Atlas Software introduced the latest windows update of its flagship variable-data-printing solution, PrintShop Mail, at ON DEMAND 2003. Among other things, this 4.1WE version offers the following new features: it will be able to output PPML and VIPP, it has dual-byte database character support if running on Windows 98 and ME, it offers a bottom-alignment option within text boxes. The PPML output is different from the PPML/VDX output that was already available in the previous version, 4.0WE. PrintShop Mail 4.1WE is made available free of charge to existing PrintShop Mail 4.0WE users, and it can now be downloaded from the PrintShop Mail download site: www.printshopmail.com/download.php.

PrintShop Mail is one of the few variable-data-printing solutions available today that allows your variable-data documents to print at or near rated engine speed on most black-and-white PostScript printers as well as on high-end color devices.

Pricing for PrintShop Mail begins at $1,395.00, USD.

As it has for the past two years, Citation Software continues to serve as a reseller for Atlas Software. To get more information about PrintShop Mail, or to purchase it, contact Citation Software at 508-436-2543.


Datalogics, Inc. showed off its new DL-100 Interactive and DL-1000 Batch variable-data-printing solutions at ON DEMAND 2003. DL-100 Interactive is an Adobe Acrobat plug-in that lets you design variable-data documents quickly and easily from within Adobe Acrobat itself!

You begin the process by opening any un-encrypted PDF file in Adobe Acrobat or — if you prefer — you can start by creating a document in QuarkXPress, using the special DL-100 Interactive XTension to export from Quark, and then you move to Adobe Acrobat for the rest of the job.

Working within Acrobat, you point and click to specify the formatting properties of variable text areas and variable graphics, link to your database, define conditional-processing rules, and more.

When it's time for production, you can either use DL-100 Interactive from within Acrobat to generate your documents, or — if you have a Web-to-print system — you can use Datalogics' powerful DL-1000 Batch system to compose variable-data documents on your Web server.

Data-driven tables and charts are supported, as are process-color controls, manual tracking management, text reflow, automatic picture wrap, and a variety of input-data formats.

The following output streams are supported: PostScript, PDF (with & without security), PPML, PPML/VDX, VPS.

These products are available for Windows & Macintosh.

Pricing begins at $2,500.00, USD.

Citation Software serves as a reseller for Datalogics, so you can purchase these products or find out more about them by contacting Citation Software at 508-436-2543.


Enfocus Software demonstrated a variety of PDF-based prepress solutions at ON DEMAND 2003, including:

• Instant PDF (which takes complete control of the production process and enables you to create good-quality PDF files easily) – $249.00, USD.
  
  
• PitStop Professional (which features a full range of interactive PDF-editing tools) – $599.00, USD.
  
  
• PitStop Server (which automates the process of preflighting and repairing PDF files) – $1,999.00, USD
  
  
• the Certified PDF Reader (which allows you to check the Certified status of a PDF file) – FREE.

Also worth mentioning: during a technical meeting in New York City a couple days after the ON DEMAND 2003 conference had ended, Citation Software learned about the FREE Enfocus Browser. This exciting software solution is an Acrobat plug-in that allows you to navigate the low-level object hierarchy in a PDF file, and to view the contents of PDF objects, such as the page description for a particular page. PDF experts, Acrobat plug-in developers, Acrobat instructors, and PDF fanatics in general will appreciate the low-level access to PDF files offered by this plug-in.

Go to www.enfocus.com/support/knowledgeBase/browser.php to download the free Enfocus Browser.

Citation Software is a reseller for Enfocus, so you can purchase these products or find out more about them by contacting Citation Software at 508-436-2543.


GMC Software Technology demonstrated its new PrintNet–T software at ON DEMAND 2003. This is an extremely powerful and versatile variable-data-publishing system that is optimized for creating transactional documents (e.g., invoices, statements) but also is easily capable of creating full-color promotional documents (e.g., brochures, data sheets) and other graphically rich documents.

