• Integration - HP SmartStream Designer

Users of HP's SmartStream Designer (sometimes referred to as "the InDesign Plugin") for variable data processing may publish their templates in a Pressero storefront.  You can learn more about the SmartStream Designer by clicking here.  This integration allows HP customers to maintain their investments already made in SmartStream Designer templates as well as use advanced features such as Mosaic or Imposition.
 
The integration is handled by an application that runs separately from Pressero.  This application is written and maintained by Aleyant, with the guidance and support from HP technical staff.  To gain access to this application, please contact the Aleyant support team.  Please note that in most cases there are additional licensing requirements to use it.
 
  1. Login to the integration application at http://hpcomposer.aleyant.com with your login and email provided by the Aleyant support team.
  2. To create a new template, click the "Create Template" button.
  3. Provide a name for the template, and select the .hpd file that you created using SmartStream Designer.  (To create the .hpd file, go to "SmartStream Designer" --> "Pack Job" in the SmartStream designer menu.  Be sure to check the "Include Fast Template" option.)  Click the "Create" button.
  4. On the Template Info tab:If your template supports imposition and you want the final production file to use imposition.
  5. On the Fields tab: A list of all of the fields in the template is shown.  You may mark if any are required, and what default values should be used.  Be sure to click "Save Fields" when done.
  6. On the Pricing tab: Note that HP Designer templates currently do not use the Pressero pricing engines.  You need to define pricing from this integration application.  Click the "Add New" button to enter quantity ranges, along with the per piece price and the per piece weight.  Your pricing engine must define pricing starting with a quantity of 1.
  7. In the upper right is a drop down box labeled "Actions".  Choose test to try out the template and make sure it is working correctly.
  8. When you are confident that the template is working correctly, click the "Templates" navigation item at the top of the page.  Next to the template you are working, click the "Actions" drop down box and select "Copy Frame URL".  Select the URL shown in the pop-up and copy it.
  9. In the Pressero admin, edit the product on the site that you want to associate with this template.
  10. Click the "Use Open Frame" check box, paste the URL you copied in into the "Open Frame URL" field, and save the product.
  11. Login as a user to the storefront to test the capability.
We highly recommend you view the joint webinar that Aleyant and HP held on this integration as it has a lot more helpful information than is shown here.  You can find it in the Aleyant Educational and Training Webinar Library.
 
Limitations:
  • "Fast Mode" means that features specific to the InDesign or Illustrator engine, such as text-on-a-curve, rich text, or drop shadows, are not supported.  Click here to see the full list of limitations.  The "PDF-Fast" column lists capabilities that are compatible with Fast Mode.
  • HP recommends that templates being merged with a database file should be limited to depending on the type of template.  Simple templates with text only may support as many as 10,000 records.  Advanced templates with images and mosaic support should be limited to 2000 records or less.