A computer architecture that integrates desktop productivity applications with various visualization engines and various output engines allowing visualization, modification and formatting of the ultimate output from the application. Methods for accomplishing content visualization, editing and formatting in light of one or more printing option are also provided. Methods and apparatus are also provided for environmentally-friendly printing in booklet form.
1. A method of printing one or more copies of an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising:
providing a processor configured for gathering content, merging content with printer capability information, automatically creating environmentally-friendly booklet impositions, and initiating print jobs, wherein said processor is operatively coupled with a display and at least one printer, and wherein said at least one printer includes a finisher;
displaying a graphical user interface on said display, wherein said graphical user interface includes tools for allowing a user to gather digital content;
gathering digital content with said processor in response to an instruction by said user;
separating pages of a gathered file of digital content and assigning each separate page of the gathered file into one of a plurality of meaningful groups of content based on:
the native file description or metadata associated with the gathered file; and
content contained within the gathered file including page breaks and at least one of a table of contents, section headings, or title headings;
for a print job imposing multiple pages of content onto a common physical print sheet, automatically determining to print multiple pages within a meaningful group on the same physical print sheet, and determining to print pages from distinct meaningful groups on different physical print sheets;
wherein the pages within a meaningful group are more closely related to each other than pages in different meaningful groups;
automatically gathering printer capabilities from said at least one printer by said processor;
merging gathered content and printer capabilities, thereby forming merged data;
presenting a user with at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option based on said merged data;
wherein selecting one of said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing options results in reduced paper consumption required to print each copy of the booklet;
automatically creating a printing imposition based on the selection of said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option;
receiving a printing instruction from said user via said graphical user interface to print said content according to said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option;
printing said content according to said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option on said at least one printer, wherein printing includes the steps of:
printing content on sheets according to said imposition;
collating printed pages according to said imposition;
folding collated pages using said finisher; and
outputting said environmentally-friendly booklet, thereby automatically reducing paper consumption.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of displaying a graphical user interface, gathering digital content, automatically gathering printer capabilities, merging gathered content and printer capabilities, presenting a user with at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option, automatically creating a printing imposition, receiving a printing instruction, and printing said content are performed in a dedicated publishing application.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of displaying a graphical user interface, gathering digital content, automatically gathering printer capabilities, merging gathered content and printer capabilities, presenting a user with at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option, automatically creating a printing imposition, receiving a printing instruction, and printing said content are performed in a host application by calling publishing module operatively coupled with said processor.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
displaying a virtual press run of said digital content on said display, said virtual press run comprising a what-you-see-is-what-you-get version of the digital content that takes into account said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option, any other selected print options, and said printer capabilities.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
configuring said processor to provide said user with tools for editing said virtual press run, wherein said editing results in real-time updating of said displayed virtual press run.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring said printer to perform duplex printing; and
configuring said finisher to perform post-printing actions selected from among a group of actions consisting of:
stapling;
hole-punching;
folding;
collating; and
binding,
wherein the step of automatically gathering printer capabilities includes gathering capabilities relating to duplex printing and post-printing capabilities.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring said printer to accept mixed paper stock, wherein the step of automatically gathering printer capabilities includes gathering capabilities relating to ability to print on mixed paper stock.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring said printer to accept mixed paper sizes, wherein the step of automatically gathering printer capabilities includes gathering capabilities relating to ability to print on mixed paper sizes.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of automatically creating a printing imposition comprises creating a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising once-folded sheets having two imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding, thereby defining booklet pages having a 1-up format.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of automatically creating a printing imposition comprises creating a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising once-folded sheets having four imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, wherein individual imposition tiles are substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining booklet pages having a 2-up format.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of automatically creating a printing imposition comprises creating a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising:
a once-folded first sheet for printing a front and back booklet cover, wherein the front side of the first sheet contains two imposition tiles substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding, thereby defining a front booklet cover and a back booklet cover having a 1-up format, and wherein the back side of the first sheet contains four imposition tiles substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining inner-booklet pages having a 2-up format; and
at least one additional sheet for printing inner-booklet pages, said at least one additional sheet comprises once-folded sheets having four imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, wherein individual imposition tiles are substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining inner-booklet pages having a 2-up format.
