Mac - I have a printer preference for you

[JoAnn Paules]

Up until now I create my newsletters as individual pages, 8½" x 11". I
convert my .pub to a .pdf and my printer prints it from the disk. Would it
be better/easier for him if I created it as an 11" x 17" in the order he
needs to print it? Or should I leave well enough alone because they've never
complained?

 

[Mike Koewler]

JoAnn,

Why don't you ask the printer? Surely he doesn't charge to answer
questions.

Mike

 

[JoAnn Paules]

True but I was curious what Mac thought about it. My printer has never
complained but he's such a good guy that if it's better to change the
set-up, then I'd ask him if he'd prefer that.

 

[Mike Bailey]

JoAnn,

The only god answer is to discuss this with your printer as the answer would
be dependant on how the printer/prepress house are outputting your files. For
example, whether or not they have imposition software, but there are other
variables. Personally in most cases I prefer to have my files supplied as one
file with all the pages printed to an oversized sheet (letter extra or 9½"x
12" with crop marks if the job is 8½"x 11") and impose the job myself.
However if the final job comes from multiple documents I prefer to join the
publication with my imposition software (joining PDF files can sometimes
cause font issues at the RIP if fonts are subsetted).

--
Mike Bailey
Prepress Technician
Richmond BC
Canada

True but I was curious what Mac thought about it. My printer has never
complained but he's such a good guy that if it's better to change the
set-up, then I'd ask him if he'd prefer that.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

JoAnn,

Why don't you ask the printer? Surely he doesn't charge to answer
questions.

Mike

 

[Mac Townsend]

It could save you money. It would were the files coming to me since my
price for a "tabloid" piece of film is less than 2x the price of a
letter piece. Even if there were a small charge (couple bucks) for
imposition.

However, I've seen some printers who want registration marks "within"
the live copy (i.e. within the 11 x 17 rather than outside of it) for a
variety of reasons, etc. And then the standard marks (outside the page)
would be insufficient.

A different issue arises when the publication size is greater than a few
sheets of paper. Were your publication 124 pages, and being run on a
tabloid press you'd likely encounter problems with the canned "first and
last page" imposition scheme. Eitehr you'd have problems with the page
margins if the whole mess was folded and stapled, or you'd have the
wrong imposition if the thing was being perfect bound, or you'd possibly
encounter some post press collation beyond what was planned for if the
book was being mechanically bound.

So the safest bet is to ask. As others have said.