Electronic Media Guidlines

Applications:

Macromedia FreeHand®

Very highly recommended and offers the most control over all elements. File sizes are smaller and print faster to imagesetters, especially at over 4000 dpi and multiple images. It also translates better than all others between Mac and P.C. Save your file in version MX or older.

Adobe Illustrator®

This is our next best choice. Save your file in version CS2 (Illustrator 12) or older.

Many other applications will let you save or export as an Adobe Illustrator (ai) file.

QuarkXPress®

This application is well suited for designing newsletters, pamphlets or books. If you must use it, make sure your file is saved in version 4.0 or older since many new features are not 100% compatible with our system.

Adobe Photoshop®

This application is highly recommended only for photographs or paint images, to be imported or placed in any of the above applications (text and other graphics should be added by other applications).

Adobe Pagemaker®

We currently do not accept this file format.

CorelDraw®

We do not accept this file format, but if Type 1 fonts are used and saved in Adobe Illustrator format, we may be able to use the file. If Type 1 fonts are not used, convert the text to paths. This however, creates very large files and we don't recommend it for text intensive labels. This application also gives us the most unpredictable results.

Other application EPS Files

There are various applications that create EPS files. This format does not allow any modification to text weights and/or trapping.

Images:

Do Not Embed Images

Include all placed images used in your document. If the image is embedded, we cannot repurpose the artwork to meet our printing tolerances and requirements.

Mode

For line art and spot color labels, use Bitmap mode only. For one color screened images, use Grayscale mode only. For process labels, use CMYK, RGB, Duotone or Lab Color modes only.

Resolution

For process modes, Grayscale and Duotone, 300 dpi resolution is adequate for up to 150 line screens. For line art and spot color, 1200 dpi is the minimum acceptable resolution.

Size

Crop and scale all images and graphics within the original application that they were created in. Do not reduce or enlarge images after imported or placed.

Bleed

If the graphics bleed off the edges of the label, allow 1/8" extra on the sides that bleed.

Format

TIFF or EPS formats are recommended. Other formats can be used at an additional cost, provided that the resolution is high enough and we can translate them to TIFF format.

Fonts:

Type 1

Type 1 fonts are highly recommended. The shapes are more accurate, they print much cleaner at smaller point sizes than the other font formats and they translate well between Mac and P.C. Include all printer and screen fonts used in your document.

TrueType

TrueType fonts can be used at an additional cost. Include all fonts used in your document.

Bar Codes:

Creation

We use one of the most sophisticated systems of creating bar codes in order to control the symbology to our tolerances and print method requirements.

Specifications

Please specify the position, symbology, data, module size, height, ratio if applicable and verification method. If specifications are not known, we will be glad to help you. Ask your sales person for prices.

File Storage:

Mac / P.C.

3.5" diskettes, CD ROMs, and USB Portable Storage.

File Compression:

StuffIt®, DiskDoubler®, hqx, zip or arc

We recommend that you compress your files before transferring. This will save storage space, allow faster transmission and down load times. It also reduces the chance of file corruption and file format changes.

Internet Transfer:

use Send Electronic Art File button, on top of this page

Make sure your file sizes are smaller than your service provider allows. For time critical jobs, notify your sales person at (214) 349-7824 or (800) 284-0121. Also be aware that some servers do not transfer files immediately.

Electronic Media Guidelines
Please follow the requirements listed below when preparing your electronic file. If our guidelines are not followed, it may result in longer delivery time and additional expenses to adjust your file in order to use it.
A hard copy output or fax (composite and separations) must accompany the disks or transferred files. This is necessary to avoid system, translation or transmission problems. No order will be accepted without it.