SENDING YOUR FILES TO WEBCOM

SUPPLYING YOUR COVER FILES

Cover files should always be sent as application files, never PostScript. This is because most cover files require some manipulation of spine, bleed, and trap and these changes can only be made in the application file.

SUPPLYING YOUR TEXT FILES

PostScript files for text are preferred, although most application files are acceptable. Please see this section covering ACCEPTED FILE FORMATS and ACCEPTED MEDIA, E-MAIL AND FTP.

WEBCOM’S DIGITAL PREPRESS POUCH PAK

An essential part of having your digital files move swiftly through our prepress department is clear communication. To help avoid delays and ensure that our prepress operators know what kinds of files are on the disks that you have sent us, we have developed a special "Prepress Pouch Pak". This durable envelope serves as a form to indicate the details of your job and as a handy way to send your hardcopy and media. To obtain Prepress Pouch Paks, contact your Webcom Representative - it will make your job, and ours, easier.

YOUR PACKAGE SHOULD INCLUDE...

Along with either PostScript or application files for your book’s cover and text components, all fonts and images should be in place and the file should be saved to conform to Adobe Document Structuring Conventions (DSC). Before converting to PostScript - please refer to the sections on creating PostScript files (CREATING POSTSCRIPT FILES - Print Driver Setup, CREATING POSTSCRIPT FILES - Applications) or call one of our CTP technicians for instructions on how to best save the file. It's very important that you send your files to us consistently to ensure that you will enjoy the full benefits of our Computer-to-Plate system.

In addition to sending the electronic files, you should include a printed directory of the disk window containing your job. The printed directory should show all files in hierarchical form. The directory should be sorted by name, with date and time showing. This can be done easily if you are using Macintosh System 7.0 or higher, or by using screen capture in Windows.

Your final package to us should include:

• the transportable media containing your files
• 100% size hard copy proof (see the discussion of hardcopy proofs),
• transparencies or reflective artwork that is FPO in your documents
• the printed directory discussed above and a copy of Webcom's Digital Imaging Specification Sheet

FILE TESTING

We encourage all our customers to send test disks in advance of any live job to allow us to troubleshoot any problems before they can affect the project schedule. There is no cost for this service so please take advantage of it.

All elements used in the creation of a document (artwork, images, screen and printer fonts) should be grouped in a folder with that document. Do not rename artwork once it has been imported into your document, as the links will be broken. The electronic files should be placed on transportable media (disk, CD-ROM, etc.) and the media should be labeled appropriately.

COLLECTING FOR OUTPUT

"Collecting" means gathering all of the files related to a particular job, including the font files, images, and the document file itself, and copying these files into a single job folder. You should also include preference files, extensions/plug-ins, libraries, dictionaries, and any other add-ons that may be necessary to output the file. Before sending files to Webcom, delete any unused style sheets that reference fonts not being used in the text; remove images that are positioned off the page or master page, unused spot colours, and images that have been suppressed from printing. The remaining collection of files should be sent to Webcom.

Some popular applications provide automated methods for collecting files. However, using dedicated preflighting software is still the best method to ensure that you are sending all elements of your digital document. Dedicated software will catch additional issues that may not be caught using the application’s built-in utility. Third party utilities may also provide instructions on how to correct those issues.

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