Transportable Digital Media accepted by Cascade Print Media
Graphic application programs supported by Cascade Print Media
Cascade Print Media job submission guidlines
Transportable Digital Media accepted by Cascade Print Media
3.5" Floppy - 1.4MB for Windows, 2.4MB or Macintosh
Zip Disks - 100MB Zip Disks for Windows or Macintosh
Jaz Disks - 1Gig and 2Gig Jaz Disks for Windows or Macintosh
CD's / DVD's / USB Thumb Drives / SM / CF / SD / MS / MMC /
xD / Pro/Duo / Pro Duo Cards - Range in capacity of sizes and cross platforms.
File Transfer - Cascade Print Media accepts electronic file submissions via our FTP site. (Please contact customer service to arrange a secure account). Recommended for both Mac and PC is a FTP software that assists in uploads and downloads. There are several free programs that are very easy to use. (Coffee Cup -PC or RBrowser -Mac) Please Zip or Stuff all uploaded files to assure complete file transfer.
Email - Cascade Print Media also accepts electronic file attachments via e-mail under 5Mbs.
Graphic application programs supported by Cascade Print Media
We stay up to date with the “Latest and Greatest” software as well as less used and older programs. The most common and preferred software is below. Most any format can be manipulated to print.
Adobe Photoshop
Widely accepted as the premiere image editing application. Photoshop documents (PSD, Raw, EPS, DCS, etc.) are accepted for all of Cascade Print Media's digital output services. Please note that, when working in a raster format, you must work at a resolution adequate for the size and resolution of your final output.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe's vector drawing applicatoin. Accepted for all of Cascade Print Media's digital output services. Ideal for creating vector graphics.
Adobe InDesign
Adobe's premiere layout application. InDesign has become the industries #1 page-layout program, and now with Creative Suites we have tools at our finger tips that help bring even the most challenging design to print. Accepted for all of Cascade Print Media’s services.
Macromedia Freehand
Macromedia's vector drawing application. Freehand provides excellent text support and has multi-page capabilities. Accepted for all of Cascade Print Media's services.
Adobe PageMaker
Older page-layout application. Accepted for all of Cascade Print Media's services.
Quark Xpress
A page layout and publishing Program. Accepted for all of Cascade Print Media's services.
Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
Acrobat has become the #1 proofing format world wide. We can accept PDF’s from our customers as final art, but be aware that PDF’s can easily be made incorrectly.
Most Common PDF problems:
4 color process CMYK, spot color(s), over print, knock outs, fonts not embedded, links low resolution, bounding boxes. By sending Cascade Print Media a PDF as final art you are limiting our ability to make changes/corrections. We have programs such as Pitstop that can make PDF manipulation easier but it has limits. If you know your PDF’s are up to printing standards and feel more comfortable with your printer using your PDF’s, when possible, send the complete native file with your PDF just in case.
Cascade Print Media job submission guidlines
What to submit?
If you are creating your document in a raster (pixel-based) application such as Adobe Photoshop, please confirm that your file is of sufficient resolution for output (300 dpi at 100% for offset printing and 72 to 150 dpi at 100% for our sign shop). If you are creating your document in a layout application such as Adobe PageMaker, Adobe InDesign or Quark Xpress, or in a vector based drawing application such as Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand, please be sure to include all necessary elements (fonts and links). Cascade Print Media knows that in this age of electronic file submission and of time constraints, hard copies of what your file is to look like have become a thing of the past for many clients. When time allows a hard copy takes the guess work out of otherwise difficult files and can speed the proofing process up.
With most hi-end programs such as Adobe’s Creative Suites a “package” or “save for service provider” is available as an option when your native file is ready to go to Cascade Print Media. This will first preflight your document and give warnings such as missing links or missing fonts, spot color or RGB color space warnings. Then the “package” will collect all your fonts used in the document (These fonts will only be used for your project and archived only to that job. This will allow you to uphold your copyright obligation). Then the links will be gathered and copied to the selected new packaged folder. Older and less common programs do not have the ease of packaging for your printer, it will be important to make sure all that is needed to produce the file is collected and copied for your prepress department.
Include Fonts
Please be sure to include all fonts used in your document with your job submission. Fonts submitted should include printer (outline or postscript) and screen (bitmap) font elements. For older and less common programs please use native font variations rather than applying any font style attributes from font style menus. For example, use the font "Times Italic" rather than using "Times" and selecting Italic from the pull-down style menu.
Include Links(imported art)
Please link (rather than embed) all imported art. Ensure that all links are present and updated prior to submitting your files for output. Please also make sure that the files are CMYK rather than RGB or your project may experience an undesired hue change in the final product.
Hardcopies
A proof or B&W hardcopy is optimal for every job submission.
Submitting Jobs
Please include all elements and only the elements needed for processing your job. Please organize fonts, supporting art, and print files in an intuitive manner on your transportable media. We support all industry standard transportable media, and we also accept digital file submissions. Contact Cascade Print Media's customer service department for further assistance.