getting large packaged files to the printer

[WannaBrie]

I did a search for this one, but couldn't find anything. Anyway, I just completed a very large catalog. The packaged file and press opt pdf (which is how I always send files) is over 3g. The only discs I have in my office are 700mb. It will take about 5 of these to burn the entire project. How do you all usually transmit files of this size to the printer? memory stick? flash card? I will be doing at least 3 more projects of this size (probably larger) and the disc thing seems clunky.

[Logo-Mechanix]

I don't usually dabble in files that large, a memory stick would certainly do the trick as long as you get it back, otheriwse it could get pricey. I should mention I love those things.

["Technical" Terry]

I'm not sure how long it would take, but did you try to stuff or zip the package? Especially for eps files, I find you get quite a savings in file size. But if it is going to take 8 hours to do and you only save 3%, not really worthwhile.

4GB flash drive run $70 - $80. Decent solution, but again, make sure you get it back! Maybe add $100 to the invoice otherwise.

[Kool]

Can't you put it on a data DVD? They hold 4.7 gigs.

[PrintDriver]

A DVD burner. Those things take 4.6gig. The burner costs you $100, the disks $2 each.

We use and receive them most of the time. If you send a flash drive, charge it to the client as you may never see it again. Cost of doing business.

[PrintDriver]

Hi Kool.
:P

[carter the artist]

dvd.

[Logo-Mechanix]

Duh, I didn't even think of DVD. In my defense I have been a little off kilter this week.

[Virgo Nightingale]

Does the printer have an ftp site you could upload the files to?

[Kool]

Heh heh dang me PD & Carter were all over this question. :D

[Ned]

DVD if local, FTP if not.

[WannaBrie]

Thanks guys, those are great suggestions. This time I'm on a deadline and the cds are all I have, so I gotta burn the 5 cds, but next time I think I'll get the data dvds. I thought about using the flash, but yeah, those are easy to lose.

[PrintDriver]

DVD local or not. That's what FedEx is for. Again, the cost of doing business.

[urstwile]

I would never want to upload 3 gigabytes worth of data, just for the record.

[Ned]

As long as it's to a fast FTP server, that's fine. A heckuva lot faster than mail. At 5+ Megabits, 3 gigs takes maybe an hour. Just don't use a poor quality webhost, or a "file hosting site". I get top speeds on my server, so it's no problem. The only thing that slows me down is my cruddy ISP.

[WannaBrie]

thx Ned, but its too big for the printers ftp. :)

[Ned]

:) I meant to use your own FTP, and send them a link. But that may not be an option for you...

I guess I take that for granted, because I sell webspace...

[WannaBrie]

I hadn't even thought of that. I do have an ftp, but sometimes its wonky. I've had a few mag printers tell me they couldn't access it.

[PrintDriver]

Trust me, as a printer I would want to KILL you if you told me to download a 3GIG file from YOUR ftp site. Even with a T-1 it still takes too much time. About 600mb is the courtesy limit. Otherwise, send a disk.

[Ned]

:) Well, if your FTP server is unreliable, that's definitely a problem... When I had less webspace, I used to occassionally send big files through Yousendit, just to keep the load off my server. I've tripled my space now though, so that's no longer an issue... Yousendit only does up to 1 gig, anyways.

[Ned]

Trust me, as a printer I would want to KILL you if you told me to download a 3GIG file from YOUR ftp site. Even with a T-1 it still takes too much time. About 600mb is the courtesy limit. Otherwise, send a disk.
True, printdriver an FTP transfer takes tiime on both ends. Even though it's way faster for the designer than burning a DVD and mailing it off, then waiting for it to get to the printer, it's a lot less time spent on the printer's end, to open a piece of mail and copy it onto their HDD. :D

But then that has to all be worked into the designer's quote. Because we need to be paid for our time, too.

[PrintDriver]

Just like it's all worked out in the printers quote for the time to download it... :D
Psst...you can do other things while the disk is burning.:p

[Ned]

Psst...you can do other things while the disk is burning.:p

Hehe... Most people can, but I'm short of RAM. :D Unless you mean like going OUT and doing something... Well, I have no life. :o

[PrintDriver]

Well, you could at least address the envelope. :rolleyes:

What's a life?

[Ned]

I dunno... I think I used to have one, but my memory is not that long.

[carter the artist]

I don't know what this "life" thing is that you are going on about, but I'd like to try me one.

