Good Day, everybody! David Dilling from Markzware with today's quick how-to:
Good Day, everybody! David Dilling from Markzware with today's quick how-to:

How to Prepress Layout.
How to Prepress Layout.

How can we get a
How can we get a

DTP or desktop publishing layout like Adobe InDesign,
DTP or desktop publishing layout like Adobe InDesign,

QuarkXPress,
QuarkXPress,

Photoshop, or in this case, this Adobe Illustrator file ready for prepress?
Photoshop, or in this case, this Adobe Illustrator file ready for prepress?

Now, we're going to cruise over to inkd.com,
Now, we're going to cruise over to inkd.com,

and as you can see on this particular web page, which I'll link to,
and as you can see on this particular web page, which I'll link to,

on inkd, they did a full idea on how to prepress a layout,
on inkd, they did a full idea on how to prepress a layout,

how to get a layout ready for prepress,
how to get a layout ready for prepress,

whether it's InDesign, QuarkXPress,
whether it's InDesign, QuarkXPress,

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop,
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop,

it doesn't really matter, the same basic principles apply.
it doesn't really matter, the same basic principles apply.

First, you'll see a quick overview of the,
First, you'll see a quick overview of the,

well, as they say,
well, as they say,

four
four

steps of
steps of

getting a file prepress ready.
getting a file prepress ready.

The four steps are
The four steps are

manually checking and adjusting your layout
manually checking and adjusting your layout

and graphics files
and graphics files

in Adobe, Quark, Microsoft-type layout applications.
in Adobe, Quark, Microsoft-type layout applications.

Step 2 is to preflight your file,
Step 2 is to preflight your file,

preferably with a tool,
preferably with a tool,

with aÊstandalone, such as Markzware's FlightCheck,
with aÊstandalone, such as Markzware's FlightCheck,

which will check all major layout types
which will check all major layout types

for DTP, or desktop publishing.
for DTP, or desktop publishing.

The second step
The second step

on how to prepress a layout is to collect your job, to package
on how to prepress a layout is to collect your job, to package

all used elements,
all used elements,

fonts,
fonts,

images, graphics,
images, graphics,

colors, previews,
colors, previews,

you know, you name it,
you know, you name it,

required plugins, xtensions,
required plugins, xtensions,

to package all the material from your Photoshop layout, your Illustrator artwork
to package all the material from your Photoshop layout, your Illustrator artwork

your Adobe InDesign layout,
your Adobe InDesign layout,

your QuarkXPress desktop publishing layout, etc.
your QuarkXPress desktop publishing layout, etc.

And lastly, creating a preview PDF file.
And lastly, creating a preview PDF file.

Now Step 1,
Now Step 1,

the, actually the manual preflight process of
the, actually the manual preflight process of

how to prepress a layout
how to prepress a layout

is essentially largely covered in the next step called Preflight,
is essentially largely covered in the next step called Preflight,

however,
however,

not 100%.
not 100%.

There are many items which cannot be handled in traditional preflight.
There are many items which cannot be handled in traditional preflight.

For instance, extending the artwork to bleed lines,
For instance, extending the artwork to bleed lines,

to trash unused color swatches, making sure your fonts are all linked.
to trash unused color swatches, making sure your fonts are all linked.

Make sure all your fonts are active and collectable
Make sure all your fonts are active and collectable

that can be packaged.
that can be packaged.

These are all items which you'll need to do manually, one way or another, or be
These are all items which you'll need to do manually, one way or another, or be

sure that you have done them.
sure that you have done them.

So, it is good to manually double-check everything. Just like for an airplane, you would
So, it is good to manually double-check everything. Just like for an airplane, you would

do a so-called "preflight" check, which is Step 2.
do a so-called "preflight" check, which is Step 2.

As you'll see, one of the recommended tools is Markzware's FlightCheck,
As you'll see, one of the recommended tools is Markzware's FlightCheck,

which is a standalone tool, which will quickly and easily preflight your
which is a standalone tool, which will quickly and easily preflight your

entire layout, whether
entire layout, whether

Adobe Illustrator,
Adobe Illustrator,

even Adobe Photoshop .psd files,
even Adobe Photoshop .psd files,

and of course, InDesign, QuarkXPress and other major DTP or desktop publishing
and of course, InDesign, QuarkXPress and other major DTP or desktop publishing

file formats.
file formats.

