Variable Data Printing Glossary

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Variable Data Printing Glossary

VDP Glossary

Authoring tool A software application used to create text or images, or to define layouts for documents.

Bitmap graphic A format for describing graphics that uses a collection of tiny dots, called “pixels,” that together form a pattern. “Raster” graphics is another name for bitmap graphics.

Component  In VDP, an element such as text, graphic, or photograph that is printed on a page.

Copy fitting Fitting a block of copy into the space allotted for it in a document. Also called “text fitting.”

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Both a strategy and a set of technologies for coordinating all points of contact between a business and customers. Encompasses sales, marketing, customer service, field support, and other functions.

Data mining Searching large volumes of data for information relevant to a specific purpose, for instance, looking for customers of a certain age group interested in buying luxury cars among a database of all car buyers.

Direct mail Mail, usually advertising, marketing, and promotional in nature, which is sent directly to the recipient.

EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) A standard file format using the PostScript language for importing and exporting graphics and formatted text. Many page layout, word-processing, and illustration applications can create (export) and use (import) EPS files.

Imposition Grouping and arranging pages for efficient printing on larger sheets of paper, taking into account the need to cut and bind the pages after printing.

IPDS (Intelligent Printer Data Streams) Invented by IBM, this is a language used to identify, monitor, and control the functions of certain kinds of printers used in mainframe environments.

PS (PostScript) A page-description language invented by Adobe that is used for describing the text and graphics in documents.

Metacode A language that describes text and graphics understood by many Xerox printers.

Overset A print situation in which the type does not fit in the space allotted for it in a page layout.

PCL (Printer Control Language) Invented by Hewlett-Packard Company for its printers, PCL is a page-description language.

PDF (Portable Document Format) A file format invented by Adobe Systems to describe text and graphics in documents.

PDL (Page Description Language) A computer language that describes a page for printing. Printers and RIPs understand page-description languages. Examples include AFP (invented by IBM), PCL (invented by Hewlett-Packard), PDF (invented by Adobe), and PostScript (also invented by Adobe).

Personalization Making a document personal; customizing a document by using text and images that appeal to an individual consumer.

Plug-in A software module that “plugs in” to an application and adds features to the application.

PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language) An XML-based language for variable data printing. Developed by PODi, PPML makes variable-data jobs print faster by allowing a printer to store text elements and graphic elements and re-use them as needed. PPML is a non-vendor specific language and is therefore considered to be an open industry standard.

Realizable page PODi’s term for an 8.5” x 11” (or A4) single-sided page.

RIP (Raster Image Processor) A device or software program that converts page-description language code to a format understood by the print engine so it can print pages.

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) A graphics language based on XML that includes instructions for drawing a graphic by designating coordinates and drawing lines or geometric shapes in relation to the coordinates.

Transactional printing Printing records of transactions, usually records of economic activities between a customer and a business.

Variable Data Printing (VDP) Digital technology that links print engines to databases that contain the content for printed documents in order to print page that vary in content.

Vector graphic A format for describing graphics through instructions for drawing the graphic by designating coordinates and drawing lines or geometric shapes in relation to the coordinates. Vector graphics can be scaled—that is, enlarged or shrunk—because the instructions for drawing them remain the same.

VIPP (Variable data Intelligent PostScript Printware) VIPP, invented by Xerox, is a page-description language (PDL) designed especially for printing variable data documents.

VPS (Variable Print Specification) A VDP language from Creo.

XML (Extensible Markup Language) A programming language developed by the World Wide Web Consortium that allows Web developers to create customized tags that organize and deliver content more efficiently. It contains a set of rules for building other markup languages.

 

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