin/layout -f "XMP:ADD:/demovol/Info.xmp" image.jpg

5.5 Refresh layouts using the “touch” program

The “touch” program is a Mac and Windows tool that is automatically added to the “HELIOS_APPS” network drive (Mac: “HELIOS Applications” volume) during the HELIOS software installation (“opitouch”, the command line version of this program, is described in 6.2 “opitouch”).

The program is meant to help you generate new layouts. This might be necessary either …

… if you want to replace layouts that have been generated with an earlier ImageServer version and thus make them fully compatible with the latest program version, or
… if you have changed any OPI settings (using the HELIOS Admin program) and now want to refresh your existing layout files accordingly.

Usually, a layout file is generated shortly after you have saved a high-resolution original image on the server. The layout file will then bear the attributes that are currently defined in HELIOS Admin. If you change settings in the Admin, the existing layouts will not be updated automatically.

In case you decide to update an old layout, you could open your high-resolution original image file and save it once again. Alternatively, you can use the “touch” program for that purpose. This is much more convenient, because the program simulates the saving procedure without opening any image processing application.

: Map the network drive “HELIOS_APPS” (Windows) or mount the volume “HELIOS Applications” (Mac), open the “Windows” folder (Mac: “MacOS”) and then “OPI Tools”.

: Drag the “touch” (PCShare: “Touch.exe”) program icon onto your local desktop.

: Just drag the image file(s) you want to re-layout onto the “touch” icon (Fig. 5.5).

Fig. 5.5: “touching” an image

The “touch” program will – after a delay of 30 seconds (default) – automatically lead to the generation of new layout files.

Note:: You may select several images at a time and drag them onto the “touch” icon. Likewise, you can drag a complete folder onto the “touch” icon. However, this can lead to a high server load on the host, depending on the number of files in that folder because its content will then be processed recursively.

Please note that the time the server needs for the generation of new layouts, depends on the number of layout jobs and processes.

The “touch” program may also be used for tagging ICC profiles to high-resolution images. This is done by “touching” a complete directory which contains high-resolution images and an “!iccinfo.oic” file. Due to the fact that the “Touch.exe” program enforces a new layout process in the directory, existing source profiles are read out anew according to the information stored in the “!iccinfo.oic” file.

5.5.1 Using “Touch.exe” under Windows

Under Windows, only a certain amount of files can be dragged onto the “Touch.exe” icon at a time, otherwise Windows will issue an error message.

In this case do the following:

: Start “Touch.exe” and drag all selected files into the program window. You may also copy the selected files in the Explorer and paste them into the program window.

5.6 OPI print options – Printing from QuarkXPress and InDesign

OPI options in the print dialog are application specific. In the following, we explain how to specify OPI settings in the QuarkXPress and InDesign applications, and the effects on the printing results.

5.6.1 QuarkXPress

For example, QuarkXPress offers the Include Images option (Fig. 5.6), as long as OPI Active is checked.

Fig. 5.6: OPI print options (QuarkXPress 6)

Include Images

With this option selected, the PostScript job which is sent from the workstation to the OPI server will include the image data and all OPI comments that describe these images. Once the job has arrived on the server, ImageServer will replace the image data with the high-resolution originals – or print the layouts that have been placed (see Print Layout Images in 4.3 “OPI printer queue settings”).

If Include Images is not selected, the amount of data that is sent from the client to the server will be reduced. The PostScript file will no longer contain the image data of the layout files. However, the OPI comments are still included. In this case the OPI server does not replace images, but fills blanks. The printouts will be complete and correct.

It may be reasonable to deactivate this Include... option whenever documents contain a lot of TIFF or EPS images and thus become rather large (even with layout files).

Important:: Only deactivate the Include... options if all your images are stored on the OPI server. This works properly if you are using layout files only. In case you place high-resolution originals in your layout document, this might cause problems, because the OPI server, by default, does not replace high-resolution images nor fills blanks either. If you deactivate one of the Include... options for high-resolution images, these images will be missing on the printout.
You can solve this problem by switching the Replace Images option to All on ImageServer – see 4.3 “OPI printer queue settings”.

Low Resolution

You may additionally select Low Resolution to downscale high-res TIFF images in the document when printing out.

