Palo Alto, Calif. – HP is expanding Indigo digital press users' ability to connect with third-party printing, workflow and management information system (MIS) tools with the public release of new HP SmartStream software developer's kits (SDKs).

Available free at the HP Solutions Partner Portal, the new kits help software developers integrate web-to-print, MIS, production management services and other applications with HP Indigo digital presses.

"With more than 5,000 HP Indigo presses installed at customer facilities worldwide, these new SDKs help industry workflow and MIS technology providers reach progressive, quality-minded print service providers," said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo division, HP. "Our customers, in turn, can benefit from a broader set of end-to-end production workflows as SDK-enabled solutions become commercially available."

The kits support the printing industry's Job Definition Format (JDF) for easier communication of job specification and job status details between HP Indigo presses and various pre-press and post-press workflow solutions. Once downloaded, the kits provide tools, documentation and samples software developers need to establish JDF-based connectivity to HP Indigo presses.

Key features of the HP SmartStream SDKs include:
- a Java-based software tool for creating customized JDF tickets
- full integration with advanced JDF capabilities in version 3.5 and 4.0 of the HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server.
- JDF, Job Messaging Format (JMF), and MIME ticket/package example files that show users how to access HP Indigo print production features
- convenient JDF MIME packaging tools to combine JMF job submission instructions, JDF ticket production data and job content into a single file that can be transmitted to HP SmartStream Production Pro through an HTTP post or by using a drop folder software tool.

Growing connectivity in workflow, printing and plant management
New software based on the SDKs will be able to provide additional connectivity options for print service providers, using a wide variety of graphic arts industry workflow and MIS solutions.

"An integrated, automated workflow is one of many goals of a Prism MIS installation because it brings efficiencies and savings to our customers. The HP SmartStream SDKs are valuable components to help our joint customers achieve this," said Filip Buyse, president and CEO of Prism. "Prism and HP have shared customers around the world that will be able to immediately benefit from this technology."