System and method employing variable size binding elements in virtual rendering of a print production piece

A print document production visualization method, comprising:

• receiving a print product definition;
• receiving a binder requirement specification for a binding to be applied to the document;
• receiving, and storing in a repository of base models in a computer memory, at least one default 3D binding element model and associated meta-data;
• transforming the default 3D binding element model and associated meta-data into a default binder display model to meet at least one characteristic specified by the binder requirement specification;
• and
• transforming the print product definition into a 3D display model including the default 3D binder display model to provide a 3D virtual rendering of the print product definition and the default binding element on a graphical user interface.

A method of operating a computer system for generation of a three dimensional virtual rendering of a document having a binding requirement that is not available for display, the computer operating under the programmatic control of computer program code stored on medium read by the computer, the method comprising:

• receiving a print product definition, said print product definition including a binder requirement specification for at least one binding object;
• in response to the binder requirement specification retrieving, from a binder base model repository stored in computer memory, a default 3D binding element suitable to represent binder requirement, and meta-data associated therewith;
• transforming the default 3D binding element and associated meta-data into a default 3D binder display model to represent the binder specified by the binder requirement specification;
• and
• transforming the print product definition into a 3D display model including the default 3D binder display model as a 3D virtual rendering of the print product definition on a graphical user interface.