Are you aware that when creating PDF documents with VisionDP, you can name the file using variable information from the data file? One or more variable names can be embedded inside the file name, surrounded by the usual $$ and . symbols. These variables may come from your data file, or can be user defined, or maybe pre-defined system variables. For example: if the Output PDF file has: $$FName. $$LName. ID-$$EmployeeID..pdf specified, this may produce a file named: Timothy Allen ID-284612.pdf. Especially useful when creating many PDF documents by using the PDF Split mechanism.

Many times a date of the PDF creation is desired to be placed within the document file name. VisionDP provides system variables that contain current date information in various formats. While certain characters are not permitted in a file name, such as /, which prohibits the mm/dd/yyyy date format from being used in the file name, substituting a format of mm-dd-yyyy is an obvious solution, and would be accomplished with: $$D_MO.-$$D_DD.-$$D_YYYY.
defined within the file name. See your VisionDP User’s Guide for a list of all the system variables available.

The same goes for emailing the PDF, with the email To address (or any of the email fields: From, CC, BCC, Subject and Contents) allowed to be created using variable information. PDF Passwords? Yes. One of our clients created paycheck PDFs for their employees, with each PDF individually password protected with their employee number and last 4 digits of their Social Security Number.

Support for 1 and 2 dimensional barcodes are available in your VisionDP and Designer series of software. 2 dimensional barcodes: QRCodes, Intelligent Mail, DataMatrix, PDF417, MaxiCode and AZTec are created by a dynamic imaging method, while traditional 1 dimensional barcodes use the WASP barcode fonts included with your software. These fonts support Code 39, Code 128, Code 93, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN/JAN-8, EAN/JAN-13, LOGMARS, Codabar, MSI Plessey, and PostNet bar codes, with many of them in High, Medium or Low densities, as well as with or without captions.

Are these barcode fonts installed into Windows automatically?

No. If you have our VisionDP software, TrueType versions of the WASP fonts are located in your Fonts folder. Using Windows Explorer, select all the TrueType fonts in the Fonts folder that begin with a W, type Ctrl-C to copy, open the Windows\Fonts folder and type Ctrl-V to paste. If you have our Designer series of software, PostScript versions of the WASP fonts are located in your Fonts folder. Using Windows Explorer, select all the PostScript .PFM fonts that begins with a W, type Ctrl-C to copy, open the Windows\Fonts folder and type Ctrl-V to paste.

How can I determine which WASP barcode to use?

The name of each WASP font informs the type of barcode, with the final characters defining the density and if captions are available. Density is defined with L for low density, M for medium density, and H for high density. A caption is available if the final character is a C. Therefore LC, MC and HC are low, medium or high density barcodes with captions (shown below), and L, M and H are without captions.

Can I just place data onto the page and choose a WASP font to have a barcode?

Usually not. If you wish to generate a barcode from the raw value within your data, it must be “transformed” first so that the barcode displays properly. This means that the raw value must be given special characters that allow the barcode to display properly once the barcode font is applied. This can easily be done within Lytrod Software by creating a new variable that defines a “barcode transform” to be applied to the original data.

Create new VDP applications in minutes. A new template manager is available with pre-defined layouts for standard labels, postcards, letters and multi-page document layouts. To access these new templates, create a new form by clicking on the New Form button. There is an Import Template button at the bottom of the Form Layout menu.

Automatically:

• Creates a job and one or more pages
• Imports data
• Imports background images
• Defines multi-up, paper and cut-mark settings

Learn how to use this new feature!

How do you get this new Feature? Just update your software by going to the Help menu and clicking on Internet Software Update.

In a typical business office environment, it has long been thought that a faster computer for workers provided the most productivity improvement for the investment. With computers, on average, doubling in speed every 18 months, without increasing in cost, this has been a good investment for businesses to upgrade every few years. What about the human element? Can people be more productive using ever increasing computers? Of course it depends on what type of computing they do. Typical office use of computers (word processing, email, spreadsheets, presentation, etc.) sees little productivity gains with faster systems. With human difficulties arising from attempting to understand increasing amounts of information, a faster PC most often is not providing much help. The new thinking is that increased display size can have a greater impact of understanding large amounts of information. This can be from either multiple displays, or from a single larger monitor. Studies have shown that people typically can remember 5 to 9 bits of information in their short-term memories at a time. Increased information on screen provides for more information to be readily available, together with their short term memory, for easier analysis of more complex data. Smaller displays require more effort and time for “window management”, scrolling/moving of information around from hidden windows.

Recently, Lytrod Software purchased 27″ and 24″ monitors for all of their employees. With my new large monitor, I am a witness to this increased productivity, and I’m confident that everyone else would agree. Just not having to find and put on my reading glasses several times/day on my old 20″ CRT monitor is saving me considerable time, not to mention all of those electrons that I was being bombarded with. With the cost of these large monitors so low, it made sense for this company wide upgrade.

