The Preps Ganging software creates ganged layouts of different-sized pages to optimize press sheet usage. You can use Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy or as stand-alone software.
Using Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy has these benefits:
- Users can view the same resources (templates, marks, profiles, and printers) on all client computers.
- Prinergy can automatically import the imposition file after you print it to JDF in Preps Ganging.
Using stand-alone Preps Ganging, you must manually import the imposition into Prinergy after you print it to JDF or PJTF.
Licenses
To use Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy, for best results, use Preps 6.0 or later. Preps 5 and earlier are no longer tested or supported.
To use stand-alone Preps Ganging, you need a Preps Pro license.
To import the ganged layout (populated PJTF or JDF) into Prinergy, you need an Import Populated Job Ticket license in Prinergy.
Using Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy
Before you can use Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy, you must set the Preps Ganging software location for Prinergy. After the Preps Ganging location is set, you can perform the following tasks:
- Create a Preps Ganging layout (integrated with Prinergy)
- Edit a Preps Ganging layout (integrated with Prinergy)
Note: When using Preps Ganging integrated with Prinergy, printing to JDF is preferred. Printing to JDF preserves the ability to edit your imposition in Preps after it has been imported into Prinergy.
Tip: If you run Preps Pro 5.3.2 or later on a Mac, you can use the AutoGang feature to configure Preps Ganging and Prinergy to automatically create a ganged job. See the topic about automating creation of a ganged job.
Using stand-alone Preps Ganging
If you want to use stand-alone Preps Ganging, you create a populated or unpopulated PJTF or JDF imposition file in Preps Ganging, and then import the file into your Prinergy job. If you are creating an unpopulated layout file, you use placeholders in Preps Ganging.
Note: If you create a populated layout file in Preps Ganging and the imposed PDF files are on the Prinergy server, (and for Mac computers, if your shares are mounted as SMB), Prinergy automatically adds your PDF files to the Input Files list when you import the PJTF or JDF into your Prinergy job.
Tip: Using Rules-Based Automation, you can create a rule to refine pages when input files are added.