File Formats

Extensions are helpful when going cross-platform between Macintosh and Window computers. Even though Macs do not require character extensions behind file names to be recognized, Windows machines use them. Corruption can occur when files sent via Email and FTP have not been compressed with Stuffit Deluxe or WinZIP. When assigning character extensions, the extension can denote what software the file originated from, whether it is a graphic or a page layout file, etc. Some of the extensions for the most popular software include .indd (Adobe In-Design), .psd (Photoshop), and .ai (Illustrator).

Characters such as \ / : * ? % # < > or extra periods in file names can cause problems when going cross-platform. For example, CPS.AD.3.375x7.875".Jan.02/ecm*.indd would not be seen on a Windows computer. Please avoid their use.

PDF (Portable Document Format) is the main ready-to-print format, and can be exported from a number of programs.

Always save photos as TIFF or PSD to maintain the highest quality without losing any pixels. Saving in web formats such as JPEG, GIF or PNG will lose quality each time it is resaved, and they will make your printed images look bad.

Help Topics

RGB vs CMYK
Spot Colors
Duotone
Grayscale
Gradients
Resolution
Bleed & Border
File Formats
Font Types
Prepress Checklist
Gathering Files