Using slugs in a corrugated job

Creating a slug

When slugs are selected, they appear in orange. When not selected, they appear in the color of the separation they are on. Each slug appears with a number to identify it (slug ID). After it is created, the slug is added to the list of slugs on the Slugs tab of the Inventory palette.

1. From the Inventory palette, clear the check boxes next to the separations that do not contain data that you want to include in the slug.
   Or, clear all separations except for one, create the slug, and then select each of the other separations to see where the data is common. Then, on the Slugs tab, select the slug, right-click it, and select Apply To the relevant separations.
2. Click the Rectangular Marquee  tool, then, in the display window, drag the mouse pointer over the area that you want to include in the slug and release the mouse button.
   • To resize the area of the slug, click the Select  tool and drag one of the slug's sizing handles.
   • To move the slug, click the Select tool, hold the left mouse button inside the slug rectangle, and then drag the pointer to the new location.
   • To change the slug's zoom level so that the slug fills the entire display window, right-click the slug and select Zoom-Fit Selection.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each slug that you want to create.
4. (Optional) To prevent media wastage, you can minimize the slug area around the image. To do so:
1. On the Inventory palette, on the Slugs tab, select the slug or slugs.
2. Right-click your selection and select Auto-Fit Slug.
   Use the Auto-fit margin preference to define the size of the margin around the data when you use the Auto-Fit Slug option.

Adding registration marks to a specific slug

You can add registration marks to a slug or slugs as soon as you create the slug. The marks are placed on the left and right sides of the slug (in the midpoint of the auto-fit margin, if there is such a margin) and are centered vertically.

1. Select the slug or slugs by clicking the Select  tool and then clicking the slug or slugs in the display window (or by dragging the pointer around the slug/s that you want to select).
2. In the display window, right-click one of the selected slugs, and select Add Registration Marks. 

Alternate method:

From the Inventory palette, on the Slugs tab, select the slugs to which you want to add registration marks, right-click them, and select Add Registration Marks.

Applying slugs to another separation

1. Select the slugs by clicking the Select  tool and then clicking the slugs in the display window (or by dragging the pointer around the slug/s that you want to select).

2. In the display window, right-click one of the selected slugs, select Apply to, and then select the separation to which you want to add the slugs.

Alternate method:

1. From the Inventory palette, on the Slugs tab, select the slugs that you want to apply to another separation, right-click them, and select Apply to.
2. Select the separation to which you want to add the slugs.

Merging slugs

You may want to merge slugs and then check the Cost tab of the Inventory palette to see whether merging the slugs lowers or raises the cost of the corrugated job. The total cost before you merged the slugs is displayed in parenthesis on the right of the current total cost.

1. Select the slugs by clicking the Select  tool and then clicking the slugs in the display window (or by dragging the pointer around the slug/s that you want to select).

2. In the display window, right-click one of the selected slugs, select Merge Slugs.

Alternate method:

1. From the Inventory palette, on the Slugs tab, select the slugs that you want to apply to merge.
2. Right-click the selected slugs, and select Merge Slugs.

Saving the slugs for a corrugated job

After you finish creating the slugs for your job, you can arrange the slugs on a layout for output. You can also save each of the slugs as a TIFF file in a folder of your choice, and arrange them on a layout at a later time.

1. From the File menu, select Output.
2. In the Select Output Slugs Folder dialog box, browse to the location where you want to save the slugs, and click Select.

Arranging slugs on a layout

When you finish creating all of the slugs for the corrugated job, you arrange (compact) the slugs on a layout and output the layout.

• From the Modify menu, select Switch to Layout. The slugs are arranged on a layout (defined according to the parameters of the default layout preset) as close to one another as possible (to minimize the area of the plate).

Copying the slugs to an open layout

1. In the display window of Job Planning mode, select the slug or slugs that you want to copy to the layout.
2. From the Edit menu, select Copy.
3. In the display window of the layout, from the Edit menu, select Paste.
   The slug or slugs are added to the Unassigned Files list.
4. From the Inventory palette, drag the slug or slugs from the Unassigned Files box to the layout window.
5. To arrange slugs automatically, see Arranging files on a layout automatically. 

Deleting a slug

1. Select the slug by clicking the Select  tool and then clicking the slug in the display window.
2. In the display window, right-click the selected slug, and select Remove. 

Alternate method:

1. From the Inventory palette, on the Slugs tab, select the slugs that you want to delete.
2. Click .