Automated layout creation
Pandora^® includes functionality that automates the creation of step-and-repeat layouts by:

• Automatically snapping artwork to selected die stations
• Automatically creating bleed paths based on information from CAD die files
• Quickly and simply resolving any bleed overlaps

SmartMarks and SmartMarks layering
Pandora takes marks to a new level with SmartMarks^®. SmartMarks are intelligent marks that position and size themselves on a layout, even when the press sheet or other resources are changed. Any of the 60 built-in packaging marks or any user-created custom mark can be made into a SmartMark. Label marks—text marks with variable data and details such as date, color, and job name that are dynamically inserted when printing—can also be defined as SmartMarks.

SmartMarks can be added to mark sets, so every mark needed for a particular layout can be placed, sized, and positioned with a single action.

JDF output
Pandora can output layouts as Job Definition Format (JDF), an XML-based file format used to describe the entire print production cycle. JDF files output by Pandora contain all the necessary data for further processing in the workflow. Adoption of JDF, combined with the existing support for PDF, PJTF, and CIP3, makes it even easier to integrate Pandora into existing workflows.

Pandora also outputs layouts to Adobe^® Portable Job Ticket Format (PJTF), PDF, and PostScript^®, exporting CIP3 cutting data to automatically configure a cutter with a CIP3 front end.

PDF import
Pandora imports a variety of artwork as PDF. It provides all the benefits of a PDF-based workflow, such as page independence and reliability.

CAD die file import
Pandora can import industry-standard CAD die file formats, including CFF2, DXF™, and DDES2. It also provides sophisticated filtering to exclude information in CAD files not relevant to prepress.

Ease of use
The Pandora user interface design is fully focused on usability, productivity, and effectiveness, and provides the simplest and most flexible user interface found in prepress packaging solutions. It breaks exciting new ground with a truly modeless UI and extensive availability of drag-and-drop actions. Most printers are up and running with Pandora in a day.

Manage your shop’s resources
Pandora uses its intuitive drag-and-drop interface to integrate your shop’s press sheets, film, plates, output devices, presses, and workflows into each job. It’s easy to add or delete these resources, as well as to share them between copies of Pandora. You eliminate costly mistakes and save valuable time when you use Pandora to help manage your shop’s resources.

Color control
Pandora gives you the ability to:

• Re-map spot color to spot color
• Re-map spot color to process color
• Change the process color build values of spot colors
• Nesting and forms caching for artwork

Nesting allows for overlapping and nesting of packaging artwork and labels. Caching repeated artwork such as labels offers significant speed increases, via reduced RIP and output time, and reduced file sizes in output.

We speak your language!
Macintosh^® and Windows^® versions of Pandora in English, French, German, and Spanish are included on the Pandora CD at no extra cost, and you can switch languages on the fly.