2. Guidelines
The only form of payment that is accepted is the
PrattCard. You must activate your PrattCard before
printing and have enough funds available on it to pay for
your jobs. See further instructions at the Lab Monitor’s
stations and manage your PrattCard account at
www.prattcard.com.
Do not store your files to the desktop of any of the
computers in the lab, they will be erased when you log
out. Instead save to the folder on the desktop labeled
“Workspace”. Be sure to back up your work on your own
media, since this folder is not protected from other
users.
Format your files as indicated in this guide.
Once a job is sent from a computer in the lab, you must
proceed to the release station in order to send your file
to the printer. You will be required to swipe your valid
Pratt ID Card and log in using your One Key account. You
will then see a list of all jobs that you have sent to the
color print queues. Highlight one of your jobs and click
Print to release it or Delete to erase it from the queue.
Once you have released the job you will be charged for it.
Jobs remain in the queue until the end of the day.
Keep in mind that large prints sent to the color plotter
may take some time to print. Please plan accordingly.
3. Guidelines
Common Problems
Avoid the most common printing problems!
Make sure your files are using the CMYK Colorspace.
Make sure all embedded files in Illustrator or InDesign
are 300ppi, flattened, uncompressed TIFF or PSD files in
the CMYK Colorspace.
Make sure ALL type in a file is outlined, whether it
appears in the printed area or not.
Make sure that all image files, printed from Photoshop or
embedded in another file have a resolution/ppi of at
least 300.
Make sure to select the same printer in both the Page
Setup and Print dialog boxes.
Always double-check your paper size and orientation.
Make sure that your file looks how you want it to be sized
and situated on the paper in the visual preview in the
Print dialog box.
Do not print directly from removable media or drives.
Always copy your file to the computer you are working
on before you open it.
If a computer is acting up, try restarting it before
seeking outside help.
4. Prices
Color Print Center
Color Matte - Xerox 7760 Enhanced Matte – Epson
4800/4480
8.5 x 11” (letter) 50¢
12 x 18” (tabloid extra) $1.00 Matte 13 x 19” (Super “B”) $3.75
80 lb. Matte Paper 216 g/m² Matte 17 x 22” (C) $5.75
Epson Enhanced Matte Paper
Color Glossy – Xerox 7600
8.5 x 11” (letter) 50¢ Color Plotter – HP 5500ps
12 x 18” (tabloid extra) $1.00
100 lb. Glossy Paper 140 g/m² 42” wide x 240” height maximum
$.65 per inch (you are charged
based on the longest
dimension)
Semigloss quick-dry paper with
Black & White
(located in Open Lab)
Xerox 5400
8.5 x 11” (letter) FREE*
11 x 17” (tabloid) FREE*
20 lb. paper
*Limited to 15 pages per job.
705 and 309 Plotters
Epson 7800
24” wide x 240” height maximum
$.35 per inch (you are charged
based on the longest dimension)
Semigloss quick-dry paper with UV
inks.
5. Soft Proofing
Soft Proofing allows you to view your file through the profile that will be used
when you print your image. This should be your first step in the printing process
because it gives you a more accurate preview of what your print will look like
and allows you to edit the colors, levels, and saturation of your file before you
print.
This is most useful when dealing with image files in Photoshop, as Photoshop
has the most extensive Soft Proof and Color Adjustment controls. You should
definitely use this feature whenever you need to convert an RGB file to CMYK for
printing.
It is especially helpful to have two different copies of your file visible on the
screen, apply the Soft Proof to only one of them and use the original as a visual
reference when editing the colors, levels, saturation, etc or you can toggle the
Soft Proof on and off by clicking View > Proof Colors.
Photoshop:
View > Proof Setup > Custom > {Select Printer}
Illustrator:
View > Proof Setup > Customize {Select Printer}
7. Plotter
When printing to the Plotter you must create a custom paper size.
Ideally, it will be the same exact size as your file since that is what
you will be charged for. If you would like a border around your image
make sure to factor that into your sizing.
To create a custom page size:
In Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign: Go to File > Print and then
click on Page Setup
In Acrobat: Go to File > Page Setup
The dialogue box shown below will pop up. Recreate the settings as
shown.
8. Plotter Plotter
Then click on “Manage Custom Sizes” and the dialog box shown below will
open.
Click on the + to add a new Page Size. Name the Page Size (most people name
the page size using the dimensions, as shown). Define the Width and Height of
the Page Size on the right. Select ‘colorplotter’ from the Printer Margins drop-
down menu and make sure that all of the Margins change to 0.00 in. Click OK.
This will bring you back to the Page Setup dialog box where you will now need
to select the Custom Page Size that you just created from the Paper Size drop-
down menu. Set the Orientation. Click OK and proceed with printing as usual.
9. Photoshop
1. With your image file open, select
Image > Mode > CMYK Color
2. If your image contains layers, you will be asked what to do with
them. Select Flatten.
3. If you continue to work on your image and add layers you will need
to flatten your file again before printing. Select Layer > Flatten Image.
4. Save your File. Select File > Save As. Name your file (you will want
to re-name it so that you retain the original file that contains your
layers) and select PSD or TIFF from the drop-down menu for file type
and click save.
5. Make sure that
Embed Color Profile is
checked.
10. Photoshop
6. If saving as a TIFF, select NO
compression.
