March 2009

The technical content in this guide has not

changed since version 5.6 of the product.
All references to "5.6" in this guide also
apply to 5.7.

bc

Adobe Output Designer

Version 5.7

Getting Started

Getting Started
Edition 2.1, March 2009
2009 Adobe Systems Incorporated
All rights reserved.
As of April 12, 2002, Accelio Corporation (formerly JetForm Corporation) was purchased by Adobe Systems Incorporated. As of that
date, any reference to JetForm or Accelio shall be deemed to refer to Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Technical information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
The Spelling portion of this product is based on Proximity
Linguistic Technology
THE PROXIMITY/Merriam-Webster Inc. LINGUIBASE
Copyright 1983, 1990
Merriam-Webster Inc.
Copyright 1983, 1990 All Rights Reserved
Proximity Technology Inc.
Portions 19951999 Access Softek, Inc. All rights reserved.
The use and copying of this product are subject to a license agreement. Any other use is prohibited. No part of this publication may
be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form by any means without
the prior written consent of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of the vendor. Any reference to company names, persons, or data in this documentation is
for demonstration purposes only and is not intended to refer to any actual organization, person, or data.
Adobe Systems Incorporated does not warrant that Adobe Output Designer will function properly in every hardware/software
environment.

Trademarks
Adobe is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States
and/or other countries.
All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark holders.

Contents
1

Introduction....................................................................................................... 4
Whats in This Guide? .......................................................................................................4
About Output Designer ......................................................................................................4
Integrating Output Designer into Your Solution...........................................................5
Central ..................................................................................................................5
Web Output Pak ...................................................................................................6
Key Features of Output Designer ......................................................................................6
Related Documentation .....................................................................................................9

Installing the Software ................................................................................... 10

Installation Considerations .............................................................................................. 10
Installing Output Designer ............................................................................................... 11
Modifying Your Installation .............................................................................................. 12
Upgrading an Evaluation Copy........................................................................................ 13
Running PAC Set Utility ............................................................................................ 13
Uninstalling Output Designer........................................................................................... 13

Index ................................................................................................................ 14

Introduction
Welcome to Adobe and thank you for selecting Adobe Output Designer.
Output Designer is a graphical design and development tool for creating template designs that
play an integral role in the automation of your business processes. Output Designer is very
powerful, yet flexible and easy to use.
At Adobe, we incorporate the latest advances in technology into our products to provide you
with the best possible solutions to your business needs.

WHATS IN THIS GUIDE?

This guide is designed to introduce you to Output Designer, and help you get your software
installed. It provides:

An overview of Output Designer.

An introduction to how Output Designer integrates with other Adobe products.

A description of the key features of the software.

Information about additional reference materials that can assist you with using Output
Designer.

Complete instructions for installing and configuring your system.

ABOUT OUTPUT DESIGNER

Organizations require solutions that enable them to deliver document output, from a single
system, in a variety of formats for delivery via multiple channels including mail, e-mail, fax, and
the Web.
With an effective document output solution, an organization can also offer its customers flexible
alternatives for receiving information. An organization can automatically send information to its
customers, and at the same time, its customers can actively seek out up-to-the-minute
information.
Output Designer gives you the ability to create the templates that form the basis of your
document output solutions. Each template contains the basic structure for presenting the
requested information, including data presentment fields, company logos, and other layout
elements. When merged with data, the template enables you to:

Specify exactly what data each customer receives.

Present the information in a layout that flexes to the amount of data and that is consistent
with the organizations standards.

Present the output in a variety of ways be it on paper, via e-mail or fax, as PDF, or viewable
online through a standard browser.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Introduction

Output Designer enables you to create professional looking templates for the most simple
business function or the most complex, without complex programming.
As you construct a template design, you see exactly how template elements such as text, fields,
lines, boxes, and logos will appear on the selected presentment target. You can build your
template design for one presentment target, or multiple.

Integrating Output Designer into Your Solution

Output Designer is one of the development tools that Adobe provides to enable you to develop
an effective solution for automating your business processes. The templates you create in
Output Designer do not function in isolation, but rather are part of broader end-to-end solution.
These templates form the presentation mechanism that you will use with Adobe Central Output
Server (Central) or Adobe Web Output Pak.

