Re: typesetting tech question

On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:21:02 -0400, J.Pascal wrote
(in article
<fd703eca-24b8-4741-b9bd-1a6488c8606a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>):

Does anyone know what qualifies as printer-ready for small or local
printers or POD publishers?

I'm learning to use InDesign and wonder what the type-setting and
printing process looks like from the printer's point of view. Way
way back in high school I took a class that did off-set print set ups
with type and color but I'm thinking those must be as out dated as the
hand set lead type and platen press.

I think that setting lead type and making plates for the off-set
printer were valuable things to have done, learning-wise, but I also
suspect that I might be viewing the whole *modern* process as more
complicated than it is because of it.

At this point I just want to get a little cook-book printed as a sort
of finishing project to show my design skill (if any) and ability to
use the software.

-Julie


I know what fairly large printers (newspapers, actually) wanted, and it's a
few years old, but most of it should still apply.

1 Under no circumstances whatsoever use Microsoft Publisher. Your printer
will hate you if you do.

2 If you use Microsoft Word, either do _not_ embed graphics or, if you do,
include the graphics as separate files and indicate _clearly_ which graphic
file goes where. Do _not_ use .DOCX. Be sure to include all fonts. For best
results, try to avoid using TrueType fonts. Use PostScript Type 1 (not,
repeat, NOT Type 3) fonts or OpenType fonts instead.

3 If you use a professional layout app, such as InDesign or (ick)
QuarkXpress, verify that the printer uses that app. Most printers will have
both, but will tend to have a marked preference for one. (Usually InDesign,
thanks to historical problems with Quark.) If you're using a pro layout app,
you can embed the graphics. Note that your use of a pro app means that your
pages are almost certainly going to appear as you laid them out; be sure that
this is what you want. Note also that a pro printer will produce a document
with pages of the size and shape you specify; be sure that you are specifying
what you think you're specifying. Graphics embeded into the layout should be
of a format specified by the printers; many use .TIFFs or .PNGs. .JPGs are a
distant third choice. If you use .TIFFs, be sure that the graphics are
specified to be _CMYK_. Note that if they are RGB, they will show as colour
on the screen and as grayscale in print, particularly if you're using Quark
or early versions of InDesign. Note that .TIFFs will be _considerably_ larger
than .JPGs or .PNGs. In theory InDesign will embed fonts. In practice, it's a
good idea to include the fonts when you send off the file. Again, try to
avoid using TrueType fonts.

4 If possible, export your file to .PDF and set the .PDF to embed fonts. Most
printers will be able to read .PDF without problems, and the fonts, even the
TrueType fonts, will print accurately. And your graphics should not have
problems as long as you avoid RGB .TIFFs and any kind of .GIFs. (.GIFs and
..PDF don't go together well, they tend to result in printed output that has
lots of jaggies.)

Graphic files should be matched to the output desired and the type of paper
that you're printing on. The printer will be able to advise you, but as a
rule of thumb, if printing on newsprint or something close, you can get away
with graphics scanned in at 100 to 150 dpi. If printing on glossy stock, make
that 200 to 300. Generally you won't need anything beyond 300 dpi, 400 at the
outside, but if you think that you might need more, it might be a good idea
to include high-resolution scans of the various graphics items (600 dpi or
more) with the main file so that the printer can mark them up for you. (At an
extra cost, of course.)

I would send out a folder or a .ZIP file containing:

1 the actual document itself, in InDesign or .PDF format or both;

2 all graphics used in the document, named, numbered, and with a list showing
where they should go, in .TIFF or .PNG or .PDF or .JPG format, whatever the
printer wants, at 300 dpi unless they ask for higher resolutions;

3 the fonts used, in OpenType or PostScript Type 1 format. Note that Macs and
Windows machines both use the same OpenType fonts, but Macs use different
PostScript fonts than Windows does, so be sure that you send the right
version. Note that many printers use Macs.

This should be on a CD (or, if very large, a DVD) and should be considered
expendable as you are not likely to get it back. I recommend against using a
thumb drive. In times past printers accepted SyQuest, Zip, and Jaz disks, but
I'm pretty sure that this is no longer the case. Floppies are right out.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: number of typefaces in printer
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  • Re: font problems
    ... If your fonts are not printing correctly, it is not due to your display. ... Graphics feature if it is supported by your printer, ... Windows uses the Wingdings or Webdings font as its default display font when you ...
    (microsoft.public.publisher)
  • Re: typesetting tech question
    ... printers or POD publishers? ... printing process looks like from the printer's point of view. ... If you use Microsoft Word, either do _not_ embed graphics or, if you do, ... Be sure to include all fonts. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.composition)
  • Re: Graphic designers creating with Word
    ... from page layout applications. ... If you have skills in InDesign, you'd be better gently insisting that you'll ... you won't find any coverage of graphics in "Bend Word to Your ... first to provide 2 Cardinal Rules of page layout/graphic design using ...
    (microsoft.public.mac.office.word)
  • Re: Import Vector Graphics to Word - Best Format
    ... fonts just don't matter. ... High-end graphics software such as CorelDRAW enable the choice of either ... almost entirely in the corporate space, where the customer wants to maintain ... and I avoid having text in pictures as far as possible. ...
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