Generating Print-Ready PDFs from Windows Applications

Please see the instructions below for printing a PostScript file from Windows Applications, then distilling it into a PDF using Adobe Distiller. If you are using Quark, InDesign or PageMaker, please see their specific instruction pages.

Step 1: Configure your Page Properties

If your document has bleeds, AND your application lets you define paper size separately from image size:

Set width and height to 1 inch larger than your trim size to allow for bleeds and printer's marks.
Set scale to 100%
Center page image on the sheet

Step 2: Configure your Printing Preferences and Print to File

From File menu, choose "Print"
Select Printer "Acrobat Distiller". Important: Do NOT use "Acrobat PDF Writer".
Checkmark "Print to File"
Click "Properties" button

Layout tab

Click "Advanced" Button
Expand "Document Options"

Expand "PostScript Options"

Select PostScript Output Option "Optimize for Portability"
Select TrueType Download Option "Automatic"
Select PostScript Language Level Option "3"

Paper/Quality tab

Select "Color"

Click "OK" button to accept.

Click "OK" button to print.
Override the ".prn" file extension with a ".ps" file extension.

Step 3: Convert the PostScript to a PDF using Acrobat Distiller

Lauch Acrobat Distiller
Select Default option "PDF/X-3:2002". It is very important to choose this default!
Open and distill your PostScript file:

From File Menu, select "Open"
Browse for your PostScript ( ".ps" ) file
Acrobat will immediately begin generating a PDF with the same filename, and a .PDF extension.

Note: if your document is all spot colors, change the Standards setting in Distiller NOT to enforce compliance. To do this:

In Distiller, choose "Settings | Edit Adobe PDF Settings"
Click the "Standards" folder
Select Compliance Standard "None"
Save settings as "Offset-Spot.joboptions"

How did you do? Preflight your file before submitting!

If you have Acrobat 7 Professional, you can automatically preflight check your file before submitting it to us. It's easy and it's fun. Click the link below to learn more:

Preflighting PDFs Automatically