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.
There is a great thread running over on PrintPlanet.com titled, “Flight Check Pro vs. Pit Stop?” where the initial poster asks, “which one is best? And why?” The responses were interesting and for the most part accurate, such as;
“Can you preflight Quark, illustrator, eps, indesign or photoshop files in Pitstop?
That’s why my vote go to Flightcheck.”
Posted, ‘Ryan’ (implying that FlightCheck can preflight numerous file formats)
‘HappyFriday’ posted; “We run Flight Check Prof on our native files and PDFs. When I have time, I often preflight PDFs in both Flight Check and Acrobat.
Acrobats Preflight tools are powerful and complex. But you can simplify your preflight life by creating a standalone droplet. Then, any PDF you drop onto it will be tested against specific project requirements, and can then be automatically moved into a different folder and a report generated.
Zevrix has today announced that they have updated their professional quality control tool for graphical source files. This is a neat, affordable software for checking image files which is further noted in the press release as;
“…Graphic Inspector provides a professional quality control solution for users of any trade, whether it’s print, prepress, web design, electronic publishing or digital photography. With Graphic Inspector, users automatically get crucial information on multiple raster and vector files, saving hours of manual checking and eliminating costly mistakes. Graphic Inspector will display the file kind, color mode, resolution, compression, color profile, spot colors, fonts, metadata and other attributes.”
SOURCE: http://graphicstart.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=126
Now that a good decade has passed since the advent of computer-to-plate (CTP) printing, the industry has a good feel for what is working, and what isn’t.
Developers and vendors can be credited for quickly supplying the tools printers needed to make CTP work. Open file and language standards enable more seamless communication between technologies driving digital proofing, prepress systems and press room solutions. With highly automated workflows, it’s possible — now, more than ever before — to keep the presses running at a steady pace. That is, as long as there aren’t any bottlenecks in prepress.
I know, it sounds like the title of a movie- but it is not. The Ghent PDF Workgroup, who has developed many valuable specifications to make PDF delivery for print more predictable, announces the first Universal Proof of Preflight.
When implemented in a software solution, this best practice specification offers users the ability to review a PDF file’s preflight audit trail, including a digital signature, at any time during the design to print workflow.
This capability provides users the assurance that they can safely accept a PDF file with a Proof of Preflight. This process verifies which GWG preflight Specification was used to preflight the file and also the outcome of the preflight check.
SOURCE: QuickPrinting.com via Graphicstart.com
Preflight, in the graphic arts sense, is the process of checking a digital document before it goes to plate, print or otherwise output (exported - such as to PDF). It traditionally is a way to check quality before going to the printing press, digital or otherwise, but can also be used to check online banners and gifs. Preflight is best done on the source document, such as those created in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, QuarkXPress or Corel!Draw as some examples, before becoming a PDF (Portable Document Format). Similar to a pilot whom walks around and performs a pre take-off pre-flight check, preflighting for designers and prepress operators should be a must.
We have heard of many creatives and designers starting to use FlightCheck to check their web banners before posting.
This video explains the quick and easy process of batch checking images files to ensure either web or print quality. Users of Photoshop or other image editing tools, should love this one!
SANTA ANA, California — April 22, 2008 — Markzware, the inventor of preflighting and data-conversion software leader, today announced the release and immediate availability of the FlightCheck upgrade v6.11. FlightCheck is Markzware flagship prepress application that manages quality control of digital files destined for print or electronic distribution.
This FlightCheck v6.11 update is a maintenance release that fixes reported issues and improves several features and other refinements to this award winning preflighting solution. Detailed information on all of the changes and improvements implemented in FlightCheck v6.11 can be found at:
