Creating a PDF from Adobe InDesign

Before creating a PDF, please keep in mind:

• Fonts: Ensure that all fonts are loaded prior to creating your PDF
• Image Resolution: As a rule, all Photoshop images should have a resolution of 300 dpi. Any bitmap should be at 600 dpi
• Color Space: ALL RGB images should be converted to CMYK
• Spot Colors: If you’ve used Pantone spot colors in your design but do not require them to be printed as spot colors, convert Spot Colors to Process by clicking the Ink Manager button in the Output Menu and checking the “All Spots to Process” checkbox
• Color Separations: Run off laser separations
• Bleeds: Extend all elements that run off the edge of the page an additional 1/8″ beyond the final trim size
• Document Size: Create your document at the final size you would like it produced. Avoid building on an oversized layout. Pay particular attention to panel sizes where one panel may need to be narrower to accomodate a fold (for instance, a tri-fold brochure)
• Transparency & Drop Shadows: Set the Transparency Flattener (Advanced Menu) to High Resolution .

Exporting to PDF

First, download and install the Service Printers PDF Preset settings to ensure the best possible results.

Next, under the File menu, choose Export, name your PDF file, and choose “Adobe PDF” as the format. Click “Save” and select the Service Printers PDF Preset settings you just downloaded and installed. Click “Export.”

If you do not want to download our settings you can use the following settings in the Export PDF dialogue box:

(click images to see larger view)

General Settings:

Adobe PDF Preset: High Quality Print

Compatibility: Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)

Options:

• “View PDF after Exporting” selected, if desired
• Export Layers: Visible & Printable Layers

Include: (none selected)

Compression Settings:

Color Images:

• Bicubic Downsampling to 300 pixels per inch for images above 450 pixels per inch.
• Compression: Automatic
• Image Quality: Maximum

Grayscale Images:

• Bicubic Downsampling to 300 pixels per inch for images above 450 pixels per inch.
• Compression: Automatic
• Image Quality: Maximum

Monochrome Images:

• Bicubic Downsampling to 1200 pixels per inch for images above 1800 pixels per inch.
• Compression: CCITT Group 4

“Compress Text and Line Art” and “Crop Image Data to Frames” selected

Marks and Bleeds Settings:

Marks

• “Crop Marks” and “Page Information” selected
• Type: Default
• Weight: 0.25pt
• Offset: 0.125 in

Bleed and Slug:

• Bleed: 0.125 in on all sides

Output Settings:

Color

• Color Conversion: Convert to Destination
• Destination: U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2
• Profile Inclusion Policy: Include Destination Profile

Advanced Settings:

Fonts:

• Subset fonts when percent of characters used is less than 100%

OPI: (none selected)

Transparency Flattener:

Preset: High Resolution

When all these settings are correct, click Export

Documents are printed using a combination of four colors — Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) — plus any spot colors (Pantone colors). Printing separations will show you where each color will be placed on the page. This is especially important when using spot colors. To print separations from InDesign, go to File > Print… and follow the settings in the image above (click the image to open a larger view) Bleed is the term used to describe images that extend to, and off, the edges of the printed page. To account for mechanical variations during trimming, it is recommended that you extend images 1/8-inch beyond the final trim size of the page. For more information see About Bleed

In InDesign, go to File > Print and select the settings shown in the image (click the image to open a larger view).

In InDesign, go to File > Print and select the settings shown in the image (click the image to open a larger view).

In InDesign, click on File > Print, then select “Output” from the menu on the left. Then Click the “Ink Manager” button and select the “All Spot to Process” check box. Click the image for a larger view of the settings.