Nesting

Nesting

The Nesting function automatically arranges images in the job and positions them to save media or allow for easier cutting by aligning edges. In the JobComposer, Nesting is applied by selecting images in a job and running the function to create the optimal positioning. In Delta XML, you can activate Nesting for a job by adding a nesting tag at the beginning of the job and using sub tags to specify how the images should be nested. The nesting is then applied to all images in this XML job.

Besides the type of nesting that should be applied, you can also adjust if images may be rotated to better fit the job composition, if images should have an outer margin to keep some distance between them and how large that margin should be.

Parameter

Description

Possible Values

<Mode>

Controls the type of Nesting mode that should be used.

0= Keep Image Order

1= Easy Cutting (Arranges Images so their edges align where possible).

2= Minimum Waste (Arrange Images to save Media)

<AllowRotation>

Controls wether the Nesting function can rotate images to better arrange them.

0= No Rotation

1= Rotation

<OuterMargin>

Controls if an outer margin should be specified around each image.

0= No Margin

1= Activate Margin

<OuterMarginMmX>

Specifies the margin in X direction in mm.

e.g. “10” for a 1 cm margin

<OuterMarginMmY>

Specifies the margin in Y direction in mm.

e.g. “10” for a 1 cm margin


Sample Code for Nesting
<HotFile> <Job Name="Nesting Sample"> <Nesting> <Mode>1</Mode> <AllowRotation>1</AllowRotation> <OuterMargin>1</OuterMargin> <OuterMarginMmX>15.000000</OuterMarginMmX> <OuterMarginMmY>15.000000</OuterMarginMmY> </Nesting> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Job> </HotFile>


Nesting with Groups

In Delta Automation XML, it is also possible to apply nesting to image groups. When nesting groups, the positions of images inside the group relative to each other stays the same, but the groups as a whole get positioned according to the nesting settings.

To create elaborate positioning inside of image groups, you can use the <Position> tag to place the images where you want them. Because groups are self contained, you can use the same positioning inside every group, e.g. 0 0 will be top left of the group, regardless where the group ends up.

This can be useful to add a barcode or label to every image and ensuring that the label stays with the image even when nesting by grouping them together.

To use Nesting with groups, simply enclose the images you want to group together with a <Group> Tag and apply Nesting at the job level, i.e. outside the groups.


Sample Code for Nesting with Groups
<HotFile> <Job Name="Nesting Sample"> <Nesting> <Mode>1</Mode> <AllowRotation>1</AllowRotation> <OuterMargin>1</OuterMargin> <OuterMarginMmX>15.000000</OuterMarginMmX> <OuterMarginMmY>15.000000</OuterMarginMmY> </Nesting> <Group> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Group> <Group> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Group> </Job> </HotFile>


Nesting inside Groups

In Delta Automation XML, it is also possible to apply nesting inside image groups. When nesting inside groups, the selected nesting setting is applied to all the images inside the group, but not to any images outside the group. This way it is possible to keep images from the same order together while still taking advantage of nesting or applying different kinds of nesting to different image groups in the same job.

To use Nesting inside groups, add the NestingPreset Parameter to your Group tag to specify which nesting mode should be used, as well as the NestingWidthMm tag to specify the width that the group should have.

When using nested Groups, it’s important that the groups themselves also need to be nested on the job level or positioned manually. Otherwise the groups will all be placed on the top left corner and overlap each other.


Attribute

Description

Possible Values

NestingPreset

Controls the type of Nesting mode that should be used.

Easy Cutting Allow Rotation

Easy Cutting No Rotation

Minimum Waste No Rotation

Minimum Waste Allow Rotation

Keep Image Order

NestingWidthMm

Specifies the width of the group. This way the nesting function can be constrained to a specific width.

Any width no larger than media size in mm.



Sample Code for Nesting inside Groups
<HotFile> <Job Name="Nesting inside Group Sample"> <Nesting> <Mode>1</Mode> <AllowRotation>1</AllowRotation> <OuterMargin>1</OuterMargin> <OuterMarginMmX>15.000000</OuterMarginMmX> <OuterMarginMmY>15.000000</OuterMarginMmY> </Nesting> <Group NestingPreset="Easy Cutting Allow Rotation" NestingWidthMm="500"> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Group> <Group NestingPreset="Minimum Waste No Rotation" NestingWidthMm="500"> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Group> <Group> <Nesting> <Mode>2</Mode> <AllowRotation>1</AllowRotation> <OuterMargin>1</OuterMargin> <OuterMarginMmX>0.000000</OuterMarginMmX> <OuterMarginMmY>0.000000</OuterMarginMmY> </Nesting> <Image FileName="C:\images\Lizard.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Chair.tif"/> <Image FileName="C:\images\Plaid.tif"/> </Group> </Job> </HotFile>

    • Related Articles

    • Rectangular Nesting

      Repositions and rotates all images in the Job according to set criteria such as easy cutting, save media, etc. Nesting always uses the outer rectangular shape of an image as its boundary, transparencies in files to create complex outlines will not be ...

    • Quickly reorganize images in a job using custom distances or type of grid

      Introduction There is no faster or more flexible way to reorganize all images or image groups within a job according to customizable horizontal and vertical distances (if the objects are the same size, they form a grid). Additional rules, such as ...

    • Groups

      Groups let you package multiple images together so certain parameters can be applied to the group. With Groups, it is possible to create positioning specific to the Group, nest multiple groups inside a job, or apply Nesting parameters only inside the ...

    • TrueShapeNesting

      Repositions and rotates all images in the Job according to set criteria such as easy cutting, save media, etc. TrueShapeNesting always uses the proper, inner shape of an image, ignoring transparent areas surrounding the actual image contents form to ...

    • HotFolder

      The Ergosoft HotFolder is a powerful tool for print process automation and batch processing. Automatically create and print standardized print jobs, simply by moving image files into a folder, the HotFolder application will do the rest! The HotFolder ...