Valentin from OCHEDA Graphic Creatives recently called in with a small support question. In assisting him, I learned of his great zeal for using FlightCheck Professional on every job that he produces in QuarkXPress or Adobe InDesign. SO much so that we asked if we could interview him to learn more about his graphic design workflow and how he works with preflighting, PDF and DTP layout applications. Watch the English interview here:
If embedded video does not show up, click here. Continues below…
Exciting news below for preflight operators whom use Markzware’s FlightCheck Professional or Designer (Or those that want to buy a copy.); see the announcement below…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Markzware Releases Free Update To Popular
Preflighting Software, FlightCheck
Markzware’s FlightCheck v6.12 provides the most up-to-date enhancements for greater productivity.
SANTA ANA, California, September 16, 2008 — Markzware, the leading developer of preflighting, data extraction and conversion software, announced a free update for its preflighting solution, FlightCheck v6.12.
“Markzware continues to provide the level of support to our customer base to ensure efficiency, flexibility and ease of use of our popular and award-winning preflighting solution,” said Mary Gay Marchese, public relations director of Markzware.
Enfocus just earlier this week released a press release announcing the immediate availability of a new version of PitStop Professional 08 which is fully compatible with Adobe’s Acrobat 9. In part it reads;
“Enfocus has built its reputation and market leadership on the concept of delivering the most reliable and easy-to-implement automation with unprecedented control over PDF workflows,” adds Mr. van Driessche. “These latest announcements reinforce our ongoing commitment to our users around the globe as we continue to enhance the industry’s most comprehensive suite of PDF-based tools.”
SOURCE: http://www.enfocus.com/pressrelease.php?id=4842
Last week we covered a very important step that should be done before using FlightCheck Professional to preflight jobs which was about the Ground Controls in a post titled, “Preflighting 101 - Part 3; FLIGHTCHECK Professional v6 Concepts- a. Ground Controls”. Today we will move right along and cover the last three steps in the preflight process with FlightCheck; Inspecting a Document, Viewing the Results and Collect for Output (Packaging):
Preflighting 101 - Part 4 IIII b. Inspecting a Document
This is a great, often overlooked, feature of FlightCheck Professional v6- the ability to open or preflight two (or more) documents at a time. This allows you to very effectively compare the two and see the differences, if any. We have heard from users doing this and thought it wise to share with you in the form of a video… plus, a few other general preflight tips; showing how you *could* check each image in Adobe Photoshop seperately or just use FlightCheck to get the job done for you within seconds:
Here is a nice interview, unfortunately only in Dutch, of a FlightCheck Professional and Enfocus SWITCH user. In any event, some nice workflow diagrams and those that do not speak Dutch, you can watch the two part overview on how FlightCheck can work within a SWITCH flow here.
Preflighting is the process of checking digital files for potential problems prior to output (Exporting to PDF or Printing). This can also be a process best done on native or source file types, such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator or QuarkXpress, everytime before saving or sending the job onto another party- simple quality assurance. Special software such as FlightCheck Professional from Markzware or PitStop from Enfocus can be used, or the process can be done manually, often called the eye-ball method.
Even though the technologies enabling businesses to create documents have become more accessible, there remains a hidden cost in the generation of print and electronic media—a cost easily offset with some simple tools and best practices
Perhaps you’ve seen the commercials by print giants like Xerox and Hewlett-Packard, in which they espouse how cheap print has become? Indeed, the cost to generate color print these days is, in fact, much less expensive for businesses than it was just a few short years ago.
Henno Jacques, a freelance designer in Holland, gets interviewed by Markzware Europe’s Arnold Roosch in this perfect example on why to use FlightCheck Professional (and ID2Q in his case):
FlightCheck Professional and ID2Q user review
Dutch version of this interview can be found here…
It is excellent how he is using FlightCheck to preflight everything BEFORE making the PDF. He also checks the resulting PDF/X file with FlightCheck Professional as well. Making brochures, booklets and the likes, he also has seen from experience that sending both the press-ready PDF as well as the open source file (where he uses FlightCheck to collect all fonts and images into one approved folder) is the best way to get the print-job to the printer. This way, if there are any last minute changes, corrections or press problems, they can quickly and safely make the changes and re-output the PDF job.
Going through my literal stack of print media, design and publishing titles on my desk, I came across a very interesting article titled, “Careless print costs money“. This was within the U.K. magazine named PrintMedia Management (June 2008, pg. 28, 66). It highlights how this key United Kingdom government department, COI or Central Office of Information, is taking the matter of print buying very seriously. They are doing what any advertising agencey, corporation or marketing company should also be doing, however may not be…
