I have a client who DO NOT run ANY Adobe software. The whole company (over 100 employees) all run on PC , and currently use primarily a geographical mapping software called ArcMap - by Esri - then place these in Microsoft Publisher pages to print out - and often Word.
I am their graphic design consultant and have been asked to review their in-house print process because they have inconsistent experience of the quality of the PDFs they produce, and we aim to find out WHY, and remedy it with the correct professional DTP and Print Production software wherever possible.
Historically they have generated the standard, automatically created PDFs available from the file type menus that come with both these programmes. However, because they do not have a more sophisticated understanding of PDF creation, when they encounter problems with the PDFs they make, they do not understand the reasons for the problems. Equallly, they are not able to control finite properties or make informed choices about the PDFs they are making in this way.
I'm sure they need to use Acrobat Pro so that they can customise the joboptions to their specific needs. The main thing I do not understand is what file type they need to be generating from their original software, in order to import it to Distiller? I am compelled to guide them to make a PostScript file then Distill it in Distiller. However, the ArcGIS and ArcMap software they use, does not have this as an option. I do not know yet whether Publisher has (I'm looking next!).
I need to understand what file types they can take into Distiller, other than PostScript (if indeed there are any) so that I can demonstrate to them that Acrobat Pro is the best software, and 'Best Practice' for their professional print products.
As an experienced designer (Apple Mac Platform for a LONG time), I use a full version of Acrobat Pro to generate ALL my PDFs - I first print to file (PostScript) and this is from any of my Creative Suite software, plus Quark Express. I find it a foolproof process, and I know that I can customise my own joboptions, or can incorporate my suppliers own settings to ensure compatibility.
Please help!!
PDF creation - how do you customise settings when generating a PDF from Microsoft Publisher, and Esri's ArcMap
2011-07-13 15:54:19
My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.4.3, Macintosh
Acrobat Pro 9.4.3, Macintosh
2011-07-14 17:00:12
#2
Thank you Kelly I will try this. I also found a Download on the Acrobat Site - for a Windows Postscript file. This is:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1500
The problem is, I do not know where this needs to go on a PC..! Do you know? There are certain instructions, but it would be easier to action - and to understand - coming directly from you, the expert!
Also, where can I obtain a PPD file - if needed - for this? And, again, where would I put it.
Thanks again.
Briony
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1500
The problem is, I do not know where this needs to go on a PC..! Do you know? There are certain instructions, but it would be easier to action - and to understand - coming directly from you, the expert!
Also, where can I obtain a PPD file - if needed - for this? And, again, where would I put it.
Thanks again.
Briony
2011-07-15 17:53:32
#3
2011-07-15 19:59:29
#4
I am compelled to guide them to make a PostScript file then Distill it in Distiller.
Terrible idea!Exporting direct to PDF from applications which support it (either through a native library, as with ArcMap and Adobe Creative Suite, or via the Adobe PDFMaker plugins for Microsoft Office) will allow the full range of features to be used - accessibility and reflow, PDF/A standards, links, bookmarks, rich media, layers, etc., etc.
Printing to PostScript does what it says - the resulting file is a "dumb" representation of a sheet of paper, with none of those features, and is often not an accurate representation of the document. Word in particular will often change the page margins when "printing", but will save direct to PDF without a problem.
Acrobat's PDFMaker and the PDF Library engine used by Creative Suite fully support the use of job options and their user custom settings are far more powerful than anything you can do via a PPD. The only reason to use an intermediate PostScript workflow is when an application has no direct export ability (i.e. if the only possible way to get a file out of the software is via the print menu).
I have gotten an old DOS Machine running WordPerfect 5.1 to create a Press-Ready PDF, so I'm sure we can do it for this client. I recommend they add a Generic PostScript printer that prints to File (I remember accomplishing this by sending the print device from LPT1 to File through the print driver). Any windows machine should be able to do this. Then you can run that through Distiller., it may make a .prn file instead of .ps, but that should work.
Distiller also takes EPS, if their application can create it, but I think Printing to file is the best option.
Kelly McCathran
Adobe Community Expert
Certified Technical Trainer+