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Using a Service Bureau

Most people don't have direct access to an imagesetter, so the files must be taken to a service bureau for printing. If your computer is directly connected to an imagesetter, you can skip this section. If your computer is not connected to an imagesetter, you have two options for printing to an imagesetter:

• Take your PageStream documents to a service bureau. The service bureau will load the documents into their copy of PageStream and print them to the imagesetter. This option is only a possibility if you have a service bureau with a computer running PageStream connected to an imagesetter.
  
• Print your documents to disk as PostScript files, and take the PostScript files to the service bureau. This is the more common scenario.

Printing a file to disk means that it can be copied to a PostScript printer at any time without using the program that created it. PageStream files can be printed to disk, copied to a disk, transferred to a Macintosh or Windows PC, and then copied to an imagesetter. This method allows you to print your documents on your service bureau's imagesetter, regardless of the type of computer they use.

To print to a PostScript disk file: Choose ''PostScript Disk File'' from the ''Send To'' pop-up menu in the ''Print Setup'' dialog box.

If you take your PostScript files to a service bureau on floppy disks, CD, DVD or media such as Zip or Syquest cartridges, you must ensure the service bureau can read the disks. All MacOS computers capable of running PageStream, and Amiga computers with AmigaOS 2.1 and later, can format and write to Windows/MS-DOS floppy disks. All service bureaus, regardless of whether they use Mac or Windows computers, should be able to use a MS-DOS formatted disk.

Most service bureaus will be able to take your PostScript file and print it on their imagesetter or printer. A few service bureaus are not very computer literate and do not know how to print a PostScript file. If you encounter a service bureau that does not know how to print a PostScript file, you should consider giving your business to a different service bureau.

The instructions for printing a PostScript file to a printer from various operating systems are listed here so that you can instruct your service bureau how to print your PostScript file should they prove to be incapable of doing this themselves.

• Windows: Open an MS-DOS shell. Type COPY FILENAME /B LPT1: where FILENAME is the name of the PostScript file to copy. The /B switch indicates that the file is binary and is required to print bitmapped pictures. (LPT1: is the most common port. Change this to the correct port if required.)
  
• Macintosh: Drag the PostScript file to the desktop ''printer'' icon. A separate utility such as the Adobe Font Downloader must be used for MacOS 7.1 and earlier.
  
• Amiga: Open an AmigaOS shell and then type COPY FILENAME PAR: where FILENAME is the name of the PostScript file to copy. Change PAR: to SER: when using a printer connected to the serial port.

If you take your PageStream document files to your service bureau instead of printing PostScript files to disk, you will face a different set of considerations to ensure successful printing of your documents.

• Fonts: Your service bureau may not have the same fonts as you do. If they print a document without a required font, Courier or Helvetica will be substituted. You may need to supply your service bureau with the fonts you used. Check your font license agreements carefully because some font suppliers prohibit taking a copy of your font to a service bureau. Before creating a document, you should ask your service bureau which fonts they have and recommend to ensure that you do not have problems.
  
• External graphics: You must take external graphics with you to the service bureau. It is unlikely that your service bureau's computer will have the same directory structure as you, so use the ''Collect for Output'' feature to place the required graphics in the same directory as the document. That way, PageStream will find them when it loads and prints the document. You should make a list of external graphics for your service bureau in case of problems. Use the ''Reports'' command from the ''Layout'' menu to retrieve this information.

This feature allows you to save the document and copy all the external graphics in the same location as the document. This is very useful if you need to transfer your document to a service bureau or another computer because PageStream will always look in the document's directory for missing external files if it doesn't find them at the location stored in the document file.

To save a document and copy all the external graphics in the same location: Choose ''Collect for Output'' from the ''File'' menu. Enter a name in the ''Save'' dialog box and click ''Save''.

 

Using a Service Bureau  Sub-Section  url:PGSuser/imagesetter#anchor2218365
  created:2006-04-18 11:22:47   last updated:2006-08-12 13:33:59
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