Document setup for imageset output

• Supported Applications for Separations: QuarkXPress, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Pagemaker, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe In-Design, Macromedia Freehand, and Corel Draw.
• Supported Applications for Composite: All of the above; additionally, most EPS files and bitmapped image formats (TIFF, BMP, etc.) can be imaged to this device, although some conversion may be necessary.
• Resolution: Because of the variable nature of the imagesetter's resolution and linescreen, this is a more complex subject on this device than on any other. For photos, a simple but effective rule of thumb is to digitize your images such that their dpi is two times your intended linescreen. Hence for 150 lpi, you should sample at 300 dpi. This is a generous guidline—you may be able to sample somewhat lower with no loss of quality. Line-art should be digitized at the same resolution the imagesetter is writing in: in our case 1200, 2400, 3000, or 3600 dpi, whichever you asked that your job be run at.
• Color: Once again, more complicated on this device than any of the others. The imagesetters can print in one of two modes: composite, or separating. Composite output yields a single piece of paper/film per page of your document. Colors and grays are all respresented with halftoned shades of gray based on their lightness, and the image can be either positive or negative. This is useful for black and white or grayscale jobs intended for photocopying, paste-up, or single-color printing. Separations are used for spot or process color jobs. Multiple sheets of film or paper are run per document page. Each individual sheet represents a single ink color on the press. Process color jobs will have 4 sheets, one each for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Spot color jobs will have one sheet per spot color—for example, if a job is to be printed in black and two Pantone colors, it would have three color plates.
• Image Area: The Avantra images on film, in two roll widths. On 14 inch film, the maximum length is 20 inches; for 18 inch film the maximum length is 25 inches. Note that these are the largest areas that the Avantra can print, so crops and bleeds must fit within these dimensions.

  The Accuset is a capstan imagesetter, which means that film is continuously fed past the imaging laser, always moving. Because of this, the Accuset can print very long images. Film and paper are both fed from a 14 inch roll, at a length of up to 80 inches. This is the largest area that the Accuset can print, so again, crops and bleeds must fit within this 14 x 80 inch maximum.