PUB98: Frequently Asked Questions About Printing to a Service Bureau

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1. Q. Does Microsoft have a list of recommended Service Bureaus that can print Publisher files?
   
   A. No. It is up to the individual Service Bureau to decide if they will accept Publisher files. They are not required to register themselves with Microsoft.
2. Q. Does the Service Bureau have to own a copy of Microsoft Publisher in order to print Publisher files?
   
   A. No. If the Service Bureau does not have a copy of Microsoft Publisher, you can use the Publishers Prepare for Printing Service feature to create a Postscript file that the Service Bureau can use.
3. Q. The Service Bureaus in my area have only Macintosh computers. Will I be able to use files if I create them on an IBM-compatible computer?
   
   A. Yes. You can use PostScript files on both platforms. In addition, Macintosh computers come with a utility that the Service Bureau can use to copy files to and from a PC-formatted disk.
4. Q. My PostScript file is too big to fit on a single disk. What can I do?
   
   A. There are several ways to deliver files that won't fit on a single disk, for example:
   
   
   • Many Service Bureaus can accept files that are compressed using a file compression package such as PKZip. PKZip is a shareware package that is readily available on many Internet sites and stores that sell Shareware. While PKZip is a PC utility, a Macintosh-based Service Bureau may still be able to accept files compressed in this manner.
   • Many Service Bureaus have a bulletin board service (BBS) that you can use to upload your PostScript file electronically. Ask your Service Bureau if they have such a service.
   • If you will be working with a lot of large files, it may be worth your while to purchase a drive such as a SyQuest or Iomega Zip drive. These drives accept cartridges that can hold between 20 and 200 megabytes (MB) of data. Most Service Bureaus can accept SyQuest or Bernoulli cartridges, and more and more of them can accept Zip cartridges as well.
5. Q. Are there any special printer settings I should use?
   
   A. Service Bureaus convert your electronic file to (usually) either a positive image on paper or a negative image on film. A film negative can be used to create a plate for a printing press. If the Service Bureau also does commercial printing, they will know how to output from their imagesetter in a manner that their other equipment can use. However, if you plan to use a Service Bureau to create film negatives and you then take those negatives to another business to be printed, you may want to do the following:
   
   
   1. Call the printing company and ask them how many lines per inch they can print well. The answer will typically be either 60, 80, 100, or 133 lines per inch.
   2. Before you create your PostScript file, do the following (these instructions assume you are using Windows 95):
      
      
      1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
      2. Right-click the MS Publisher Imagesetter printer icon (or the icon of the printer driver you will be using to create your PostScript file), and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
      3. Click the Graphics tab.
      4. Click the Use Settings Below option.
      5. In the Screen Frequency box, type the or select the number determined in step 1 (or you can use a lower number).
      6. Click OK.
      Now, when the Service Bureau creates your film negatives, the printing company will be able to use them.

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