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Printing a "book" with lots of photos
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Mar 13, 2019 22:55:58   #
DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA
 
I have been working on a family history book and after having difficulty using on line programs ended up using MS Publisher for ease of use with variable photo sizes (scanned photos) and variable text boxes for the actual story line. So far I have been printing off B/W versions on my laser printer for editing and proofreading. I have been repeatedly told that outside services will not accept an MS Publisher file. I am asking for options for printing final copies in color. Number of copies would be fewer than 5. I can buy a color printer just for this job or use another option. I am skeptical about conversion to Adobe if this leads down the path of major reformatting the pages and page layouts. Ending up with 3 hole punched 8.5x 11 pages would be fine. I would appreciate your advice. Thank you.

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Mar 13, 2019 23:52:18   #
BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan
 
Not familiar with MS Pubblisher.
, but can you save the pages as pdf or jpg? I can in MS Word and also use Family Treemaker for charts, group sheets, etc. I have found a few online publishers since I want a more durable volume to share with kids and grandkids. Pdf and jpg pages both seem to be standard. You can always print yourself but I'd suggest heavier paper than usual for durability.

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Mar 14, 2019 06:42:51   #
cullumjt Loc: Central Florida
 
With MSPub, you can indeed save the finished pages as pdf pages, which you can send for printing. I used the Adobe pro pdf program for many years creating our school's curriculum guide. The county printshop wanted the much more difficult to use Pagemaker pages, and tried to convert me. MSPub was so much easier to use, and the pages could be saved as pdf files, which were beautiful, and printed perfectly. Do watch out for your paragraphs not fitting in your text block and being cut off with an ellipsis at the end like this: ... in short, print a draft copy without pictures and proofread your text. Stay consistent with typography...same font for heads and same font for text throughout. MSPub has changed considerably through the years, but it’s a great program for your needs.

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Mar 14, 2019 07:04:11   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Adoramapix does a good job, and they have frequent sales. I ignore their presets and design my own page layouts.

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Mar 14, 2019 08:10:49   #
dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia
 
DaveyDitzer wrote:
I have been working on a family history book and after having difficulty using on line programs ended up using MS Publisher for ease of use with variable photo sizes (scanned photos) and variable text boxes for the actual story line. So far I have been printing off B/W versions on my laser printer for editing and proofreading. I have been repeatedly told that outside services will not accept an MS Publisher file. I am asking for options for printing final copies in color. Number of copies would be fewer than 5. I can buy a color printer just for this job or use another option. I am skeptical about conversion to Adobe if this leads down the path of major reformatting the pages and page layouts. Ending up with 3 hole punched 8.5x 11 pages would be fine. I would appreciate your advice. Thank you.
I have been working on a family history book and a... (show quote)


Here is one approach for prepping a Publisher file to send to a print service.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbDLZO221eQ

Years ago printers would take the Publisher file and do a conversion (for an added price)

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Mar 14, 2019 08:36:59   #
Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
 
I've often done reports with numerous photos. If you are looking for good picture pages, but, not the 'best'. I use an MS Word template to insert the pictures in with 'captions' and then print using a '*.pdf printer driver' to reduce the size. I have templates for one picture per page, two, three, and four. It can take a 100 meg file, or larger, down to a 1 meg file. You lose something in the process, but, the results are normally OK.

Dik

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Mar 14, 2019 09:10:51   #
Plieku69 Loc: The Gopher State, south end
 
Dave, I write and publish a picture heavy magazine dedicated to a small collecter group. I used Publisher for years till I got a good deal on Adobe InDesign.
That said. Put your book together in Publisher, and proof read it at least 4 times.
Then convert it to PDF and double check it for layout errors. The print shops like to print off a PDF. Major book printers will want a InDesign file with all the linked photos. Not what you want to do for your small run.

Now you are ready to go printer shopping. Staples and OfficeMax are ok and expensive. Look for the independent shops. They will be more affordable and knowledgeable about what you want. Ask them for help with selecting the paper type and quality you want. This is important.
The best layout looks terrible if you skimp on paper.
Ken

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Mar 14, 2019 09:23:34   #
Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
 
Plieku69 wrote:
Now you are ready to go printer shopping. Staples and OfficeMax are ok and expensive. Look for the independent shops.


I don't know if you have McNally Robinson bookstores in your neighbourhood, but in these environs they have a small publishing 'machine' that can be used for printing personal 'books'. They are quite reasonable.

