In most cases, you can use Pack and Go to prepare your files for commercial printing. However, if your printing service uses only Macintosh computers, or if they don't accept Microsoft Publisher files, you may need to save your publication as a
PostScript (PostScript: A page description language used by printers and imagesetters.) file.
PostScript files can only be printed on a PostScript printer, and you cannot make changes to a PostScript file after you have saved it. Before you save your publication in PostScript format, ask your commercial printing service if they want you to set specific print settings. You’ll set these in step 6.
- On the File menu, click Save As.
- In the File name box, type a name for the file. You don't need to type a file name extension— Publisher automatically adds .ps to the end of the file name you type.
- In the Save as type
list, click PostScript.
- Click Save.
- In the Save as PostScript File dialog box, in the Name list under Printer, click the PostScript printer or imagesetter (imagesetter: A high resolution output device that prints to paper or film, or directly to a press plate. Publications that will be commercially printed are usually output from an imagesetter as the first step toward going to press.) you want. If necessary, install a PostScript printer.
How?
Consult your commercial printing service about which PostScript printer you should install and where you should install it from.
Windows 2000
- On the
Start menu, point to
Settings, and then click
Printers.
- Double-click the
Add Printer icon.
- Follow the instructions in the
Add Printer Wizard.
Windows XP
- On the
Start menu, click
Printers and Faxes.
- Under Printer Tasks, click Add a Printer.
- Follow the instructions in the
Add Printer Wizard.
- Do one of the following:
Save as a color-separated file
- Click Advanced Print Settings, and then click the Separations tab.
- In the Output list, click Separations.
- In the These plates list, do one of the following:
- Click All defined inks to print a spot-color or process-color plate for every ink you have defined in the publication (Tools menu, Commercial Printing Tools, Color Printing).
- Click Used inks only to print a spot- or process-color plate for every defined ink that is used in the publications.
- Click Convert spot to process to print only process-color plates and convert all defined spot colors to process colors.
- Click OK.
Save as a composite file
- Click Advanced Print Settings, and then click the Separations tab.
- In the Output list, do one of the following:
- Click Composite Grayscale to save a composite PostScript file that will be printed to a black and white printer.
- Click Composite CMYK to save a composite PostScript file that you can use in a third-party trapping or page-imposition program or to print to a CMYK proofing device.
- Click Composite RGB to save a composite PostScript file that will be printed to a color printer.
- Click OK
Note To save a composite CMYK or RGB PostScript file, you must have a color PostScript printer selected.
- To set other print options that your printing service recommends, click the options you want on the Page Settings tab and the Graphics and Fonts tab, and then click OK on each tab.
- Click Save.