Lytrod Software takes pride in the quality, accessibility and friendliness of the service provided by our Support Department staff. So do our customers, based on the fact that the majority of them renew their support contracts year after year. Customer Technical Support provides three benefits: Phone and Email Support, which is available Monday through Friday from 7:30AM to 4:30PM (PST) and Automatic Software Updates.

Phone Support

Your phone call will be answered by a real person during business hours. No frustrating automated systems to get through. Not only that but over 95% of the time you will immediately be given to a support specialist. Your problem can then be assessed; almost all problems are solved within 4 hours of initial contact.

Email Support

Email is the most common method our customers use for contacting us with support issues. Email allows you to provide additional information, be it screen shots, the results of Windows7′s Problem Steps Recorder, or an archive of your application that is not producing the results that you desire. If you are located in time zones other than the West Coast of the USA, it gives you the ability to have your support issue be one of the first to be assessed at the start of our support specialist’s day.

Software Updates

Lytrod Software’s Designer Suite and VisionDP products have a mechanism that checks for any available updates to your software at program startup and/or whenever a user requests an update. We also maintain an ftp site that allows a full installation of your software to be downloaded in the event your Internet firewalls prevent the automatic update mechanism from working.

We are continually updating our software with new capabilities, help files and documentation. For instance when Xerox updates their VI Compose (VIPP) software (approximately twice a year) Lytrod’s Designers will support many of VIPP’s new abilities within a couple of months of Xerox’s release. In turn, your PC is automatically updated via the update service. Another example is a command-line interface to our VisionDP software that will soon be implemented and the updated software will be provided to all users whom are under a maintenance contract.

Lytrod Software’s continued goal is to provide the best technical support in the print industry.

The Support department is available Monday through Friday from 7:30AM to 4:30PM (PST)

• http://lytrod.com/services/technical_support.php
• 707-422-9221
• support@lytrod.com

Now available: Lytrod Software has added a new VisionDP playlist to our YouTube page! This new playlist contains 1-2 minute tutorial videos that demonstrate various capabilities within VisionDP. Each short video will show you, start-to-finish, steps on how to do things like: Import a background design for viewing and print, multi-up you application, apply Clear Dry Ink designs, create business card QR Codes, create conditional text blocks, and much more!

Browse the playlist to get ideas on new features that would be useful in your application design process, or search specifically on subjects of interest. Either way, these short videos are sure to give you a little more insight on how easy VisionDP is to use: Design, drop data on your form, and create your variable PDF! It’s that easy!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL053FDFA0AA12F2A4&feature=plcp

Spring is in the air, and for our corporate offices here in Northern California, that means great sunny weather! Living in California, you can’t help but be conscious about eco-friendly processes and alternatives when it comes to business practices. “Green” attitudes are everywhere and we are reminded of ways to save money while also saving the environment – whether it’s using cloth grocery bags, or recycling all those soda and energy drink cans that pile up during those long days at the office. But how could this be applied to the variable data print industry?

What about cutting costs when it comes to proof-print runs? Variable data printing is quite a bit more complex than printing standard static forms. Variable pages NEED to be proofed before an entire print run is sent, and on top of that, multiple pages may need to be proofed – not just one. Due to the variance of form design possibilities, varying text box sizes, variable images/signatures of different sizes… the possibilities for formatting issues are endless. VisionDP eliminates the need to send an actual file to the printer to be proofed for design errors. With VisionDP, the PDF output allows you to view your entire variable print run before it is sent to the printer. And of course, digital archive of the PDF allows for accurate and record specific reprints, minimizing wasteful reprint issues.

For more information on how you can improve your variable data print process using VisionDP, visit http://lytrod.com/products/VisionDP.php or email sales@lytrod.com.

An accurate description of specific events and keystrokes in the order they occur is vital for Lytrod Software’s Technical Support staff to be able to reproduce, understand and assist you with any problem that you may have. However, sometimes it’s not that easy to relay the issue that you are having to technical support. That is where the Problem Steps Recorder comes in.

