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Software |
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We Prefer Files to be created on the
Macintosh Platform; however, we can
accept digital files from the PC
platform. Please keep in mind
that most PC platform files will be
converted to the Macintosh platform
which may cause font issues. |
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The following is a list of the
software that we support: |
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Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe PageMaker
• Adobe Photoshop |
• Adobe Acrobat
• Macromedia Freehand
• Quark Express |
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The following software are not
intended to create documents for
high-end outputs and should be
avoided due to lack of integrity and
information when submitted in its
native form: |
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PowerPoint
• Microsoft Publisher |
• Microsoft Word
• Word Perfect |
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Converting these types of documents
to a Press Optimized PDF will
increase the possibility of
maintained integrity.
Otherwise, these documents may often
incur extra expense to reconstruct
in an appropriate application in
which information is properly sent
to an output device. |
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Laser Proofs |
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It is
important for you to send us
composite hard copies ("lasers") of
the final file at the size it will
print. It is also a good idea
to print out separated lasers from
the graphics application, as this
will clearly show you and our
pre-press department what elements
will be printing on each color
plate. This is also one way
you can preflight your job: if the
job is 2 colors, you should have 2
laser prints with all the
appropriate elements separated on
them. |
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Graphics & Scans |
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Please include all linked
graphic files. This
includes all graphics that were
placed from vector programs such as
Illustrator and Freehand, as well as
any images placed into the vector
programs. For example: if you
have created a logo in Adobe
Illustrator that contains a
Photoshop image, you must provide
both the Illustrator files as well
as the Photoshop file.
Graphics applications will not
manually collect the Photoshop file,
so you must manually copy it.
All graphics should be in EPS or
TIFF format; avoid PICT and Windows
BMP files.
Scan all color and Grayscale
photos at 300 dpi at the final size
they will be used in your document.
All color scans must be saved as
CMYK color space; if RGB images are
received they will be converted to
the CMYK color space.
All linework should be scanned at no
less than 1200 dpi at the final size
and saved as a tiff or bitmap. |
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Fonts |
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We support only Macintosh Postscript
Type 1 fonts. Type 1
fonts consist of two parts, a screen
font and a printer font. BOTH
must be sent with files to print
accurately. Also,
please check all vector EPS files
and send along font files for those
graphics as well.
Do NOT use "applied" type
styles in the control or
measurements palettes in PageMaker
or Quark Express to make the type
bold or italic; always
choose the bold or italic versions
of the font from the font list in
order to prevent unexpected print
results. |
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Color |
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Please use the following guidelines
for color: |
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Save all color photos and vector
images as CMYK if the job is to
be 4 color process.
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Specify which colors are to be
spot and which colors are to be
4 color process.
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Choose colors from the Pantone
swatch books, rather than color
combinations that look good on
your monitor.
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Colors from a low-end, non-color
managed printer do NOT represent
the color that will be printed.
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Make sure colors that are the
same have the same name: PMS 300
is different than PMS 300CV,
which is different than PMS
300CVC; unfortunately, graphic
application programs default to
different colors, so it is
necessary to manually check your
color names for consistency.
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Please provide any previously
printed cards or collateral
pieces that we may have to match
for color.
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Bleeds |
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Please
build your file and graphic elements
with a .125" bleed. |
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Folds |
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If you
are creating a document which is to
be folded, please use the following
templates for guidelines so that
your piece flows correctly and the
folds and margins do not land on
important information. |
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Trapping |
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Please do not trap your job.
Alliance Printing and Mailing uses
state of the art trapping software
specific to our print process.
Our pre-press technicians will set
all trapping parameters that will
yield the highest quality final
product. |
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