HOT MIX 12 SILICON GRAPHICS, INC.

EtherShare OPI 1.2


  

Fast and Convenient Prepress Image Handling

EtherShare OPI gives throughput and productivity gains in the order of magnitudes in environments where print jobs contain huge image data. Layout jobs are finished in a fraction of time. Expensive prepress equipment like type setting machines are utilized to their full duty cycle. Network traffic between workstation and server is minimized. Workstations do not have to handle and print dozens of megabyte of image data. Overall production time is greatly reduced.

The open prepress interface OPI is defined by Aldus and enhanced by Quark. OPI-aware layout applications like XPress, PageMaker or Freehand no longer need huge original high-resolution ../../images but can use small low-resolution substitutes instead. All user actions on the lo-res files e.g. positioning, scaling, rotation or cutouts are marked by so-called OPI comments and inserted in the final PostScript print job. The OPI server interprets the OPI comments, searches for the hi-res originals, substitutes them instead of the lo-res layouts and not only places them correctly on page, but also apply all the appropriate image processing.

EtherShare OPI supports Apple Macintosh, DOS/Windows PCs and UNIX workstations. It is tightly integrated with EtherShare's - and optionally PCShare's - file and print services. This offers great flexibility and highest overall performance. Yet EtherShare OPI remains easy to setup and easy to use. There is no need for extensive user training. User only have to remember to look for layout files.

EtherShare OPI is virtually unlimited in the amount of data or number of print queues. It incorporates a range of useful features for daily work, e.g. flexible image search paths, a color merging function or off-line printing with layout files only.

The EtherShare OPI server allows to fully resolve print jobs before they are sent to the printer. But normally it includes hi-res ../../images on the fly to save precious disk space and avoid unnecessary server I/O processing.

EtherShare OPI server is the proven de-facto standard for professional, heavy-duty image processing. It complies with the OPI standards, provides a smooth crossplatform server and integrates well with solutions from all major prepress vendors.





Features & Benefits

Performance

Runs on powerful Unix servers from Sun, IBM, HP , SGI, DG, ...

Utilizes EtherShare performance

No overhead between file/print server and OPI server (no polling)

Reliability

Handles largest output requests, up to gigabytes per print job

Supports most demanding storage needs with hundreds of gigabyte

Ease of Use

Fast server installation from CD

Administration within EtherShare

Automatic or programmed generation of layout files

Flexibility

Conforms to OPI specifications

Supports Apple Macintosh, Unix and DOS/Windows PCs

TIFF , EPS, DCS and ICS files

Arbitrary resolution for layout files

No restrictions on number, location or naming of OPI folders

Previews supported by Canto Cumulus image database





System Requirements

EtherShare OPI Server

Supported Prepress / Layout Workstations

Network





Installation, Administration and Configuration

OPI Server Installation

OPI Client Installation

There is no special Helios software for OPI clients.

OPI Server Administration





Product Highlights

Product Highlights

Complete crossplatform solution

EtherShare OPI 1.2 supports Apple Macintosh, DOS/Windows PCs and Unix-based layout workstations and offers true crossplatform functionality.

Tight Integration with Helios EtherShare

EtherShare OPI is well integrated into EtherShare file and print server. The EtherShare administration program is enhanced by a plug-in module to handle all OPI configuration. The EtherShare - and optional PCShare - file server automatically informs the OPI server about events in its volumes and directories so that proper actions can be taken.

Flexible Layout Files Generation

Every time image files on the server are created or changed by EtherShare or PCShare clients the proper layout files will be generated automatically and without any further user intervention. Of course any directory on the server can be tagged whether it should be used as OPI input folder at all. EtherShare OPI is not limited in number, location or naming of its input folders. Layout files are stored either in "layout" subdirectories under the original name - recommended for DOS/Windows PCs - or alternatively in the same directory with the file name extension ".lay".

Variable Resolution for Lo-res Files

EtherShare OPI creates layout TIFF files with any desired resolution up to original one. Adding "%n" to the OPI folder name tells OPI to produce a lo-res file with dots per inch, e.g. folder "../../images %72" for a folder with 72 dpi layouts or "project xmas %0" for one without any. "%0" also supresses generation of layouts for EPSF hi-res ../../images.

Image Search Paths

The OPI server looks for hi-res ../../images first on the location specified in the layout, then in the folders where the "layout" subdirectories or the ".lay" files reside and finally expands its search. It is possible, to define any number of additional directories where OPI should also look for hi-res originals. This is very useful when e.g. ../../images were already stored offline and are temporarily brought online for printing. If possible EtherShare OPI also keeps track of ../../images by means of so-called Macintosh file ids so that they are found properly even when a Macintosh user moved or renamed them.

Supported File Formats

Aldus defined OPI for TIFF. Quark enhanced it for EPSF and DCS. EtherShare OPI 1.2 works with OPI 1.2 creates TIFF layout files for hi-res TIFF ../../images , binary EPSF layouts for hi-res binary EPSF and optionally Macintosh or binary EPSF for hi-res Macintosh EPSF. It allows to set the color space of the layouts to RGB or CYMK for colored hi-res EPSF. It also recognizes and uses TIFF or Metafile previews in binary EPSF for the layout file if appropriate.

Color Proof Print

EtherShare OPI provides a color merging option, which blends separated CMYK printjobs into one composite job for color proof printers.

Offline Printing

EtherShare allows to print EPSF and DCS layout files in low resolution offline without access to the EtherShare OPI server with the hi-res originals.

Supported OPI comments

In contrast to sole EPS file inclusion which is commonly confused with OPI by other vendors Helios EtherShare OPI provides real OPI and TIFF according to Aldus OPI 1.2 specifications with Quark extensions for EPSF.

The user may modify the lo-res image by rotating, scaling or cutouts in rectangles, circles or even irregular shapes and the EtherShare OPI server will apply all these changes to the hi-res output.

Future Helios OPI will support %ALDImageResolution, %ALDImageColor as well as OPI 1.3.





Related Products

Helios EtherShare

EtherShare is a powerful file server, print spooler and AppleTalk Router for customers who don't need OPI at all or want to start small and invest with growing needs.

Helios PCShare

Helios PCShare provides highest performance crossplatform networking services for DOS and Windows PCs. It allows to share files and printers between Apple Macintosh, DOS/Windows PC and Unix. It is a perfect fit with OPI 1.2.

Outlook to future EtherShare OPI

A future version will comply Aldus OPI 1.3, support more formats (Scitex CT, DCS-2, Photoshop native) and incorporate a new OpenImage API.