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Prior to creating your PDF you must first check that all the links and fonts used in your document are updated and intact. The following simple steps will help in making the printing of your files easy and efficient.
Verify Your Placed Graphics (Links)
This step will insure that all the placed graphics aren’t missing or outdated.
- (1) Go to Window pull down menu and select “Links” to open the Links palette in Illustrator if not already open.
- A window with the Links palette will open.
Review Your Links
- (2) This Links palette shows a list of all the links used in your document. If no links were placed within your file, skip to step (7)
- Review the list and ensure that there are no links missing or links that require updating.
- (3) If you see a “stop sign” icon to the right of a link, this means the original file has been moved and Ilustrator cannot find it to print correctly. If this happens, you will need to re-link. Highlight the link, then click the link button at the bottom of the palette. (4) From here you will be able to browse your computer and find the new location of the missing link. After you have found the missing link, click “Place”.
- (5) If you see a “caution sign” icon to the right of a link, this means the original file has been modified after it was originally placed and needs updating. Select the modified links and simply click the Update Link button. (6) Your palette should now look like this without errors.
Review Your Fonts
- (7) Go to Type pull down menu and select
“Find Font” to open the fonts palette in InDesign. - (8) Your Find Fonts palette will open with a list of all the fonts used in your document.
- If you see a “caution sign” icon to the right of a font, this means it needs to be installed or replaced.
- (9) If there are fonts that need to be replaced or activated, select the font and Replace with font from “System”. Then click on the “Change All” button on the right of the window. Do this for all missing fonts until they are all updated. Click “Done”.
- If you don’t fix these font issues, Illustrator will automatically replace them with a default font.
- Your palette should now look like this without errors.
Document Color Mode
- (10) Go to File pull down menu, select Document Color Mode and choose CMYK
Raster Effect Setting
- (11) If you have used any effects within Illustrator such as Drop Shadow, Outer Glow, etc. this step will make sure your effects are clean and smooth when printed. Go to Effect pull down menu, select Document Raster Effects Settings. (12) Your Color Model should be CMYK, Resolution set to (High) 300ppi and Anti-Alias is checked. Click “OK”.
Exporting your file as a Hi-Res PDF
- (13) Go to File pull down menu and select “Save As…”.
- This is where you can name and choose the location for saving your PDF.
- (14) After you have named your file, select “Adobe PDF (pdf)” from the Format menu and click “Save”.
- (15) A new window will open, select “High Quality Print” from the Adobe PDF Preset menu. This setting keeps all raster images at 300dpi while downsampling images over that resolution down to 300dpi. This will not increase any images under 300dpi so keep that in mind while selecting graphics to use.
- Next, uncheck Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities.
- Continue to the following item on the left menu, Marks and Bleed.
Marks and Bleed
- (16) If your document has No Bleed (images or graphics that stop at the document’s margins, no less than .25”), your Bleed setting should be set to “0” on all 4 sides.
- No marks are necessary.
Document Bleed Settings (bleed)
- (17) If your document has Bleed (images or graphics that continues past the document’s margins and past the trim area) your Bleed setting should be set to “.125” on all 4 sides.
- No marks are necessary.
Make Your Hi-Res PDF!
- (18) Click on the “Save PDF” button at the bottom of your window.
- Your file will save in the location that you specified in step 13 with the name that you gave your document.
