Expert: Amy - 5/27/2006

Question
Hi - I work in a screenprinting shop and need to output a one color file in line screen - where it is small dots (the customer left it as jpgs and some have gradations)
i went to Print - Output - Printer Resolution i selected 53lpi/600dpi - but it doesn't print out in dots.
i read in the Help menu that you are sposed to click on the color in Document Ink Options but it doesn't do anything when i click on a color.
How do i print this out in Illustrator?
I usually print them out in Corel - but when i bring the Illustrator file over to Corel it is scrambling some of the logos and just think there has to be an easy way to do this in Illustrator.
Any help greatly appreciated!
thanks

Answer
Hi Timmie,

I believe you are going about it in the right way. You and I have different versions of Illustrator but the concept is the same. You just need to set your printing to "Separation" and set the lpi, frequency, halftone dot shape and the angle for each color. You need to have the correct PPD installed for your printer. This might be why it isn't printing correctly and you aren't seeing the correct/full gamut of Document Ink Options???

You are limited to the options available with/for specific PPDs, so make sure you're using one for your printer. Maybe you're using a PPD that doesn't allow you to set halftone dot shape.

The following is from the Help file... which you've no doubt already read. I just thought I'd paste it here for easy recall.

Let me know what Printer and PPD you're using.

Amy

1. Choose File > Print.
2. Select a printer and PPD file.
3. Select Output on the left side of the Print dialog box.
For Mode, select either Separations (Host-Based) or In-RIP Separations. (See Color separation modes.)
4. Specify an emulsion, image exposure, and printer resolution for the separations. (See Emulsion and image exposure and Printer resolution and screen frequency.)
5. Set options for the color plates you want to separate:
To disable printing of a color plate, click the printer icon next to the color in the Document Ink Options list. Click again to restore printing for the color.
To convert all spot colors to process colors, so that they are printed as part of the process-color plates rather than on a separate plate, select Convert All Spot Colors To Process.
To convert an individual spot color to process colors, click the spot color icon next to the color in the Document Ink Options list. A four-color process icon appears. Click again to revert the color back to a spot color.
To overprint all black ink, select Overprint Black.
To change the screen frequency, screen angle, and shape of halftone dots for a plate, double-click the ink name. Alternatively, click the existing setting in the Document Ink Options list, and make the desired changes. Note however, that the default angles and frequencies are determined by the selected PPD file. Check with your print shop for the preferred frequency and angle before creating your own halftone screens.
6. If you create a gradient between two spot colors, you should assign different screen angles to those spot colors. This is because if two spot colors have the same screen angle, they will overprint each other.
Set additional options in the Print dialog box. (See Print dialog box options.)
In particular, you can specify how to position, scale, and crop the artwork; set up printer’s marks and a bleed; and choose flattening settings for transparent artwork.
7. Click Print.