User Guide (Label Studio)

Label Studio prepares a source PDF label for production. A typical job starts as a one-up PDF and is stepped up into a production frame that matches the selected media and print workflow.

Use Label Studio when a job needs layout changes before it is sent back to the Waiting Queue. Common tasks include setting the frame size, choosing target media, imposing repeated labels, adding printer marks, adding lead-in or lead-out pages, adding white separations, adding an information panel, and ignoring unwanted PDF layers.

Basic Workflow

1. Send a PDF job from the Waiting Queue to Pre-Press.

2. Open the job in Label Studio from the Pre-Press pane.

3. Select or confirm the target media.

4. Configure the layout and any required options.

5. Review the Frame Preview.

6. Process the job and send the generated output back to the Waiting Queue.

The selected options are saved with the generated PDF as Studio settings. This allows the job to be recognized later as Studio Engine output.

Launching Label Studio

Label Studio is an optional component of the Pre-Press plugin and can be selected when installing Smart Print Controller. The Pre-Press plugin must be enabled, and Label Studio must be installed, before jobs can be opened in Label Studio.

In the Waiting Queue, use Send to Pre-Press to move a job into the Pre-Press folder.

The Pre-Press pane lists the files in the Pre-Press folder. Use the Label Studio button beside a file to open that file in Label Studio.

Only one job can be open in Label Studio at a time. If Label Studio is already working on a job, the Pre-Press pane shows a busy dialog until the active job has been closed.

Main Window

The main window is divided into option panes and a Frame Preview. Work from top to bottom: choose the settings you need, then use the preview to confirm the first production frame before processing.

The General pane is always part of the setup. Other panes represent optional processing steps. Enable a pane when that step should be applied.

Frame Preview

Use the Frame Preview as the main visual check before processing. It shows the first production frame and updates as settings change.

The green dotted outline represents the visible output area. Some settings can create white space outside that area. White space may still be printed unless the relevant white space exclusion options are enabled.

Use the enlarged preview when you need to inspect placement more closely. The enlarged preview is scrollable.

Alt Preview shows a simplified version of the frame. It outlines placed pages and labels each page position with the source page number.

General Layout

Use the General pane to define the production area and place the source labels within it.

Important layout concepts:

Target Media

Target media tells Label Studio which media definition the final job is intended for. The selected media can affect the available frame size and the settings written when the job is returned to SPC.

Select target media before finalizing layout settings. If the job is opened from SPC and an active media is available, Label Studio may use that media as the starting point.

Frame Layout

Set the frame and alignment first, then use the preview to check that the label is positioned correctly.

Imposition

Use Imposition to decide how source pages are arranged in the production area.

Label Studio supports two imposition styles:

Set Across and Down to define the number of label positions. For example, 3 across and 2 down creates six positions.

Choose the page reference box that best represents the label boundary you want to place. Available reference boxes are Media, Crop, Trim, and Bleed. Crop is the usual starting point because it normally represents the intended visible page area.

For VDP work, choose the path that matches the required page order, such as top-left horizontal or top-left vertical. The path controls where placement starts and how source pages fill the grid. In roll mode, only vertical paths are available.

Printer Marks

Use Printer Marks when the press or finishing workflow needs production aids around the imposed content.

Enable corner marks or side marks as required. Side marks can include eye marks, process color bars, and spot color bars. Use the horizontal and vertical placement settings to keep marks on the expected side of the layout.

Printer marks may increase the required output area. Check the Frame Preview after enabling marks, especially if the frame has tight margins.

Layers

Use Layers when the input PDF contains named layers that should not be included in the final PDF.

Use the layer list to choose layers from the source job, then copy them into the ignored layer list. You can also add layer names manually when a layer is expected but is not shown in the current file.

Add Whites

Use Add Whites when the final PDF requires a white separation and the source job or selected media supports it.

The option is only available when Label Studio has detected white names that can be used. If no white separation is available, the Add Whites pane remains disabled.

LiLo

Use LiLo when the production run needs pages before or after the main label content.

Lead-in pages are inserted before the main job content. Lead-out pages are inserted after the main job content. These pages can be used for setup, identification, or production handling.

LiLo options include:

Information Panel

Use Information Panel when operators need a separate page containing production details for the run. This is useful for job identification, setup checks, or keeping a printed record with the output.

The panel is generated as a supporting PDF rather than being imposed into the main label frame. It can include job metadata supplied by Label Studio and may use a custom icon so the page is easier to identify. When the job is sent back to SPC, the information panel is submitted with the selected target media.

Studio Files

A Studio file stores the current setup. Use Save Studio to keep a reusable configuration and Load Studio to apply it to another job.

Studio files are useful when the same layout, imposition, or production settings will be reused. Before processing, check that the loaded target media and any layer or white separation names still match the current job and device.

If the device print bars are vertical to the image, Label Studio records the required rotation setting when saving or processing the job.

Processing the Job

Use Process and Send to Waiting Queue when the setup is ready.

Label Studio sends the source job and selected settings to Studio Engine, which generates the final production job, embeds the Studio settings, and returns the result to the Waiting Queue.

If the device requires rotation because its print bars are vertical to the image, the generated PDF is rotated after processing. Label Studio closes after the result has been added to the Waiting Queue.

Menu and Status Bar

The File menu contains:

The Help menu contains:

The connection indicator shows whether Label Studio is connected to SPC over OPC. Green means connected. Red means disconnected. The connection is required for live SPC information such as media and printer profile data.

Troubleshooting