[2] Please copy every font you use in a document and insert it into a folder you create called "FONTS". We need both the printer and screen version of each font, or if you are using true type fonts, just the true type version.
[3] Include all the graphic files you use in the document. Put them in a folder called "Graphics." You may have embedded them in the documents, but if the output devices we use do not have the actual files to link back to, the resulting images will come out at a very low resolution.
[4] Please do not use GIF and JPEG files in your documents. There is virtually no way to make them look satisfactory. TIFF and EPS files are preferred. Click here for more about resolution of pictures.
[5] Don't apply formatting like bold or italic. Select the bold font as a separate font.
[6] Please provide us with a hard copy of the piece to be printed. If there is more than one color we need color separations.
[7] If you are using Quark, please use the "Collect for Output" utility included with the program as well as generating a "Collect for Output" Report file. Click here for a "how to" article.
[8] If you are using PageMaker 6.5 or higher, please use the Save for Service Provider plug-in to insure we have all the necessary components as well as a report to use in preflighting your file. Click here for a "how to" article.
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Quark—Collect for Output Instructions:
[1] Choose File > Collect for Output to display the Collect for Output dialog box.
[2] If a picture file is missing or has been modified, an alert is displayed. Click List Pictures to display the dialog box. Select each modified or missing picture. Click Update to automatically update or locate the picture file. Click Collect or OK after all pictures have been located and updated. NOTE: If you click Collect, and continue with Collect for Output without updating missing or modified pictures, all the image files needed to output your document correctly may not be collected.
[3] If the document has not been saved during this session, or if any pictures have been updated, an alert is displayed asking “OK to save document before continuing with Collect for Output?” Click Save to continue. If the document has never been saved, the Save as dialog box displays. Enter a name in the Save current document as field; then, click Save to continue.
[4] Enter a name in the Report Name field of the Collect for Output dialog box. On the Mac the default name is the name of the document with the word “report” added. In Windows the default name is the name of the document with the extension .XTG.
[5] Select the drive and folder to which you want to save your files. Or, click New Folder (the New Folder icon in Windows) to create a new folder for the document and picture files to be placed in. Enter a name for the folder in the Create a Folder field and click Create.
[6] Click Collect in the Collect for Output dialog box. NOTE: Collect for Output does not copy the fonts for you. You must give us a copy of each font you use in your document Using the Collect For Output Report File
Using Collect for Output:
[1] Collect for Output generates a report of useful information about the document. The report is a text file, formatted with XPress Tags, that is placed in the same folder as the collected document and picture files. The report file includes:
- The document’s original location and the location to which it is copied
- Document name, date, total pages, width, and height
- Version of Quark XPress, file size of Quark XPress document, required XTensions(TM) software, and active XTensions
- If using Quark XPress 3.3x and EfiColor is active, a list of any necessary EfiColor Profiles
- Names of the fonts used
- Pictures used (size, box/picture angle, skew, path name, type, fonts used in EPS files, and location in the document).
- The names of style sheets and H&Js (the settings that Quark uses to control Hyphenation and Justification of paragraphs) used in the document
- Each color created and the information needed to reproduce custom colors
- Trapping information
- Color plates required for each page.
[2] You can import the report file into the Output Request Template located in the Document folder in your Quark XPress folder (or on the Quark XPress CD). The template includes space for adding information that we commonly need such as your name, your dept. name, phone number, etc. You can customize the template to suit your specific needs.
[3] To import the file, first open the template (File > Open) and customize it as needed. Then click the text box on the lower half of the template and choose File > Get Text (Command-E 4. Select the report file and check Include Style Sheets. Then, click Open. TIP: Include Style Sheets is available if the XPress Tags filter is installed in your XTension folder or XTension Disabled folder and enabled through XTensions Manager (Utilities > XTensions Manager).
[4] Choose File > Save and save the report as a Quark XPress document. When you send us your file, include this Quark XPress report document so we have the information about your document for quick reference. You can delete the XPress Tags version of the report since it is now included in the Quark XPress report document.
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In PageMaker, there is a plug-in under Utilities named Save for Service Provider. Using the Save for Service Provider plug-in, the user can copy the publication, all linked image files, fonts, and other files required to print the document. Save for Service Provider also helps resolve broken links by prompting the user to locate the folders containing linked files. Similarly, this plug-in can also check the status of links and fonts in a PostScript file generated by PageMaker 6.5.
A concise report of the information we need to create out-put from a PageMaker or PostScript file can also be created. The report includes details about fonts, linked graphics, a summary of the print settings, as well as information about who to contact regarding the publication.
To save files and generate a report using Save for Service Provider:
[1] Choose Utilities > Plug-ins > Save for Service Provider. The Summary dialog box opens. The plug-in works on the active publication if the Check Pub is clicked. If the user wants to check a PostScript file, click Check .PS, and then double-click the PostScript file that is to be sent to the printer.
[2] Click Fonts, Links, Printing, or Colors to see a detailed report on that aspect of the publication or PostScript file. Print the status information by clicking Print at any time.
[3] If the Links dialog box shows one or more linked files needing attention, click Relink or Relink All, and navigate to the correct image files.
[4] To save the publication, click Package, and set options as follows:
- From the Report Type pop-up menu, choose Formatted (for a PageMaker publication) or Text only (for an ASCII text-only file).
- Select Auto Open Package Report if, after saving the publication and associated files, the user wants to display the summary report in a new window on your desktop.