12. A system for printing one or more copies of an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising:
a client computer having a processor and a monitor, wherein the client computer is operatively coupled with at least one printer;
a publishing module operatively coupled to said process, wherein said publishing module is configured for gathering content, merging content with printer capability information, automatically creating environmentally-friendly booklet impositions, and initiating print jobs, wherein said processor is operatively coupled with a display and at least one printer, and wherein said at least one printer includes a finisher;
wherein said publishing module is further configured for separating pages of a gathered file of digital content and assigning each separate page of the gathered file into one of a plurality of meaningful groups of content based on:
the native file description or metadata associated with the gathered file; and
content contained within the gathered file including page breaks and at least one of a table of contents, section headings, or title headings;
for a print job imposing multiple pages of content onto a common physical print sheet, said publishing module configured for automatically determining to print multiple pages within a meaningful group on the same physical print sheet, and determining to print pages from distinct meaningful groups on different physical print sheets;
wherein the pages within a meaningful group are more closely related to each other than pages in different meaningful groups;
wherein said monitor displays a graphical user interface comprising tools for allowing a user to gather digital content, said tools including:
tools for gathering digital content with said processor in response to an instruction by said user;
tools for automatically gathering printer capabilities from said at least one printer by said processor;
tools for merging gathered content and printer capabilities, thereby forming merged data;
tools for presenting a user with at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option based on said merged data;
wherein selecting one of the at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing options results in reduced paper consumption required to print each copy of the booklet;
tools for automatically creating a printing imposition based on the selection of said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option;
tools for receiving a printing instruction from said user via said graphical user interface to print said content according to said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option; and
tools for printing said content according to said at least one environmentally-friendly booklet printing option on said at least one printer, wherein said at least one printer is configured for printing content on sheets according to said imposition, collating printed pages according to said imposition, folding collated pages using said finisher, and outputting an environmentally-friendly booklet, thereby automatically reducing paper consumption;
wherein said imposition includes one page of content displayed across an entire first sheet, a plurality of content pages together on a second sheet, and another page of content displayed across an entire third sheet.
13. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said publishing module implements its processing functions in a dedicated publishing application.
14. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said publishing module implements its processing functions in a host application.
15. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said at least one printer is configured to perform duplex printing; and wherein said finisher is configured to perform post-printing actions selected from among a group of actions consisting of:
stapling;
hole-punching;
folding;
collating; and
binding,
wherein the tool for automatically gathering printer capabilities includes tools for gathering capabilities relating to duplex printing and post-printing capabilities.
16. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said at least one printer is configured to accept mixed paper stock, wherein the tool for automatically gathering printer capabilities includes tools relating to ability to print on mixed paper stock.
17. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said at least one printer is configured to accept mixed paper sizes, wherein the tool for automatically gathering printer capabilities includes tools relating to ability to print on mixed paper sizes.
18. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said printing imposition comprises a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising once-folded sheets having two imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding, thereby defining booklet pages having a 1-up format.
19. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said printing imposition comprises a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising once-folded sheets having four imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, wherein individual imposition tiles are substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining booklet pages having a 2-up format.
20. The system for printing an environmentally-friendly booklet of claim 12 , wherein said printing imposition comprises a template for creating an environmentally-friendly booklet comprising:
a once-folded first sheet for printing a front and back booklet cover, wherein the front side of the first sheet contains two imposition tiles substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding, thereby defining a front booklet cover and a back booklet cover having a 1-up format, and wherein the back side of the first sheet contains four imposition tiles substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining inner-booklet pages having a 2-up format; and
at least one additional sheet for printing inner-booklet pages, said at least one additional sheet comprises once-folded sheets having four imposition tiles on both sides of said sheet, wherein individual imposition tiles are substantially, equidistantly separated by an axis of folding and an axis perpendicular to an axis of folding, thereby defining inner-booklet pages having a 2-up format.
21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method of claim 1 .