PDF files are simply postscript delivery mechanisms.

The most important step in creating a PDF is making the postscript file correctly. You should think of PDF files as envelops for delivering good working postscript.

The biggest advantage to sending us a PDF is that all of the fonts and images are stored in the PDF document. This eliminates the necessity of sending the linked files like you would have to do with a Quark document. In addition, PDF files are relatively small, making file transfer a lot faster. Another big advantage with PDF's is the assurance that your type will not reflow or default to courier since the fonts are embedded in the file.

Those are all huge conveniences, however, sending us PDF files requires you to be very aware of how your file is being built. This leads us to the biggest disadvantage of using PDF files.

Your PDF file will inherit all of the problems of your postscript file.

Any problems with your document (i.e. images that are missing or formatted incorrectly, fonts that are used incorrectly or not embedded, etc.) will ultimately show up in your PDF file and prevent us from printing your document correctly.

The biggest misconception concerning PDF's is that Acrobat Distiller fixes all of the above problems, it doesn't. See "Sending trouble free Digital files."

The Virginia Gazette Companies, LLC recommends that our customers invest in a preflight product. Applications such as Preflight Pro or Flight Check Collect can scan your native files for possible problems and save you a tremendous amount of time.