about
PrintChef

You can read more about PrintChef features online,
or from the detailed specifications,
or request a full color brochure by phone from MindGate at (800) 648-6840

PrintChef?

PrintChef is a feature-rich printing extension for the Macintosh (and soon Windows) that enhances the printing of any application. PrintChef sits between any application and any printer driver to create page sizes, watermarks, booklets, toner/ink level control, colorization, forms, labels, bar codes, signatures, serialization, print logs and job security from any application that prints.

Add to this the merging of database, image lists, and application outputs into one job without refeeding paper, and PrintChef cannot be beat.

And imagine... all of this and more in ONE package, where all features work perfectly with each other!

Finally, to activate PrintChef at print-time, simply click the "PrintChef" button!

1. Collect the special letterhead paper for page 1 and the special paper for page 2.
2. Insert the letterhead paper in the paper tray.
3. Return to your desk and submit the page 1 print (hoping all along that no
   one else prints in the mean time).
4. Go back to the printer and insert the second special page.
5. Print page 2 only.
6. Repeat this process whenever you have to print a letter.

Its hard to believe it was ever that complicated! Can you imagine in the networked world of today, printing this way? You would waste a lot of letterhead paper!

1. Allowing the user to print from two different paper trays.
2. Generating letterhead type graphics from the application as it prints.
3. Generating footers as they print.

This approach has led to a host of different applications that each try to solve the problem in their own way. Some applications allow graphics to print, but do a poor job with the print quality on the graphics. Others, allow footers to be created, but require the same footer on all pages.

Without consistency from one application to the next, there can be no improvement in the overall printing process. This is one way that PrintChef improves printing!

And now there
is PrintChef...!

1. Print the letter and select the letterhead style.

Magically, page 1 has the letterhead (just as if you had put letterhead paper in the paper tray), and page 2 through the end of the letter has the address footer. And, you never have to worry about someone else printing with your paper in the paper tray, because PrintChef creates the paper as you print. PrintChef is so powerful, that it can even number the pages in the format "2 of 5" as it prints.

This example explains only 2 of the many ways to use PrintChef... For more, read on!

Some of
PrintChef's
Magic...

PrintChef does all of this and much more! Did you know your database program can direct PrintChef to choose a style during printing without having the user select it? Did you know that PrintChef can automatically print-merge so the user does not have to choose a printing style? Imagine simply printing your letter and having the letterhead automatically appear at the printer. Did you know that PrintChef can create print logs? Did you know that PrintChef has built-in help to walk even the most novice user through print-merging and printing style design?

And, PrintChef is easy to use because it was designed for you... and the way that you print! With all of these features in one package and with all the utilities that it replaces, you might expect PrintChef to cost well over $1,000. Well, it doesn't!

The next section shows how you can use PrintChef to produce a variety of effects. You should also consider getting a copy of our On-line brochure.

• Are according to your own layout, angle, scale.
• Specify the text for watermarks at print-time: and you design the question(s) to be asked (for example, "What Watermark?").
• Put any number of watermarks on a page.
• Specify different watermarks for even/odd pages or over a limited page range.
• Gray or colorize watermarks to any gray level or color.
• Rotate them to any angle.
• Stretch or scale them independently in both directions.

Toner Control...
PrintChef can control the toner level of your PostScript printer or the ink level of your Non-PostScript printer. Many of our owners have found that printing with 80% toner gives the same readability, but pays for PrintChef after two toner cartridges.

You can choose from 1% to 100% toner level during printing. Or, when you design printing styles for merging, you can specify that they have a specific toner level. Then, whenever they print, that level will be used (unless you change it at print-time).

We take our programming seriously at MindGate. That is why PrintChef controls ink levels intelligently. Take printing on a HP DeskWriter...Some print utilities create the graying effect by using the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow inks to produce the gray color. This defeats the idea behind using less toner because the color ink cartridge is much more expensive than the black one.

PrintChef, on the other hand, carefully analyzes the images being printed and prints color only when color is present. This means that grays are true grays! Just another example of the attention to detail with an eye towards improving overall printing performance and quality.

High Resolution Paper and Print Quality...
A little known fact in the printing industry is that the quality of your output is determined by how your application sets up the printer. For example, it is well known that "Word" takes the default printer resolution (usually 72 dpi). This makes the pictures imported in the program print at the lowest possible quality.

PrintChef allows you to design printing styles that create "Hi-Res Paper" and choose the resolution assigned to the paper. Whenever these printing styles are used, no matter what resolution the application chooses, you will get the resolution you picked. You will be blown away when you see your HP DeskWriter spitting out images at 300 or 600 dpi, and you won't believe how wonderful that letterhead looks when you print your letter.

This feature was designed for non-PostScript printers, because PostScript printers inherit the highest resolution, no matter how the application prints. Now you can choose high print quality, even with those inexpensive printers.

Just Another Layer...
Because PrintChef treats the application's output as just another layer, you can duplicate, rotate, scale, colorize, and clip it- just like any other layer! PrintChef allows you to add text and graphic layers to the imported application layer to create letterheads, invoices, and other effects.

PrintChef can import EPS, Mac EPS, PICT, PICT2, and our own special capture files to create the graphic effects you need. It has its own built-in Graphics and Text layers to handle simple text and graphics requirements. Between its own tools and the ability to import other graphics, anything is possible in PrintChef.

Multi-Ups, Mini-Pages, and Booklets...
PrintChef can duplicate any layer in a "printing style". When this is done to the imported application layer, it creates a multi-up. A multi-up is the name that the print industry uses when more than one page is collected onto a single piece of paper.

