

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
- Helios EtherShare 2.2 on one of the following Unix systems:
- SunSPARC Solaris 1, SunSPARC Solaris 2
- IBM RS/6000 AIX
- Hewlett-Packard 700 or 800 under HP-UX 9 with PA-RISC 1.1 or newer
- Silicon Graphics Irix 5
- Data General AViiON
- Digital MIPS Ultrix
- Motorola 88K SVR4
- Digital Alpha
- Appr. 6 MB additional hard disk space
- at least 16 MB RAM in total, 32 MB RAM recommended for better file caching; 2 MB RAM
for OPI processes; 1 MB per print device
- at least one activated network adapter; multiple adapters for load balancing recommended
Supported Prepress / Layout Workstations
- Any Apple Macintosh and any DOS/Windows PC
with an OPI aware desktop publishing application like XPress, PageMaker,
Freehand, Multi-Ad Creator etc. or with any application which supports EPSF OR DCS.
- Unix-based prepress applications like PageOne or FrameMaker can take advantage of Helios OPI.
Network
- High speed network like Ethernet or FDDI
- Multiple network segments for image processing, layout and output devices recommended
Installation, Administration and Configuration
OPI Server Installation
- Fast installation from CD-ROM with simple script (creation of an installation tape from the
CD-ROM is an option)
- Installation by experienced user feasible
OPI Client Installation
There is no special Helios software for OPI clients.
OPI Server Administration
- Helios OPI functionality is managed by a simple plug-in module to the standard EtherShare
administration program
- The standard EtherShare administration program works remotely from any Macintosh in the
AppleTalk network, even via modem & ARA
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
-TIFF: line-art, greyscale and CMYK Macintosh or PC files with optional LZW/Packbits compression
-EPS: line-art, greyscale, CMYK-DCS and ICS; RGB/CMYK for RGB/CMYK proof printers only
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.
-The following comments defined by Aldus are fully supported: %ALDImageFileName,
%ALDImageDimensions, %ALDImageCropRect,
%ALDImagePosition, %BeginSeparation,
%BeginObject and %EndObject
-The %ALDImageID and %ALDImageType comments are not used by OPI servers.
-The following extensions introduced by Quark are fully supported:
%QRKImageClip rectangle, %QRKImageClip polygon, %QRKImageClip general and %PlateColor.
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.