Central
Central is a server-based application that takes application data and merges it with an
electronic template. You create the electronic templates using Output Designer.
Central can accept input from different sources and deliver output simultaneously to a variety of
presentment targets including print, fax, e-mail, PDF, or HTML for viewing with a Web browser.
Using Output Designer, you can create output templates for use with any of these supported
presentment targets. This enables you to create and generate sophisticated output templates
from your line-of-business applications, while at the same time meeting the document output
challenges of a hybrid paper-electronic world.
Integrating Output Designer with Central

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Introduction

Web Output Pak

Web Output Pak is a tool that enables you to develop document output applications in a Web
environment. A Web Output Pak application accepts a request for information, processes that
request, and then merges the requested data with an output template. The application presents
the merged data and output template in HTML or PDF format in a standard Web browser.
Output Designer gives you the means to create the templates that enable PDF output on the
Web. Once you have designed and compiled your template in Output Designer, it is ready to
integrate into a Web Output Pak application. You can also use Output Designer to create
templates that form the starting point for an HTML output template. You complete these HTML
templates in an HTML authoring tool of your choice.
Integrating Output Designer with Web Output Pak

KEY FEATURES OF OUTPUT DESIGNER

Output Designer is a powerful design and development tool that is very easy to use and
completely flexible. It offers a familiar working environment and a customizable workspace.
Here are some of the key features in Output Designer that help you design sophisticated
templates for multiple presentment targets. As you develop electronic templates with Output
Designer, you will continually uncover many of its other features, enabling you to meet each
new and challenging requirement.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Introduction

Graphics Tools
Output Designer provides a standard easy-to-use set of graphics tools for adding a variety of
graphical objects to your template design, including lines, boxes, circles, and images. You can
control all aspects of these objects including the shading, line shape and width, and color.
Output Designer supports the most popular graphic formats for logos. You can also add
barcodes, available in a number of industry-standard formats.

Text Tools
Output Designer enables you to include different types of text in your template. Once you have
added text to your template design, you can reposition it and edit it. You can use the text
formatting features to change such attributes as the justification, style effects, indenting, and
font type. Set default font attributes for text for your entire template design.
You can also rotate and shade text if your printer supports these options. To ensure accuracy,
the program includes a spell-checking feature.

Field Tools
Output templates contain field objects that display data. Output Designer supports a range of
data field types. These field types include text, numeric, graphic, radio button, and check boxes.
You can customize each field type to properly accommodate the type of data you need to
present.
In addition, you can use the table tool to accommodate multiple repeating fields, such as those
that you would find in a purchase order or invoice.
Tooltips for each field enable you to see exactly what type of field you have selected and its
attributes.

Object Grouping
With Output Designer, you can group any number of objects on your template. Whats better,
you can add, remove, and modify objects in the group without having to ungroup it first. This
greatly facilitates the development of template designs.

Dynamic Templates
Output Designer includes a powerful dynamic template feature that enables the look and feel of
each template to intelligently accommodate different amounts of data. With dynamic templates,
you can also create personalized customer documents. A customer message section can
appear or disappear, based on whether there is a message to print, allowing each customer to
receive individual, personalized messages.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Introduction

Multipart Templates
If youre designing templates for Central, you can take advantage of the multipart template
feature in Output Designer. Multipart templates enable you to present information in a multiple
part document. Each part of the output document can be printed on a different printer. One data
stream can output several different documents, such as printing of an invoice, shipping
documents, and a credit/debit memo simultaneously. You can design templates that support the
printing requirements of individual offices, without having to change the business application.

Multiple Presentment Targets

Output Designer allows you to design one template for multiple presentment targets. By
merging a single template with data, you can direct the output to print, fax, e-mail, PDF, or
HTML.

Test Presentment
The Test Presentment feature allows you to test the output of your template design while still in
development. Using this tool, you can see if data is properly merging with your template. You
also have the ability to first transform data if required, and then see its presentment. You can
use existing data, or create sample data on the fly.