- Select Update Links to bring out-of-date links up-to-date in the original publication before making a package.
- For Include, select Copy Fonts to avoid missing fonts at print time, and then select the kind of fonts—All, Type 1 (PostScript), or TrueType.
- Click Notes to enter contact information, such as the user’s name and phone number, any comments on printing the publication, and then click OK.
[5] Specify a location in which to save all necessary files.
[6] Click Save to copy the necessary files to the destination folder.
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[1] Under the File menu, select Preflight. InDesign will check your document for any major technical problems.
[2] Read through the various sections of the preflight report to make sure they agree with what you thought you had.
[3] Click the Package button to collect everything you need for reproduction.
[4] Follow the instructions as they come up on the screen.
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Pack and Go: To start the Pack and Go Wizard, point to Pack and Go on the File menu, and then click Take to a commercial printing service. Follow the instructions on the screen from the Pack and Go Wizard.
If a source file (a graphic or file you have linked to the publication) can't be found, you can locate the original picture and update the link.
When Publisher packs the files, it names and numbers the files and adds a .puz extension. The first file is named Packed01.puz, the second file is named Packed02.puz and so on. Publisher copies the .puz files or files to the destination folder or disk and prompts you to insert additional disks if needed. By default, Publisher packs files to drive A. If you want to pack them to another location, click Browse on the Wizard page and then choose a different drive and folder.
To send your file via the Internet, pack your files onto your hard drive. Publisher will create one .puz file which you can tranfer to our FTP server.
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Please contact our customer support department for Adobe® Acrobat® settings required for our PDF workflow (785) 825-8124.
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Taking Digital Photographs for Print
Many Arrow clients submit digital photos for their print jobs. While digital images may look great on a computer monitor, often the quality is poor when these images are reproduced on an offset printing press if the settings were set for a small file size (or a large quantity of images per memory card). To ensure that your photos are print quality, follow these guidelines for selecting a digital camera, choosing the proper settings, and handling digital image files.
Selecting a Digital Camera
Newer multi-megapixel cameras offer high enough resolution to preserve image quality in offset printing for most image sizes (except posters and exhibits). To take high quality pictures for print, you'll need at least a 2-megapixel camera to reproduce small images. A 2-megapixel camera has an image resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. (By comparison, 35 mm film has an image resolution of about 3600 x 2500.)
Cameras with resolutions of only 1024 x 768 or 1280 x 1024 can be used, but such photos must be printed much smaller than images from higher resolution cameras.
To determine the maximum image reproduction size at 300 pixels per inch (ppi) recommended for offset printing, divide the file’s resolution size by 300. For example, a file with 1024 x 767 resolution (divided by 300) will provide a 3" x 2.5", full frame—uncropped image for offset printing.
Choosing a 4-megapixel (or greater) camera having a 3200 x 2400 pixel resolution will provide you with more flexibility in design options regarding photo size and cropping.
Resolution Settings
It is important to set your camera for the highest resolution possible. This will save the fewest number of pictures on your memory card. Many cameras have settings such as "Standard," "Normal," "High Quality" or "Super High Quality." Check your manual to determine the specific resolutions these terms represent. Depending on your camera, the resolution settings could range from 72 ppi to 300 ppi. A 72 ppi image is fine for viewing on a computer monitor or for web use; 300 ppi is the resolution required if an image is headed for a printing press. With a setting that allows more photos to be saved on the memory card, your pictures will be smaller and may be too small to be able to be reproduced for a printed publication.
Another way to understand resolution is in its relationship to image size. If a 72 ppi image is 17.7 x 14.2 inches on your monitor, it will be just 4.3 x 3.4 inches when sized for printing at 300 ppi. So, if you submit a 72 ppi image to use in a publication, the largest size at which it can be printed will be about one-fourth of its original dimension.
Tip: With digital photography it's important to move in close to your subject. Trying to crop the important feature from an already small image further reduces the usability of the image.
File Type, Compression and Editing
JPEG is a compressed image format. Saving an image as a JPEG reduces the size of the file, which is convenient in terms of storage space. However, if you open a JPEG, make changes, and resave it as a JPEG, the image deteriorates. If you use the JPEG file type, take photos at the highest possible resolution and then do not open your images or manipulate them in any way. Simply copy them to your computer (or a disk or CD) and then forward the files to Arrow Printing. An Arrow professional can make photo edits and color correction for you. If editing is required on a JPEG image and you choose to do the editing, make sure to save the revised file as a TIF or EPS.
If you have the option, the preferred file type for publication are TIF files which can be edited without losing data. EPS files are also acceptable. Let us know if you want to provide CCD-RAW and PSD files.
Every camera is different. Please read your owner's manual to learn about and take advantage of your camera’s features.
Certain kinds of graphics cannot be used in the editing, typesetting and graphic design programs used to create files for an offset press. These include PowerPoint, Harvard Graphics, WordPerfect Graphics, Corel Presentation, etc. Never embed graphics in a manuscript file, such as a WordPerfect or Word document, that you are sending to Arrow Printing.
It’s all about Quality
We want the photographs in your printed piece to be the best quality possible. Photographs engage the reader, illustrate important points in the text, and deliver visual "how to" information that helps the reader adopt new practices. Take photographs with their purpose in mind. If they're going into print, using a conventional camera is the best way to ensure quality.
