Good PDF files are ALWAYS made from Acrobat Distiller. Just because your software program can export PDF files doesn't mean that file will be in the correct format to send to a newspaper.

While creating PDF files for transfer to other computers seems like a simple process, in reality, the files need to be saved in a particular way to ensure proper printing at the newspaper.

You NEED two pieces of software to make a correct PDF file:

1) A PostScript printer driver (free from www.adobe.com under "Downloads" and "Printer Drivers").

2) Adobe Distiller (included in the Adobe Acrobat software package).

Step ONE - Create the .ps (PostScript) file

a) Open the document you want to make into a PDF file (make sure all fonts are installed and graphics are properly linked or embedded - this is a MUST).

b) Select the PostScript printer driver as your default driver (after you install it, of course).

c) Make sure the Page Setup is large enough to contain the document. You may need to select the "Adobe Distiller" PPD for a large enough document.

d) Select PRINT from the menu and SAVE to a file. In QuarkXpress, you actually hit FILE/PRINT and select PRINTER... to see the options found in item "e" below. You also want to make sure the FILE/PRINT SETUP paper size is the same as the PAGE SETUP paper size in Quark. In Pagemaker, you hit FILE/PRINT and select OPTIONS to output the Postscript file in item "e" below.

e) The file format menu should be configured to a POSTSCRIPT JOB, BINARY, LEVEL 2 ONLY, INCLUDE ALL FONTS. Hit the "Save" button.

The .ps (PostScript) file has now been properly saved for PDF creation. (In Quark, hitting save just takes you back to the FILE/PRINT menu. You have to hit "print" for the file to output.)

Step TWO - Setup Distiller

MacOSX: You need only place the "SDNA Newspapers" file (Download for Acrobat 6: SDNA Newspapers.zip) in the "Users/ Shared / Adobe PDF 6.0 / Settings" folder and select it in "job options" after Distiller loads for proper distilling of the Postscript file.

MacOS 9: You need only place the "SDNA Newspapers" file (Download for Acrobat 5: SDNANewspapers.sit) in the "ADOBE ACROBAT/ DISTILLER / SETTINGS" folder and select it in "job options" after Distiller loads for proper distilling of the Postscript file.

Windows XP/2000: You need only place the "SDNA Newspapers" file (Download for Acrobat 6: SDNANewspapersPC.zip) in the "Documents and settings /All Users/ Shared Documents / Adobe PDF 6.0 / Settings" folder and select it in "job options" after Distiller loads for proper distilling of the Postscript file.

Windows 98/2000: You need only place the "SDNA Newspapers" file (Download for Acrobat 5: SDNANewspapersPC5.zip) in the "Program Files / Adobe / Adobe 5.0 / Distilr / Settings" folder and select it in "job options" after Distiller loads for proper distilling of the Postscript file.

ALL Users: Be sure to setup ALL your "font locations" in the Distiller setting.

Step THREE - Create the PDF file

a) Open Distiller (Make sure the "SDNA Newspapers" setting is selected).

b) In Distiller open the .ps file (drop it on the Distiller window) and distill to PDF format.

Step FOUR - Confirm

Now open the PDF file up in Acrobat or Reader and print the file to a Postscript Printer to confirm size, fonts, and display of the ad is correct. An added insurance policy is to place the ad in a desktop publishing program (Pagemaker, Quark, Indesign) and see if it outputs correctly.

If anything is incorrect, you will need to completely start over with Step ONE for a proper ad (skipping Step Two if you've already completed this option).

 

• Start Distiller. Make sure "Press Optimized or Press Quality" is selected (under "Settings" in some versions). With no documents open, go to "Settngs" and drop down to "Job Settings or Edit Adobe PDF Settings."

• Now go back to "Settings" and drop down to "Job Settings or Edit Adobe PDF Settings." You’ll see a screen that looks like five folder tabs.

• Under "General," make sure "Acrobat 5.0" is in the compatibility area and two boxes — "Optimize PDF" and "Generate Thumbnails " — are checked. "DPI" to use; 1200. Line screen 85 - 100, 85 preferred.

• Under "Compression," downsize color and grayscale photos to no less than 200 DPI with quality on high. Mono-chrome bitmap images should be downsized no more than 600 DPI. Make sure "Compress Text and Line Art" is checked.

• Under "Fonts," check "Embed All Fonts" and uncheck "Subset Fonts." You may want to set your jobs up so Distiller quits if embedding fails to avoid problems when you later try to print it.

• Under "Color," make sure "Leave Color Unchanged" is checked along with all " Preserve " options.

• Under "Advanced," check "Preserve Level 2 copypage semantics " under Options and every box except "Log DSC Warnings " under Document Structuring Conventions. You also may want to check "Use prologue .ps and epilogue .ps." in the Options area. You can save the settings for consistent usage.

• Learn more about PDF's at PDFZone.com
• How to download and view PDF files
• Learn the basics of the Adobe Acrobat format. Troubleshoot your problems with PDFs. Learn how to work smarter with PDFs, and what plugins will help.
• Kevin Slimp - Handout, Creating PDF's

Advertising Opportunities and Frequently Asked Questions brochure
(PDF)

South Dakota Newspaper Association
South Dakota Newspaper Services, Inc.
Box 8100, Brookings, SD 57006-8100

Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1-(800) 658-3697 - FAX: 605/692-6388 - E-mail: sdna@sdna.com