8 Replies Latest reply: Jun 9, 2010 2:56 AM by auctioneer RSS

    InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline

    auctioneer Community Member

      Hi

       

      I've designed a series of 8.5 x 11 inserts for a Fireplace manufacturer and I'm having a heck of a time printing.

       

      I've set up the individual pages at 8.5" x 11" with the boxes in the left top corner reading X=0, Y=5.5, W=8.5 in, H=11 in.   When I export to Adobe Acrobat and print I get white borders, when I print directly from ID I get the same.  I need to print exactly as it looks on my monitor with the background .psd from edge to edge and the content constrained inside the margins.

       

      Please help as I have a tight timeline and can't get past this issue.

       

      Thank you

        • 1. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
          Scott Falkner Community Member

          Most likely your printer cannot print to the edge of the page. You need to print to a larger size page, if possible, and trim. If you cannot with your printer, then you ned to go to a local quick print shop and print to a larger sheet on their printers. Most likely that means 11˝ x 17˝. To do this, export a press-quality PDF with crop marks on and with a bleed. Before doing that, enlarge any object that prints up to the edge of he page so that it extends beyond the edge of the page by at least an eighth of an inch.

          • 2. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
            auctioneer Community Member

            I would prefer to print to an 8.5" x 11" size paper edge to edge.  When I view the PDF it shows edge to edge coverage, just the way I prefer.  If I were to take this to a print shop, could I assume they would have the equip to print PDF as desired?

             

            Thanks..

            • 3. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
              P Spier CommunityMVP

              The print shop will be happy to print on a larger sheet and trim, and to charge you accordingly.

               

              But you really haven't set this up correctly fro "full bleed" printing, especially if this is running on some sort of copier or digital printer, where page-to-page regaistration is not particularly accurate. You need to extend the background at least an eighth of an inch beyond the 8.5 x 11 trim size on any edge where the color is supposed to go to the edge, then include this bleed areas in the PDF so there is some color to trim off. This protects agains a white edge when the alinment isn't perfect in the cutter.

              • 4. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
                hpeth@ Peth

                Hello, Friend!

                 

                     I'm afraid I'm not the one to help you.  I just sent my first 

                message 20 minutes ago

                to the InDesign Forum—and it was QUESTION of my own about a problem 

                I'm having myself!

                 

                     I'm sorry I don't have the expertise I would need to answer your 

                question, Auctioneer,

                but God bless you.

                 

                                    — Howard

                • 5. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
                  Scott Falkner Community Member

                  auctioneer wrote:

                   

                  When I view the PDF it shows edge to edge coverage, just the way I prefer.

                   

                  Thanks..

                  Immaterial. Your printer is physically unable to print to the edge of the paper, as are most printers. Would you be as unforgiving if your black and white printer could not print colour, even though the PDF shows colour?


                  You must either find a printer capable of printing edge to edge on letter size paper, or add bleed and crop marks and print on larger paper, then trim it.

                  • 6. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
                    auctioneer Community Member

                    Hi

                     

                    Thank you.

                     

                    I just completed a version with bleeds [0.125] and have sent it to a print shop here in town.  If you would prefer to look at the PDF, I have it uploaded @ http://www.auctionontario.ca/DPM_TestPrint.pdf

                     

                    I was really praying this could be reproduced on 8.5 x 11 paper, but if it can't and I need to pay for larger paper and trimming...well things don't always go as planned. 

                     

                    Please advise whether there is anything I could have done differently to improve the set up for printing after viewing the PDF, I still have time to change it before the shop opens in the morning.

                     

                    Thanks for all the help.

                     

                    Bob

                    • 7. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
                      Scott Falkner Community Member

                      That’ll do. You don’t need all the Marks and Bleeds options on, just crop marks and bleed. The extra stuff won’t hurt you, though.


                      All printers need to feed the paper through the printer. This is done by gripping the edge of the page and holding it precisely as it passes through the print area. Some photo printers are able to print edge to edge on photo page, but that paper usually needs to be smaller than the maximum paper size. I have two photo printers that do this, but neither can print edge-to-edge on letter size paper.

                      • 8. Re: InDesign CS5 Not Printing properly...tight timeline
                        auctioneer Community Member

                        Thanks for all the input...I slept well last night better understanding what was going on.  Hopefully the printer can look at the file today and run off a test page.