Expert: Glen Demers - 9/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello again

I have produced a document in CS4 which I wish to print in house.

When I print it out, I get a small white area all around the outside - I have set all the margins and gutter to 0pt but this still occurs. Any ideas please? I want the colour to print right to the edge of the document.

Happy to email you the document if required.

Many thanks

Dee

thanks

ANSWER: Hi Dee,

This may be a print limit on your printer which needs these margins to grip the paper and move it through the machine.
Generally, if you want to print all the way to the edges of a sheet of paper you have to set up a bleed area on your InDesign document. This is below the margin set up in the document set up dialog box, click on more options if you don't see it. bleed is usually set to 9pt. or .125 inches.
When you print it out, you print it on an oversize sheet and trim it down after printing. The bleed allows for inaccuracies in trimming.

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

For more InDesign tips please visit our help pages here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/indesign.htm

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Glen

I have tried what you suggested but it just made the images run over the edge of the printed page and the white area is still there.

Shall I email you the document?

There are 4 pages sized A5 and I am trying to print it out as a booklet (2 up saddle stitch) onto A4 paper.

Dee

Answer
Hi Dee,

The problem is not in your document, but with the printer. To print out 2 A5 pages with ink bleeding off the pages, you'll have to print on A3 size paper and trim them down afterward.

There is a detailed explanation here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/bleed.htm

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

For more InDesign tips please visit our help pages here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/indesign.htm