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*** DesignGeek ***
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Tips and techniques for the digital designer
In this issue:
One Big Tip:
-- Multiple-page PDFs from Illustrator
And Four Little Tips:
-- Concatenating Point Type in Illustrator
-- Quark Listserv Moves to a New Address
-- Two Great Services for Web Designers
-- Download My InDesign Style Sheet Power Tips
Issue 20, 5/12/04
Written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion
... for her clients, colleagues, random contacts and interested subscribers
© 2004 Seneca Design & Training, Inc.
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Multiple-page PDFs from Illustrator
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Prologue:
A few weeks ago I travelled to beautiful Cincinnatti, Ohio to provide a two-day training session in Illustrator CS for about twenty students. As this was a large pre-press packaging firm (the "back end," the people in charge of taking designer's files and trapping/separating them out to something that will print), these pros and their management had some <ahem> concerns about Illustrator CS that I don't usually encounter with my usual training clients, the "front end" designers and layout production types.
I was able to answer most of their questions to their satisfaction, and we ran some tests on their equipment to make sure that all those cool Live Effects like 3D extrusions, distort/transforms, and drop shadows over spot colors etc. would actually work with their trapping and separation software. It turned out Illustrator CS did a MUCH better job than Illustrator 10 with these types of elements.
We were all quite relieved. :-)
However, I left there promising to get back to them with the answer to one question I couldn't figure out on the spot: How to create multiple-page PDFs from Illustrator CS, a program that only produces single-page files. The workaround they used for earlier versions of Illy (which I knew about, and was going to get to in DesignGeek one day) wasn't working in CS.
It took me a little while, but I figured it out. The key is getting to know ILCS's new Print... dialog, which gathers a lot of previously-broken out functions (Page Setup, Separations Setup, and more) under one roof.
A couple notes: First, you're going to be creating a "real" PDF using Distiller with this method. You can't create a multiple-page PDF with "Save As PDF" in Illustrator, you actually have to print to a file. So you'll need some version of Acrobat (which is the only way to get Distiller) installed.
Second, the basic concept of how to create multiple-page docs from Illustrator -- using tiled pages -- works in all previous versions. So if you don't have CS, you can still use this tip. Just look around for the equivalent dialogs that I mention below.
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Step-by-Step Multiple Page PDFs
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1. The size of your Artboard (Illy-speak for "Document") in the New Document dialog or File->Document Setup should be equal to the overall N-up of your multiple-page file.
For example, if you want to to create a two-page letter-size PDF, portrait mode, your Artboard dimensions should be 17" wide by 11" tall (two letter-size pages side-by-side). For a four-page document, your dimensions should be either 34" by 11" (four across) or 17" by 22" (two up, two down).
When you enter the dimensions, you don't have to figure out how many points that is, just enter the inch mark (") after your number and Illy will convert it. (Or change the new Units dropdown to Inches.)
2. Open the Print dialog, which in Illustrator CS has incorporated the Page Setup functions. You can make changes here and click the "Done" button to save your Page Setup without printing. Not real intuitive, I know.
The first set of Print options you see are from the "General" category. Look in the middle of the panel and you'll see a section called Media.
This is key: In Media, choose the final, individual page dimensions and orientation for your file. Do you want each page in your PDF to be letter-size, portrait mode? Specify that here.
3. One more setting. Go to the Setup panel (below "General" on the left of the Print dialog) and once there, choose Crop to Artboard and Tile Full Pages.
At this point you should see the Preview of your document (on the lower left corner of the Print dialog) reflect all these settings.
4. Click the Done button to save your page setup and return to your document.
5. Go to the View menu and turn on (show) the Artboard and Page Tiling. You should see non-printing guidelines that divvy up your large artboard into individual pages -- the size and orientation you set in Media -- complete with page numbers.
Create your artwork, or move existing artwork around, so they lay out correctly within the boundaries of the page tiling.
6. When you're done, open the Print dialog again to create your PDF. Just a couple more settings to go.
In General options, choose Adobe PDF as the printer and Adobe PDF as the PPD, which will be the default. These options will only appear if you've installed Acrobat 6, by the way, and if you haven't, why haven't you, are you insane? It's the most useful upgrade in the Creative Suite!
By the way, when you print from any application to Adobe PDF, it uses the current Adobe PDF Settings (nee Job Options) from Distiller. Distiller doesn't have to be open for Illy to grab its settings during this PDF output process, but if you want to check your settings or change them, fiddle with Distiller first, then go back to Illy.
If you don't have Acrobat 6, choose Adobe PostScript File as the Printer and Distiller as the PPD, and plan on running that .ps file through Distiller when you're done.
Finally, compulsively check the Setup panel one more time to make sure that "Crop to Artboard" and "Tile Full Pages" is still active. You never know.
That's it! Do yourself a favor and save these settings as a Print preset (click the Save Preset button at the bottom of the Print dialog) so you won't have to remember all this the next time, and click the Print button.
On Mac OS X, the PDF is created with the same name as your document, except with .pdf as its extension, and saved to your Desktop. On Windows, you're prompted for a filename and location for the final file. Open it up in Reader or Acrobat and check it out -- woo-hoo!
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Proof Separations Too
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Whether you're creating a single- or multiple-page PDF from Illustrator, you can use this method to see how your Illy file will trap and separate if output directly from Illustrator.
Just change one more setting in the Print dialog: Go to the Output options panel, and in the Mode drop-down, choose Separations (Host-Based).
The PDF you create will have one page per color plate. Don't forget to include Printer's Marks to help you identify which plate is which!
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Concatenating Point Type in Illustrator
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A huge issue with moving to Illustrator CS is what happens to the type when you need to "save it back" to an earlier Illustrator format. Since CS has a different type engine ... the same one shared by all the Adobe CS apps ... the text gets broken up into "point type" when you Export to a previous version of Illustrator or EPS and need to edit it. That's the only way it can maintain the new kerning, for example.
Much more on the new type engine here, by the way:
"Let's Talk About the new type engine" (Adobe Illustrator CS Forum thread)
<http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?13@166.CPTYcSJfvP6.0@.2ccdcea3/191>
Broken-up point type is a HUGE pain to edit. You can't drag-select with the Text tool across a whole line of type; each drag just selects that one bit of point type, which might be only a couple characters long.
You see this kind of thing a lot when you open a PDF in Illustrator too. The text looks perfect, but when you click in it with the Type or Selection tool, the awful truth is revealed.
Here's the tip: You can use the Selection tool and Type tool to convert point-type text to regular text. Maybe I'm the last living being to learn this, but apparently it's been possible for a long time.
With the Selection tool, drag a selection rectangle over a whole mess o' point-type bits and Cut or Copy it to your clipboard. Now switch to the Type tool and just click (to create one single, long instance of point-type text) or use it to drag out a rectangular text area, and choose Paste. All the text flows in as one selectable, easily-editable chunk.
Now don't get too excited, remember that you'll lose the kerning and spacing of the original point-type text, and your line endings may be different. But at least it works!
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Quark Listserv Moves to a New Address
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I've mentioned the Quark listserv (e-mail discussion group) a number of times in DesignGeek. With the demise of Quark's own online user support forum last summer, it's the only game in town.
After umpteen years of being hosted at Indiana University, the "listmom" was moving on to different pastures and announced in March that the list would soon shut down if no one else could take over hosting duties.
Long story short, under the auspices of numerous volunteers from the list, it's made the move to an even better list management program and host and is still going strong. Even Dan Logan, the lone Quark employee on the list, re-subscribed to the new address, despite being an easy target of free-floating Quark angst. (We salute you, Mr. Logan, for sticking with it.)
Sign up for the "sic" list (an inside joke, ask when you join) here:
<http://www.siclist.org/mailman/listinfo/quarkxpress>
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Two Great Services for Web Designers
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1. Reinvigorate
A free, very cool, easy to implement web traffic service that presents real-time traffic on your site is available for the asking right here:
<http://das.reinvigorate.net/>
It appears to be a research project by a grad student. In addition to the usual site stats, you can learn things like which platforms visitors use, how many users are browsing your site *right now* and what their monitor resolutions are set to. (How do they do that last one? I have no idea.)
I learned that traffic to my own site, senecadesign.com, is evenly split between Mac and Windows users. Which is a lot more Mac users than I thought!
2. BrowserCam
Are you an all-Mac design studio with PC-using clients complaining about how their sites look, or vice-versa? Do you need to see what happens to your finely-tuned CSS when viewed with America Online's browser or with Netscape 4.78?
Check out BrowserCam:
<http://www.browsercam.com/>
Not a free service, but an affordable one. They'll send you screen captures of how up to 10 URLs of your site look in any different browser/platform combination for only $10 (other pricing plans are also available).
For that critical project, it's money well-spent.
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Download My InDesign Style Sheet Power Tips
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A few weeks ago I gave a presentation to the Chicago InDesign User Group called "InDesign Style Sheet Power Tips." Along with my hour-long talk and presentation, I distributed a hand-out with a summary of what I talked about. I thought any of you DesignGeek readers who are using InDesign might find it handy.
You can download the handout (a PDF file) in the meeting notes page:
<http://www.indesignusergroup.com/chicago/chi_notes/chi_notes_2004_03_25.html>
The link to the PDF appears at the end of the article about my presentation, about halfway down the page. The handout is very brief, but the notes they wrote flesh it out.
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READY FOR SOME INDESIGN TRAINING?
Adobe Certified Expert Anne-Marie's been doing so much InDesign training lately, she's starting to forget her QuarkXPress keyboard shortcuts. Recent ID training clients include McDougal Littell, Two by Four Design, Magnet Street, Chicago Tribune, Herman Adler Design, and the American Library Association.
For a surprisingly affordable fee, you'll find that one or two-days of on-site InDesign training will save you weeks of wonky files and flailing around in palette madness.
And if you're nervous about making the switch, she's your expert. Anne-Marie will lead you gently into the new world with useful Quark-to-InDesign and PageMaker-to-InDesign techniques and handouts; providing one-on-one time even with large training groups; and supporting each student with her legendary three years of 24/7 follow-up assistance, included with every training engagement.
Call or e-mail Anne-Marie today for a rough training quote (or just a brochure to ruminate over): 312-946-1100, amarie@senecadesign.com
CHICAGOANS: TAKE A SEMINAR FROM HERGEEKNESS!
*OS X Transition: A Survival Guide for Designers*
May 17: Hotel Allegro, Chicago, Illinois
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The seminar I developed for Dynamic Graphics Training and present around the country comes to Chicago in May. Designed for OS 9 users about to move to OS X or those who've just upgraded and are a little lost (the majority of Mac designers, in other words), I cover installation, new Panther features, and in-depth review of the top issues: Fonts, Classic, Printers and Peripherals, File Sharing and Troubleshooting.
Details, other upcoming dates and registration:
<http://www.dgusa.com/dgt/dgt.aspx?viewcourse=13>
*Marketing Your Creative Services Online*
*Professional Layout Techniques*
Mac Design Conference and Expo - June 2-4, 2004
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois
I'm doing two seminars at the Mac Design Conference. "Marketing Your Creative Services Online" is about how use e-mail, online forums, and your web site to find new clients for your creative services. I'll have lots of insider tips and down-to-earth how-to's that don't require a lot of money or programmer-type abilities. The other seminar, "Professional Layout Techniques," will help non-designers and newbie designers alike get a handle on successful ways to lay out publications for print and web.
Details and registration:
<http://www.macdesignconference.com>
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DesignGeek is a free bimonthly publication written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion, a cross-media designer and authorized Adobe and Quark training provider. She owns Seneca Design & Training, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois (http://www.senecadesign.com/).
To subscribe to DesignGeek or read archived issues, go to its home on Seneca's site: http://www.senecadesign.com/designgeek/subscribe.html
To unsubscribe, follow the link at the bottom of this page.
Contact Seneca by phone at 312-946-1100 or e-mail at info@senecadesign.com
Copyright 2004 by Seneca Design & Training, Inc.
Please forward without cutting. Please contact Seneca for reprint permissions. We don't guarantee accuracy of articles. Company or product names mentioned in DesignGeek may be registered trademarks, we use the names in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement.
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