Variable data flow

[LasseThid]

I've been tasked to create a flow for variable data jobs, so I downloaded the HP SmartStream Designer - end to end VPD and imposition flow from the Crossroads page to see if I can figure out how to set such a flow up. However there are a few things I don't understand...

Is there any information available that explains how to work with variable data in Switch?

[gabrielp]

I used to have some videos that someone at HP sent me explaining how the configurators work. I gotta say, for a company as innovative as HP, it is really hard to track down much of their documentation. It often feels like you need to know someone or have be in the right opportunity to get it. I don't have the videos anymore but I can briefly speak to how the SmartStream VDP configurator works.

The SmartStream VDP configurator takes in a database (CSV or TXT) and outputs a PDF, JLT, or PPML. You can also impose the job using this configurator which works the same as imposing in InDesign via SmartStream. Annoyingly, you can't specify which template to use via the configurator so all of that is driven via the name of the database you run through it.

To get it working, build your job as you would for SmartStream. Link a database, drop in your variables, and if you so desire -- define an imposition. Once this is done, collect for output and put the packed job folder somewhere where the Switch Server can access it. Let's say our network folder is called "VDP Templates" and the template we are working on is "My test VDP job":

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Folder heirarchy:
	Volumes/
		VDP Templates/
			My test VDP job/
			My other job/

Now, set your "Template Folder" parameter to "/Volumes/VDP Templates". Next, put a Rename element before the SmartStream VDP element. Rename the database to add a prefix of "My test VDP job_" so that your original file of "1234_database.txt" is now named "My test VDP job_1234_database.txt". Now you can pass it into SmartStream VDP and it will know to use the "My test VDP job" template because the file is prefixed like that.

Kinda stupid huh? Well, at least I think so. In every case I use SmartStream VDP, I Rename before and after the VDP configurator because I don't want to actually keep that prefix on the filename and only do so for SmartStream VDP to know which template to take.

If you choose to impose the PDF with the SmartStream VDP configurator, it will use the imposition template linked in the InDesign template. Do you don't choose that in the SmartStream VDP configurator.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I've used SmartStream VDP and the JDF Control a lot, but not the Ganging, Imposition, or Production Center configurators.

[LasseThid]

Well Gabriel, I share your sentiment with regards to HP's website. There's a bigger chance to find the proverbial needle in a haystack than actually finding anything you need from them. I spent about two hours looking for a link to the latest version of SmartStream without finding it...

Just above the Code section of your post you say "Once this is done, collect for output and put the packed job folder...". Are you referring to the InDesign function to collect all files associated with the open InDesign document?

The packed job folder I assume I will put in the My test VDP job folder?

[gabrielp]

Just above the Code section of your post you say "Once this is done, collect for output and put the packed job folder...". Are you referring to the InDesign function to collect all files associated with the open InDesign document?

The packed job folder I assume I will put in the My test VDP job folder?

Yep that's right. I think InDesign calls it "Package". It essentially just saves the job with the correct folder structure, Links, Fonts, all of that. So what the SmartStream VDP configurator refers to as a "template" is actually just a packaged InDesign folder.

Why you can't just specify this folder directly with the configurator, without having to do this crazy renaming thing, is beyond me.

[LasseThid]

Thanks Gabriel.
That clears some of the confusion with regards to how to use the VDP.

Now I just need to figure out how to do the rest of the stuff...

[lombert]

There's a bigger chance to find the proverbial needle in a haystack than actually finding anything you need from them. I spent about two hours looking for a link to the latest version of SmartStream without finding it...

Check with someone how works at the Indigo-presses if the have the login to HP's "MyHP page". There you can find the latest version of the indesign plug-in and the manuals..

[lombert]

Now, set your "Template Folder" parameter to "/Volumes/VDP Templates". Next, put a Rename element before the SmartStream VDP element. Rename the database to add a prefix of "My test VDP job_" so that your original file of "1234_database.txt" is now named "My test VDP job_1234_database.txt". Now you can pass it into SmartStream VDP and it will know to use the "My test VDP job" template because the file is prefixed like that.

I did't knew that the prefix worked, I have always renamed the whole job-name to what I have named the VDP-folder to. And after renamed it back to its original name. Good to knew that it works in other ways to!

[lombert]

And one other thing to remember is that if you get the database-file from Excel, save it as a "UTF-16 Unicode-text". It works very well with the SmartStream. Both the desktop and Switch version. You can also use TextWrangler (Mac) to change to UTF-16..

[LasseThid]

Check with someone how works at the Indigo-presses if the have the login to HP's "MyHP page". There you can find the latest version of the indesign plug-in and the manuals..

Thanks for the tip. I'll check with them.

[LasseThid]

Does anyone have a link to the MyHP page?
I've spent 30 minutes on HP's site trying to find it...

[gabrielp]

Does anyone have a link to the MyHP page?
I've spent 30 minutes on HP's site trying to find it...

The link I use seems to be broken now:
https://h22210.www2.hp.com/login/loginpage.aspx



EDIT: it seems to work now. I got an internal server error but if you return to the page, it allows you to log in the second time.

[LasseThid]

Thanks Gabriel.
You're a life saver!

I read on one of the pages I came across at HP that they would do some maintenance work on their site. Perhaps that's the reason the site isn't working properly. I'll give it a try monday when I'm back at work.

I managed to get to the correct page. Lo and behold, there are the tutorial videos you were talking about!

[LasseThid]

I have now watched all 17 videos regarding SmartStream, 13 videos on how to use SmartStream with Indesign and 4 videos on how to use SmartStream with Switch, that I found on HP's website, but still the only thing I manage to produce is an XML file looking like this...

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<SmartStreamStatus>
	<Status value="Failure"/>
	<StatusReportList>
	</StatusReportList>
</SmartStreamStatus>

I copied an InDesign document we use for one of our customers, a .csv-file and the associated pdf files to a folder on my computer.
I opened the InDesign document, linked the .csv-file and set the Default Assets Folder to the folder containing the pdf-files.
If I now check the Preview box I can see the correct text and images in the document.
Next I select Pack Job from the SmartStream menu, check Include variable assets and From Assets Folder and save the file to the VDP_Test folder in the VDP_Templates folder. Since this is just a test, the job name and the .csv-file are both called VDP_Test.
I now create an Input, Output and Logs folder and then place a VDP configurator between them and link Input to VDP and VDP to Output (data) and Logs (log files).
In the VDP configurator I select to output PDF (not imposed), and point to the VDP_Templates folder.
I now drop the VDP_Test.csv file in the Input folder and this results in the above xml file and the .csv file appearing in the logs folder.
Messages shows no errors only that the unique name prefix has been stripped from the file name of the xml and the .csv files.

I've watched the video regarding the VDP configurator over and over, but I still don't understand what I'm doing wrong...

Any ideas?
Thanks

[gabrielp]

The SmartStream plugin is installed on the Switch Server? Is the license set up properly? Save the csv as a txt and try it again? I would also triple-check the template path in the configurator settings.

[lombert]

Do you have the Switch/Smartstream on the same computer as then you make the the test that all is OK?

If it is on a other computer test to open the document and check the links works and that everything looking good.

The total search-way on the computer, no extended characters? Like the computer is called "Lasse är bäst"? (Swedish for Lasse is best).