I'm a printing broker and do a lot of uploads to gang-printing houses. I get files from designers and have limited knowledge of Quark and CS2.

Can I use FreeFlight easily?

Does it really pick up file errors?

Sure, it is very easy to use. It will require Mac OS X and Safari to operate. After you get it, just take all the placed images and drag & drop. It will alert you to problems in the EPS, Tiff, Jpeg, etc. Very, Very simple to use.
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JoePostscript -- support administrator

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Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


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Can it really be this good and free

Of course. But only because I am a developer who is very independant and I hold a day job. I run this forum and my company more for fun and professional interest than for money. Preflight tools have been out of reach for so many designers and prepress operators for so long. I believe in preflight so strongly and it has bothered me for many years that everywhere I train people, they don't have preflight applications because of the high cost.

FreeFlight is pretty good, but can't do it all. It does a few very important things very well, very fast. I will continue to develop it though with more and more functionality as I go. This is just a first public release.
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JoePostscript -- support administrator

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Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


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hello everyone,

I am a newbie to this forum . . . i am a production editor for a publishing group and one topic we always debate - is it better to use jpeg or tiff files for images?
we use hi res images of at least 300dpi.
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Skydance London

Hello folks,
I have another query - when I load InDesign pages from our shared drive, the text sometimes comes up highlighted in a light red/pink (all the text). Is there a missing link between the fonts on my machine and those used on another machine? Should I worry about this? If I sound like a novice, - well, I am, to InDesign!
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Skydance London

Hello,

Welcome to the group. Yes, Tiff is better file format because it is lossless. Jpeg will lose quality every time you save it. Jpeg images are small but there are too many potential problems so I do not recommend Jpeg unless it is definitely a final file that will never ever be edited again. If file size is really really important Jpeg has it's proper place. But for highest quality Litho, Tiff with jpeg preview is best. If you need compression, can use Tiff with LZW compression, that is a lossless compression and retains full original quality.

The fonts highlighted is an issue. It is warning you that these fonts are not activated on your current machine. So, get a list, activate them, quit InDesign, and start over. FYI if you do not quit the application it will usually not pickup the fonts. The fonts are required to be on when document is launched. To get an exact list of fonts required, go File, preflight, and print out the summary results to get a list of what is needed. Good luck, HTH.
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JoePostscript -- support administrator

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Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


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Hi guys - 1st time post. I came to this site, probably like everyone else, because of the FreeFlight, but after reading around a bit, this is a goldmine of pre-press info that there's no way to get without working in a pre-press environment. For freelance folks like me, this is a real break.

I realize you have a full time and all, but do you accept donations, even just to offset the site costs? I wouldn't mind chipping in some. Thanks again!

Hello Bicknell,

Welcome to the group. We don't do donations, Participation is the contribution. So, your generous compliments are well recieved. The site takes allot of work but when i get really busy the thing kind of runs itself. The server cost is usually offset by the google ad links, hint, hint We get a few cents a click or so. Feel free to browse advertiser links in the sidebar as it adds up and there are allot of good resources and info advertising there in the Google links at sidebar.

A contribution can be a link or comment elsewhere on the web that helps spread the word. You can link to us from your site, that would be really nice.

Allot of members email links from here and encourage their associates and customers to join and use these resources to improve customer file submissions and such.

Anything to build the info, and community is the goal. Many members have been on here since 2001 and have referred dozens of folks, posted dozens of times. The biggest contribution is asking good questions. These same problems and answers seem to apply to everyone in our trade. By posting questions, problems, and answers, we are building the best graphic design, publishing, and prepress info source on the web today.
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JoePostscript -- support administrator

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Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


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new to forum, eager to try out your free preflight software.
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Have downloaded and used the free Preflight and it worked perfectly for the first drag and drop pdf... However when i try to use it again the icons bounce back and the application wont work. Am I doing something wrong or is this a first time trial only?

Actually to be more accurate the application seems to be accepting some pdfs and not others?
Resaved one that was not working with new name and hey presto it works... But Why?
Still cannot get native files to work. Indesign CS2 and Quark 7 are these not supported? Will keep practicing.

hello all,
Joe PS, I think we should call you Saint Joe!

I agree that forums such as this one do the world of good for the design, publishing, printing industry as knowledge is priceless and getting people who are not normally in the know about prepress matters, etc 'up to speed' can only improve the end product, at the end of the day.
Knowledge too is power, and an investment in yourself, your most important resource!
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Skydance London

Im Posting to gain access to these wonderful programs i keep reading about. Hope they are as cool as they sound...