In our opinion, PrintNet–T was one of the most impressive products demonstrated at ON DEMAND 2003. With PrintNet–T, GMC Software Technology has come very close to providing all of the features that people really need and want in one easy-to-use variable-data-publishing solution, and the company is offering it at a very competitive price. Here is what you'll find in PrintNet–T:

• an easy-to-use design tool with all-points-addressable layout capability
  
  
• support for data-driven tables
  
  
• support for vector-based data-driven charting
  
  
• support for importing QuarkXPress files and Microsoft Word (RTF) files
  
  
• support for many output formats: AFP, IPDS, Metacode, Scitex IJPDS, Versamark, Versacolor, Ektajet, Video Jet, PCL, PostScript (optimized), VPS, VIPP, XBT, FreeForm, PPML, PDF, SDP, Data File Output
  
  
• support for on-screen proofing
  
  
• support for ICC color profiles
  
  
• support for a variety of bar-code types
  
  
• simple command-line interface for automating your production workflow
  
  
• support for stylesheets (enables you to change the look of a document quickly & easily)
  
  
• support for Unicode and double-byte character sets
  
  
• support for selective print suppression (e.g., if you'll be printing on pre-printed "shells," you can load a boilerplate document that looks like the shell to guide you when you are positioning objects on the screen; then you can suppress printing of the boilerplate when print onto the pre-printed shells)
  
  

GMC also demonstrated a new-and-improved version of its flagship PrintNet solution. Called PrintNet–3, this solution is easier to use than previous versions. Copyfitting (i.e., automatic text fitting), extensive support for Quark import and Microsoft Word import, and support for many interface languages and many output formats are just a few of the reasons to take a close look at this product.

GMC is one of the few companies that offers variable-data-printing solutions that allow your variable-data documents to print at or near rated engine speed on most black-and-white PostScript printers as well as on high-end color devices.

Pricing for the PrintNet family of products varies depending upon your specific requirements.

Citation Software proudly serves as a reseller for GMC, so you can learn about GMC's software and purchase GMC's software by contacting Citation Software at 508-436-2543.


Prism Software demonstrated its DocForm solution for creating transactional documents (statements, invoices) at ON DEMAND 2003. This easy-to-use Windows software is very affordable (pricing starts at $4,900.00, USD). Per-printer license fees are not required, and installation is simple and quick. Here are a few of DocForm's powerful features:

• supports a variety of data formats from mainframes, AS/400s, midrange systems, and PCs (this includes flat files and "print-image data")
  
  
• lets you access data directly from ODBC-compliant databases
  
  
• allows you to output directly to your printer, to file, to PDF, to e-mail, to fax
  
  
• supports a variety of graphic formats for logos, etc.
  
  
• offers RTF word-processing ability to support powerful formatting features
  
  
• supports both server-based and printer-based document composition
  
  

DocForm is one of the few variable-data-printing solutions that allows your variable-data documents to print at or near rated engine speed on most black-and-white PostScript printers and PCL printers.

Since we are a reseller for Prism Software, you can contact us for more information, and you can arrange to purchase products from Prism Software through us. Get in touch with us at 508-436-2543.


Snowbound Software representatives demonstrated several of the company's imaging solutions and technologies in their booth on the AIIM 2003 trade-show floor. (As mentioned above, the AIIM 2003 show took place concurrent with the ON DEMAND 2003 show, and the AIIM 2003 trade-show floor was adjacent to the ONE DEMAND 2003 trade-show floor in the Jacob Javits Center.) Among other things, Snowbound Software offers developer tools that can rasterize a PDF file, incorporate it into an HTML page, and allow a developer to expose controls that let a user manipulate the image within his Web browser (zoom, scroll, etc.).

These solutions are very powerful and versatile.

Pricing varies greatly depending on specific needs.

To learn more, visit www.snowbound.com.


Techno Design, a leading provider of QuarkXPress XTensions, demonstrated a variety of electronic-publishing solutions at ON DEMAND 2003, several of which are variable-data-publishing solutions. PersonalizerX, an XTension that allows you to use Quark to design and produce variable-data documents, is one of the solutions that was being demonstrated. PersonalizerX is one of the few variable-data-publishing products available today that supports copyfitting (text fitting), and it does so at a very affordable price (pricing begins at around $999.00, USD). Techno Design also demonstrated its TCP-IP XT solution, which sells for $2,499.00 USD. When combined with QuarkXPress and Personalizer X, TCP-IP XT lets you automate and control the production of variable-data documents over a TCP-IP connection. Also demonstrated was Techno Design's XML Impression solution ($1,999.99, USD), which lets you use XML files to automate the creation of QuarkXPress documents and initiate the output process.

For detailed information about these solutions, contact Citation Software at 508-436-2543.