PDF to Print

[designshark]

Hi, I was wondering when setting up a PDF to be printed for lets say business cards, what is the best setting(s)/presets when saving a PDF to get optimal results? Thank you in advance.

[Dov Isaacs]

The answer of course depends on what you are using to create the layout for the business cards.

If you are using InDesign, export as a PDF/X-4 file. Similarly, if you are using Illustrator, save as a PDF/X-4 file.

For anything else, the Acrobat High Quality Print settings will likely suffice.

Give us some more specifics and we can better assist you.

          - Dov

[designshark]

Thank you for the response. To give you more specifics, I am using Illustrator and would like t send it to a commercial printing place like Vista Print or Moo Cards. You wouldn't recommend the Press Quality Setting? I'm curious, what is the thinking using the method you suggested? I've read that High quality print is mainly just for desktop printers or Proofers. Thank you again.

[Dov Isaacs]

That helps quite a bit. For printing in general from Illustrator designs, Adobe does most strongly recommend the PDF/X-4 settings which maintain live transparency and full ICC color management, although if you are using Illustrator, you are most likely to be working entirely in CMYK.

That having been said, you need to look at what Vistaprint or Moo specifies as their requirements which are often more reminiscent of Luddite attitudes and an attitude of “blame the customer!”

Specifically, Moo recommends PDF/X-1a which is archaic PDF 1.3 with dead (i.e., flattened) transparency and everything in DeviceCMYK. The PDF/X-1a PDF save option in Illustrator will do a wonderful job in producing such retrograde PDF to meet Moo's recommendation. (Quite frankly, at Adobe, we have quite a cow over this one!)

Vistaprint is less specific about their requirements although they warn against RGB. They have a set of .joboptions that they recommend, dating back to May 2004 that yield PDF 1.3 files. You can download and use them and they won't blame you as much if things don't work out that well.

          - Dov

[XYZpro]

It depends on where you are, I will write this one for Europe (offset printing only)

CMYK

300 DPI

PDF/X-1a:2001

ISO Coated Fogra 39