The Problem Steps Recorder tool in Windows 7 is a simple and cool screen capture utility that grabs screenshots whenever a mouse movement or click is made and documents all the data into a zipped MHTML report page that can be sent directly to the Lytrod technical support staff. Every step of the user’s actions is logged complete with a screenshot with the item highlighted, and it even allows the user to provide text commentary on specific details.

To launch the Problem Steps Recorder, just go to the Windows’ START button and type PSR.exe in the search box, type Enter and you’re off and running.

To watch a video to see how easy it is to use:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd320286

When you first open the Build 78 release of Designer, you may notice that the VIPP name is no more. Everywhere you look, from drop-downs menus, buttons in dialog boxes, as well as dialog box titles, this familiar name has been changed to align with Xerox’s renaming of its products in the FreeFlow Suite.

Although the naming remains somewhat similar, name changes may cause a bit of confusion. Here is the breakdown of the old-to-new names (as of Xerox’s launch of FreeFlow v.10) for all references to FreeFlow products in the Designer menus.

How does this affect the Designer interface?

The most obvious change will be anywhere that you used to see “VIPP” you will now see “VI Compose.” References to the other FreeFlow product names have also be changed. In some instances we have included the acronyms, in parenthesis, often used for the old FreeFlow product names to help you identify the products. With the longer names come larger buttons, which in some cases forced a redesign to the look of the dialog box.

For example:

Please contact the Lytrod Software support department by email at support@lytrod.com or phone (707)-422-9921 if you have any questions about these changes.

Lytrod Software introduces a simple Variable Data Printing (VDP) workflow that is great for any customer with any printer, whether it is production or office!

VisionDP is a standalone variable document design tool and composition engine for all of your VDP applications – from personalized to transactional. VisionDP creates optimized PDF in record time, without the need for a third party composition engine. Based on Lytrod Software’s award winning Designer platform, which supports the most extensive VI composition language in the industry, but it doesn’t end there. In addition to design and composition, VisionDP includes document workflow features from data driven “lights out” composition, to PDF splitting and job deployment (archive, email, print).

1. Start off by using VisionDP to Design your variable document, from a simple personalized letter to a complex conditionally rule-based multi-up application and everything in between. VisionDP’s easy to use GUI allows you to “drag-and-drop” static and variable elements onto your form with a few clicks of the mouse.
2. Once your design and data formatting is complete, create your variable document by selecting the “Create PDF Job” button and choosing the data and PDF specifications.
3. In record time, your variable PDF document will be created and will be ready for print, archive, or email!

For more information on this new product, visit http://lytrod.com/products/VisionDP.php or email sales@lytrod.com

Once you have installed Lytrod Software onto your Windows 7 or Vista PC, you need to change settings in the Lytrod Software icon that the installation placed on your desk top. This change is necessary so that your PC recognizes that the program requires to be run as an Administrator, and in Windows XP compatibility mode.  

Right click on the Proform Designer icon (or DeskTop Designer, Office Designer, GraphicArts VI Designer, or VisionDP) and select Properties. A dialog box will appear (see example below). Click on the Compatibility tab; In the Compatibility mode area, click on the checkbox for “Run this program in compatibility mode for:”, and select Windows XP (Service Pack 3) in the drop-down. In the Privilege Level area, click on the checkbox “Run this program as an administrator”. Close this dialog by clicking on OK, and your software will be properly configured for Windows.  

Enabling LPR on Windows7 64 bit version  

The Windows LPR tool, which copies files to printers, is not enabled to be run with some software in the 64 bit version of Windows7.  

LPR is used by the Designer software for two purposes:  

• By clicking on the LPR… button on the job tree, Designer uses LPR to download a data file to a VIPP queue on the FreeFlow Server.
• Submitting a VIPP application to FreeFlow VI PDF Originator (now called FreeFlow VI eCompose) is done through the use of LPR.

