Printing > Guidelines for faster printing

 

Guidelines for faster printing

For fastest printing and smaller file size, use efficient drawing techniques. Techniques that reduce print times also help speed screen redraw and make editing easier.

Specify a paper size no larger than the illustration actually covers to reduce memory requirements for processing objects.

You can speed printing and reduce file size by following these guidelines when you create your artwork:

Avoid unnecessary complexity. Delete any object not visible in Preview mode. All objects drawn on printing foreground layers process when you print, even if they are hidden behind other objects. You can also use the Delete Xtras to delete unused objects from the document, including empty text blocks and unused named colors.

When possible, use straight paths instead of curves to reduce printer time and memory slightly. For curves, use the fewest points possible, and shape curves using point handles instead of adding more points.

Use a higher flatness value.

Reduce the number of subpaths in a composite path.

Apply special effects conservatively—for example, do not use numerous multi-color radial fills. Use a basic fill when possible. Use special fills-such as lenses and gradient fills-and text effects sparingly.

Clean up paths created with the Trace tool or the FreeHand tool by choosing Modify > Alter Path > Simplify or Xtras > Cleanup.

Simplify clipping paths and their contents.

Use options from the Halftones panel sparingly.

Modify and crop imported graphics in their original application.

Do the following to minimize the printing time for imported graphics:

Bitmap images. Scale, crop, or rotate EPS, TIFF, and other bitmap images in an image editing application before you place them.

Vector graphics. Select imported PICT or CGM graphics and choose Modifyþ >þ Alter Path > Simplify, or choose Xtras > Cleanup.

On the Macintosh, print images in the binary data format to create a smaller file than ASCII encoding and speed print time. (Choose Binary from the Images pop-up menu in the Output Options dialog box.) For more information, see About choosing an output device.

Note: Windows networks do not support binary image data.

To print text faster, follow these guidelines:

Use text on a path sparingly.

Limit the number of typefaces used in the document.

Use the Zoom effect sparingly—it prints slower than the other effects.

Deselect the Unlimited Downloadable Fonts in the File > Page Setup dialog box to prevent FreeHand from sending a font to the printer each time it is encountered in a document.

To reduce memory overhead and speed printing, FreeHand downloads to a PostScript printer only the fonts necessary to print the specified pages and does not download fonts appearing only on the pasteboard.

For more information on troubleshooting printing problems, see Troubleshooting printing.