5.6.2 InDesign

When printing a document from InDesign, the OPI options in the “Advanced” section let you selectively omit different imported graphics types when sending image data to a printer or file, leaving only the OPI links (comments) for later handling by an OPI server. This behavior is almost the same as that described in 5.6.1 “QuarkXPress”.

OPI Image Replacement

If the checkbox OPI Image Replacement (Fig. 5.16) is active, InDesign replaces low-resolution EPS images with high-resolution graphics at output time. You must deselect this option to have ImageServer perform server-based OPI image replacement.

Omit for OPI

These options allow you to selectively omit different imported graphics types (EPS, PDF, and Bitmap Images) when sending image data to a printer or file, leaving only the OPI comments for later handling by ImageServer OPI. The comments contain the information needed to locate a high-resolution image in a HELIOS OPI volume. InDesign only includes the comments in the print job. Please note that the Omit for OPI option does not apply to embedded graphics.

5.7 Using QuarkXPress with ImageServer

ImageServer supports background tinting of Bilevel and Grayscale raster-based images that are used by QuarkXPress. To benefit from this functionality you must first copy the “HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT” module to the “XTension” folder:

: Map the network drive “HELIOS_APPS” (Windows) or mount the volume “HELIOS Applications” (Mac), open the “Windows” folder (Mac: “MacOS”), then “OPI Tools” and “HELIOS OPI TuneUp”.

: Then copy the “HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT” file from the appropriate folder (e.g. “XPress 8”) into the “XTension” folder of your QuarkXPress application.

Now the installation of the module is complete and you can immediately utilize it after a restart of QuarkXPress. Once you have designed your QuarkXPress document, you can view information about the images you have placed in it:

: For that purpose, select Utilities and Usage... and then the Pictures tab from the QuarkXPress menu.

The “Usage” window will prompt details you might need for setting up the print dialog for OPI. It tells you e.g. whether you have imported layout files only (this is indicated by the path and file name) and what kind of file formats you are dealing with. Fig. 5.7 shows an example document with the “Usage” window.

Fig. 5.7: Prompting information about included images

5.7.1 Print settings in QuarkXPress

“Layout” tab

In the “Layout” tab of the print dialog you can specify whether to print composite or separations (Fig. 5.8). If you switch on Separations, please note that – in case you have selected a particular ICC printer profile for your printer queue – only CMYK and Multichannel (e.g. Hexachrome) output profiles co-operate with this option. Other profiles do not allow printing separations and will cause error messages. In case you get such messages, please check the printer queue settings in the respective HELIOS Admin dialog (4.3 “OPI printer queue settings”).

Printing separations may fail if you have placed RGB high-resolution images in your document or if you have selected sRGB_IEC61966-2-1 as default color space for layouts (4.1 “ImageServer settings”). This restriction is only caused by older QuarkXPress versions, because the software does not separate RGB images (even if the high-resolution originals are CMYK).

Fig. 5.8: “Layout” tab in QuarkXPress “Print” dialog

“Setup” tab

The “Setup” tab lets you check paper settings for the document and select a printer type.

: Select the printer in the Printer Description pull-down menu (Fig. 5.9). Generic Color may be selected if your printer type is not stated in the list and you plan to print colored images, but do not select Generic B&W.

Fig. 5.9: “Setup” tab in QuarkXPress “Print” dialog

“Output” tab

In the “Output” tab (Fig. 5.10) you may select printer settings for your print job.

Fig. 5.10: “Ouput” tab in QuarkXPress “Print” dialog

“OPI” tab

The “OPI” tab lets you specify whether to include the images of the document in the print job or not. This can be set for TIFF and EPS images separately (Fig. 5.11).

Details about these settings are described in 5.6 “OPI print options – Printing from QuarkXPress and InDesign”.

Fig. 5.11: “OPI” tab in QuarkXPress “Print” dialog

5.7.2 Overcoming QuarkXPress limitations with ImageServer and PDF HandShake

You can use ImageServer to overcome some QuarkXPress limitations. QuarkXPress 3 through 5 cannot produce DeviceN output, and QuarkXPress 3 through 6 cannot produce in-RIP separations. But if you use QuarkXPress in connection with ImageServer, you can produce in-RIP separations with DeviceN output. Here is how you can do it:

: Print your jobs composite from QuarkXPress to a “Create PDF” printer queue (requires PDF HandShake) to create PDF documents, using the ImageServer OPI image replacement functionality. Make sure that DeviceN printing is enabled on this queue (see Fig. 4.7 and PostScript 3/DeviceN in 4.3 “OPI printer queue settings”).

