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All Forums >> [Product Forums] >> [Productivity Software] >> [The Print Shop 23.1 and older] >> PS Printing Specific Issues >> Print Preview is terrible quality

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Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 4:02:49 PM    trishclough   Posts: 5 Joined: 9/11/2015 Status: offline I just installed PS 23.1 today and created from scratch, the front side of my business cards. I have not used any of your other printing software in the past so I am not familiar with an end product. Anyway, I am eventually sending the PDF of my final card to a professional print shop to make 2,500 cards. My concern is the quality of the final product. When I went to print preview to see the results, the quality of the image was terrible. Is this what I should expect the cards to look like? Is there an application/process, etc. that will increase the overall quality of the design? Post #: 1

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 5:56:57 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline I have also noticed that the print preview for v23.1 and older, displays "jaggy" text. This is a video display issue. Text prints very sharp if fonts are embedded into the PDF. Unfortunately, I have not found one PDF writer that will convert a v23.1 project into a PDF with embedded fonts. I have several good PDF programs and they all embed the fonts when I use them with Microsoft, Serif, Corel, and Adobe programs. You'll end up with a PDF containing one rasterized image. Text will just be pixels in that image. If your resolution is 600 dpi, it should look OK, if you used large enough font size. Often, the professional printing service will advise you that text must be curves (i.e. vector) in the PDF, or the words will not print optimally. < Message edited by ellengard -- 9/11/2015 5:58:09 PM > (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 2

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 6:06:07 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline quote: ORIGINAL: trishclough ...Is there an application/process, etc. that will increase the overall quality of the design? Yes. Create your business card design SANS text. Export as best quality JPG. Import the JPG to a program that has a built-in PDF converter that embeds the fonts. Use this program to add your text. The vendors I use require a PDF with bleed area, so the file must be approximately 3.75" x 2.25". Do not use a Print Shop business card project because it creates 10 cards per letter size sheet. You will want ONE card on 3.75" x 2.25". (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 3

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 6:54:57 PM    trishclough   Posts: 5 Joined: 9/11/2015 Status: offline Thank you for the advice. I will send it to my printer first and hope they can work with it. If not, I will follow your other advice. Does any of the reasonably priced software from Encore embed the fonts now? Also, if this is going to be a big hassle for me I would like to know what software you would suggest. (in reply to ellengard) Post #: 4

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 7:35:12 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline I recommend PagePlus Essentials or PagePlus full version. I find PagePlus to be as good as the more expensive Microsoft Publisher. Sign up for the Encore newsletter to get notifications of discounts. Just last week they had a site-wide sale of 40% off everything. (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 5

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/11/2015 7:46:22 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline Probably the easiest way to get quality custom business cards, is to chose a vendor who provides a way to upload a JPG that you've created, and then provide a fill-in form for the text, as in this example screen capture I took from a online vendor. This gets around the hassle of designing a PDF with embedded fonts and bleed areas. With the program you already have, you can create the JPG part. Attachment (1) (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 6

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/14/2015 4:18:38 PM    trishclough   Posts: 5 Joined: 9/11/2015 Status: offline I did not know about the short comings of the business card choice and now my cards are created in that area. How can i export my work into a different area of the software?? Also, I noticed that the size of the card is not even the correct business card size (height 1.75", not 2.0")!! Can I export my complete work? If so, where do you suggest to put it and how do I export it. Thanks (in reply to ellengard) Post #: 7

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/14/2015 9:30:15 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline It is not a shortcoming. The business card project was designed for people to make and print their own business cards at home, on their home printer, typically with Avery business card stock. The card height of 2" includes a white margin so that your card design won't bleed into the adjacent business card. That's why the "printable area" appears to be 1.75" in height. In order to give you specific instructions, you need to tell me the specifications your printing service requires. Or send me an email with the link to their PDF template. General instructions: Create a new custom size landscape Sign project (this is where the printing service specs come in). Set your printer to the PDF printer. This will ensure a zero white margin. Change your paper size to match the size stated in their PDF template. Once you have done this, you may begin adding graphics and text. (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 8

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/14/2015 9:34:10 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline quote: ORIGINAL: trishclough ... How can i export my work into a different area of the software?? No point doing that until you have set up the Sign project with the correct dimensions as stated on their PDF template. Once you do, it's a simple copy and paste, then resize and reposition. < Message edited by ellengard -- 9/14/2015 9:36:54 PM > (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 9

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/16/2015 12:55:19 PM    trishclough   Posts: 5 Joined: 9/11/2015 Status: offline What? When I go into the sign area and try to save to PDF it tries to print. Then I have to cancel it because it is not responding and then i have to close out of PS completely! I am so frustrated with this software and this is not my first time using graghic software. years ago I used CorelDraw to make many, many things for a food production company. How can making a business card be so difficult?? (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 10

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/16/2015 6:59:06 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline Don't cancel the "Print". Have you ever created a PDF before? It's called printing to PDF. Nothing will come out of your printer. A PDF will be created. The program is working as it should. (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 11

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/16/2015 7:09:25 PM    trishclough   Posts: 5 Joined: 9/11/2015 Status: offline Of course I have created many PDF's. When I use this software it goes to "Not Responding" and locks up. I can do nothing else in it and have to close completely out of the program. I used Corel for years on my old computer, I think I am just going to send this back and buy CorelDraw. (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 12

RE: Print Preview is terrible quality - 9/16/2015 7:18:08 PM    ellengard Posts: 3253 Joined: 10/2/2006 Status: offline OK. Do you have a PDF writer installed on your computer? If not, a good FREE one is available from http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp You can then Print to the CutePDF printer to create your PDF from your PrintShop program. I think what's happened is that the Broderbund PDF converter which was originally designed to work on pre-Win7 operating systems, is having incompatibility problems with your operating system. Another option which is easier than starting over with a new purchase of CorelDraw: Export your project as high-res JPG. Bring the JPG into whatever program you have that can turn it into a PDF. If you like, I can create the PDF for you. I'll even embed the fonts for you. Just send me your Print Shop project file. Click my email button if you are interested. < Message edited by ellengard -- 9/16/2015 7:23:00 PM > (in reply to trishclough) Post #: 13

All Forums >> [Product Forums] >> [Productivity Software] >> [The Print Shop 23.1 and older] >> PS Printing Specific Issues >> Print Preview is terrible quality

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