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Sending your files to be printed

 

 

 

Technical support

File preparation checklist

Do you want to prepare a file using software on your computer and then send it to RE:Print for printing?  Although RE:Print usually performs a technical evaluation on client files, you can help ensure that your jobs go smoothly and stay on-budget by providing some basic information right at the start. The ten-point checklist below can help you avoid many common frustrations – and save time and money.

1) Identify your computer and operating system:
Are you using a Mac or an IBM-compatible computer?  Are you using Windows 98 or Windows XP Professional?  Tell us the specifics about your computer and operating system.

2) Identify your software:  Tell us the name and version of the software you used to create your files.  For instance, PageMaker 7.0, Microsoft Word 97, CorelDRAW! 10 or InDesign 2.0.  There are sometimes problems when files created in one version of software are opened with another version.

3) List your fonts:  Make a list of all the fonts that you've used in your files. To help ensure that your files will print properly, embed the fonts in your files (see point 4 below).   Choose fonts carefully, since not all fonts will embed properly. 

4) Embed fonts or convert them to curves or outlines:  Many programs allow you to embed fonts in your files so they will print properly on other computers where your fonts may not be installed.  Learn how to embed fonts using your software – but remember, not all fonts will embed properly.  Click here for more information about embedding fonts.  Graphics programs may also allow you to convert fonts to curves or outlines, eliminating the need to embed them.

5) Provide a hard copy printed on your equipment:
 Since line endings, page endings and other formatting can change when your files are opened on another computer, a printout created on your equipment helps us ensure that your file prints properly on our equipment.

6) Check your printer driver:  Tell us the name and type of printer that you use with your computer.  If possible, identify whether you're using a postscript or a PCL printer driver. Formatting often changes when a file is printed on a different model or type of printer, so it can help to know what kind of printer you were using.  Click here for more information about printer drivers.

7) Identify any special software installed on your computer:  You may have special software installed on your computer to give you the ability to create special characters or use non-Roman alphabets.  For instance, there are programs that could enable you to use Microsoft Word to create and print traditional Chinese characters on your computer, but other computers without the special software wouldn't have the same capabilities.

8)  Be sure you've included linked files:  MS Word allows you to embed an object, such as an Excel file, in your Word document.  PageMaker and QuarkXpress allow you to create links to external files in your PageMaker document.  If you only send us your PageMaker, Quark or Word file without the linked files, the linked documents will not appear when we open your file on our equipment.

9)  Tell us about your use of color:  The color you see on your computer screen probably isn't an accurate representation of the color that will print from your files. RGB, CYMK, Pantone color, spot color – the technical aspects of color can vary from one piece of software to another.  Since the software you use and the way you select colors are both important, tell us what you've done and how you intended the color to work. 

10) Tell us if your design bleeds:  A "bleed" page is designed to print right to the edge of a sheet of paper. Since most printing techniques require a margin of at least one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch on all sides of a page, if your bleed design is printed on a standard sheet of paper, there will be a white border around the edges of the page.  To print a bleed design properly, your file must be printed on a larger sheet of paper which is then trimmed to the smaller intended size. The larger sheet size and trimming make your job cost more and increase the time required to print your job.

RE:Print offers knowledgeable technical support for a wide range of software.

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RE:Print supports a wide range of software, including:

  • Adobe Acrobat

  • Adobe InDesign

  • Adobe Illustrator

  • Adobe PageMaker

  • CorelDRAW!

  • Corel PHOTO-PAINT

  • Corel Ventura

  • dBase

  • Lotus 1-2-3

  • Lotus Freelance

  • Lotus WordPro

  • MS Access

  • MS Excel

  • MS FrontPage

  • MS Office

  • MS PowerPoint

  • MS Publisher

  • MS Word

  • Paradox

  • Quattro Pro

  • WordPerfect

  • Windows 95 - XP

Please ask if you don't see your software listed here!  In addition to Windows applications, RE:Print also still supports some Mac files and certain older, DOS applications.
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