Job Ticketing
Output Designer has built-in support for job tickets, a feature of Xerox DocuPrint and DocuTech
printers that lets users take advantage of a wide range of printing and finishing options. Using
Output Designer, you can create a template and associate it with a job ticket.

The Template Object Library

You can store template objects or entire templates in the Template Object Library. Using the
Template Object Library, template designers within an organization can easily incorporate
commonly used objects into their template designs. A batch compile process makes modifying
template designs and objects simple. You can categorize your templates and control different
versions. The Template Object Library also gives you the ability to create reports containing
information about such things as the templates and objects in the library, associated users, and
presentment targets.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Introduction

RELATED DOCUMENTATION
Output Designer provides you with a complete documentation set to assist you with the creation
of templates for use with Central or Web Output Pak. The documentation includes Help, as well
as guides in PDF format.
In addition to the Output Designer documentation, you will find the documentation that
accompanies both Central and Web Output Pak extremely useful. Here you will find information
about:

How these applications use the templates created in Output Designer.

Requirements of the different Central and Web Output Pak output Agents for processing the
templates.

What you need to do to integrate the template into the overall solution or custom application.

The documentation for Output Designer is installed with the Output Designer software. You can
access all the documentation from the Help menu. The documentation for Central and Web
Output Pak is installed with each of those products.
To Find Information About...

We Recommend You Read...

Designing, compiling, and

deploying templates

Developing Templates, a reference guide that

accompanies Output Designer. You can access this
guide from inside Output Designer by clicking Help >
View Documentation.

The specific features of Output

Designer and how to use them

Output Designer Help. You can access this from

inside Output Designer by clicking Help > Help Topics.

The Template Object Library

Template Object Library Help. You can access this from

inside the Template Object Library by clicking Help >
Template Object Library Help.

Creating PDF and HTML

templates for integration with
Web Output Pak

The documentation that accompanies Web Output Pak,

especially these guides, which are in PDF format:

Developing Applications

HTML Agent Reference

PDF Agent Reference

Web Output Pak also includes a program called the

Field Editor, which you can use to modify templates for
use with Web Output Pak. For detailed information
about this application, refer to:

Creating templates for integration

with Central

Field Editor Help

The documentation suite that accompanies Central.

Installing the Software

This section provides you with the information you need to install and configure Output
Designer on your system. It includes:

Hardware and software requirements.

Information you must have before you install.

Instructions for installing, updating, and uninstalling Output Designer.

INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
Before installing Output Designer you should:

Review the Readme for last minute changes to the software and its requirements.

In addition, you will also want to consider these installation options before you start the
installation process:

Output Designer offers you the option of installing a North American or International English
version of the software. For a summary of differences between these versions, see North
American versus International English Locale on page 11.

The Typical installation option installs an extensive set of drivers associated with the
different presentment targets. If you do not want the entire set of drivers and wish to choose
specific ones only, select the Custom option.

When installing Output Designer, how you are logged onto the computer determines the
location of the registry settings:

When logged on with administrator rights, the installation places all registry entries in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. The first time a user runs Output Designer on that machine, all
registry entries are copied from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
Any number of users can run the installed copy of Output Designer on the machine. Each
will have their own HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry entries and the ability to modify their
own entries.

When logged on as a user, the installation places all registry entries in

HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Only the user who installed Output Designer has access to it.
Another user on that same machine cannot run the installed copy of Output Designer; they
must install their own copy.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Installing the Software

11

After installation, when altering or adding registry settings:

If the change/addition is made to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, it will impact only users who do

not already have HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry settings. This is because the settings
from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are copied to HKEY_CURRENT_USER only once - the first
time that user runs Output Designer.

Changes/additions made to HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry settings impact only that

user.

North American versus International English Locale

When you install Output Designer, you must specify a North American or International English
locale. Your choice of locale determines the default units of measure, default page size, and
type of dictionary, as follows:
If you select...

Unit of Measure

Dictionary

Page Size

North American (N.A)

Imperial

English

Letter

International (Int.)