While LPR can always be run from a DOS prompt, to use this tool from within 32 bit software, like Designer, requires some changes to Windows7. The Lytrod Software Support team found that by copying a few files to a different location within the Windows folder, the LPR tool seemed to function properly. While this method worked for our Support team, it is not something that is endorsed by MicroSoft, and may not work in the future. It consists of copying the lpr.exe, lprhelp.dll and lprmonui.dll files from C:\Windows\System32 to C:\Windows\SysWOW64. Another solution would be to exchange your 64 bit Windows7 for the 32 bit version.  

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions: support@lytrod.com.

Lytrod Software is known for powerful template based variable design software. Our customers have been asking for not just design, but composition as well.  After extensive development, Lytrod Software announces a PDF composition engine like no other. Over 25 years in the forms and variable document design industry come together with the announcement of…VisionDP!

VisionDP is a standalone variable document design tool and composition engine for all of your Variable Data Printing (VDP) applications – from personalized to transactional. VisionDP creates optimized PDF in record time, without the need for a third party composition engine. VisionDP is based on Lytrod Software’s award winning Designer platform, which supports the most extensive VI composition language in the industry, but it doesn’t end there.  In addition to design and composition, VisionDP includes document workflow features from data driven “lights out” composition, to PDF splitting and job deployment (archive, email, print).

Let’s Get Started! To get you going, Lytrod is offering VisionDP QuickStart50 for $995. You can create as many design projects and pre-flight (watermarked) PDFs as you like.  When you’re ready for production, QuickStart50 provides output for up to 50,000 records. Or purchase a full license with unlimited record processing for $3,330.

For more information on how VisionDP can improve and simplify your PDF workflow, contact sales@lytrod.com

To recieve your very own personalized VDP idea cards each month, sign up here! http://lytrod.com/publications/backtobasics/onlineorder/

Barcodes are everywhere.  Used in product packaging, transportation documents, medical forms, document management, etc., their usage has come a long way since the first barcode was developed over 60 years ago.  A typical usage of them is placing a PostNet barcode containing the postal zip-code below the mailing address on a business letter. When using Lytrod Software, there is no need to purchase extra software to produce Barcodes, saving on additional costs and processing time.  

Two easy steps are used to define and implement a barcode into the design of your form using Lytrod Designer software:

1. Define a Variable Field that contains the data that is to be printed as a barcode and choose the appropriate barcode transform type (2of5, Code39, Code128, PostNet, UPCA, EAN8, etc.).
2. Place the variable onto the page and choose the appropriate barcode font and size.

It’s that simple!

For Example: If a field in your data is called ZipCode, define a new variable using this ZipCode field and apply the PostNet transform to it.  Place this new variable at the desired location on the form; choose a PostNet font (Designer provides the WASP POSTNET font) and a size of 10 points.

Follow the same steps to apply a Code39, Code128, EAN, 2 of 5 or UPC-A barcode.  The only difference is choosing the appropriate transform from the drop down menu.

Are you effectively using ALL of the capabilities in your Lytrod Software Designer?  Make sure your print shop is getting more of the VDP pie!  Often our customer’s purchase our products with a specific application in mind, for example personalized letters. What about your transactional print? How are your company reports and invoicing being created?  How are you handling the changing postal requirements such as variable Intelligent Mail barcodes? What about e-Fulfillment?  You need business graphs? QR Codes?  Did you know you can do all of this and more without altering your data workflow!

Whether you need variable information put on a business letter, variable graphs based on customer information placed on billing documents, variable QR codes embedded with event saving information on your Event announcements, to anything else you could possibly think of that has VARIABLE information, Lytrod Software is the right tool for you.

Learn how to grow your business with Lytrod Software’s VDP Application Kit. You can download the Application Overview Booklet −− chock full of VDP ideas, tips and tricks, design hints and video links. Contact us at sales@lytrod.com to schedule a webinar workshop and receive your own application kit so you can get your piece of the VDP pie!