New Interprocess Communication Methods Added for Windows Applications

New York (April 23, 1997) - Luminous Technology Corporation, a wholly-owend subsidiary of Imation Corp. (NYSE:IMN) today announced a new Software Development Kit (SDK) for the Luminous™ OPEN™ (Open Production ENvironment) software.

Slated for availability in second quarter 1997, the new OPEN SDK will include plug-in technology that gives third-party developers the ability to make 32-bit applications OPEN "Aware" using Microsoft® Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), Visual Basic, or Active X tools, or using Luminous plug-in technology.

With broadened support for 32-bit Microsoft Windows® development tools including Microsoft Windows NT® workstations and Windows NT servers, the new OPEN SDK expands the ways commercial software and corporate developers and systems integrators can link their solutions to the Luminous OPEN environment.

"The new SDK is an evolution of the OPEN production environment to support the growing adoption of Window NT in the publishing production industry," said Doug Rank, systems architect for Luminous Technology Corporation. "As part of being able to provide total digital workflow solutions, we want to continue providing flexible, extensible and scalable offerings to our customers. A comprehensive development kit will help our third party developers create products that address critical industry needs."

The new OPEN SDK will include example code for both OPEN plug-ins and OPEN applications along with a developer version of OPEN software to be used for engineering and testing.

The Application Program Interface (API) for OPEN plug-ins is based upon the same technology as the Luminous™ Color Central™ NT plug-in API, giving developers a common tool to write applications for both Color Central NT software and future versions of OPEN software using the same API.

The API provided in the OPEN SDK will give developers the ability to write three types of OPEN plus-ins specifically for the Windows NT operating system. Input and Output methods, similar to their counterparts on the Mac® OS, will extend the ways jobs are received into or exported from the OPEN system. A new Process Method plug-in will allow performance intensive tasks such as file downloading, archiving, preflighting or remote proofing to be loaded automatically into the middle of an OPEN software Pipeline, as opposed to manual placement by the user.

Additionally, OPEN developers will be able to incorporate any application that supports Visual Basic or Active X into an OPEN software automation Pipeline. New Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) forms will give developers a flexible, customizable method of presenting a configuration user interface for their applications inside the OPEN environment.

OPEN Aware applications are full applications that communicate with the OPEN environment through messages passed through platform-standard Interapplication Communication (IAC) mechanisms. For Windows NT, the new OPEN SDK provides full support for Microsoft's OLE and Component Object Model (COM) interprocess communications standards.

Two types of OPEN Aware applications can be developed. "Controlled Applications" receive commands from the OPEN system, execute those commands on a given electronic file, and communicate back to OPEN software with messages about a job's progress. "Managing Applications" monitor OPEN software for information about jobs being processed. Managing applications are particularly useful for third-party developers that make job tracking or billing systems by allowing them to easily monitor the OPEN system for necessary information.

The Luminous OPEN environment is a digital process automation system that provides an open production environment for integrating and automating many publishing tasks such as image conversion, print production or content delivery. Typically, these tasks are performed by users with individual, standalone applications. OPEN software integrates and automates these standalone tools into an efficient publishing production workflow.

For more information about the new OPEN Aware Software Development Kit, interested developers can contact Luminous through electronic mail to opendev@lumcorp.com, or fax Luminous at (206) 689-6701. For more information on Luminous products or Luminous Technology Corporation, customers should call (800) 685-6736. International customers should call (206) 689-6700. Luminous" Web site is www.luminous.com.

Luminous Technology Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imation Corp., a recent spin-off company from 3M. Based in Seattle, Wa., Luminous develops software products, services and technologies for the prepress, print production, and graphic arts industries that support the shift to digital prepress and printing, as well as to expand media production for business intranets and the World Wide Web. Luminous serves its customers from regional sales offices and distribution channels around the world.

Imation supplies a variety of products and services worldwide for the imaging and information industry. The company manufactures and markets digital and conventional color proofing systems, including the industry standard Matchprint™ color proofing system, imagesetting materials, printing plates, graphic arts films, carbonless paper products and chemistries to customers worldwide. The company generated revenues of approximately $2.3 billion in 1996. Imation employs approximately 9,400 people and is based in Oakdale, Minn.

Additional information about Imation is available on the company's Web site at www.imation.com, by calling Luminous toll-free at (888) 466-3456, or through the company's toll-free shareholder information line at (888) IMN-NYSE (466-6973).

Copyright 1996 Imation. All rights reserved.