Electronic Prepress Submission Specifications

Please see Disk and PostScript Submission Standards for Computer to Plate for additional information about how to submit your electronic files.

Please see PostScript Submission for Computer to Plate for additional information on writing and submitting PostScript files.

Pages

• All pages are to be built to the actual final trim size of your magazine. For instance: if your final publication size is 8 3/8" x 10 7/8" your document size should be set accordingly.
• All bleeds should exceed the final trim size by a minimum of 1/8".
• All copy should be kept a minimum 1/4" from final trim.

Type

• All type should be easily read and of a dark density.
• To maintain quality, black line copy should be a minimum 6-pt sans serif medium font.
• Fine lines and rules should be restricted to one color.
• Specify rule width to maintain consistency. The use of "hairline" rules should be avoided.
• Reverse lettering should be used within a minimum of screens.
• Type may be reversed out of screens, PMS areas, or separations.
• To maintain quality, reverse type should be a minimum 8-pt sans serif bold face font.
• Overprints should be limited to light PMS areas or screens, or light areas of separations.
• 100% black may overprint screens, PMS areas, or separations.
• To maintain quality, overprint type should be a minimum 6-pt sans serif bold face font.
• Type should extend no closer than 1/4" of trim.
• Fonts should be Type 1 PostScript fonts. Type 1 fonts require screen and printer fonts to be supplied with submission.
• Please avoid the use of TruType fonts.

Scans

• TIFF files should be saved with no LZW compression.
• EPS files should be saved with Mac preview and Binary encoding and no compression.
• Copy Dot scans must have a resolution of 2540 dpi.
• 8-bit (grayscale) and 24-bit (color) scans should have an effective resolution between 225-300 dpi.
• Linework scans should have a minimum effective resolution of 600 dpi.
• Convert scans using UCR, with a maximum density of 300%, and a maximum black of 85%.
• Images should be scanned as close to 100% of final size as possible.

Files, Applications, & Folders

• All files are to be submitted according to specifications outlined in Disk and PostScript Submission Standards for Computer to Plate (PDF) customer guide.
• TIFF files should be saved with no LZW compression.
• EPS files should be saved Mac preview with Binary encoding and no compression.
• Use Quark Xpress or Adobe PageMaker for the Macintosh platform for page layout applications.
• Adobe Illustrator, Adobe PhotoShop, and MacroMedia FreeHand for the Macintosh platform are accepted for support files.
• Please avoid the use of special characters in file and folder names such as: < > / \ : * ? " |
• PostScript files are to be written according to specifications outlined in PostScript Submission for Computer to Plate (PDF) customer guide.

File Formats

The Printing House, Inc. accepts the following Macintosh formatted page layout applications in order of preference:

• Quark Xpress
• PageMaker

The Printing House, Inc. will also accept support files formatted for the Macintosh platform created in the following applications:

• PhotoShop
• Illustrator
• FreeHand

The Printing House, Inc. accepts the following image file formats in order of preference:

• EPS or EPSF — Encapsulated PostScript
• TIFF — Tagged Image File Format
• DCS — Desktop Color Separations

Source File Submission

If you are submitting source files, (i.e. Quark, PageMaker, fonts, graphics, etc.) the elements you need to include on or with your transportable media are:

• Page layout files
• All printer and screen fonts
• EPS and/or TIFF files used in your documents
• Hard copy proofs

PostScript and PDF File Submission

The Printing House, Inc. will accept DSC 3.0 compliant PostScript files or PDF 1.3 compliant files. Please contact your Sales Representative or your Customer Service Representative and they will put you in touch with someone who can assist you with details on properly preparing PostScript or PDF files from your page layout application.

Accepted Media

The Printing House, Inc. can currently accept the following types of Macintosh formatted transportable media:

• 1 GB and 2 GB JAZ Cartridges
• Zip Disks
• CD-ROM's
• 1 GB and 4 GB Optical Disks
• LaCie 5.2 GB DVD-RAM
• 200 and 88 MB SyQuests Disks
• Floppy Disks
• Firewire Drives

As technology changes we will update our list of removable media that we will accept. If you would like to submit files using other types of removable media, please contact your Customer Service Representative to make sure we have a compatible drive.

Electronic File Transfer (FTP, e-mail, etc.)

Electronic file transfers preclude the use of hard copy proofs. For this reason we ask that electronic file submission via FTP or e-mail be used as a supplement to disk submission or used in emergency situations only. In addition, all files that are electronically transmitted via FTP or e-mail should be accompanied by a faxed hard copy proof. Please forward the original hard copy proofs via courier or overnight delivery.

Hard Copy Proofs

Accurate hard copy proofs are vital to ensure the integrity of the final product. We cannot process your electronic files without furnished hard copy proofs. Thank you for respecting our legitimate desire to provide you with the smoothest production process available by providing the following proof items with every project:

1. Hard copy laser proofs. We cannot be held responsible for the integrity of the final product without a hard copy proof since this is used as a quality control device.
2. Print your proofs with file name, crop marks, and date and time. Click the registration marks option in the print dialog box when printing from PageMaker or Quark Xpress.
3. Hard copy proofs that match the supplied electronic files. This is critical to our internal quality control process.

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