Publisher Files

How do you handle customers that want to give you Microsoft Publisher files to print from

 

Are you getting some specific output problems from publisher?

 

I don't have publisher, and can't import publisher files into anything I do have.

Clients are generally low-tech doing their graphics work themselves and I don't know if I want to go through the time and difficulty of instructing them to export to a program-neutral format from publisher every time... as soon as I have one giving me PDFs, another comes along that wants to send me .pub files.

 

We joined the Micorosoft Publisher Service Provider Program a year or two ago which gave us a free copy of Publisher 2003 to accept native publisher files.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA010772371033.aspx

The only thing is that you still have to stress to your customers that they need to embed fonts (Tools -> Commercial Printing Tools -> Fonts -> Embed) or you'll get the publisher files with font substitution if you don't have the same fonts installed.

While dealing with the publisher files is a bit slow, at least with the native file you can fix any errors quickly. Plus just dealing with the publisher files seems easier than having to have each customer download and install a PDF writer to get PDF files from them.

 

Hmmm... I just directed someone else to this link and relaize that now when you go to register you get an error "Microsoft is no longer accepting new registrations for the current Publisher Service Provider Program (PSPP). Registration for PSPP will open again in early Fall 2006. If you would like a reminder e-mail for when pre-registration begins, please e-mail pspp (at) microsoft (dot) com"

I don't have any insider scoop to know what the reason for the delay is, but I'd still shoot an email to pspp (at) microsoft (dot) com to inquire and see what they can do for you.

 

We get Publisher files occasionally - they're a PIA but if you have Publsiher and Distiller you can print a PS file using the Adobe driver, then distill to PDF after the inevitable trip to Commercial Print Tools (rgb>cmyk).

 

I have to say (even though I own as many PCs as Macs) that the most direct way to output from Publisher to a higher resolution RIP for plate is to either 1)distill a .pdf from either a .ps file or .prn file (Windows), or 2) print a .pdf directly (using the PDF printer installed when Acrobat is installed) making absolutely sure that the PDF settings are correct for your resolution needs.
Once you have it as a PDF file, it can be worked with significantly easier than any other way I have found.

 

to accept a publisher file you need to have publisher. Print the file out of publisher and in your print dialog look for an option to "print to file" or maybe you have a printer on your system that automatically creates PDFs. Bottom line, you need to pass the publisher file through a print queue that will convert it to postscript or a PDF so you can then take the file through your normal print channels.

 

tell them to go else where. The time spent on fixing files and artwork going back and forwards to clients makes most jobs non-viable

 

if you can get publisher 2007 noting it will only work on 2000 pro with all service packs in or vista, dont think it works on xp (it may be the other way around i cant remember) but anyway i just had a job in in publisher and you can download an add on to convert to pdf, the same as in corel draw.
by the way it worked a treat, why tell customers to go elsewhere? and lose a job, or maybe the few that occasionally come in behind them..

 

Avoid if possible

Have to admit - we avoid Publisher if at all possible.

It always seems to cause us problems

http://www.sheffield-printers.co.uk

 

Words that inject gloom into most printer's hearts..."I've prepared my own artwork...it's in Publisher'

Well, we're not ones to be easily defeated, first off we always add the proviso to Publisher jobs that no guarantees as to the final result will be made. You can't make chicken soup out of chicken sh*t

We generally accept the file and create a Press Quality PDF via Distiller. Oh, and we usually add a reasonable fee for the additional time it takes to faff with the file in the first place.

My commiseration's to my fellow professionals who have to handle this pile of tripe. I'm afraid it goes with the territory.

 

I think some of you should try pub 2007 with the pdf plug in, how much easier it made my life. Im not a fan of microsoft at all, but as we get jobs from people who design their own all i ask for is the fonts used on disk with the pub file. Its no problem anymore