File Content Requirements:
When forwarding graphics files, you should include the following:

1. A hard copy of your output files (B&W or color)
2. Color separations of output files (B&W)
3. All fonts specified in your documents (printer and screen fonts)
4. All linked or embedded EPS graphic and font files used in your document.
5. All linked or embedded raster files (e.g. TIFFs) used in your document.

Have you supplied all your fonts?

MACINTOSH

• Include all fonts used in your document and imported graphics. It is critical that you supply the Font Suitcase (screen version) and ALL the Postscript fonts (printer version). You will need one set of screen and postscript files for every font style in your document (i.e. Times Roman, Times Bold, Times Italic).
  
  
• Truetype fonts contain both files needed for the printer and screen fonts. You still must supply files for every style used in your document.

   

• PC (Windows)

• Like the Macintosh, you need two files for every postscript font used in your document. You will need both the PostScript Outline Files (.PFB or .PSS) and the Font Metrics Files (.PFM or .MMM). These will be stored in separate directories on your hard drive, the .PFM files as a subdirectory of your main postcript font directory.

OTHER TIPS

• Converting fonts to outlines in your graphics files (Freehand & Illustrator) eliminates the need for those fonts.
• Avoid stylizing fonts with command keys and hot buttons. Always stylize (bold, italic, etc.) from the pull down menus. If you can't select the font, odds are that you don't have the font.

Have you supplied all necessary image files?  

• Include all electronic files used to create your document.
  
  
• Save scanned images as TIFF or EPS. Avoid PICT, JPEG, GIF and LZW compression.
  
  
• Save all vector images (Freehand & Illustrator) as EPS and include the native format as well. 
  
  
• Include files you've placed as FPO or OPI. 
  
  
• Indicate which low-res images need to be replaced with high-res versions. 
  
  
• Have you supplied original sources for your images & graphics? 
  
  
• Always include the native file (original scan) format for Freehand and Illustrator files. 
  
  
• Supply hard copy originals when possible.
  
  
• Do your spot or CMYK colors separate properly?
  
  
• Delete all unused colors first and print separations of all the colors left in your palette. This is a fool-proof method for finding incorrectly designated colors.
  
  
• Your full color images will not print properly if they are in RGB or indexed color. Always convert to CMYK.
  
  
• If you are printing spot colors or Duotones, make sure you use the same name for the same ink. If you are importing graphics, it's advisable to use the imported colors from your paint menu rather than create them in your page layout program first.
  
  
• Default spot color names in Pagemaker and Quark are different than in illustration and photo editing programs like Illustrator or Photoshop.

Is Clear Print scanning anything for you?

Clearly mark crop and final-size information for all your images Clear Print will be scanning.

Have you made sure your files bleed when required?

• Make sure all bleeds extend beyond the edge of the page, 1/8 inch is standard.
  
  
• Extending your bleeds is easy to do in a page layout program but can be time consuming and costly if not done prior to submitting your files.

Have you included a full-size laser of your file?

• Send a black and white or color laser print of the finished document.
  
  
• Make sure you generate your laser from the same electronic files that you are sending to Clear Print.
  
  
• If your document is too large to send at 100% of its finished size, write the reduction amount on the reduced laser.
  
  
• If you send a composite laser, clearly mark all the elements that print in color.
  
  
• If you send separated lasers, clearly mark the separations.

Is Clear Print trapping your files for you?

Avoid using Default trapping. Sometimes colors will trap to white and cause costly problems.

Have you checked your files after copying them to disk?

After copying your files to disk, double check to make sure you have sent everything. Do this by opening the file from the disk you are sending and verify that all fonts and graphics are still linked. Be sure system fonts are "off" and the only fonts "on" are the ones on the disk.

Have you set up your document correctly?

• Make sure your document page size matches the final output size.
  
  
• Avoid creating a new document for each page. Set up your pages in one document whenever possible.
  
  
• Set up your document in reader spreads - not printer spreads.
  
  
• Delete all text and graphics from the pasteboard. Also remove extra or unused pages from your document.