7. Select File > Print.
8.Select the correct printer from the
drop-down Printer menu.
11. Photoshop
9. Click Page Setup, here you will again select the same correct print-
er, and also the page size and orientation. Click OK to return to the
Print
10. In Color Management Options, make sure that Printer Manages
Colors is selected.
11. Make sure that your image, in the preview to the left, is appearing
how you would like it to look in the print (laid out on the paper
correctly, the proper size and proper orientation).
12. Click Print.
13. Double check that the proper printer is selected once again and
hit Print again, in the dialog box below.
12. Photoshop
14. The Pharos pop up pictured below will appear on your screen,
enter your One Key user name and click Print.
15. The final step is to go to the release station and enter your One
Key and password and swipe your ID card. A list of your print jobs
will come up on the screen. You must select each print job from this
list and click Print.
13. Illustrator
1. With your image file open select File > Document Color Mode >
CMYK Color
2. Then select Select > Object > Text Objects to select all of the type
within your file.
3. Select Type > Create Outlines to outline your type.
4. You now need to flatten your file. Select ALL layers and click the
small arrow on the top right of the layers palette. Select Flatten
Artwork. This will prevent any printing issues arising from
transparencies and gradients.
5. Save your file. Select File > Save As. Name your file (you will want
to re-name it so that you retain your original file that contains your
layers) and click Save.
6. Select File > Print
7. The dialog box shown below will appear.
14. Illustrator
8. Select the correct printer
from the Print Preset
drop-down menu, the correct
printer should appear
underneath in the Printer
drop-down menu as well.
9.Then you will return to the Print dialog box.
10. Again, select the correct printer at the top from the Printer
drop-down menu.
11. Make sure that your file looks correct in the preview at the bottom
left. If not, you can make fine-tuned adjustments to the page
placement by dragging the image around in the preview box
12. When you are satisfied with your preview image. Click Print.
13. The Pharos pop-up pictured below will appear on your screen,
enter your OneKey user name and click Print.
14. The final step is to go to one of the two computers hanging on the
wall in front of the monitor station and enter your One Key and
password and swipe your ID card. A list of your print jobs will come
up on the screen. You must select each print job from this list and
click Print.
15. InDesign
1. With your InDesign file open ensure that all images are flattened
CMYK TIFF or PSD files and that they are properly linked to your file.
2. Double check to ensure that the application is using the CMYK
colorspace. Go to Edit > Color Settings.
3. Convert all your text to outlines by selecting Edit > Select All. Then
select Type > Create Outlines.
4. Save your file and then run it through FlightCheck.
5. Back in InDesign, select File > Print.
6. Select the correct printer from the Print Preset drop-down menu at
the top of the below dialog box. This should then also select the
correct printer in the second drop-down menu, as shown below.
16. InDesign
7. Click Page Setup and Select the
same printer again, the proper
size and desired orientation of
your file. Click OK.
8. Click Print.
9. The Pharos pop-up pictured below will appear on your screen,
enter your One Key user name and click Print.
10. The final step is to go to the release station and enter your One
Key and password and swipe your ID card. A list of your print jobs
will come up on the screen. You must select each print job from this
list and click Print.
17. InDesign
Tips:
Use the Info Pallette Window > Info to display color space
information and the effective resolution (scanned resolution +
scaling) of any embedded images. You want these to be set to CMYK
and at least 300 ppi for optimal results.
Flattener Preview Window > Output > Flattener Preview highlights in
red any text and vector content that may be rasterized during
printing. Use this as a guide as you modify stacking order and
layering in a file.
To ensure that your file prints all the elements in it correctly and as
desired, take a look at your file through Preview Mode View > Screen
Mode > Preview (to catch things like non-printing objects and objects
that are too close to trim) and Overprint Preview View > Overprint
Preview (to check for overprinting colors and disappearing white text
and objects).
If you have any text in embedded images coming from Photoshop, it
is better to save your file as a PDF instead of a PSD or a TIFF.
18. Acrobat
1. Select File > Page Setup
2. Choose the correct printer,
paper size and orientation
3. Select File > Print
4. Again, choose the correct printer.
5. Click on the down arrow next to the printer drop-down menu and it
will expand the dialog box. Here you will see a preview of your image
and also more options.
19. Acrobat
6. In the third drop-down menu select Color Matching and set it to “In
Printer”, as shown below.
7. If you are satisfied with the preview image of your file click Print.
8. The Pharos pop-up pictured below will appear on your screen,
enter your One Key user name and click Print.
9. The final step is to go to one of the two computers hanging on the
wall in front of the monitor station and enter your One Key and
password and swipe your ID card. A list of your print jobs will come
up on the screen. You must select each print job from this list and
click Print.
20. Releasing
Prints
1. After you have sent your
file to the printer you will
need to go to one of the
release stations (located in
front of the lab monitor).
You will see this screen.
2. Swipe your Pratt ID card
and the screen shown here
will come up.
3. Type in your One Key name
and password and click
Logon.
This screen will come up with
a list of all of the jobs that you
have sent to the printer.
21. Releasing
Prints
4. Confirmation that your print job went through successfully will show up on
the bottom of the screen, as shown above.
Click on Logoff and then pickup your print from the Lab Monitor
Remember that the larger your file size, the longer it will take for your print to
come out, so always be aware of your file size and be patient.
