Questions before going to the printer

[Arjay418]

Hello Everyone,

I am about to send my first major print job to the printer, and I wanted to ask a question to two so that I can reduce the amout of, uh, learning I'll have to do after I send it off.

My document was created in Indesign CS, but it contains Photoshop files and Illustrator files. There is some complex transparency (in the Photoshop files and as opacity masks created in Indesign itself).

From what I've read, I get the impression that Indesign CS documents can only print to a printer with Postscript-2 or Postscript-3 capabilities. Is this true? Is Postscript something you worry about when sending something to an offset printer?

I read that complex transparency can choke RIPs and so I wonder what I can do to avoid that (.pdf?)

The document is a two-sided brochure. Each side is a separate Indesign document. Should I send them on like that or combine them in anyway? Do I need to make sure the printer is capable of duplex printing?

Last of all, my document is 44" x 6". Will that paper size do anything to cause me problems at the printer?

I'm trying to anticipate some problems I might have and hoping that you experts can help me avoid too many newbie headaches.

Thanks for anything you can offer.

--rj

 

[viol8ion]

The best bet is to talk to your printer. They will tell you exactly how to prepare the document and what they will need.

PDF is generally the safest bet, but to be safe I always run a "preflight", and then a "package" and include all files from the "package" on a CD as well as the PDF.

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com

 

[tad1952]

I've been in the industry for almost 30 years and have one solid piece of advice for you: the FIRST thing you should do PRIOR to setting up a job is to talk to the printer.

He will be more than helpful & quite appreciative of the fact that you want to avoid any problems well ahead of time. Tell him what you are creating & find out if there are any special instructions you should be following. He might even want you to send him a sample file to test just to make sure everything is going to go smoothly. Talking to him after the fact might result in your having to rebuild, resave, or reformat.

Anyway, to get back to your question, make sure you preflight your job & do a collect. If your printer prefers a pdf, save it as a pdf/X-1a.

 

[Arjay418]

Thanks to both of you. As you said, Tad, solid advice. Wow, 30 years in the industry. I haven't even been alive that long (although I can see it from here).

--rj

 

[solarwarrior]

Just a little peace of information over PDF. With Acrobat 6 you have the new PDF standard of 1.5. If you use transparacy in your document it's important to know if you printer works with PDF version 1.4 or 1.5 if he does you don't have a problem. When he works with PDF 1.3 you will lose all of your transparancy.

 

[viol8ion]

When he works with PDF 1.3 you will lose all of your transparancy"


Just one more reason to talk to your printer first!

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com