Saving Indesign file as PACKAGE

Staying organized when creating layouts is very important.
Think of a play where you have different actors performing their parts on a stage. The layout file, in our case the Indesign document, is the stage which holds all the actors.
The actors will be the graphic elements and the different fonts you place in this document.
The graphics are either photoshop images you have saved as .tif or .psd (for offset printing) or .jpg (for desktop/web printing) or Illustrator files saved as .ai or .eps (for offset printing) or .gif (for desktop/web printing). These graphic images, once placed, are now linked to this specific position and you have created a perfect "performance".

To repeat the perfect "performance" each time the Indesign file is opened it must locate the image files and place them. If any of the image files have been moved the link is broken and Indesign cannot place the original file, it will SHOW you a low resolution representation image. This low resolution file will not print correctly ESPECIALLY for offset printing. (You will only see a low resolution "placeholder" inadequate for a quality printed piece.)
The file also looks for any fonts used in the layout. If the font is not installed on the computer it will tell you. You then need to load the fonts into the system of that computer.
This is why it is IMPERATVE that you create a PACKAGE for every layout.

You can gather the files you've used, including fonts and linked graphics, for easy handoff to a printer and to keep all of your files archived and organized for future use.

When you PACKAGE a file, you create a folder that contains the InDesign document, any necessary fonts, linked graphics, text files, and a customized report.

This report, which is saved in the default text editor format, includes the information in the Printing Instructions dialog box; a list of all used fonts, links, and inks required to print the document; and print settings.

You don't need to perform a final preflight check before packaging. InDesign performs an up-to-date preflight check. If problem areas are detected, a dialog box appears.

You can also give your service provider a composite PDF file made from your document (see Producing Adobe PDF files for a high-resolution composite workflow) or a PostScript file (see Creating a PostScript or EPS file).

To package files:

1. Do one of the following to open the Package dialog box:
- Choose File > Package.

2. If a dialog box appears alerting you to possible problems, do one of the following:
- Click View Info to open the Preflight dialog box where you can correct problems or get further information. When you're satisfied with the document, begin the packaging process again.
- Click Continue to begin packaging.

3. Fill in the printing instructions. The filename you type is the name of the report that accompanies all other packaging files.

4. Click Continue, and then specify a location in which to save all packaging files.

5. Select the following, as needed:
- Copy Fonts copies all necessary font files, not the entire typeface.

Keep in mind, if you have used fonts in another application such as Adobe Illustrator, these fonts will not be included. You will have to manually place them in this folder or make sure to convert your fonts to "outline" when saving the final illustrator document. And frankly, if this is confusing... don't worry about it for now... we will address this again at a later date!)

- Copy Linked Graphics copies linked graphics files. Linked text files are always copied.

- Update Graphic Links in Package changes graphic links (not text links) to the package folder location. If you want to relink text files, you must do so manually and check whether the formatting retains the appropriate view inside the document. (See Working with linked text files.)

- Include Fonts and Links from Hidden Layers packages the objects located on hidden layers.

- View Report opens the printing instructions report in a text editor immediately after packaging. To edit the printing instructions before completing the packaging process, click the Instructions button.

6. Click Package to continue packaging.

When you have completed packaging you will fiind the "package" folder as you have named it. Inside the folder should be the:
- Native Indesign file
- The Instructions or "report"
- A Fonts folder (with the fonts used in the document)
- A Links folder with all of the graphic images that you have PLACED in the native indesign document.

7. After creating a PACKAGE, EXPORT your file as a PDF for HIGH QUALITY PRINT or PRESS.