Computers and Technology > Software > Printing Right, From the Start
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Gretchen Peck
The optimal digital workflow for print begins at the beginning—at the content creation stage. When digital files submitted to the printer are correct and complete, the workflow is most efficient and cost-effective.
Printers have led the global print industry through a revolution—first, with the
introduction of computer-to-plate manufacturing (CTP), and then with direct digital
imaging. They made these critical changes for the benefit of their businesses and
their customers. But along with the leadership role comes a certain amount of
responsibility. Printers must also be committed to educating their client base on
how to prepare appropriate and reliable digital content files, and equip their
customers with the digital tools and technologies that will enable them to attain the
goal.
Enabling the print customer with digital workflow tools
Beyond simply telling the customers how to prepare the files according to the print
shop’s specifications, printers should also be prepared to promote digital file
verification tools to their client base—low-investment-cost software that will help
their clients ensure that the files are correct and complete before they’re ever
submitted to the printer’s prepress environment.
There are a several “preflighting” or “postflighting” software solutions on the market
today—some significantly more expensive than others, some better suited for high-
volume printers, others better suited for content creators. Preflighting solutions are
capable of verifying digital files in their native application stage—such as a
document being prepared in QuarkXPress or Microsoft Word—while an application
that postflights is capable of verifying specs in a final exchange format, such as PDF
or PDF/X-1a file.
These solutions electronically look inside the digital file to make certain that all of
the elements are resident, placed properly, and specifications like resolution, color
space and document dimensions are correct. The software will often print out a
report of its findings, so that the content creator can see the problems immediately
and make any necessary changes before the file moves forward in the workflow.
Keeping with the idea that the ideal workflow is one that catches any potential file
problems as far forward in the process as possible, Markzware Software—one of the
leaders in preflight/postflight software—has come out with a new idea, on-the-fly
file verification. This United States-based software developer (best known for its
flagship FlightCheck Professional software) recently introduced a new tool
specifically designed to help content creators and graphic designers avoid file
preparation mistakes from the start.
FlightCheck Studio is a brand-new plug-in application that works alongside the
native application, such QuarkXPress and Adobe’s InDesign. Before they begin
create a document, they can assign certain parameters to the document. For
example, if the document is bound for print, the designer will not want to
mistakenly insert an image that’s 72 dpi. Based on the output specifications,
FlightCheck Studio will sound a visual warning to the designer if any of the
specifications are mistakenly disregarded.
For less than a few hundred dollars, graphic designers can invest in software of this
kind, never have to leave the comfort of working in their familiar native applications,
and never again send a digital file to a printer that’s incomplete or ineffective.
Printers would be served well to introduce their customer base to best practices in
digital file preparation, including recommending software solutions that assist their
customers in content correctly, from the start.
Gretchen Peck is a U.S.-based author who writes about the global printing and
graphic arts industry.
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