PDF (Portable Document Format) files are sometimes a good format to use when sending your electronic files to 01 Printing. There are some important considerations when using PDFs as a file format.

There are many advantages to using PDFs. If you have prepared your file in a program that is not commonly supported in a PostScript environment, such as MS Word or Publisher, making a PDF of your file is a great work around. Remember that PDFs are not a magic bullet, however, and if the program you are using does not have advanced color controls, the resulting PDF will only be as good as the original file.

PDFs are also a simple way for you to capture all of your fonts, TIFFs and EPSs without having to save them one-by-one. This is a major advantage for those who do not feel comfortable with collecting files for output.

PDFs are also small because the process of turning a file into a PDF "simplifies" it. By reducing megabytes, PDFs are easier to transfer over the web than the original files. For some customers PDFs are a secure way to assure that their vendor does not accidentally change their files. While such occurrences are rare, some customers' jobs require an added level of security that a PDF provides because it "encapsulates" the file.

Before you choose PDF as your format of choice, you need to be aware that PDFs require a different approach to file preparation and file editing. And, depending on your situation, there are also some disadvantages to using PDFs of which you should be aware.

• First, in order to create a PDF, you will need to purchase the full version of Adobe Acrobat 4.05 including Acrobat Distiller. This software is available at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html for purchase.
• Second, not all PDFs are created equal. A PDF prepared for viewing on the Internet (72 dpi) is too low in resolution for use in printing (2400 dpi). You need to have special settings for Acrobat, the program that is used to create PDFs. We have developed a PDF Preparation Wizard that is available to registered users of our ftp server which will help you create PDF's in an appropriate format. In order to assure that PDFs are correctly prepared for processing at 01 you must follow these instructions and use 01's PDF Preparation Wizard.
• Third, perhaps one of the biggest considerations when using PDFs is the ability to edit the file. PDFs are harder to edit. If you have a change to your file, it is often easier and more accurate to go back to the original program (Quark, PageMaker, etc.). If you receive a proof and have changes, and 01 does not have your original file-only your PDF, you will probably need to make the changes yourself to the document, recreate your PDF and resubmit it. If this seems like a hassle and you would prefer to have your files edited by 01, PDFs may not be for you and you may want to send the original file.
• Fourth, it is also important to remember that PDFs are not magic. If your Quark file was not correctly prepared, creating a PDF of it will not magically fix the problems. Furthermore, if you send a PDF of file with problems, our ability to fix the problems is limited by the fact that PDFs are hard to edit. If you rely on 01 to fix problems with your file, you are better off steering away from PDFs and supplying the native files (Quark, PageMaker, etc) instead. (Of course, if you are using a software program that 01 does not support, submitting PDFs may be your only recourse and a good "work around".)

If you have any questions about PDFs and whether they would be an appropriate file format for your project, please call 01 at (852) 2811-1183 or email to support@hk-printing.com