Submitting materials to a printer on disk or via electronic transmission can save time. To prevent delays in getting your print job started, make sure you are furnishing the printer with "clean" files that don't need extra work. Here are the top ten digital file problems:

Most Common Mistakes

• Fonts missing
• Trapping incorrect
• Color incorrectly specified
• Scans in RGB rather then CMYK mode
• Page settings not set properly
• Graphics not linked
• Bleeds inadequate
• No laser proof
• Graphics missing
• Resolution too low/high



General Guidelines

Include Screen and Printer Fonts: Both screen and printer fonts should be included on the Mac, or .PFM and .PFB files on the PC. Although we have a large font library at Hatteras, this will avoid unnecessary text reflow from incompatible font versions and vendors. Be assured that the fonts you supply will only be used on your documents.

Caution - True Type: Avoid True Type fonts whenever possible. They are known to be unstable and incompatible with Postscript Level 2 RIPs.

Hints for Pantone Graphs: If you're looking to specify Pantone colors in graphs, your computer skills may be put to the test because many of the current graphing programs don't support it.There are two ways to circumvent this shortcoming.

The best method is to import your graph into an illustration program to specify color breaks, and from there exporting to or saving as an EPS file.

The second method will only work if your graphing program supports CMYK and you need to use a maximum of four non-CMYK colors in your final document. In this case, assign C, M, Y or K values for each of the Pantone colors in your graphing and page layout programs (only use Yellow for solids). For example, if you are using Pantone 220, Pantone 300 and Black in your final document, then in your graphing program specify magenta anywhere Pantone 220 is used, Cyan for Pantone 300 and Black for Black, making sure to carry the assignments over to the page layout program as well. Also, be sure to mark these assignments on the laser proofs you supply your printer.

Check for Unwanted Colors: Be certain that you don't leave extra colors you don't intend to have printed within your page layout or illustration files. Quark and Pagemaker have "delete color" functions and Adobe Illustrator has a "remove unused colors" command that makes it easy to double check.

In addition, laser separations are a great way to make sure that no extra colors have slipped into your document, such as a Pantone you want to match in process or a process color that was supposed to be spot color.

Avoid Yellow Angles: The yellow screen angle should not be used in duotones, tritones, blends or screens containing one, two or three colors. Not only is the yellow angle the least desirable of the four screen angles, it will cause a moire effect if combined with only one or two other inks. For better results, use the cyan, magenta and black screen angles whenever possible.



Name Files So Plates Match: In order for graphics imported into Quark XPress or Pagemaker to have the illustration file color output on the same plates as colors created in the page layout file, they must have the exact same name, including capitalization. If this isn't observed, the graphic and type colors will end up on two different plates, even if the exact same Pantone color is specified for both. For example, you have designed a document in Quark XPress using Black and Pantone 301. Your headings are in Pantone 301, and your body text is in Black. You have a graphic imported from illustrator designed in the same two colors. In the Illustrator file they are called black and PMS 301. After you import this file into Quark and output it to film or a laser printer, you will get 4 printing plates: black, Black, Pantone 301 and PMS 301.

Thin Knockouts may KO registration: Remember that thin knockouts from process inks (e.g.: tiny type or rules of less than a half-point) may cause registration problems on the press.

Lasers: For preview, proofing and special instructions, laser prints of a job are an excellent tool for customers to review many aspects of a job prior to submitting it to Hatteras. Moreover, the lasers, marked up with your comments where appropriate, can be of invaluable assistance to us in preparing for production and should always accompany the job. Laser proofs should be output as follows:

• Sized at 100 percent of the finished piece.
• Printed from the latest versions of all files.
• Marked to show color breaks (please send a laser proof for each separated color, or at least a color laser comp)
• Noted with instructions for graphics, bleeds, etc.
• Noted with instructions for important issues such as crossovers, silhouettes or ghosting.

Notes on File Formats: Several formats are available to you in creating graphics, but generally they will be either bitmap or vector files. The three most commonly used image file formats are Scitex CT (Continuous Tone), TIFF (bitmap), which stands for Tagged Image File Format, and EPS (vector), which stands for Encapsulated Postscript. It is important to know the implications of using bitmap or vector files in illustration and image editing applications.

A bitmap image is composed of tiny on-screen or printed dots called picture elements or pixels. Each pixel in the image is treated as an individual object. TIFF files are bitmap files which are generally easier to place because of the superior quality screen resolution.

A vector image is one complete object and is treated as such. Although an EPS does not necessarily have to be a vector image, if an image is a vector, or contains a vector, it must be saved as an EPS. For example, a silhouette created with a clipping path must be saved as an EPS.

When a bitmap is printed or enlarged, the edges of the image may appear jagged. When a vector image is printed or enlarged, the image maintains a high resolution. This means that EPS images composed of vectors can be manipulated without losing resolution, but TIFF images cannot.