To create PDF files for magazine printing there are
three steps required: Software/system setup, making
individual postscript files for each page and distilling
them.
1. Open your layout.
Do all your checks (correct
page size, correct photo resolution, proper bleeds,
etc.). The easiest option is to run "Save for
Service Provider" (under Utilities/Plugins).
2. Double check that all
your colors are CMYK not RGB
Pull down Windows to Show Colors...
This will display the Default Colors dialog box. In
this box all the colors except for none, black,
registration, need to be changed to cmyk. (cyan,
magenta, yellow may already be cmyk)
1. Double click on a color
2. Make sure "Type:" is set to Process
3. Make sure "Model:" is set to CMYK
4. Make sure "Overprint" is unchecked
5. Click OK and select the next color
and so on ...
Any pre existing document colors need to be check
and changed to CMYK
3. Create a Print
Style:
You can create and customizes your own print
style.
1. Launch PageMaker®
2. Pull down File to Print Styles to Define...
3. Click the New button
4. Enter the name of your new print style.
(example: PrintSettings)
5. Click the OK button
6. Click the Edit button.
These are the Document settings:
• Pull up to Acrobat Distiller in
the "PPD:" box
• Make sure "Copies:" is set to 1
• Uncheck "Collate", "Reverse" and
"Proof"
• Click the "All" pages button
• Print: needs to be set to Both
Pages
• Uncheck "Ignore 'Non-Printing'
settings", "Reader's spreads" and "Print blank
pages"
• Uncheck "Print all publications in
book" and "Use paper settings for each
publication"
• Set the "Orientation:" to portrait
(the standing person)
Click the Paper button
• In the "Size:" box pull up to
Custom ...
• Enter your publication size (8.375" x
10.75") plus one inch to the "width:" and
"height:" boxes (9.375"x 11.75")
• Click the "OK" button to go back to
the paper settings
• Make sure "Printer's Marks," "Page
Information" and "Center Page" in print area are
checked
• Set Tiling to None
• Make sure Scale is set to 100%
Click the Options button
• Send Image data: pull up to
Normal
• Data encoding: pull down to Send
binary Image data
• Download fonts: pull up to PostScript
and TrueType
• Click the Normal button
• Uncheck the Page independence box
Click the Color button
• Click the Composite and Color
buttons
• Mirror, Negative, Print colors in
black, Preserve EPS color, and Separations need
to be unchecked
• Optimized screen: needs to be set to
Default
Click the Features button
• Click the Resolution: box and
pull down to 2400dpi
Click the OK button
Now the new print style is listed in
your Print Style dialog box. Click the Save
button and you are ready to postscript.
4. Postscripting Your
Pages
You will be building a postscript file and
ultimately a pdf file for every single page of your
document. If your magazine is 16 pages there will
need to be 16 pdf files. We will also need to name
your files using the following convention:
1. page number proceeded by
3 zeros for numbers less than 10 and 2 zeros
10 and above.
2. magazine name's two letter
abbreviation
3. month and year
4. and.ps at the end
examples using Your Magazine as the
title:
page one (cover): 0001_YMOct03.ps
page nine: 0009_YMOct03.ps
page fifteen: 0015_YMOct03.ps
page thirty eight: 0038_YMOct03.ps
1. Launch PageMaker®
2. Open your page
3. Pull down File to Printer Styles to your
print style (example: PrintSettings)
4. In the Print document dialog box click on the
Ranges: button
5. Type the page number you are
postscripted.
6. Click the Options button
7. Verify that the page you want to save is
listed in the Write PostScript to File: box
(example: 008_YMOct03.ps)
8. Click the Save As... (or Browse) button
9. Go to the folder you want your postscript
files saved and click the OK button.
10. Click the Save button on the Print Options
dialog box
This will create a single page postscript file
of the page you entered in step 5 above. Repeat
steps 3-10 until all your pages are saved.
Now you are ready for creating PDFs.
1. Open Acrobat Distiller. Pull down on the
Job Options tab and select MagazineSettings.
2. Drag your postscript files into the Distiller
window.
3. Your Print Ready PDF files are ready to load on
disk for printing!
Do not forget to include printouts of all your
pages when sending your disk.
