Prepressforums.com - Preps doesn't like 500ppi TIFF as source file

DCurry · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2005, 09:14 AM

This has happened to me on a few jobs, and across different machines running Preps 4 (in Classic mode):

Customer supplies a flattened 8-bit TIFF at 500 ppi (has also occurred with 400 ppi). Since there is type on the job, I want to keep the file at this higher-than-usual res to keep type as crisp as it can be, considering where it comes from.

Since the job is supplied as a TIFF, I can just use the TIFF in my run list. I do this all the time, and it's never a problem with 300ppi images, but for some reason I get an out-of-memory error when I try to print this job from Preps. I increased the memory allocation for Preps to 1/2gig, and still no likey.

Yet, Preps has no problem at all if I place the TIFF into InDesign and write a postscript to use as my source file. This is an OK workaround, but it is an extra step and extra file space (for the postscript) that I would like to eliminate.

Anyone else ever see this issue?

SlaveToTheMan · #2 (**permalink**) 11-29-2005, 04:29 PM

Can't say as we have but then again we don't get TIFF files supplied either. I'll throw a test file through ours tomorrow though and see what happens. We still have ver 4.x running on a Classic machine, and a shiny new install of 5.1.4 running in Tiger, can't hurt to try 'em both.

DCurry · #3 (**permalink**) 11-29-2005, 06:13 PM

Thanks, Slave. FYI, it was a 17x24 file (around 400MB).

pix3lphr3ak · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-2005, 08:25 PM

Probably a programming glitch that Preps4 or OS9 will not allow more than a certain amount of memory allocated.

DCurry · #5 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pix3lphr3ak

Probably a programming glitch that Preps4 or OS9 will not allow more than a certain amount of memory allocated.

Maybe, but the file is only 400mb. I've run 1GB postscripts thru and never had any memory problems.

Just for kicks, I made a TIFF at 400 and at 500 ppi, but kept the size at 8-1/2 x 11 and it ran OK.

pix3lphr3ak · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Just for kicks, I made a TIFF at 400 and at 500 ppi, but kept the size at 8-1/2 x 11 and it ran OK.

Heh... well I don't want to turn this into a rant but issues like this and bugs have made me wonder why Preps is/was the "industry standard".

SlaveToTheMan · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 07:48 AM

Yeah Dan, I tried both 400dpi & 500 dpi versions at the 17x24" size, in both Ver 4 and Ver 5.1.2 - both crapped out. They write a file to PS but it doesn't RIP.

Odd that the Letter sized file works, I wonder if it's a limitation of page size and resolution combination?

Yeah, pix3lphr3ak is right - it's still a buggy pos to be such an industry standard.

DCurry · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2005, 11:07 AM

Thanks for playing with it, anyway. Strange that you could get the PS written but not ripped - I couldn't even get it written.

I've never found Preps to be buggy - this is really the only issue I've ever had with it. I've never used another impo program, so I can't compare Preps to anything else. I do know that it can do absolutely any layout that our salespeople/CSRs can dream up.