As they mention, the typical errors and how to fix them are:
As they mention, the typical errors and how to fix them are:

linked graphics, or images that are RGB.
linked graphics, or images that are RGB.

Depending on your RIP, you may need to have your images in CMYK only...
Depending on your RIP, you may need to have your images in CMYK only...

missing fonts, or in the PDF world,
missing fonts, or in the PDF world,

non-embedded fonts.
non-embedded fonts.

And, last but not least, the final step is
And, last but not least, the final step is

packaging
packaging

your file. It's not the final step, it's the second to last step: collecting or packaging
your file. It's not the final step, it's the second to last step: collecting or packaging

all your fonts and images into one file.
all your fonts and images into one file.

Markzware's FlightCheck offers that, as well.
Markzware's FlightCheck offers that, as well.

It will allow you to collect all needed elements into one folder, even compressing
It will allow you to collect all needed elements into one folder, even compressing

it,
it,

so you can pass it on to the prepress department.
so you can pass it on to the prepress department.

that makes how to prepress layout very easy. Last, but not least, is creating a
that makes how to prepress layout very easy. Last, but not least, is creating a

PDF preview, if you're going to send the native file to the printer or prepress
PDF preview, if you're going to send the native file to the printer or prepress

department, as well.
department, as well.

If the layout is going to be needed as a PDF, a print PDF,
If the layout is going to be needed as a PDF, a print PDF,

the final step will then be to create that print PDF.
the final step will then be to create that print PDF.

How to get your layout ready for prepress?
How to get your layout ready for prepress?

One of the most important processes
One of the most important processes

in the entire
in the entire

process is preflighting.
process is preflighting.

Preflighting tools, which can, not only preflight, but also package your jobs,
Preflighting tools, which can, not only preflight, but also package your jobs,

and even the manual part at the beginning can be largely handled
and even the manual part at the beginning can be largely handled

by an electronic preflight tool, like Markzware's FlightCheck. As we saw in the beginning, in this chart
by an electronic preflight tool, like Markzware's FlightCheck. As we saw in the beginning, in this chart

about preflighting,
about preflighting,

it's very important to understand this principle:
it's very important to understand this principle:

to catch and find and fix a small problem
to catch and find and fix a small problem

which seems small, in design.
which seems small, in design.

For instance, a
For instance, a

font which is missing or an
font which is missing or an

image which is RGB or low resolution...
image which is RGB or low resolution...

To find such a problem at the design stage,
To find such a problem at the design stage,

may only cost 10 pounds,
may only cost 10 pounds,

or 8 Euros,
or 8 Euros,

or 7 dollars, or something in that range,
or 7 dollars, or something in that range,

and cost only a few minutes to fix it, for the designer;
and cost only a few minutes to fix it, for the designer;

but if the designer passes that problem
but if the designer passes that problem

down to the layout artist, and the layout artist passes it down to prepress,
down to the layout artist, and the layout artist passes it down to prepress,

and prepress passes that down
and prepress passes that down

into the plate, and into the final press,
into the plate, and into the final press,

to the final printing piece,
to the final printing piece,

or to the final outputted piece,
or to the final outputted piece,

you could be talking about
you could be talking about

going from 10 pounds, or 8 Euros, or 7 dollars wasted
going from 10 pounds, or 8 Euros, or 7 dollars wasted

to thousands of pounds, Euros or dollars wasted.
to thousands of pounds, Euros or dollars wasted.

That's the all important
That's the all important

process of preflight
process of preflight

in prepress.
in prepress.

If you'd like to try FlightCheck for yourself, cruise over to markzware.com, and
If you'd like to try FlightCheck for yourself, cruise over to markzware.com, and

check it out today. There's a free demo version, a 30-day, full-working free
check it out today. There's a free demo version, a 30-day, full-working free

version for you to use,
version for you to use,

preflight and package files
preflight and package files

with Markzware's FlightCheck.
with Markzware's FlightCheck.

Thank you very much. This is David Dilling from Markzware, signing off.
Thank you very much. This is David Dilling from Markzware, signing off.