What Is Variable Printing?

Variable printing is printing which replaces a portion of the printing area such as characters and images, for each printing. Applications include the printing of employee ID cards where the name, department, and photograph differ; tickets with consecutive numbers, and postcard addressee information.

In order to perform variable printing, you will need the following files:
  • Background data
  • Data file for specifying the text or images to print
  • Image files if you want to print images.
As an example, this section introduces how to create employee ID cards using a flatbed printer.
MEMO You can also use illustration software for Creating Templates with Illustration Software, but this requires tasks such as setting the layout and preparing barcodes in advance.

1. Creating a Template in VersaWorks

Create a template in VersaWorks that specifies the variable field.
AreaTemplate
ABackground image: Image data of company logo, design, etc.

Data should be created in advance. (Supported file types: .png, .jpeg, .tiff, .eps, .pdf, .ps)

BVariable field: Specify the position of the headshot.

Type: Image, Area name: Photo

CVariable field: Specify the position of the department name.

Type: Text, Area name: Department

DVariable field: Specify the position of the name.

Type: Text, Area name: Name

EVariable field: Specify the position of the employee number.

Type: Barcode, Area name: Barcode

Procedure
  1. From the menu bar, click Edit - Variable Data Template Management.
  2. Click > to the right of Variable Data Field Template.
    The Variable Data Field Template Management window appears.
  3. Click VW7-ICON_CreateLibrary.
  4. Enter the template name and click OK.
    The Variable Data Field Template Settings [*] window appears.
  5. Set the background image.
    1. Click Import Image.
    2. Select the background image created in advance and click OK.
      The selected background image will be displayed on the Variable Data Field Template Settings [*] screen.
  6. Set the variable field.
    1. Click VW7-ICON_Plus.
      The Create New Data window appears.
    2. Enter the name of the variable field for the headshot.
      Enter Photo here.
    3. Click OK.
      A frame with the area name appears on the preview screen.
    4. Select Image for Type.
    5. Drag the frame with the area name for rough placement.
    6. Register and arrange the area name and type for Department, Name, and Barcode in the same way.
    7. Click OK.
      The created template will be added to the Variable Data Field Template Management screen.
  7. Click < Back.

2. Adding the Template to the Job List

Procedure
  1. From the menu bar, click Edit - Variable Data Template Management.
  2. Click > to the right of Export Template.
  3. Select the area template to output from those where Variable Data Field Template is Attributes.
  4. Specify the Printer Nickname and Target Queue.
  5. Click OK.
    The Variable Data Field Template will be added to the specified Queue.

3. Creating a Data File and Importing to VersaWorks

Prepare an image file for printing to a variable field. Export the variable field data created with the variable field template as a data file, edit the data using spreadsheet software, and then import it. You can also edit the data file in VersaWorks without exporting/importing.Creating, Editing, and Exporting a Data File

Figure 1. Data file
DataBase-Sample
Figure 2. Image file
Photos-Sample
Procedure
  1. Open the Settings screen for the job added in 2. Adding the Template to the Job List.
    • Double-click the job to set.
    • Right-click the job to set, and then click Edit Design - Settings.
    • With a job selected, click VW7_JobMenu1 on the left side of the job tool area, and then click VW7_Customize.
  2. Click VW7_VariablePrint Variable Data.
  3. Click VW7-ICON_SavetoFile.
    The Save As screen appears.
  4. Enter the desired name.
    The saved file formats are the following: CSV file (comma-delimited) (.csv), Text file (tab-delimited) (.txt), Text file (space-delimited) (.prn), or XML file (.xml). The method of selecting the file format varies depending on the OS.
    • Windows: Select a saved file format from the File Type list.
    • Mac: The selected file format is included in the file name.
  5. Save the employee name image files to the desired folder.
    Save image files in file formats that can be directly opened in VersaWorks (TIFF (LZW-compressed or uncompressed), EPS, JPEG, PDF, PostScript, or PNG).
  6. Open and edit the saved data file.

    This is an example of editing a CSV file.

    The variable field names are already entered in the first row. Enter the characters listed (B), the absolute path (C) of the image files that were saved in Step 5, and the employee number (D) in each variable field, and save.

    DataBase-Edit
  7. Click VW7_VariablePrintFile in the screen shown in Step 3.
    The window for selecting the file appears.
  8. Select the edited/saved data file and click Open.
    The edited content is reflected in VersaWorks.
  9. Click on the blank row "1" and click VW7-ICON_DustBox.
    Blank rows are deleted.
Next, configure the variable printing settings.

4. Configuring the Variable Printing Settings

Configure the size, color, font, etc. of the variable fields.
Procedure
  1. Select the field to be configured.
    • When applying the same settings to all data
      Select the first row (the field name) in the list. The settings will be applied to all the data.
      VW7_VariablePrint1
    • When applying the settings only to specific data
      Select the cell to configure.
      VW7_VariablePrint2
    MEMO

    The selected column or cell is displayed in the layout area with a border line and field name.

    VW7_VariableDataSelect
  2. Set the details of Text.
    • Font

      Selects the font type.

    • FontSize

      Sets the font size.

    • Tracking

      Sets the spacing between two characters. Set this to 100 to make the spacing one-character wide.