Dik

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Mar 14, 2019 09:41:07   #
Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida
 
Again....thanks guys for incredibly important tips on printing one's works into a lovely book or chart.

And choosing the best paper , as one guest mentioned , is a very important consideration in compiling a well made publication. The minute your hands turn the pages you are aware of it's quality and how special it truly is. Always choose the paper and luster of finish with great care.

You won't be sorry when the finished product rolls out and it's in your hands. And what a great gift to present a friend or family member as an Heirloom Item it will become. Make no mistake. It matters much in the greater scheme of things and you'll never apologize for this endeavor. Guaranteed.

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Mar 14, 2019 10:05:01   #
fetzler Loc: North West PA
 
MS publisher would be very good to lay out a book. I doubt that you have the patience to work with a Latex word processor. You can use adobe acrobat to make a pdf file. You can use this to adjust output quality. You can explore Lulu.com for publishing options and don't chimp on the paper if photos are important.

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Mar 14, 2019 10:46:37   #
Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho
 
Hi DaveyDitzer,
My wife and I publish full-color, full-bleed, print-on-demand paperback books through Kindle Direct Publishing using MS Publisher 2007. Our most recent book published last week had 125 full-color pictures with a full-bleed cover (back, front, spine). The quality is good and the books come with clean copy, pictures, and slick covers. The price to the author is very reasonable and is based on page count. We publish 8.5" x 11" books but other "trim" sizes are available. Take care & ...

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Mar 14, 2019 10:57:37   #
via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP
 
DaveyDitzer wrote:
I have been working on a family history book and after having difficulty using on line programs ended up using MS Publisher for ease of use with variable photo sizes (scanned photos) and variable text boxes for the actual story line. So far I have been printing off B/W versions on my laser printer for editing and proofreading. I have been repeatedly told that outside services will not accept an MS Publisher file. I am asking for options for printing final copies in color. Number of copies would be fewer than 5. I can buy a color printer just for this job or use another option. I am skeptical about conversion to Adobe if this leads down the path of major reformatting the pages and page layouts. Ending up with 3 hole punched 8.5x 11 pages would be fine. I would appreciate your advice. Thank you.
I have been working on a family history book and a... (show quote)


Can you save to a PDF? You can use a PDF with AmazonKDP. You download the book using the AmazonKDP software and then you can buy copies from Amazon. There is no charge to you other than the copies you purchase.

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Mar 14, 2019 11:41:47   #
Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho
 
Hi DaveyDitzer,
Yes, I should have mentioned it but you must use PDF files to upload the manuscript and the cover (separate files). Yes, there is no charge to publish but you do pay for each copy and that "author's cost" is based on page count. Your book must have at least 48 pages (24 pieces of paper) inside and not exceed 400 pages. We edit each book 3 times each, then before completing the publishing process, we make sure to order an author's proof(s) so we can each "read" the actual paperback a time or two. No matter how close we check the on-screen copy, we always find a few mistakes we missed when reading the paperback version. We completed our most recent book (The Self-Publishing Encyclopedia) and found several simple errors when we proofed it on Wednesday. It went live on Amazon.com on Thursday. Publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is much faster than with a brick-and-mortar publishing house. Of the 10 books we've published with KDP, none took any longer than 3 to 4 weeks from our first PDF upload to a final book-in-hand copy. Good luck with your venture. Take care & ...

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Mar 14, 2019 13:01:48   #
bill5308
 
Print On Demand is a fine way to go for your project. I have completed 9 books so far and have used free creating services from Createspace.com and Lulu.com. Photo quality is best from Lulu. I always print in color even if the photos are b&w. So far I have used 8x10 1/2 size books both soft cover and hardcover. Soft cover books cost $.20 per page. Lulu allows many types of uploads but pdf is fine. You do need to have all photographs at least 300dpi. Your program may not save at 300dpi. Also, you need to save in pdfA at 300dpi.

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Mar 14, 2019 13:46:10   #
Lemon Drop Kid Loc: Greeley, CO
 
Check out Office Max/Depot. I have done two family history books with them, using MS Publisher. Color or B&W. Lots of photos. Choice of bindings. About 60 pages in each. Simple to do -- layout in Publisher, take to Office Max on thumb drive or memory card, pick it up same day all done.

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