PSD Files are Distorted in Pagemaker 7

[boyd24]

I am in the process of creating CD design templates using Adobe Pagemaker, which is the required DTP software by the company I am working with.

Being new to Pagemaker, I am having difficulties importing my Photoshop 6 designs into the Pagemaker 7 templates provided by the company. Using the "Place" command, I import the PSD file and it is completely distored and pixelated.

I am told that Pagemaker 7 is designed to import PSD files, but the results are terrible. I've tried importing as other formats, like TIFF with the same aweful results.
This is frustrating since I have limited time left to get the design done. What am I doing wrong??

Thanks.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, boyd24,

> > I import the PSD file and it is completely distored and pixelated.

What exactly do you mean by that?

Have you tried setting you Graphics Display to high resolution - File -> Preferences -> General?
For a quick preview in High Rez mode, hit Ctrl + Shift + F12.

What happens when you print the file?

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[boyd24]

Hey John,

Yes, I have changed preferences to High resolution after seeing that come up in another forum. However, the results are still the same.

By pixelated, I mean the quality is really poor (on screen, and when printed). By poor, I mean not nearly as good as it is displayed and printed from Photoshop. If both are Adobe products, I can't figure out what is going on when the file is transferred to Pagemaker?

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, boyd24,

The screen view in PM has never been as good as PhS's, but the printed output should be fine.

How are you importing the PSD file into PM - you are using PageMaker's File -> Place and not the windows clipboard?

See this page in the PM Windows FAQ:

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@@.ef85028/0

(Login as a Guest for Read Only Access)

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[boyd24]

Yes, I have been using File -> Place to import PSD files. Print quality is poor. Screen display is poor. Are there any other settings I can change to fix this problem?

Thanks.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, boyd24,

If you are printing to a Postscript printer, click on the Options button and set the "Send Tif/Images" option to Normal and NOT to Optimized. The deceptively-named optimized option actually downsamples your image for faster draft printing and can significantly reduce the printed quality of your placed image.

Another reason for poor screen display and poor print output is that the image is very low rez or has been stretched in PM.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[Eggles]

>>Another reason for poor screen display and poor print output is that the image is very low rez or has been stretched in PM. <<

They were my first two questions....

What is the resolution of the PSD files?

After being placed, do you leave them at 100% size?

Finally, I recommend you try TIFs rather than PSDs

(John, are you sure you can place PSDs in PM?)

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Lyn,

> > (John, are you sure you can place PSDs in PM?)

There's no problem in PM7. The same goes for AI files.

In fact, if a *.PSD is placed in a PM7, saved as *.PMD, renamed as *.P65. PM6.5 will open the file just fine.

The only difference is the process of importing the file format, as once imported, PM only looks for the required data.

One day I'll copy the PM7 PSD import filter over to the corresponding PM6.5 folder and see if PM6.5 will then import PSD files. I suspect it will.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[boyd24]

Hi Lyn,
To answer your questions...
[What is the resolution of the PSD files?] 300ppi.
[After being placed, do you leave them at 100% size?] Yes.

I am determined that I must be doing something wrong b/c images do appear to be stretched...despite being created as 300ppi files. This has spawned another question...why is the text feature in PM7 such terrihble quality? (even after CTRL + Shift + F12 to improve). I was told today by the cd company that it was better to create text in PM7...but the quality is worse than when I create everything in Photoshop!

John, I believe you are correct in saying that when printed the quality will be much better. But how do I know? I refuse to believe that an Adobe product such as PM7 could produce such terrible results when displayed. I must be doing something wrong.

The saga continues...

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, boyd24,

I'm not sure I understand what's happening - "why is the text feature in PM7 such terrible quality?" Text is displayed no worse than in say Word, and is in fact probably better as it's displayed more accurately.

> > I was told today by the cd company that it was better to create text in PM7

They're absolutely correct. Fonts/Text display just fine with PM.

> > I believe you are correct in saying that when printed the quality will be much better. But how do I know?

Print a copy. Or create a PDF and print that.

I'm coming to the conclusion you have a system problem, not a PM problem. Try another monitor or adjust your display settings/resolution.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.