User Manual

Structure of the Editors

Updated on

In this article, you will learn

  • how Editors are structured within $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW,
  • how functions are grouped and arranged.

1. Introduction

Editors are used at various points within $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW. They are applied whenever graphical objects or variable data need to be created within a process, or when curves must be adjusted in input dialogs.

Using an Impose Editor as an example, the fundamental functionality of Editors is illustrated. This includes available areas, their structural layout, and the basic functions that are typically used within Editors.

2. Editors Overview

Editors are standalone applications that are integrated into the user interface. They are used directly within an application, without the need to switch to a separate program.

Implementing Editors as independent applications supports a modular system architecture. This allows Editors with identical core functionality to be used across different applications or, if required, operated independently. This enables flexible usage and ensures consistent functionality across multiple areas of an application. Within $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW, Editors are used in the following areas:

  • Print Item Editor – for analyzing print data, adjusting PageBoxes, reading and modifying barcodes, merging individual One-Ups and Print Items.
  • Impose Editor – for the Print Item Impose of on one or multiple print sheets.
  • VDP Editor – for placing variable elements such as images, text, graphics, color patches, barcodes, and QR codes.    
  • Die Cut Editor – for creating One-Ups and N-Ups.

3. Example "Impose Editor"

To explain the basics of the user interface and operation of the available Editors, Impose Editor is used as an example. To open Impose Editor, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the menu item Production Job from the menu bar.
  2. Open a Production Job from the list.
  3. On the overview page, switch to the tab Impose [1].
  4. Select the desired Impose Mode. For this description, Nesting [2] Mode is used.

Figure 1: Content of an Impose tab in a Production Job

To improve the understanding of the following descriptions, the basic terms used within an Impose Editor needs to be explained first:

  • Impose Sheet – describes the area that is ultimately rendered by the RIP or exported as a PDF. In some cases, an Impose may consist of multiple Impose Sheets.
  • Artboard – describes an area of an Impose Sheet where the Print Items are placed. Arrangement of the Print Items within the Artboard is defined by the selected strategy.
  • Marks – marks are used to define the trimming area for cutting devices. Marks can be applied multiple times for each origin – Impose Sheet, Artboard, Bounding Area, Imposed Objects, and per Print Item.
  • Margin – both Impose and Artwork can include margins to define boundaries for the placement of Print Items.

3.1. Areas in Editors

User interface of the Editors, or in this example an Impose Editor, is structured into six areas (including the File Manager, which is not available in the other Editors). These areas are displayed differently depending on their usage:

  • Menu Bar (magenta area) [3] – provides the menu commands – Impose, Save and Close – which are required for working with an Impose Editor.
  • File Manager (yellow area) [4] – allows uploading print data and searching for Articles and Print Items within the areas Article, Order and Production Job in order to add selected Print Items to an imposition. The File Manager is only available in an Impose Editor.
  • Toolbar (red area) [5] – provides tools for editing an Impose. Available tools differ significantly from those in other Editors.
  • Workspace | Impose Area (green area) [6] – displays an imposition area where the actual imposition is created.
  • Settings Area (blue area) [7] – provides all settings and functions required for configuring an Impose – grouped into five tabs General, Artboard, Print Items, Marks and Finishing. In this area, users select desired Impose Mode, define an Impose Template (rule set description), and configure an Impose Sheet. In addition, effective size of an Impose Sheet, total area and degree of utilization (between printed and non-printed areas) information is displayed.

Figure 2: User interface of an Impose Editor

3.1.1. Workspace

Every Editor provides at least one workspace. Within this workspace, objects are analyzed, positioned, created, and modified. Depending on a specific context, workspace may have different names and can vary between Editors. Please also note that, in certain situations, multiple workspaces may be available simultaneously.

In the case of the Impose Editor, the workspace is referred to as the Impose Area. The Impose Area consists of three components:

  • Impose Sheet [8] defines the dimensions that are ultimately used for an Impose and will be rendered in the final output.
  • The area surrounding the Impose Sheet [9] serves as an additional storage area. Any objects located in this area are not included in the output.
  • Rulers [10] frame the Impose Sheet on the left and top. You can show or hide rulers using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R (Windows) or Cmd + R (macOS).

Change Display

If the margin indicator is not visible even though a margin has been defined, you need to enable [R] icon in the Display dialog [11]. In this dialog, additional display settings can also be adjusted. For more information, refer to the article Impose in General.

Figure 3: The Impose Area of the Impose Editor

3.1.2. Toolbar

The tools available in an Editor are grouped in the toolbar (red | Figure 2). Depending on the Editor, the toolbar may contain a different number of different tools.

