Print as bitmap preview documents, Print as bitmap, Preview documents – Adobe InDesign User Manual
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Standard view
You can print a document on a non-PostScript language printer. However, because PostScript is the standard page-description language for
professional publishing, many high-end color and graphics features, such as screen frequencies or color separations, cannot be reproduced on
non-PostScript printers. Most imported graphics file formats print acceptably. In general, a document printed to a non-PostScript printer should look
the way it appears on-screen when you view the document using Preview Mode.
Some vendors sell software programs that add PostScript-language capability to a non-PostScript language printer. Check with your software
reseller for availability and compatibility.
Print as bitmap
When you print to a non-PostScript printer, you can choose to rasterize all artwork during printing. This option is useful when printing documents
that contain complex objects (such as objects with smooth shading or gradients) because it reduces the possibility of errors.
1. Choose File > Print.
2. Select Advanced on the left side of the Print dialog box.
3. Select Print As Bitmap.
This option is available only if the printer driver identifies the printer as non-PostScript. If this option is selected for non-PostScript printers in
Mac OS 10.3 or later, InDesign prints PostScript, which is then used by Mac OS and the driver to render the page images. In Windows, the
high-end color and graphics features may not be converted appropriately if this option is not selected.
4. Specify a resolution for bitmap printing.
The output resolution may be limited by the printer driver’s resolution. To get the best quality output, set the non-PostScript printer driver
resolution to be equal or greater than the output resolution specified in the InDesign Print dialog box.
Preview documents
You can view how the document’s pages fit on the chosen paper size before you print to a PostScript printer. A preview in the lower-left area of
the Print dialog box shows whether your paper and orientation settings will work for your page size. When you select different options in the Print
dialog box, the preview updates dynamically with the combined effects of your print settings.
1. Choose File > Print.
2. Click the preview image in the lower-left area of the Print dialog box.
The preview has three views:
Displays the relationship of a document page to the media. It shows the effects of various options such as paper size to
imageable area, bleed and slug areas, and page marks, as well as the effects of tiling and thumbnails.
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