Desktop Publishing Software
Introduction
DMs may need to become familiar with desktop publishing software,
particularly in the absence of Lithographer’s Mates. Desktop publishing is
used for Welcome Aboard brochures, local instructions, newsletters,
Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), forms, and training manuals such
as this one, which uses a user friendly desktop publishing program that
provides easy graphics importation.
Desktop
publishing
software
Desktop publishing software is software programs that combine the textural
manipulation of word processing software with graphics importation for
subsequent reproduction. Common categories within desktop publishing
programs include text composition, page layout, and graphics.
COMPOSITION: Composition defines the sizes and styles of type, the
amount of space between horizontal letters and vertical lines, and the coding
of the text copy to meet standards. You can edit text directly or input text
from documents created in word processing programs imported into DTP
software.
LAYOUT: Layout involves the arrangement of text and graphics on the
page. Electronic pasting moves text from one position to another and
incorporates graphics into text. Some features include multiple columns,
column widths, and gutter space manipulation, printing vertically or
horizontally on a page, automatic copyfitting, automatic page numbering, and
adding headers and footers.
GRAPHICS: DTP features may scan or import illustrations and graphics
either from hard copy or digital data. You can alter or edit images by
shrinking or expanding them and create layered four-plate color separations
for color reproduction.
Desktop publishing software programs sometimes use tags, frames, and style
sheets to logically divide tasks involved in composing, layout, and graphics
importation to create camera-ready copy.
Continued on next page
8-51