In an Impose Editor, the toolbar is located on the left side of the workspace. Depending on the selected Impose Mode, there is varying number of tools available. In an Impose Mode "Nesting", six tools are currently available:

  • Object Creation Tool [12] – used in the Manual Impose Mode to select individual Print Items on the Impose Sheet in order to resize, enlarge, move, or simply select them. Click on an empty area of an Impose Sheet to deselect any selected objects.
  • Measure Tool (M) [13] – can be used to measure distances within the Impose Sheet.
  • Hand Tool (G) [14] – used to move the displayed section within the Impose Editor.
  • Zoom Tool (Z) [15] – used to zoom in or out of the displayed area. Zooming in or out can also be performed using keyboard shortcuts.
  • Fit to Width (W) [16] – used to adjust the view to fit the width of the Impose Sheet horizontally.
  • Fit to Height (H) [17] – used to adjust the view to fit the height of the Impose Sheet vertically.

Figure 4: Nesting Impose Mode toolbar

3.1.3. Menu Bar

Settings, additional functions, or dropdown lists within an Editor are provided in the menu bar. Available functions depend on the specific context of an Editor.

  • Impose > New – creates a new Impose.
  • Impose > Open – opens an existing Production Job in the Impose Editor, allowing the current Impose to be modified.
  • Impose > Save as – saves the current Impose as a new Production Job.
  • Save – saves the changes made to the Impose within the current Production Job.
  • Close – closes the current Impose. If there are unsaved changes, you will be prompted to either discard them or save the current Impose in a Production Job.
  • Display – contains options for displaying various frames (e. g., ImageBox, ImageBox + Bleed, Margins) as well as for improving display quality.
  • Zoom – allows you to adjust the zoom level (zoom in or zoom out) of the view.
  • Information – displays existing warnings and errors in a dialog. Additional information includes, among other things, the number of copies to be printed and the number of Print Items placed on the Impose Sheet. Files required for the Impose include: imposed output PDF, Impose XML description, and a preview file of an Impose.

3.1.4. Settings Area

If an Editor provides configurable settings, these are available in tabs on the right-hand side. The content is organized into grouped settings sections.

Five tabs are available on the right-hand side of an Impose Editor:

  • General [18] – this tab defines the core parameters for an Impose, including Plate Templates, Sheet Templates, Impose Mode and Impose Templates as well as size of an Impose Sheet. These settings form the basis for calculating the Impose.
  • Artboard [19] – this tab provides layout and placement parameters for an Artboard, which are organized thematically into individual settings sections.
  • Print Items [20] – this tab displays all Print Items currently included in the Production Job. Print Items can be managed in terms of rotation, scaling, and number of copies. Depending on the selected Impose Mode, Print Items can be selected, reordered, edited, rotated, replaced, added, or removed from an imposition.
  • Marks [21] – this tab provides auxiliary objects that can be used across different Imposes. These include, among others, Print Marks, Labels (Captions), Lines, Grommets, and the Sheet ID. These elements are used to add information, define cutting edges, and uniquely identify printed Sheets.
  • Finishing [22] – this tab provides functions for downstream finishing processes, in particular for the automatic creation of Cut Paths and their transfer to a selected Cutter Device. Both cut path parameters and device-specific settings – such as Substrate, Registration Marks, and Barcodes – can be defined and adjusted if needed.

Figure 5: All available tabs of an Impose Editor with an Artboard tab selected

3.1.5. Display Area

In the display area – depending on the selected Editor or Workspace – most important information is displayed or made available as display options to enable a quick response to undesirable results.

In an Impose Editor, display area [11] (Figure 3) is available within the Editor view. The following information and options are provided:

  • Display Quality – when working with an Impose Editor, it is often helpful to visualize specific areas of the Impose or the Print Item. To display a specific area, select the corresponding letter.
    The following areas can be displayed:
    • IB – displays an ImageBox (view format) in green for each individual Print Item.
    • IB + B – displays an ImageBox + Bleed (production format including bleed area) in blue for each individual Print Item.
    • R – displays all margins in cyan for both an Impose Sheet as well as for an Artboard.
    • Z – displays an Artboard located on an Impose area in red.
    • M – displays an Impose Sheet area in gray.
    • V – displays Print Items including preview images. If this option is disabled, only placeholders with the Print Item sequence number from the Print Items tab are shown.
  • Tiling Collections – show a tiling overview with separate Articles per Tile.
  • PageBoxes of the Impose – displays the PageBoxes generated in the PDF file for an Impose PDF. This information is important when an Impose PDF is used as input for a subsequent Impose. The following PageBoxes can be displayed – shown as dashed outlines:
    • TB – TrimBox – Green
    • BB – BleedBox – Blue
    • MB – MediaBox – Black

Article Update: $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW 2.0.0 – 04/2026

Previous Article User Interface Elements
Next Article Header Bar Features

User Interface Elements

User Interface – An Introduction 5

Other Resources