How to Use These Guidelines
The previous version of these guidelines were distributed all over the world mostly by word of mouth. They can be found on many customer’s web sites as a reference for themselves and their clients on how to create quality print-ready PDF files. We received positive feedback from our colleagues, customers, suppliers, vendors, and even competitors. We want to Thank Everyone for the positive feedback and suggestions you have made to us and we hope this release is as successful and useful to each of you as the last one.
The How2PDF Guidelines are intended to provide direction for all suppliers of PDF files to Quad/Graphics facilities.
The suggestions in this document will aid in the creation of PDF and/or PDF/X-1a:2001 files that will limit errors and process quickly/efficiently through all our print manufacturing facilities.
At the time of this writing, Adobe’s current release of Adobe Acrobat Professional is Version 9.x. This guide summa-
rizes new features of Version 9 and highlights the main differences from previous versions beginning on page 6. A
QWik Start Reference for Adobe Acrobat Distiller 9.0 begins on page 1. For those who want a more thorough explanation
of the Acrobat Distiller settings, refer to A Detailed Look at Adobe Acrobat Distiller 9.0 that begins on page 10.
Some of our suppliers continue to use earlier versions of Acrobat (4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) for various reasons, most notably the fact that version 7.0 and later requires Apple’s new MacOS X operating system for the Macintosh environment.
A QWik Start Reference for Adobe Acrobat Distiller 8 Users begins on page 53. Our suggested settings for Acrobat 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, and 9 can still be downloaded from our FTP site. Refer to page 4 for login information.
One of the previous version of these guidelines, dated October 2001, stated that quality PDF files start with the creation of quality PostScript files. While we feel this is still one of the best, safest, and preferred methods of creating a PDF file, today many applications can also directly export PDF files. InDesign uses Adobe PDF Libraries, while
QuarkXPress 6 or later uses Global Graphic’s PDF Libraries. If you plan to use the direct export approach, be sure to save the PDF files with a PDF 1.3 (Acrobat 4) compatibility to ensure that the PDF file contains only PDF operators that can be consumed safely by a PostScript 3 RIP and PDF workflow.
The section named Layout to PDF, via PostScript describes the best practices for the creation of PostScript files from
both QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign for distillation. This section begins on page 22. The section named Layout to
PDF, via Direct Export describes the best practices for PDF export from both QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign. This
section begins on page 31.
Data Compression and Subsampling Schemes are defined in Appendix B starting on page 50. There are several compression options available for use with Distiller. Understanding each option will allow users to make the best compression decisions for their job.
NOTE: These guidelines suggest using JPEG Maximum Quality to compress all embedded CT images.
This lossy compression scheme does not work well with images containing certain objects, such as furniture, fine text in stereos, fine china and jewelry. This lossy compression scheme can introduce jagged edges where extreme light to dark transitions occur. If jagged edges appear, they will be visible on the contract proof, created from the PDF, and will not be magnified during the printing process. The use of ZIP (lossless) for these types of images is then recommended. The resulting PDF files will be larger in size due to the lossless compression.
Contacting Quad/Graphics about PDF
All Quad/Graphics manufacturing facilities have their own internal technical staffs that directly support that particular facility. These facilities are also supported by the Quad/Graphics Technology Group (a corporate staff of technical specialists). Among our various duties is writing technical documentation such as these guidelines. The
Quad/Graphics Inc. Technology Group values your opinions and encourages your feedback and suggestions. In an effort to make it easy for you to contact us, we have created a special email address for PDF and other technical related concerns you may have. The email address is [email protected]. All received emails will be routed to a technical specialist that has adept knowledge pertaining to your question.
How2PDF Guidelines – © Quad/Graphics, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved
Quad/Graphics, Inc. Technology Group
May 2010
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