Editors for Marks, Color Control Bars and Ink Pickup Bars
Basically, a difference is made in marks between achromatic and color marks. Achromatic marks are created with the "Marks Editor". There are separate editors for the color marks. The mark types that can be selected vary according to the editor that you invoke.
The editors have a similar structure and differ only in the settings required for a specific mark type. The basic structure of the various Marks Editors is summarized below.
"Group Name"
Displays the assigned group (folder) of the mark. You cannot edit the group name.
"Mark Name"
Displays the name of the mark. The name appears after the mark is saved to the resources. You can edit the name.
Displays the mark name in conjunction with the PPF name (alias name).
Displays the mark type; list box for setting whether the mark is a "Register Mark", "Plate Control Mark", "Scavenger Mark", "Klebrand Code Mark" or "Pull Lay". Depending on which Marks Editor was started, "Color Control Mark" and/or "Ink Pickup Mark" also are available as types. The mark type you set is saved for finishing.
The two mark types, Ink Pickup Mark and Plate Control Mark, are designed for handling spot colors. More details can be found in Allow Spot Colors to BCMY.
The "PullLay" and "PullLay (fix position)" standard marks are now predefined as a new mark, "Pull Lay". This is necessary to identify a pull lay mark and to qualify it for transfer to the press.
"Hotspot"
A scheme or plate template has reference points. These are magnetic alignment spots that help to position the marks correctly. The hotspot of the mark snaps accurately into position above this spot. You must define the correct position of the hotspot within the mark.
If you enabled "Grid" in the graphic area, you will see that the grid has a violet hotspot.
The hotspot indicates text alignment for marks that were created with the Text Marks Editor.
"Marks Layer"
Displays the layer on which the mark is positioned; list box for setting marks to a layer, possible options: Undefined (Automatic is used), Foreground, Background.
This option lets you assign a number of background colors (max. 24) to the mark. The background of the mark is colored in the background colors selected in "Job Inspector > Colors". The background colored corresponds to the size of the clip path of the mark.
Prerequisite: The "Background Colors" column must be enabled in "File > Preferences > User Interface".
There may be issues if you have non-white printing material because DIPCO color control bars are always set to knockout.
•"Number of Additional Fields": You can define the number of color patches that will project beyond the subject if you have color control marks with AutoClip to subject.
There are cases where certain marks shall appear in the proof or on the printing plate only. This can be, for example, a company logo only to appear in the proof, or an ink pickup bar to be imaged on the printing plate only. Since this is usually known as early as when the mark is defined, this setting will be made in the general section of the Mark Editors
You are offered the following three options in the list:
•"Proof and printing plate": Marks will be printed in the proof and also on the printing plate
•"Proof only": The mark is printed in the proof only (without effect for direct output)
•"Printing plate only": The mark is output on the printing plate only
Assessment of the mark output is done solely in the Prinect Prepress Manager. For this reason, the above function only applies to the Prinect workflow.
Note: The "Proof only" output is of no effect for direct output. Marks handling for direct output remains unaffected!
Display and setting of the ink coverage of a color mark for proofing. You can reduce the ink coverage of color marks, for example, to save ink when proofing.
The following requirements must be met to output marks with less ink:
•The "Proof > Print Proof Marks with Less Ink" option must be enabled in the output parameter set for the job output.
•The ink coverage of a set mark in the job must be less than 100%.
The mark can be proofed with less ink if these three requirements are met. Plate output is not affected by the reduction of ink.
•"Color": Displays the separation on which the mark is positioned; list box for defining the marks on separations.
Automatic functions