Henry Ling Limited Supplying files Introduction ............................................................................................................... 2 Version History; A brief history of PostScript and PDF 2.0 Dec 2007 Basic specification for files ......................................................................................... 3 2.1 Jun 2008 A summary of the specifications we want 2.2 Oct 2008 Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader ................................................................................... 4 2.3 Feb 2009 Go straight here for tips on how to use Acrobat/Reader to view and examine PDF files 2.4 Sep 2009 Acrobat Distiller/PDF printers ................................................................................... 6 2.5 Aug 2010 How to create a PDF file from any program (see below for specific programs) 2.6 Aug 2011 2.7 Dec 2011 Adobe InDesign ......................................................................................................... 8 Altered Word PDFing instructions Go straight here to configure InDesign’s colour management and create a suitable PDF 2.8 Aug 2012 QuarkXPress ............................................................................................................ 12 Altered PDF printers and Word PDFing instructions Go straight here to configure QuarkXPress’s colour management and create a suitable PDF 2.9 Apr 2013 Added Serif PagePlus instructions Adobe Photoshop ..................................................................................................... 15 2.95 Jan 2014 Go straight here for information on using Photoshop to colour manage image files suitable for printing by us Updated InDesign, Quark and Word/Publisher sections Microsoft Word ........................................................................................................ 17 3.0 Jan 2015 Go straight here for tips for using Word to create a file suitable for printing by us Removed PostScript and PageMaker instructions, general updates throughout Microsoft Publisher .................................................................................................. 20 3.1 Jul 2015 Go straight here for tips for using Publisher to create a file suitable for printing by us Included Adobe DC and Quark 2015 instructions Pages (Apple iWork) ................................................................................................. 23 3.2 Feb 2017 Go straight here for tips for using Pages (the page layout program in Apple’s iWork suite) to create a suitable PDF Added Quark 2016 instructions and updated Microsoft Word/Publisher sections Serif PagePlus .......................................................................................................... 24 3.3 Jun 2018 Go straight here for tips for using Serif PagePlus to create a file suitable for printing by us Updated Quark instructions Serif Affinity Publisher ............................................................................................. 25 3.4 Apr 2020 Go straight here for tips for using Affinity Publisher to create a file suitable for printing by us Updated Word/Publisher/PDF printers, added Affinity Publisher, general updates throughout Appendix: Colour management ................................................................................ 28 3.5 Jan 2021 Introduction to colour management theory and why it is important Updated all settings to include new colour profiles HENRY LING LIMITED – SUPPLYING FILES Introduction The purpose of this document is to confirm the accurately describe pages to a laser printer, it was including the final edit of the text and images. procedures and settings required to make a file adopted by the print industry as a standard way Your document should be made to the correct suitable for print with little or no additional work to transfer files from the creator to the printer. size (the trimmed size of your publication) with required on the part of Henry Ling Limited. Rather than the information describing the the margins (the white space surrounding your It is intended that this guide not only saves our pages going directly to a laser printer it is saved text) as you want to see them in the finished customers time but ultimately money. Please as a file and sent to a professional printer to be job. When you create a PDF file you are in note that this guide contains links, underlined in output by using their hardware. This is a ‘final effect locking it down so it can’t be changed (or italic, to files, web sites and also to other sections file’, as it contains all the fonts and images for more importantly, so it can’t change without of this guide – click the link to follow it. your job and the instructions required for our you knowing it) so it is best to check and adjust When a job has been created for print using hardware to reproduce your pages exactly as they the basics before making your final file. There a page layout program there are two possible appeared on your computer. PostScript quickly are facilities for editing PDF files but they are ways to submit the job for printing; sending the became the cornerstone of the prepress industry relatively limited and not usually recommended document(s) with all the fonts and images you and is still used today. if the original application files are available. have used in the job, or by creating a ‘finalised’ After ten years Adobe refined the PostScript It’s important to note that when any element file in a format designed for that purpose. Henry language to address its shortcomings and on the page is intended to print up to the very Ling Limited encourages customers to submit launched a new improved format – PDF edge of the page it will actually have to extend work in this finalised format as this will decrease (Portable Document Format). PDF is now the 3mm beyond the trimmed area in your file any possible delays or problems in production. format of choice as it has several advantages so when the job is trimmed to size any small Common problems when sending documents over PostScript; much smaller file sizes, can variations in the folding or cutting won’t result in rather than final files to a printer include not easily be viewed on screen, can be printed to a white line down the edge of the page where the sending all of the images used in your document non-PostScript printers (e.g. desktop inkjets), printed area stopped just before the edge of the and not sending the correct font files required it’s more reliable and more flexible. For these page. This extra image area is known as ‘bleed’. for us to output your pages. Also, some problems reasons we prefer files supplied as PDFs. Some See illustration below. with images may not be apparent until the final methods of creating PDFs involve making a See page opposite for the basic specification file is made. We do accept documents but find PostScript file first (as PDF is still based on the we require for ‘finished’ files. that often with the help of the information PostScript language) which is then processed contained in this guide most customers who want by Adobe’s Acrobat Distiller program to make a to can benefit from the cost and time savings PDF file based on the settings you have defined Bleed that supplying finished files can bring.This does to suit your requirements. Alternatively some not necessarily involve buying any additional software. programs can create PDF files directly. This section covers the general principles of this process – customers familiar with these procedures Creating ‘final’ files can skip to the section covering their programs. Depending on the number of copies ordered we Bleed The original ‘finalised’ format, the have the option of using our digital presses, for PostScript page description language, was short-run work, or litho presses (using printing designed specifically to address the problems plates) for longer runs. Please check how your of reproducing complex jobs on a variety of job will be printed. Before making your final hardware. Developed by Adobe in 1985 to file the job will have to be correctly formatted, 2 HENRY LING LIMITED – SUPPLYING FILES Basic specification for files See the individual sections for settings supplied as spreads, i.e. the first page of Adobe Acrobat section for more on this. specific to your program, but the following your file is the Outside Back Cover/spine Please do not apply any trapping. is our basic requirements; (if applicable)/Outside Front Cover and • We recommend the following • PDF files, made to the PDF/X-1a the second page (if applicable) Inside resolutions for your images; 300dpi for standard where possible. PDF/X is Front Cover/spine (if applicable, blank)/ normal halftones (photographs), 500dpi an ISO standard for graphic content Inside Back Cover. for fine-art halftones/those containing exchange – click here to find out more. • Your page size should match the text or fine lines, and 1270dpi for line If your software can’t create PDF/X files trimmed size of the job, with all the work (1-bit bitmap images). If your job we will accept any PDF with all fonts text positioned correctly within that will be printed digitally the resolutions embedded and subsetted. See this guide for page. Any blank pages required in your can safely be lower. NB All resolutions files that will setup your programs, to publication should be included in the stated are at their finished size (i.e. as create suitable PDF files. PDF. Bleed allowance is 3mm. they appear on the page). This may be • Our CMYK destination profiles