    • Auto Sizing

      Select this checkbox to automatically adjust the font size to fit the text in the variable field when the text is larger than the variable field.

    • Alignment

      Sets the alignment of the text in the variable field.

    • Rotate

      Rotates the text in the variable field in units of 90 degrees.

    • Mirror

      Horizontally mirrors the text in the variable field.

    • Opacity

      Sets the opacity of the entire variable field. Set this to 0% to make the target transparent.

    • Draw on White Background

      Select this checkbox to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.

    • Effect

      VW7_Italic: Italic, VW7_Bold: Bold, VW7_UnderLine: Underline, VW7_Shadow: Shadow, VW7_Nakanuki: Outline can be set.

    • Offset

      When VW7_Shadow (shadow) is selected in Effect: Sets the shadow offset widths as percentages.

      MEMO
      Figure 3. Example: Offset: 10% (blue shadow)
      DepartmentSample
    • Stroke

      When VW7_Nakanuki (outline) is selected in Effect: Sets the stroke widths of outlines in points.

      MEMO
      Figure 4. Example: Stroke width: 1 pt (red outline)
      NameSample
    • Color
      Set the text (1), shadow (2), outline (3) and variable field color (4).

      Click the square to display the Color Settings window.

      Select RGB, CMYK, or Transparent for ColorSpace. White can be specified for character and variable field colors. When RGB or CMYK is selected, use the slider bar or enter the value to set each color value.

    • Field Special Color Plate Generation

      To generate spot color plates for an area, select Print Area, Outside Print Area, or Entire Area for Generated Pattern, and set Density.

  3. Set the details of Image.
    • Fit
      Sets whether to fit the image in the variable field. Set one of the following for the original image (1).
      • None (2): Places the original image without resizing.
      • Fit to Fields (3): Changes the size of the image to fit in the variable field. The horizontal to vertical ratio is not maintained.
      • Fit proportionally (4): Changes the size of the image proportionally to fit either in the height or width of the variable field.
    • Alignment

      Selects the alignment of the image in the variable field.

    • Rotate

      Rotates the image in the variable field in units of 90 degrees.

    • Mirror

      Horizontally mirrors the image in the variable field.

    • Opacity

      Sets the opacity of the image. Set this to 0% to make the target transparent.

    • Draw on White Background

      Select this checkbox to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.

    • Color

      Sets the background color inside the variable field.

      Select RGB, CMYK, Transparent, or White for ColorSpace. When RGB or CMYK is selected, use the slider bar or enter the value to set each color value.

    • Field Special Color Plate Generation

      To generate spot color plates for an area, select Print Area, Outside Print Area, or Entire Area for Generated Pattern, and set Density.

  4. Set the details of Barcode.
    • Code Type

      Select the barcode type from EAN-13, UPC-A, or QR Code.

    • Rotate

      Rotates the barcode in the variable field in units of 90 degrees.

    • Mirror

      Horizontally mirrors the barcode in the variable field.

    • Error Correction Level

      Select the correction level to ensure the 2D code can be read correctly even if part of the code is dirty or missing. The percentage of missing data that can be recovered increases in the order of L, M, Q, and H, but the data size also increases.

    • Field Special Color Plate Generation

      To generate spot color plates for an area, select Print Area, Outside Print Area, or Entire Area for Generated Pattern, and set Density.

  5. As necessary, adjust the size and position of the variable field.
    1. Select the field to change.
      • Applying the same changes to all data

        Select the first row (the field name) in the list. The changes are applied to all data.

      • Changing only specific data

        Select the cell to change.

    2. Change the field.
      • Changing with Field Settings

        Use X and Y to change the field position. Specifically, set the distance between the top left corner of the job and the top left corner of the variable field.

        Use W and H to set the variable field size.

      • Changing in the layout area

        Move the pointer to the selected area, then drag to move it. Move the pointer to the square on the frame of the selected area, and drag the square to adjust the size of the variable field.

      MEMO
      • To undo or redo operations, use VW7-ICON_return or VW7-ICON_redo (respectively).
      • Click Reset with a variable field selected to revert any changes made to the field (to its size or position) to the original settings.
      • When Show All Variable Data Fields is selected, the border lines and variable names for all set variable fields are displayed in the layout area.
      • The data's cell color changes if the attribute setting differs from that of the other data.
  6. Configure other Settings as necessary.
    Example
    • Layout - Print Properties - Orientation
    • Cut Controls - Cutting Options - Cut Image Boundaries - Normal Cut
Next, set the layout.

5. Setting the Layout for Variable Printing

In this example, the layout is set to arrange and print employee ID cards on a flatbed printer.
VDPLayoutNamecard
Procedure
  1. Click VW7-ICON_Layout Layout.
  2. Set the layout for the employee ID cards.
    • Position: X and Y

      The job is moved by the specified offset in relation to the job list layout area window's upper left corner (lower right of set up media).

    • Print Properties: Tile Spacing

      Specify the spacing between cards. Select from Equal X and Y Spacing, Separate X and Y Spacing, or Grid Spacing. When using a jig, specify the spacing according to the jig.

  3. Click OK.
    The configured layout is reflected in the preview area of the main screen.

6. Performing Printing

Follow the procedure below to start variable printing.
Procedure
  1. Select the job from the job list.
  2. Perform printing.

    Processing by the RIP and printing are performed.