Metric

British English

A4

You can always change the default unit of measure and page size settings from inside Output
Designer. However, if you want to use a different dictionary, you need to uninstall Output
Designer, and then reinstall it. For more information, see Uninstalling Output Designer on
page 13.

Evaluation Software
If you have an evaluation copy of Output Designer, use the same installation procedure to
install the evaluation version as you use to install the fully licensed version. You can use
evaluation software for a period of 30 days. Output Designer notifies you of the number of days
remaining in the evaluation license.

INSTALLING OUTPUT DESIGNER

The Setup program installs the Output Designer application, Template Object Library, as well as
drivers for a variety of presentment targets including laser, barcode and label printers, fax
machines, and HTML and PDF generation.
The default installation location is c:\Program Files\Adobe\Output Designer 5.6, where c is
the letter of your drive.
To install Output Designer
1. From the Autorun panel, click Before You Install to review important information prior to
installing the software.
2. From the Autorun panel, click Install Output Designer. Follow the instructions in the Setup
program to install your Adobe software.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Installing the Software

12

MODIFYING YOUR INSTALLATION

At any time, you can modify your existing installation of Output Designer without affecting
existing template design (*.ifd) files or compiled template (*.mdf) files. The Setup program
enables you to:

Install additional components without completely reinstalling Output Designer.

Remove selected components without completely uninstalling Output Designer.

Reinstall the currently installed application components.

To add or remove components

1. Run the Output Designer Setup program.
2. Click Install Output Designer.
3. On the Welcome screen, select Modify. Then click Next.
4. On the Select Components screen:

Check the component(s) you wish to add.

Clear the component(s) you wish to remove.

Click Next.

5. Follow any additional instructions to complete the installation.

To reinstall the current software
1. Run the Output Designer Setup program.
2. Click Install Output Designer.
3. On the Welcome screen, select Repair. Then click Next.
Note: The Repair option installs the same program components that you installed initially. To
add or remove specific components, use the Modify option.

Adobe Output Designer

Getting Started

Installing the Software

13

UPGRADING AN EVALUATION COPY

If you have an evaluation copy and you are upgrading to a full production version, you can
update the Product Authorization Code (PAC) using the PAC Set utility. This enables the full
functionality of the software without reinstalling.
Note: You receive the PAC for the product when you purchase the appropriate software
licence.

Running PAC Set Utility

To run the PAC Set Utility
1. On the Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Open box, browse to the PAC Set Utility executable file in the directory where you
installed Output Designer. For example:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Output Designer 5.6\pacset.exe

Once you enter the PAC and accept the licence agreement, the utility provides a message
listing all the Output Designer configuration files that it has updated with the new PAC.

UNINSTALLING OUTPUT DESIGNER

Once you install the software, you can easily uninstall it using Add or Remove Programs in
the Control Panel. This procedure removes Output Designer and all its associated registry
settings. It does not remove any template design (*.ifd) files or compiled template (*.mdf) files
that you have created.
We recommend that you always uninstall the software before installing a newer version.
To uninstall Output Designer
1. Stop Output Designer if it is running.
2. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
3. In the list of currently installed programs, select Adobe Output Designer 5.6.
4. Click Change/Remove.
5. When the Welcome screen appears, click Remove. Then click Next.

Index
A

about Output Designer 4

job ticketing to support Xerox 8

before you install 10

modifying the installation 12

multipart templates 8

C
Central 5

O
object grouping 7

D
documentation, related 9
dynamic templates 7

P
PAC Set utility 13

evaluation version of Output Designer 11

reference materials 9
registry settings 10
reinstalling Output Designer 12

F
features of Output Designer 6
field types 7
further reading 9

G
graphics tools 7
grouping objects 7

I
installing Output Designer 11
adding a new component 12
before you install 10
modifying the installation 12
registry settings 10
removing a component 12
integrating with Central 5
integrating with Web Output Pak 6
introduction 4

T
Template Object Library 8
Test Presentment 8
testing the template design 8
text tools 7

U
uninstalling Output Designer 13

W
Web Output Pak 6