HP Store Online

Once you make a pdf file, do you need to supply the printer with linked image?

Once you make a pdf file, do you need to supply the printer with the image that was linked. I am using adobe illustrator, and i placed an image into my document, and created a pdf of it, but when you place it links the image. So do I need to supply the printer with just the pdf or with the image as well?

Public Comments

1. It's a bad idea and somewhat unprofessional to send image files with linked content to a printer unless you have a very good reason for doing this. If the linked content gets moved or whatever, you'll end up with broken links and that means that content will be missing from your main image/file. Always embed linked files in your work before you send it off to a printer etc.
2. Yes you supply the images, if we speak of photos, for maximum quality. It depends too on if your job will run on a duplicating machine or a printing press. If you are buying more than 50 copies -- the break-even quantity of copy machine vs. printing press -- then your job does run a traditional printing press. The colors of your document should have been set up as spot-color or 4-color process. Further, their image setter will do a better job with a .tif format at 300dpi for the photos. Most customers have their artwork in RGB mode. Print shop printing presses are CMYK. IIWY, call the print shop and ask them if they would prefer the Illustrator document with the photos linked and the fonts outlined. It's easy to outline fonts, Select All, then Outline Fonts.