Customer Supply Live File vs PDF...

[kdw75]

We usually ask people to supply PDF files as long as they are able to make them properly. If by chance they can't, then we ask for the native file.

Today we got a job from a large company's graphic artist and she said that their previous printer had always insisted on native Indesign files and told them they wouldn't be able to use PDFs. Does this make sense?

These files are for digital output.

 

[Chasfinch]

yes it does. We tell certain clients not to send pdfs because they are always a train wreck. I would take that as a warning about files

 

[DCurry]

As a book manufacturer, we ask for the text as PDF, and the cover as native files. This is because we almost always need to make adjustments to the cover and it is far easier to do it in the native files than in the PDF.

Also, there are far too many ignorant people who have absolutely no clue what they are doing, so having natives in those cases helps a lot.

 

[mattbeals]

It's a combination of what they said. Some people can and should send PDF's. Some people shouldn't. Sometimes you need the natives for more extensive edits. It's a lot easier to edit the spine width in InDesign than it is your favorite PDF editor.

 

[michaelejahn]

"Today we got a job from a large company's graphic artist and she said that their previous printer had always insisted on native Indesign files and told them they wouldn't be able to use PDFs."

1. That printer discover that it was easier to fix the files ( add bleed, etc.. ) using the Native InDesign files becuase the graphic designer was as dumb as a bag of hammers -

or

2. This might be a variable data job, they needed the InDesign files to use with InDesign Server / XMPie

or

3. Some other reason that none of us can possibly guess ( like the previous printer was the one that was as dumb as a bag of hammers and was still printing from InDesign to PostScript

 

[kdw75]

I have found out the reason. It turns out they have a couple of graphic designers that do work for them. The one I got the first file from was a pro. The second one….not so much. I would say that the other printer got some files from her and made a blanket rule.

 

[Chasfinch]

"Today we got a job from a large company's graphic artist and she said that their previous printer had always insisted on native Indesign files and told them they wouldn't be able to use PDFs."
3. Some other reason that none of us can possibly guess ( like the previous printer was the one that was as dumb as a bag of hammers and was still printing from InDesign to PostScript

wow is that still done? I remember doing that out of Pagemaker (ragemaker)

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

As one that "feeds" two separate digital web presses at 30,000 fpm, I agree that native is better.
Until that glorious day when my customers know as much about the equipment that I feed as I do - well, let me have the tools to do my job.

 

[rich apollo]

Some other reason that none of us can possibly guess ( like the previous printer was the one that was as dumb as a bag of hammers and was still printing from InDesign to PostScript

So, which is dumber (more dumb?), a bag of hammers or a box of rocks?

 

[WiseGuy]

Just to chime in... many of these reasons (previously mentioned) is why we developed Enfocus Connect ALL. It makes it easy for the service provider to preset all the PDF creation, verification (preflight) and corrections for the PDF on the designers workstation in a very natural way.... the designer just "prints" to the Connect Connector given to them by the printer and everything is preset for the PDF creation and final delivery too.

From what I've been seeing, it seems like there is an increase in less knowledgeable designers and even the professional designers can struggle with being consistent with their PDF creation. The technical details overwhelm them and it's easy to make mistakes when making the PDFs.

Connect was built to help overcome these issues and at least give the service provider some level of confidence as to the quality of the PDF when it's sent in.

My 2 cents... I'd be curious to know what this group thinks about the idea of being able to create the PDF for their customers... if you could set all the settings and make sure the PDF has things such as fonts embedded, bleeds set correctly, and color models consistent, etc... would this help with your confidence in the PDF's being received?


Michael Reiher
Product Manager, Enfocus

 

[kansasquaker]

Michael, just out of curiosity what would be the difference between connect and pdf export preset? I've supplied those to designers only to have them forget to use it.

It's like this delivery driver we used to have here. He'd forget things all the time, so once a salesman had him write on his hand to stop at a particular customer and pick up a proof. Unfortunately, the driver forgot to look at his hand . . .

 

[michaelejahn]

So, which is dumber (more dumb?), a bag of hammers or a box of rocks?

Neither - PDF Evangelist always trumps rocks and hammers, no offence to bags or boxes.

 

[WiseGuy]

Michael, just out of curiosity what would be the difference between connect and pdf export preset? I've supplied those to designers only to have them forget to use it.

It's like this delivery driver we used to have here. He'd forget things all the time, so once a salesman had him write on his hand to stop at a particular customer and pick up a proof. Unfortunately, the driver forgot to look at his hand . . .

Obviously, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't always make them drink.

What we do differently is a Connector has all the settings internal. Plus, we marry the Adobe Normalizer with PitStop so that the PDF's created are preflighted and corrected with action lists right then. Plus, we can automatically upload the end file directly to your server and the user does not have to enter any credentials (no user names and passwords).

Of course... the key is, how do designers access this? How do we get them to drink the water? There are several ways, but the key way is through the "Print" dialog. The Connector (which can be named anything - such as "Deliver to ABC Printing") shows up like any other printer. This way they can "print" right to you and their document is automatically converted to a PDF based on your Adobe PDF Settings and the PitStop preflight settings then delivered to your server. With the Creative Suite products, we provide a plug-in that only shows your Connector for processing and that can help the customer from selecting the wrong settings file. Lastly, even if they have their PDF already created, when they want to deliver it to you instead of firing up an FTP client or going to a web page, they can just drag and drop their files on the Connector... PDF's submitted are preflighted and corrected before they are sent and then uploaded. Native files and other non-PDFs are just delivered.

I think you'd see we make it easy, but of course, no way to ensure it's fool proof. Some customers just are not going to "get it" and do their own thing no matter what. But, what we've seen is there are customers that will adopt it and for those that do, you at least know where their PDF came from.

Michael Reiher
Product Manager, Enfocus

 

[kansasquaker]

That's for the info. It seems like you guys have done everything you can. There's no doubt that the more obvious you can make it for some designers the better off you are. I love 'send to ABC printing'!

Some people's unwillingness to learn about the tools they use to do their job never ceases to amaze me.

 

[abc]

I would just like to add that any similarities between my username and the aforementioned 'ABC Printing' are purely co-incidental

I left production quite sometime ago and have no immediate desire to return.

 

[rich apollo]

...what would be the difference between connect and pdf export preset? I've supplied those to designers only to have them forget to use it.

A Connector is a little tougher to forget.

In the InDesign File menu right below Export, you get Export Certified PDF. The resulting menu is simpler than the PDF Export menu. The PDF is created, preflighted, corrected (if possible), and delivered right out of InDy.

It could not be any easier to use.