Tips

This information has been compiled to assist you in preparing electronic files. Adhering to these guidelines will enable us to produce your job efficiently.

Fonts

Two of the most common problems with electronic files are missing fonts and stylized fonts.

Always provide both screen and printer fonts with your files. Remember to include fonts that have been used in placed graphics (i.e. EPS files). If text in placed graphics has been converted to paths, we will not require these fonts. TrueType fonts are more likely to create problems in the production of your work.

Creating bold and italic type through use of a style menu or palette can lead to substitution errors and other unpredictable results. Try to select weight from the font menu. Examine your lasers carefully to be sure the bold and italic text prints correctly.

Graphics

Please include EPS files with the document file in which they are used. If you are using Freehand, please include the original application file if the graphics were not saved as editable EPS files. If your software gives you the option, you should always link your graphics to your publication rather than embed them. Embedded images cannot be altered. Should there be any problems or trapping issues with your graphics, we will not be able to adjust with them. This can add expense and delay to your job.

Bleeds

If you intend for your image to bleed, you will need to allow for this in your files, by either including a bleed when creating your graphics or enlarging the graphics slightly in your layout. Bleeds must extend 1/8" beyond the page trim.

Colors

Please use CMYK builds for process work rather than RGB, and Pantone colors for spot color jobs. If we quoted your job for process, we will convert your spot colors to process unless otherwise noted. It is best for you to do this in your layout, so you can see a better representation of your final result. Otherwise, converted colors may not reproduce the way you were expecting.

Whenever you use color, you'll need to consider how the job will be trapped. Our fully automated, Adobe Extreme®-based In-RIP Trapping (IRT) will take care of it for you.

Layout Dimensions

Generally, you should create your file to the exact dimensions that you want it printed in. When creating a new file, many programs default to the standard 8-1/2" x 11" page size, but if your document is larger or smaller than this, you should create your page size accordingly.

Software

Roberts supports most industry-standard publishing programs, including Quark, Pagemaker, InDesign, Photoshop, Freehand, Illustrator and Corel Draw. If we don't support your particular software program, you may be able to send us your file in Postscript or PDF format.

Please include your name, phone number and company name on all media sent. Be sure to print a list of all files that you are sending and include it with the media.

PDF Format

Roberts' prepress system is based upon the industry standard Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) file format. We can accept your PDF files, increasing page content reliability and speed, and thus reduce your project turn around time and cost. There are as many sets of individualized instructions for successfully creating prepress ready PDFs as there are page layout/design programs – so please contact us if you have any questions concern how we would like these files supplied.

Please send (or fax) a laser copy of your final job layout with your files.