Poster Printing at West Chester University Library IMC: Sizing and File Extensions

Why does the IMC prefer print requests be submitted in pdf format?

The IMC prefers print requests be submitted as pdf files whenever possible. It's not just to give you extra steps to complete. Below are some reasons why you should submit your print requests (or any other work) as a pdf file.

Portability 

A pdf (or Portable Document File) is designed to lock down the formatting of the original file. Have you ever tried to open a Microsoft Word or PowerPoint file only to be greeted with an error message telling you that you don't have the proper font? That often happens when someone designs a file using any fonts that aren't pre-installed. Saving your file as a pdf will embed any special fonts or images, allowing the file to look the same on any computer.

Universal Compatibility

Formatting across platforms can vary pretty drastically as well. If you design a poster using PowerPoint on a Mac and we open it on our PC to print, the formatting could be slightly (or even dramatically) different. By saving your file as a pdf before submitting, you guarantee that the formatting you want for your print is preserved.

Easy to Create

Creating a pdf is really easy. In nearly every Microsoft Office, Adobe, or even third party office software, creating a pdf is as simple as going to the "Save As" option and changing the file type before you click save. 

PDFs Please!

The IMC asks that print requests be submitted as pdf files whenever possible. For more on why we ask for pdfs, please read "The Importance of PDF" on the left side of this page.

Saving as PDF

Directions for Microsoft Office Suite on PC

1. When finished designing your file go to "File > Save As"
2. Click "Browse" to select a location to save your file in, and give it a name.
3. Using the drop-down menu next to "Save as type:" select pdf.
4. If done correctly, your new pdf file should open automatically.
5. Check the formatting on your new pdf file before submitting it for printing.

*Always make sure to save your original file in case you need to get back in and make changes. Once your file is saved as pdf, it is very difficult to change anything.

Directions for Microsoft Office Suite on Mac

1. When finished designing your file go to "File > Save As"
2. Using the drop-down menu next to "File Format:" select pdf.
3. Your file won't open automatically. Make sure you open your new pdf file and check the formatting before sending your file to print.

*Always make sure to save your original file in case you need to get back in and make changes. Once your file is saved as pdf, it is very difficult to change anything.

Directions for Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Ect.)

Most Adobe software that deal with image manipulation have similar ways to save/export files to pdf.

1. When finished designing your file go to "File" and look for "Export" or "Export to pdf".
2. The Export dialog box looks very similar to a save as box. Give your file a name and select a location to save it.

*Always make sure to save your original file in case you need to get back in and make changes. Once your file is saved as pdf, it is very difficult to change anything.

Using "Print as PDF" option

If you have Adobe reader or Acrobat installed on your computer you have another option for saving as pdf.

1. In whatever program you are using go to the print option. (Usually "File > Print")
2. In the dropdown to select printers select "Adobe PDF" (Depending on installed software it could say, "Print as pdf" or "Microsoft Print to PDF")
3. Remember to setup your print settings to reflect the settings you want for your pdf. Setting up paper size will determine your pdf size. Selecting color printing will keep the color in your pdf, where printing b&w or grey scale will remove the color from your pdf.

Making sure you know what size your file is set to is an important step for printing. If you submit a print request and the file size doesn't match the size you are asking for, it could cause delays in printing. Below are some guides to figure out what your file is sized to and how to change it.

Directions for PowerPoint 2010

1. Click on Design tab > Page Setup  
2. In the Slides sized for dropdown menu, select: Custom. 
3. This is where you can check and change the size of your file under Width and Height. 

Directions for PowerPoint 2013 & 2016

1. Click on Design tab > Slide Size (on the right side)
2. Select Custom Slide Size
3. In the Slides sized for dropdown menu, select: Custom. 
4. This is where you can check and change the size of your file under Width and Height.

Directions for Publisher 2016

1. Click on Page Design tab > Size
2. Select Page Setup
3. In the Layout type dropdown menu, select: One page per sheet. 
4. This is where you can check and change the size of your file under Width and Height.

Directions for Adobe Illustrator 2023

1. Press Shift+O on your keyboard to select the Artboard Tool
2. You can check your files size H and W  boxes in the Tool Settings menu, usually located towards the top of your screen.
3. Enter the desired size in the H and W  boxes in the Tool Settings menu.
   • H will be the new height and W will be the width.
   • By default the measurements will be in pixels, but you can also use other measurements by writing in their respective abbreviations. (e.g. "13 in" will size your file to 13 inches by converting it into a proper pixel measurement for you.)
4. Once you've filled in the new size, press Enter on your keyboard to apply the changes.

Directions for PDF Files using Adobe

1. Open the pdf in Adobe Reader or Acrobat.
2. Click on File > Properties
3. Look for Page Size near the bottom of the Properties box.
4. This is where you can check the size of your file.

It is not easy to change the page size after a file has been converted to a pdf, always save your original files.