Send us a file via e-mail

You may send Hume Imaging a digital file simply by attaching it to an e-mail message. We strongly advise, however, that all files be compressed before sending. We also recommend that any files greater than 2MB in size not be sent via e-mail. If you need to transfer large files, we suggest using FTP software or supplying your files on CD.

Send us a file via FTP

FTP stands for "File Transfer Protocol," a method of transferring large files over the Internet that's superior to attaching them to an e-mail.

Although most web browsers can communicate with FTP sites, proper FTP client software offers greater functionality and reliability. Free and "shareware" FTP clients are available on the Internet.

Hume Imaging has disabled anonymous FTP access for security reasons. For access to our general FTP account enter the following into your FTP client:

Hostname: ftp.humeimaging.com
Username: client
Password: amazing

If you receive error messages try putting your FTP client into "passive mode." In some FTP clients this is also known as "firewall-friendly mode."
 
Be sure to tell your account rep the filename(s) of your transfer. Our FTP site is a busy place and this will help us locate your files quickly. Please use a file compression utility (e.g., WinZip on a PC; StuffIt on a Mac), both to speed up the transfer and to prevent file corruption.
 
Finally, if you anticipate sending us files via FTP on a regular basis, we'd be happy to create a private FTP account for you. Just ask your Hume CSR.

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Compress your files before sending

We strongly advise customers that all files be compressed into a single archive before sending via e-mail or FTP. This will speed up the file transfer, help to prevent file corruption, and keep multi-file projects organized properly. Several free or "shareware" programs, such as WinZip for PCs or StuffIt for Macs, are available via the internet.

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Creating a printable PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file

In recent years, PDF files have become a powerful and useful file format within the printing industry. Since a properly constructed PDF file contains all images and fonts used in the document, it allows the user to supply only one file instead of many. Below is a general checklist for creating "well-formed" PDF files:

Use Acrobat Distiller: The standalone Distiller application provides the best solution for PDF creation. PDFWriter and MS Office applications allow adequate control of PDF creation, but creation with Distiller is preferred. Regardless of how you create your PDFs, be sure you have adjusted the following settings accordingly:

Image settings: For colour and greyscale images, set "Downsampling" to Bicubic and 300dpi; set "Compression" to Automatic or None; set "Image Quality" to maximum

Font settings: Select "Embed all fonts"; deselect "Subset embed fonts"; from the "When embedding fails" dialogue box, select "Cancel Job". Note: Some fonts contain licensing restrictions that prevent them from being embedded in a pdf file. If you encounter this problem, consider supplying the native file instead.

Colour settings: Set "Colour Settings" to none; set Colour Management Policies" to "Leave colour unchanged."

If you are an experienced PDF user, feel free to download our Acrobat Distiller job descriptions file.

Job Options for Mac (compressed)

Job Options for PC (compressed)

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10 simple tips for creating files that output properly

Not all digital files are created equally! Help to ensure your files print out as you expect by following these 10 simple guidelines:

1. Supply all fonts and images: Having access to all images and fonts used in your document is critical to providing accurate and reliable output. Many layout programs now allow you to "collect" all fonts and images right from within the program, greatly simplifying this process. Standalone applications such as FlightCheck are also superior alternatives to collecting files by hand. Tip for users of PostScript (Type 1) fonts: be sure to send both the "printer" AND "screen" components for each font.

2. Ensure images are of sufficient resolution: Low resolution can cause your images to look blurry and "staircased". Often times these problems may not show up on inkjet proofs. Make sure resolution for colour and greyscale images is 300dpi. For 1-bit (black & white) images, use 1200dpi.

3. Avoid enlarging images beyond 100% of their original size in page layout programs: Doing so will reduce a photo's resolution and, therefore, it's quality. For example, a 300dpi image stretched to twice it's original size will have a final resolution of only 150dpi.

4. Save all colour images in CMYK colour space: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) is the industry standard colour space for full colour reproduction, also known as 4-colour process. Other colour spaces, such as RGB and LAB, can contain colours that are unreproducable using 4-colour process. To ensure colour accuracy, save all images in CMYK.

5. Avoid using images from "the Web": Images used on web sites are typically only 72dpi and RGB colour, neither of which are suitable for high quality reproduction. If you DO manage to find suitable images on the web, make sure you have the creator's permission to use them - many are copyrighted.

6. Supply your files with "bleeds": If you need colour elements or images to run right to the edge of your finished piece, make sure all elements extend a minimum of 1/8" past the trim edge of the document. This will allow our bindery staff to trim through the colour, thereby eliminating the sliver of white occasionally seen at the edge of printed pieces.

7. Supply a sample proof: Client-supplied proofs allow our production staff to check their output for completeness and accuracy, thereby catching potential problems early in the production cycle. Hard copy proofs are preferable, but a PDF "soft-proof" is acceptable.

8. Supply only the file(s) required for output: Complex print jobs can involve processing many individual files. Supplying only the required files helps to keep the process simple and avoid errors. We recommend using layout software that has a "collect for output" feature, or using a third-party file-collection utility such as FlightCheck; both help to make the organization process quicker, less tedious and error-free.

9. Give your file(s) a descriptive name: Including the name of your organization and/or project title in your file name helps to avoid errors. This becomes especially important if multiple files or multiple versions (e.g. revisions) of the same file are supplied.

10. Indicate what type of file you are supplying, version number and platform (Mac or PC): This information helps our prepress department to determine the most efficient method to process your file.

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