These PDF documents will include full composite DeviceN spot color information, generated from the high-resolution DCS-2, TIFF and Photoshop images with spot colors, as well as from colorized grayscale images. You can print these PDF documents, e.g. via PDF HandShake with its variety of options including host-based and in-RIP separation to your PostScript 3 compatible output device.

5.7.3 HELIOS Preview XT

With this extension installed, a preview file with the same name as the document and the suffix “.xpv” will be generated each time you save a QuarkXPress document. The following steps describe how to install the extension and how it is used:

: Map the network drive “HELIOS_APPS” (Windows) or mount the volume “HELIOS Applications” (Mac), open the “Windows” folder (Mac: “MacOS”), then “OPI Tools” and “HELIOS Preview”.

: Copy the “HELIOS Preview XT.xnt” file from the appropriate QuarkXPress version folder into the “XTension” folder of the QuarkXPress application.

Note:: For QuarkXPress 6 or newer, you need to mount the proper “HELIOS Preview XT.dmg” disk image before getting access to the “HELIOS Preview XT.xnt” extension.

Now the installation of the module is complete and you can immediately utilize it after a restart of QuarkXPress:

Note:: Open Edit > HELIOS Preview XT... from the QuarkXPress menu bar.

The checkbox Create preview on saving in the General tab allows you to specify whether previews should be generated each time a QuarkXPress document is saved (Fig. 5.12).

Fig. 5.12: HELIOS Preview XT: “General” tab

The Picture settings tab allows the specification of the preview image file format, PNG or JPEG (Fig. 5.13).

Fig. 5.13: HELIOS Preview XT: “Picture settings” tab

In the “Hotkeys” window tab you may specify a shortcut which enforces the preview generation without saving the document (Fig. 5.14).

Fig. 5.14: HELIOS Preview XT: “Hotkeys”

5.8 Using InDesign with ImageServer

In this section we focus on the InDesign print output settings (Fig. 5.15), which allow you to specify if printing composite or separations, and the advanced settings (Fig. 5.16), in which OPI related settings are provided.

“Output” settings

In the Color pull-down menu you can select whether to print composite, separations or to a PostScript RIP. In order to have ImageServer perform composite color matching, thus keep image data unchanged, you should select Composite Leave Unchanged. If you wish to print documents from InDesign to an already defined color space, select Composite Gray, Composite RGB, Composite CMYK.

Fig. 5.15: “Output” tab in InDesign print dialog

“Advanced” settings

Here you can omit EPS, PDF or bitmap layout images for OPI. If one or more of these options are checked, InDesign does not include the placed layout images in the document, but will include all OPI references. This reduces the document size significantly while preserving all the essential information which is needed to have ImageServer perform proper OPI image replacement. Furthermore the option OPI Image Replacement must be unchecked. This ensures that ImageServer performs server-based image replacement.

Fig. 5.16: “Advanced” tab in InDesign print dialog

When selecting an EPS layout image from the Place... dialog box, select the option Show Import Options. The option Read Embedded OPI Image Links tells InDesign to read links from OPI comments for images which are included (or nested) in the graphic (Fig. 5.17).

This option must be deselected if you are using layout images and plan to have the ImageServer OPI functionality perform the image replacement. When this option is deselected, InDesign preserves the OPI links, but does not read them. When you print or export, the layout images and the links are passed on to the output file.

Fig. 5.17: InDesign “Import Options” dialog

Select the option Apply Photoshop Clipping Path to import a clipping path from a Photoshop EPS file.

5.8.1 The HELIOS Preview plug-in

With this plug-in installed, a preview file with the same name and the suffix “.xpv” will be generated each time you save an InDesign document. The following steps describe how to install the plug-in and how it is used:

: Map the network drive “HELIOS_APPS” (Windows) or mount the volume “HELIOS Applications” (Mac volume), open the “Windows” folder (Mac: “MacOS”), then “OPI Tools” and “HELIOS Preview”.