Here are some common questions I’ve recently been asked by several clients:

1. Can I print Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) forms on monochrome printers?
   

   If you need your bubble forms to be scanned using an OMR specific scanner, then the answer to this question is No. OMR, or “bubble forms” as they are commonly called, are printed in color so that when they are filled in with a #2 pencil, the scanner can detect the carbon content of the lead pencil and respond to the selection without the black toner causing interference. If you do not need your forms processed through this type of scanner, then printing them on a monochrome printer is fine.
   

   
   

   This will scan                                                This will not
   

2. When I try to print my application that contains Intelligent Mail Barcodes using the 2D barcode method to a VI Compose (VIPP) printer, the error “OffendingCommand: USPS4CB” occurs. What is wrong?
   

   Xerox enhanced the FreeFlow VI Interpreter to support Intelligent Mail Barcodes (originally called USPS 4-State Customer barcode) in version FreeFlow VI 6. Any prior version would produce this error. Contact your Xerox support analyst to upgrade your VI Compose software to the latest version 11. If you also sample print to PDF using Adobe Distiller, upgrade the VI Compose software on your PC to the latest version.
   

3. I’m having trouble using the Internet Software Update mechanism to update my software to the latest version. How can I solve this?
   

   In most cases, firewalls on your PC/network are preventing the software from retrieving the updated files over the Internet. Call our support at: 707-422-9221, or email: support@lytrod.com. Once we verify your maintenance level, we can provide you with a FTP site where you can download a zip file of an installation of the latest version of your software. Unzipping this file and running the installation will update your software without changing any of your user files.
   

People seem obsessed with Time. It’s shown on our walls, our night stands, our buildings, our wrists, phones, automobiles, televisions, thermostats, sprinkler systems, microwaves, ovens, computers, and even our printers measure time. With Daylight Savings time approaching soon, I will have to set aside a significant amount of time to change all of the clocks that I own. For those countries still practicing Daylight Savings Time, or called Summer Time in some parts of the world, does it seem worthwhile for all of this effort. With the original intent to save energy by allowing a longer evening, thereby lessening usage of incandescent lights, this savings might not have much effect with this type of lighting becoming discouraged and even outlawed in places.

Recently, advanced Time and Date functions were recently added into our VisionDP VDP design software. Times and Dates may be added, subtracted, compared and formatted in any way desired. As I described in the preceding paragraph, with Time being so important to us, we must be able to manipulate it. If you would like to request our White Paper on our implementation of Time/Date functions to our VisionDP software, we would gladly provide it.

On February 8^th, VisionDP 2.0D Build 8 was released. This includes the first release for VisionDP Automate, a new tier for VisionDP with a fully automated Variable Information platform supporting PDF/PostScript printing through a Process Queue Manager, with hot-folder, versioning, email client, booklet imposition, and more! For more information: http://www.lytrod.com/products/VisionDP_Automate.php.

With Build 8, two major enhancements were added to the VisionDP product line:

1. Date and Time Functions
   Full support for industry standard date and time manipulations provide abilities to determine dates, times, account for international formats, and control how this information is displayed.
   

   The Lytrod Software Design Center recently utilized the new date and time functions when setting up an application for a client with operations in the US, UK and Australia. Since the US has a different date layout (dd/mm/yyyy) than the UK and Australia (mm/dd/yyyy); to avoid confusion a format containing the three character month name was used. A date and time stamp was embedded in the PDF file name for each split PDF along with the customer job number making reprints and file look-up much easier; regardless of the country of origin.
   

2. Print PDF to Print
   This new option enables the printing of the composed PDF document directly from VisionDP using any print driver defined on your system. This allows for duplexing, tray and output bin definition, paper orientation, paper size, print quality, copy count, document scaling and many other print settings. By using PDF splitting, which can be controlled in a variety of ways, a wide range of print flexibility can be achieved .
   

All clients currently under maintenance can download this new build using VisionDP’s Internet Software Update mechanism. Interested in automating your variable PDF workflow? Call or email to get more information on VisionDP/Automate!

sales@lytrod.com

1(800)-4LYTROD

http://lytrod.com/products/VisionDP_Automate.php

Beginning January 28^th, the use of Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB, also known as 4 State Customer Barcode (4-CB)) will be required for postal automation discounts. What does this mean for you? If you are still using POSTNET barcodes on mailing pieces, you will no longer be eligible for postal discounts. But you’re in luck! When your mailing applications are created in Lytrod Software products, for instance Proform Designer or VisionDP, variable IMB (meaning the information is generated from a data base) can easily be created without the use of special fonts or external barcode creation software.

About Intelligent Mail Barcodes

A 65-bar code sequence made of 4 types of vertical bars: (1) full bar, (2) top 2/3^rd bar, (3) bottom 2/3^rd bar and (4) a middle 1/3^rd bar, which is why the original name of 4 State Customer barcode was used.

