Prepare a publication for commercial printing

Unless your printer specifically requests files in PostScript format, it's usually best to use the Pack and Go Wizard to prepare a Microsoft Publisher file for commercial printing.

What's the difference between handing off a Publisher file and a PostScript file?

If you hand off a Publisher file, the Pack and Go Wizard verifies linked graphics, embeds TrueType fonts, and packs all the files your printing service needs to print your publication. If you hand off a PostScript file, you are responsible for updating graphics, including the necessary fonts, and ensuring that you have all the files your printing service needs.

In addition, with Publisher files, the printing service can verify that fonts and linked graphics are available, trap your publication, make color corrections or separations, and set final printing options. If you hand off a PostScript file, you are responsible for completing these prepress tasks.

Use Pack and Go to prepare Publisher files

The Pack and Go Wizard is extremely easy to use, and it will greatly simplify the process of preparing your files for commercial printing. When you use Pack and Go, the wizard creates linked graphics and embeds fonts in your publication, so that your printing service has access to the graphics and typefaces you want to use in your publication. In addition, the wizard will list any fonts that it can't embed and will report any problems with linked graphics.

Pack your publication using the Pack and Go Wizard

  1. On the File menu, point to Pack and Go, and then click Take to a Commercial Printing Service.

    The Pack and Go Wizard will take you through each step of the packing process.

  2. Save your publication files to a disk or CD, or to a hard drive, external drive, or a network.

Tips to keep in mind while using Pack and Go

Unpack and open Microsoft Publisher files for a commercially printed publication

The Pack and Go Wizard names and numbers packed files and adds a .puz extension. For example, the first file will be named Packed01.puz, the second file will be Packed02.puz, and so on. A Readme.txt file and Unpack.exe program also are included with the packed files.Insert the first disk with the packed files into the appropriate drive on your computer.

  1. On the Microsoft Windows desktop, double-click the My Computer icon.
  2. Double-click the drive that contains the packed Publisher files.
  3. Double-click Unpack.exe.
  4. Type the path to the folder where you want to save the unpacked files, or browse to a folder, and then click OK.
  5. If there are multiple disks, insert each disk when prompted, and then click OK.
  6. When Publisher notifies you that the publication is unpacked, click OK.
  7. To open the publication in Publisher, navigate to the folder that contains the files, and then double-click the file with PNG in the name and a .pub extension.

If your printer does request PostScript files, follow these steps. Before you hand off your files, be sure to ask to your printing service about prepress tasks and the settings you should use for your publication.

  1. Install a PostScript printer driver

    Microsoft Publisher includes two printer drivers that are compatible with most PostScript printers.

    1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
    2. Click Add Printer.

      The Add Printer Wizard appears.

    3. Under Local or Network Printer, click Local.

      Windows 2000 Users

      1. Under Select the Printer Port, select FILE: Print to File, and then click Next.
      2. Under Manufacturer, click Generic.
      3. Under Printers, do one of the following:
        • If you know your printing service will use an imagesetter, click Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter.
        • If you are not sure how your files will be prepared, click Microsoft Publisher Color Printer.
      4. Click Keep existing driver when you are prompted, and then click Next.
      5. Click No to the next three prompts, and then click Finish.

      Windows 98 Users

      1. In the next wizard screen, click Have disk, and then click Next.
      2. Click Browse, and then navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10.
      3. In the File name box, select either of the two names that appear, and then click OK twice.
      4. Under Printers, do one of the following:
        • If you know your printing service will use an imagesetter, click Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter.
        • If you are not sure how your files will be prepared, click Microsoft Publisher Color Printer.
      5. In the printer port dialog box, click File: Creates a file on disk, and then click Next.
      6. Click No to the next two prompts, and then click Finish.
  2. Save your publication as a PostScript file
  3. In most cases, you can use Pack and Go to prepare your files for commercial printing. If your printing service uses only Macintosh computers, or if they don't accept Microsoft Publisher files, you may need to save your publication in PostScript file format.

    PostScript files are used only for printing on a PostScript printer, and you cannot make changes to a PostScript file after you have saved it. Before you save your publication in PostScript format, ask your commercial printing service if they want you to set specific print settings. You'll set the options they give you in step 7.

    1. Open the publication you want to save as a PostScript file.
    2. On the File menu, click Save As.
    3. In the Save as type box, click PostScript.
    4. In the File name box, type a name for the file, and then click Save.

      Publisher displays the Save as PostScript File dialog box.

    5. In the Name box, click the PostScript printer or the output device you want.
    6. In the Separations box, click Print separations or Print composite, depending on your commercial print service requirements.
    7. To set the print options that your printing service recommends, click Advanced Print Settings, click the options you want on the Publication Options tab and the Device Options tab, and then click OK on each tab.
    8. To set the number of pages that print on each sheet, click Properties, select the settings you want, and then click OK.
    9. Click Save.

    Note   By default, Windows optimizes PostScript for speed rather than portability. If you're running Windows 95 or later, be sure that PostScript is optimized for portability and/or ADSC (Adobe Document Structuring Conventions). If you're running Windows NT or Windows 2000, the PostScript settings depend on the printer driver. There may be no optimization options, but you should be sure that the Page Independence option or the PostScript Output option is turned on (File menu, Print Setup, Properties, Document Options, PostScript Options).

  4. Copy your files to disk.