: Then copy the “HELIOS Preview.pln” file from the appropriate InDesign version folder into the “Plug-Ins” folder of the InDesign application.

Note:: For InDesign CS2 or newer, you need to mount the proper “HELIOS Preview XT.dmg” disk image before getting access to the “HELIOS Preview XT.pln” plug-in.

Now the installation of the plug-in is complete and you can immediately utilize it after a restart of InDesign:

: Open Plug-Ins > HELIOS Preview > Preferences... from the InDesign menu bar.

The “HELIOS Preview” window appears (Fig. 5.18). It allows you to specify the preview image file format, which can be PNG or JPEG, and their respective settings. In addition, you may specify with the Preview on Saving option whether previews should be generated each time an InDesign document is saved.

Fig. 5.18: HELIOS Preview: Settings

5.8.2 PDF-native OPI workflows

ImageServer provides a native PDF-based OPI image replacement solution that replaces, within in a PDF file, the low-resolution bitmap images with the high-resolution originals. This preserves transparency and metadata, and allows server-based PDF workflows utilizing OPI low-resolution images.

Modern pre-press applications, e.g. Adobe InDesign, are moving to a direct PDF output workflow allowing advanced features like PDF transparency, drop shadows, and embedded XMP metadata. These features are incompatible with today’s PostScript output, but will be fully supported by this solution.

The main advantages of the HELIOS server-based OPI solutions are:

Server based color management to color transform images for different printing processes. ICC profiles can be applied or embedded into PDF print jobs
Submit PDF print jobs before all images are ready – the server will generate the final high-resolution PDFs when all images are completed
Much faster PDF export from InDesign, using Omit for OPI
Server defines color management for all OPI images

Remote users using WebShare can download low-resolution images and return PDF print jobs containing low-resolution images, which are then replaced on the server for final output.

5.9 Viewing HELIOS XPPV documents

XPPV is a file format developed by HELIOS that is used to store previews of multi-page documents, as for example Quark XPress documents. The Mac file type for these document preview files is “XPPV” and the standard suffix is “.xpv”.

“docpreview.cgi” is an Apache webserver extension, which allows previewing XPPV documents.

Note:: Alternatively, you may use HELIOS WebShare, which allows convenient previewing and proofing of XPPV documents.

5.9.1 Prerequisites

A HELIOS server with ImageServer installed
Perl (www.perl.org) must be installed on the HELIOS server
An Apache web server (www.apache.org) must be installed and running on the HELIOS server

5.9.2 Installation

: In the first line of the “docpreview.cgi” file (starting with #!), change “/usr/local/bin/perl” to the path of your Perl executable.

: Set the configuration variables (see below) to your values and copy this file into the “cgi-bin” (“CGI-Executables” on Mac OS X) folder of your Apache Web server and make sure that it is executable.

Example:

# cd /usr/local/helios 
# cp etc/docpreview.cgi /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin 
# chmod +x /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/docpreview.cgi

: Enter the URL http://<hostname>/cgi-bin/docpreview.cgi in your browser.

Configuration variables

$docfolder is the directory in which the XPPV files reside. The cgi-script will display a directory listing of all files in this directory with the suffix “.xpv”, e.g.:

my $docfolder = /Volumes/MacOSX/XPVs

$previewfolder is the directory where all the PNG preview files are generated (if it is not already there, it is created), e.g.:

my $previewfolder = /tmp/previews

@resolutions is an array of numbers describing the possible resolutions in which previews are generated, e.g.:

my @resolutions = (72, 144)

5.9.3 Converting the preview image format

The preview of a page in an XPPV file can be converted to other image formats using the “layout” command (see 6.1.8 “Image conversion options”).

Example:

# layout -oSpotToProcess=true -oScreenResolution=0 -oPrintColor=RGB
  -aPageNumber=1 -T JPEG -l doc.xpv page1.jpeg

5.9.4 Viewing preview images in WebShare

HELIOS WebShare can display previews of QuarkXPress and InDesign document pages. The extensions automatically save an “.xpv” file containing the document preview together upon each QuarkXPress or InDesign document save. WebShare users can click on this “.xpv” file to view the document previews of each page. For more information see the section “Image and document previews” in the HELIOS WebShare manual.

HELIOS Manuals July 1, 2013