Information used to make these 65 bars come from:

• tracking-code of 20 digits (provided by the Post Office), in the following format:
  
  • 2 digit Identifier
    
  • 3 digit Service Type
    
  • 6 digit Mailer Identifier
    
  • 9 digit Serial
    
• zip-code, which can be undefined, 5, 9 or 11 digits.
  

It is common to have these two fields in your data file as one 31 digit field, with the Tracking-Code the first 20 digits and the Zip-code the final 11 digits. If your Tracking-Code is separate from the Zip-Code, this case can be easily handled as well.

To create an Intelligent Mail Barcode in Lytrod Software:

1. Type the static Tracking-Code where the IMB is to be placed on the form, OR drop the data field containing the Tracking-Code information onto the form.
   
2. With this item selected, right click and select Format to open the Properties menu.
   
3. Select 2D Barcodes tab to access the barcode settings.
   
4. From the Type drop-down, select Intelligent Mail Barcode, and from the Routing Code drop-down, select your data field that contains the Zip-Code information.
   
5. If the Tracking-Code is the 31 digit version that also has the Zip-Code in the last 11 digits, click on “Routing-Code is last 11 digits of Tracking-Code”, instead of defining the Routing-Code field.
   
6. Click OK to accept the defined settings and the IMB will appear on your form.

LCDS – “Line Conditioned Data Streams” refer to the printing methods that Xerox developed in the early years of electronic printing, almost 35 years ago. An extremely efficient means of printing at the time, up to 135 monochrome forms plus variable data pages/minute. As printer technology improved, many organizations that had a large investment in this workflow continued to use it with their newer hardware. Below are five reasons for migrating and modernizing these print jobs.

• Improve the quality of your forms by using higher quality fonts and images. The maximum resolution for LCDS fonts, images and logos is 300 dpi, which can’t match current print hardware supporting 600, 1200, or higher dots per inch resolution. These resources may be in any industry standard format, so a significant reduction in cost will occur.
  
• Improve the look of your forms by adding modern design styles, modern typefaces, or even colorize your print. Modernization is nearly impossible by staying with a LCDS workflow as it is unable to support these document improvements. Modernizing your workflow allows you to move beyond the limitations of a LCDS workflow freeing you from the efforts required in the past.
  
• LCDS supports data formatted in a print ready (e.g. line-mode) format, created by programmers who may no longer be around or with software few know how to use. Switching to modern and common data formats eliminates the difficult stage of producing and maintaining data for your Legacy print applications.
  
• Save on printing costs.  Legacy workflows are increasing in cost for printer maintenance and support as knowledgeable support people and software are becoming scarce.  You may save significant money by looking into using modern software tools.
  
• Cut your ties to a single printer manufacturer. Change to a PDF workflow and print / distribute the document anywhere and to any device. Add on-line view / archival / search abilities, supported by modern software tools.
  

Software such as the Proform Designer, or VisionDP, from Lytrod Software can make the Migration seamless in most cases, with its support for LCDS form, font, image and logo resource files. Modernization is an ongoing process that can be accomplished as the need arises. There are many paths to migrate your workflow, but Lytrod Software enables both the Migration and Modernization tasks with its software tools.

For more information visit: http://www.lytrod.com/solutions/migrate_modernize.php

Find a list of common support questions with answers below:

1. Am I currently subscribed for technical support for my Lytrod software?
   

   If you click on Help > Internet Software Update before you have any files open and it says: Software maintenance has expired, then you currently do not have an active subscription.
   

    

2. How can I design a multi-up postcard application?
   

   There are many videos on our YouTube channel that describe step by step how to use common design features, such as multi-up. There is a link to our YouTube channel on our homepage: www.lytrod.com.
   

    

3. Can I call Lytrod support staff to help me with creating my application?
   

   The Lytrod Software support line/email is to help the user solve specific problems with their software, although it is not training. There are many ways to find helpful information to assist in your application creation such as User Guides, Help Files, and YouTube tutorials – each giving step by step instructions on how to set up simple to complex aspects of your job. Our design department can be contracted to bid on your more difficult or time critical applications.
   

    

4. If the Lytrod support staff requests my application to look at, how should I send it?
   

   With your application open (either with an open PFJ project, or the form (FSL or DTD)), click on File > Send Files To > Archive… You can click on the Save button to use the default name, or define your own .zip file name. By default, this zip file will be placed in the Archive folder. Email this file to support@lytrod.com and provide your name, company, the Lytrod software product that you use and a brief explanation of your problem(s) with the application.
   

    

5. Some of my PDFs are not supported when imported in my Lytrod software. How can I use them as images? Our software currently supports PDF Version 1.4 (Acrobat 5.x). Use Adobe Acrobat to convert the PDF to a TIFF, JPEG or PNG image. Open the PDF, click on File > Save As… and set the Save as type to: JPEG (*.jpg,*.jpeg,*.jpe), or TIFF (*.tif,*.tiff) or PNG (*.png). Click the Save button to convert your PDF document to separate image files for each page in your PDF.