InDesign — How to set up a notepad or desktop pad file for a commercial printing company

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This page has some words and images that should make it easier for you to create your notepad or desktop pad file if you are using Adobe InDesign. Whilst the images are based upon an Apple-Mac, the principle (and most of the images) are much the same for PC users.

 

 

How to set up a notepad or desktop pad file when using Adobe InDesign

Choose File > New > Document (see the below image)

 

You will be presented with the below screen shot.

  • A — Notepads and desktop pads are single-page documents, so make sure the numeral "1" is placed into the Number of Pages box.
  • B — The size of the document will, quite obviously, depend upon the size of the notepad or desktop pad the you want.If you just place the correct measurements into the Width and Height boxes, then the Page Size drop-down menu will adjust automatically.
    • Desktop pads are A3 sized and are landscape, and the correct measurements are — Width 420mm — Height 297mm.
    • A4 Notepads are — Width 210mm — Height 297mm.
    • A5 Notepads are — Width 148mm — Height 210mm
    • A6 Notepads are — Width 105mm — Height 148mm
  • C — Notepads and desktop pads are almost always a one-column file. Therefore, you should ensure that the number "1" is placed in the Column setting.
  • D — The Margin boxes should all be set at 5mm or more. You can have a smaller measrurement, but TheOnlinePrinter suggests that you should not have a Safety Margin of less than 5mm.
  • E — Each and every Bleed box MUST be set at 3mm.
  • F — The Orientation should automatically set when you place in your measurements. However, just make sure that:
    • Desktop pads are set at the landscape orientation (the right hand button is depressed); or
    • Notepads are set at the portrait orientation (the left hand button is depressed).
  • G — Unless you are skilled at using Adobe InDesign, the Gutter should be set at "0".

Once the information in the New Document dialogue box is correctly set, click the "OK" button.

 

 Below are two images.

  • The left-hand image is of a blank InDesign A4 notepad document, and the right-hand image is of a completed InDesign A4 notepad document.
  • Look very closely at the left-hand document. You will see three boxes.
    • The black box (marked "A") is the size that the document will be when it is trimmed to the correct size. This is called the Trim line.
    • The outer red box (marked "B") is the Bleed line.
    • The inner magenta box (marked "C") is the Safety Margin line.
  • Now look at the right-hand document.
    • The right-hand document has two background colours (i.e.: dark green at the top and lemon over the rest of the page). You will notice that the background colours go all the way to the Bleed line. This has NOT been done by accident. It was done on purpose, and it is a very important that you do the same. If you are going to have any background colours or images that are going to print to the very edge of the page, then those background colours or images must continue all the way to the bleed line.
    • All the text and the logo are inside the Safety Margin line. Again, this was no accident, and it is a very important that you do the same.All vital text and images MUST be inside the Safety Margin line.

When you have finished designing your notepad or desktop pad file on Adobe InDesign, you can save it.

  • Just choose File > Save.
  • Give the file a name that describes who the job is for, and what type of job it is. In the above example, a good name would be "TheOnlinePrinter A4 Notepad.ai".

You can now send your Adobe InDesign notepad or desktop pad file to your printer, and we hope that you will choose to send it to TheOnlinePrinter.

 

Having written the above (i.e.: you can now send your Adobe InDesign notepad or desktop pad file to your printer), we suggest you make a few modifications to the file and, if you choose to do so, you will be almost 100% assured of getting your file printed without a single worry or problem.

 

How to outline text on a notepad or desktop pad file when using Adobe InDesign

Outlining text in Adobe InDesign is about as difficult as falling off a log.

First, choose Edit > Select All.

Every bit of the file will be outlined with thin blue lines, and there will be small boxes on each of the lines. The below image shows how the logo and the trading name have been highlighted with the thin blue lines and small boxes.

Second, choose Type > Create Outlines.

All the text will now have a mottled blue series of outlines — the text on your Adobe InDesign notepad or desktop pad has been successfully outlined.

Save your file.

 

How to convert an Adobe InDesign notepad or desktop pad file to a PDF

Converting an Adobe InDesign notepad or desktop pad file into a PDF is also a very easy task, but it does involve about four steps.

First, choose File > Export.

You will be presented with the below screen shot. All you need do is ensure that the Format drop-down menu is set at Adobe PDF. Then click the Save button.

You will then be presented with the Export Adobe PDF dialogue box (see below), and the General tab in the left-hand list should be highlighted in blue.

  • Set the top Adobe PDF Preset drop-down menu at Press Quality.
  • Ensure that the All radio button is selected in the Pages box.
  • Click the Compression tab in the left-hand list.

Your screen should now resemble the below image, and the Compression tab in the left-hand list should be highlighted in blue.

  • Make sure that the Color Images and Greyscale Images boxes are set at 300 and 450 (see below).
  • Make sure that the Monochrome Images boxes are set at 1200 and 1800 (see below).
  • Click the Marks and Bleeds tab in the left-hand list.

You will now come to the last screen, and the Marks and Bleeds tab in the left-hand list should be highlighted in blue.

  • Tick Crop Marks in the Marks area of the dialogue box, and make sure the Bleed Marks, Registration Marks and the other stuff in the Marks area are NOT ticked.
  • Make sure that all the Bleeds in the Bleed and Slug area are set a 3mm.

Click the Export button.

 

You now have a 100% press-ready notepad or desktop pad PDF file. You can send it to your printing company and be assured that you will almost certainly have no problems with your printing job.