Patent ID: 8773428

Claim:
A system for previewing 3-D images of produced 3-D variable information structural documents or packages, comprising: at least one processor; a memory operatively coupled with the at least one processor and storing 3-D models of a plurality of produced 3-D structural documents or packages individually comprising at least one of text, data, graphics, and images defined by a corresponding plurality of data records of a variable information print job file; a buffer operative to store image data received from the at least one processor and to provide stored image data to a user interface; and a rendering component implemented using the at least one processor and operative to render image views of the 3-D models individually representing at least some of the plurality of produced 3-D structural documents or packages and to store the plurality of image views in the buffer; wherein the rendering component is operative to render two or more image views of a given 3-D model representing a corresponding given produced 3-D structural document or package according to a corresponding given data record of the variable information print job file, the two or more image views representing different 3-D forms of the corresponding given produced 3-D structural document or package; wherein the buffer is operative to provide the stored image data to the user interface including the two or more image views as an animation showing a shape or configuration change of the 3-D form of the given produced 3-D structural document during the animation; wherein at least one of the provision of stored image data to the user interface and the rendering of image views of the 3-D models is done at least partially according to at least one record selection control signal or value.