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How do I RIP an XPS file?
November 7, 2007
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Question: How do I RIP an XPS file that might be supplied by a customer? I’ve heard that the XPS file format is an option for some new RIPs, such as Harlequin, but don’t know how it will affect my workflow. For instance, I'm used to imposing projects on my Mac before sending them to the RIP - will this be possible with an XPS file?
Answer: XPS files may be looming on the horizon for many prepress departments. When they materialize, vendors who have implemented support for this new format will be charged with creating successful workflows. To find out more about how Global Graphics’ popular Harlequin RIP platform will be affected by XPS, I spoke with Martin Bailey, chief technology officer for Global Graphics.
Business as Usual, Even with XPS Input
“Version 8.0 of the Harlequin+ Server RIP includes native support for XPS, alongside native support for PDF 1.7 and PostScript LanguageLevel 3,” observed Bailey. “That means you can submit an XPS file to the RIP through any of the same channels that you'd use for PostScript or PDF and it will be processed in the same way. If you need color management, trapping etc, then the in-RIP functionality will work just fine with XPS, just as it does for PDF and PostScript.”
Still Some Missing Links in the Production Chain
So the Harlequin RIP is ready for XPS, but isn’t there more to prepress than that? I asked our expert if Global Graphics has been working with other vendors to help create a complete workflow for XPS. “As the question suggested, most jobs need imposing before output,” confirmed Global Graphics’ Bailey. “A number of imposition vendors have spoken to us about supporting XPS files in their products (sorry, all under NDA), but I don't know of any who have publicly announced that support in upcoming versions yet.”
Are you a software company serving the graphic arts industry that has added XPS support to your product line? If so, send a message my way, as we’ll be certain to revisit this topic at some point in a future blog.
Posted by Hal Hinderliter on November 7, 2007 | Comments (0)