When you create your own multi-ups, you can create greeting cards, business cards, mini-page layouts reminiscent of micro-fiche, and even booklets. It is precisely this level of control that allows you to totally control how the output will appear on the paper.

And, unlike other booklet programs, you have the power of all the other PrintChef features that can be combined with the booklets.

Bar Codes and Signatures...
PrintChef has a unique approach to the generation of bar codes. It uses a modeling system rather than a bar code font. However, PrintChef still has one font that it uses and it is called the "PrintChef Modeling" font. But, this font does not contain the bar code (as is the case in so many other programs).

Instead, PrintChef uses its font to detect when something might be a model, like a zip code, UPC code, or signature. Whenever a model is attached to a printing style, PrintChef examines all text appearing in the "PrintChef Modeling" font. If the text matches one of the attached model's valid formats, then the text is removed and a graphic is put in its place.

This powerful mechanism permits PrintChef to do much more than simple bar codes. For example, the "Signatures" model allows you to replace the word "Signature" with a graphic of your signature, whether you are printing or faxing from any application. And your signature is under your password control!

A Commanding Program...
PrintChef has over 35 text commands to generate page numbers, time, and date in various formats. It also supports commands to generate the file name, printer name, user name, and title in the printed output.

In addition to these simple commands, PrintChef allows you to design up to 8 short answer questions and 2 long answer questions. Whenever these questions are attached to a printing style, they will automatically popup during printing. When the user responds to the questions, the answers are substituted into the printing style at the location you designed.

This is handy for the creation of interactive prints. For instance, in our "Business Cards a la Carte" example, we ask for a "Name" and "Title" at print-time. This example was designed to create 10 business cards on the Avery 5371 microperf paper. After entering the name and title of a person at print-time, 10 business cards are created for this person. This is great for new employees. And, there are hundreds of other ways to use this feature...

Document Marks...
Because a PrintChef printing style standardizes the output of any document, it is easy to use PrintChef for the creation of classification marks, CDRL numbers, version numbers, script numbers, and a host of other markings. Then, whenever you print you can be sure the marks will be present and accurately reflect company and government standards.

Page Sizes...
The PrintChef Designer includes a paper designer, which can be used to create printing styles that involve new (and to your design) page sizes. This is handy for the creation of labels and other odd-sized pages needed in everyday business.

One nice feature about PrintChef is its page-on-paper approach to printing. It allows you to design a 3x5 card page size that the application sees and then collect multiple copies (multi-up) of that card onto a single piece of 8.5x11 paper. This means that even laser printers can be used to manage odd page sizes.

No One Makes Copies like PrintChef...
PrintChef has the ability to produce more than one page for each page printed. This allows PrintChef to create copies and then modify them so each copy is different than the original page printed. This is handy for creating invoices, or copies that are personalized with an individual's name.

And, when combined with flash printing, this different-copy output prints nearly as fast as normal copies. Remember that when you buy an 8 page-per-minute printer, that means it will print copies at 8 pages-per-minute. Only PrintChef can print different information on pages at the copy rate. Mirror, mirror, who makes the best copies?

Variable Data and Image Printing-- a new industry standard...
PrintChef can access database files to produce merged prints that incorporate the database fields into forms-like output. This is great for form letters. And, when you combine this technology with our "flash printing", it can crank your PostScript printer up to high speed.

PrintChef can also take database field identifiers and turn them into variable images that stamp each page with a different picture. Imagine creating a yearbook by simply making holes for images, and letting PrintChef will fill in the holes at print-time. Not only can PrintChef insert the pictures, it can use the rest of the database to list vital statistics under the picture. Or, imagine creating a coupon book with each coupon tuned to your customer. Or, imagine having your photo or anyone in your company's photo incorporated at print-time with a letter or promo. The possibilities are endless...

So much power, and so much more...
There are so many ways to use PrintChef that we could not possibly list them all. In our PrintChef brochure, we have tried to list some of them. Because PrintChef gives you the first design system for your printed output, it is impossible for us to list all the ways you will be able to solve printing problems.

We believe that there will be very few printing problems that cannot be solved by PrintChef, as a whole, or in part. If you are having problems printing and have tried other programs that miss the mark, then step up to PrintChef. Our 60-day money back guarantee assures you that you will be happy with our product or you can return it.

And, the fact that we have had less than 1 in 200 packages returned under this guarantee and less than 1 in 80 people even call us for technical support, it should tell you that we have done a great job! Ordering is easy, so give it a try!

This "flash printing" technique can speed up printing 10-fold, or up to the page-rate of the printer. This isn't lightspeed... its warp speed!

Level 2 Forms Caching
PrintChef can store a graphic as a PostScript Level 2 form. When this happens, the PostScript system will create a cache (or pre-image the graphic) and use that cache whenever it needs to stamp the image on the page or pages being printed. This is a very efficient mechanism and useful when a graphic is reused over multiple pages, and (with PrintChef) even over multiple print jobs.

Printer's Memory
PrintChef can store a graphic in the printer's memory either over the life of the print job or over the up-time of the printer. This helps minimize network and other communications traffic, and when used in conjunction with the PostScript Level 2 forms, can increase printing speed.

Printer's Font Disk
PrintChef can store graphics on the printer's font disk (if you have one on your printer). This is handy for storing commonly used graphics in a readily accessible location for use by everyone printing. For example, a large corporation might store its letterhead, view charts, or other stationery there. This feature can also be used in conjunction with PostScript Level 2 forms.

Rotation
PrintChef can give you rotation capabilities that you never thought you would have on a non-PostScript printer. And, when used in conjunction with high resolution paper, the rotated text and graphics look spectacular.