As for FTP, it sounds like a bad idea, but you could Risk letting it download overnight,... But I wouldn't recommend that. I've had large files transfer and gone home, just to find out that within five minutes of me leaving something went wrong...which I wouldn't find out till the next morning. But almost every time I sit there for four hours watching data transfer, it seems nothing goes wrong.

It's like light. It only changes it properties if it's observed. (i know a few of you will understand that reference.)

[PrintDriver]

If I have to wait overnight for a file to download, you should have sent it FedEx.

[urstwile]

^^what he said^^

[budafist]

DVD is awesome. I'm work at a printer and I would not be impressed at having to download 3gigs of stuff.

How big is the the press quality pdf? I would send the press quality pdf via ftp for the printers to access ahead of time and then send the DVD with the pdf as well as the packaged open file on a courier.

[WannaBrie]

Buda, great idea. I never thought of that, since I usually send (ftp, when its a small file and overnight a cd when its bigger) a file containing the entire packaged file AND a press opt PDF. I'm gonna upload the PDF to their ftp tommorrow, that way, they'll have it for prep before the courier gets there with the cd. They may not even have to load the cds, but if they do, they will be there shortly. THX!

[budafist]

:) Exactly! 95% of the time the press ready pdfs will do for printing no problem. But that 5% of the time that the prepress person needs the open files is why you send the open file to them via courier.

[Broacher]

Press opt pdf? (Didn't spec PDF-x1a?) How big was the final pdf, and was it one or several files?

I guess it depends on workflow---both yours and the printers. Will you be alright with the default JPG image compression? Does prepress need access to the embedded images en masse, for some reason?

Myself, I almost never send anything but press-ready PDFs anymore. If there's a correction, I send the corrected replacement pages as PDFs. No colour profiling, all cmyk, flattened. Keeps me --and to some extent, my printers---on our toes. And more importantly, constantly communicating the workflow details. But sometimes some printers need EPSs for example to run their trapping software, or imposition ware. Like I said, it all depends on what, who, how--the workflow.

I'm presuming the largest files are the raster images. How are you sending these? Flattened? CMYK? PSDs? TIFFs? Compressed?

[WannaBrie]

I have a co-ordinated workflow (profile SWOP) with this particular printer. All TIFFs, all flattened, all cmyk, a few Illy eps, but flattened and most of them are greyscale. I don't use compression on any of my tiffs or in the PDF press op settings when I export to PDF out of indesign. I've only worked with this printer for about a yr. But I don't want to have to keep going back and forth with the printer (hopefully, I've provided them with the perfect press ready files) But I like to hedge my bets, I guess, because I 'd rather give them everything to work with from the beginning than have to send other stuff later. Uh...where's that OCD thread? Oh yeah, I filed that under What I need to do....

[Broacher]

For large files almost every printer we use has an ftp file site. We also have our own for handoffs. Rarely do we even get close to half a gig-- even on large projects. I'm not sure why everyone is still so suspicious about image compression--other than the kind of jpg folklore that's pretty common out there. And if you're after compromise-- there is the LZW option for Acrobat and Pshop compression settings.

SWOP... one of the standard ones that comes with Pshop? Probably. It's in many expert opinions not an ideal choice, you know. Too many compromises to be as widely accommodating as possible. Have you talked to the printer to see if they have their a custom profile that might work better? Or, failing that, sending either profiled-tag RGB and allowing them to do the CMYK conversion based on their setup? Actually, it's even better to resave your handoff RGBs as LABs-- the 'master space' of Pshop to allow their conversion settingst the maximum play room. But that's why I like avoiding ALL profile nonsense altogether, and just developing custom profiles for presses I use a lot-- and also some better 'generic' profiles (based on a lot of the advice of Dan Margulis' books) for things like ads and unknown new presses.

If I had to choose between taking the time each time to send EVERYTHING as a hedge bet, or to invest that same time to develop a solid calibrated PDF workflow (and understanding of which) that I can really depend on, I know which one I would choose. Personally, I much prefer to give someone something that I know will work well WITHOUT counting on them to be able to muck around with it to what they 'think' it should be.

When you've done all your homework and can then just handoff unprofiled CMYKs (compressed or otherwsie), and tell them to just print those numbers, and it works... it gives you the confidence to keep learning AND gives you real empirical evidence that really helps develop a sense of how to separate colour and plates to a highly functional, and less compromising degree.