March 2008

The PostScript error top 10
When I started this site in 1997, its primary goal was to provide an overview of Postscript errors and possible solutions. That list is still pretty popular so I had a look at my web stats recently to discover which error messages are the most popular. It seems logical that errors that pop up the most in web searches are also the most frequent issues on output devices. So here it is, the TOP 10 of Postscript issues starting with the most ‘popular’ one:

1. Offending command image
2. PostScript error limitcheck
3. Offending command setdistillerparams
4. PostScript error undefined
5. PostScript error rangecheck
6. Offending command get
7. Offending command findfont
8. PostScript error typecheck
9. Offending command pdfmark
10. PostScript error invalidfont

The poll
There are many initiatives in the graphic arts industry to define and propagate how a perfect PDF should be created. Looking at the stuff that I receive or what gets discussed on forums, it looks as if those standardization efforts haven’t made much of an impact (yet).
Do you create or receive PDF files that comply with a certain industry standard or are they all based on the use of personal preferences? Maybe you even want to avoid PDF completely and stick to exchanging native InDesign, QuarkXPress,… files? Tell us in the poll to the right where you can select multiple answers. I’ve also started a thread in the B4Print forums to report your findings or vent any frustrations >

February 2008

Flashback: 1987
In ‘87 I start working for a Mac dealer. The boss thinks that playing around is the easiest way to learn about a product so I get to take a Mac Plus home during my holiday. I immediately fall in love with the system and show it to everyone at the local computer club. My PC-hugging friends shrug and think it is kind of ‘cute’, at best. I guess they now all use Windows and don’t even realize they could have had the same type of UI experience 20 years ago.

Printing’s alive
Check out this great video.

The poll
There are numerous movies in which the main character somehow goes back in time and gets the opportunity to restart his or her life. If you had that opportunity, would you once again go for a career in graphic arts or would you avoid it like the plague?

January 2008

The power of print
I rediscovered photography after purchasing my first digital camera a few years ago. These past few days have been a godsend for my hobby. There are not just the beautiful weather and female joggers to capture the imagination…

… but also the awesome print quality of the KBA Cortina press that is used to print ‘De Morgen’, my daily newspaper. This KBA is a waterless offset press that can cope with stochastic screening on newspaper stock. Images are pin sharp, flat tints look gorgeous and pictures often seem to jump off the page. Working in the industry, you cannot avoid noticing the occasional issues with drying and ghosting but overall the attention that is paid to photography and lay-out as well as the print quality of my newspaper continue to amaze me. The past week-end edition contained a few full spread National Geographic images in the accompanying magazine. Fantastic!

The poll
I personally still prefer to generate a PostScript file and then normalize it to a PDF file. With InDesign I am using the Export to PDF option more and more since it seems to work pretty well. This topic is also discussed on the B4print forums.

Prepress Pete

 

Comments from 2007 can be found here.