DTP and related software Thread poster: Jennifer Greene
|
|---|
I have been asked to do a translation into DTP by a client. What is DTP? what type of software do I need to have?
Thanks
Jennifer
| | | |
Uldis Liepkalns 
Latvia
Local time: 18:44
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
means "DeskTopPublishing". The software needed may be Adobe Pagemaker, Framemaker, Indesign, Quark, Coreldraw, Illustrator or some other from menu of many. None of them are freeware, on average I'd say they cost EUR 700-1000 apiece, besides, it takes some learning to use them.
I myself am more or less familiar with these programs, but I'd not take such a job myself (yes, we have DTP people), as my knowledge is OK for making some corrections, but insufficient to do any DTP from noth... See more means "DeskTopPublishing". The software needed may be Adobe Pagemaker, Framemaker, Indesign, Quark, Coreldraw, Illustrator or some other from menu of many. None of them are freeware, on average I'd say they cost EUR 700-1000 apiece, besides, it takes some learning to use them.
I myself am more or less familiar with these programs, but I'd not take such a job myself (yes, we have DTP people), as my knowledge is OK for making some corrections, but insufficient to do any DTP from nothing. And I use many of these programs on/off for more than 10 years.
As to translating directly into any of these programs- it is not practical, usually you export the text to Word and after translation either re-import it or replace source text with target text manually.
Uldis
Jennifer Greene wrote:
I have been asked to do a translation into DTP by a client. What is DTP? what type of software do I need to have?
Thanks
Jennifer
[Edited at 2006-06-21 19:57] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
| Scribus - FREE SOFTWARE | Jun 21, 2006 |
There's another interesting DTP software. It's an open source software... and it's free. Its name is "Scribus". "Scribus is an open-source program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X and Windows desktops with a combination of "press-ready" output and new approaches to page layout. Underneath the modern and user friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creati... See more There's another interesting DTP software. It's an open source software... and it's free. Its name is "Scribus". "Scribus is an open-source program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X and Windows desktops with a combination of "press-ready" output and new approaches to page layout. Underneath the modern and user friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation."...
http://www.scribus.org.uk/ ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Robert Tucker (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:44
German to English
+ ...
Uldis Liepkalns wrote:
The software needed may be Adobe Pagemaker, Framemaker, Indesign, Quark, Coreldraw, Illustrator or some other from menu of many. None of them are freeware, on average I'd say they cost EUR 700-1000 apiece ...
Scribus is freeware.
| | |
|
|
|
Textklick
Local time: 16:44
German to English
+ ...
In memoriam | Skills required | Jun 21, 2006 |
Jennifer Greene wrote:
What type of software do I need to have?
Do you know anything about 'kerning', for example?
If you are not skilled in DTP (I'm certainly not) you could save yourself a lot of grief by leaving it ride for a while until you know what customers want and how to do the job. Then it can become quite profitable, so I'm told.
Robert's recommendation is probably very sensible, but as an example - CAT tools are not all simple. DTP programs even less so.
Tread carefully.
HTH
Chris
| | | |
Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 17:44
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Different DTP software... so ask client which to use | Jun 22, 2006 |
Uldis Liepkalns wrote:
None of them are freeware...
There are many freeware or cheap DTP programs available, but the point to remember is that for most practical purposes there aint such a thing as a "universal DTP format". This means that although you could do the DTP work in any program, the client might not get it in a format which he can edit.
Most DTP programs can export to certain common formats such as PDF (non-editable) or SVG (editable, but not always lossless), so if the client simply wants an end product on his desk, then you could use any DTP program you prefer.
Some free DTP programs include:
Scribus: http://www.scribus.org.uk/
(very easy to install and use)
Sodipodi: http://www.sodipodi.com/index.php3
(difficult to install)
Or Google at http://www.google.com/search?q=freeware%20"desktop%20publishing"%20download
It does take a long time to learn DTP, though.
As to translating directly into any of these programs- it is not practical, usually you export the text to Word and after translation either re-import it or replace source text with target text manually.
Neither of the two most prominent DTP programs used in my surroundings, CorelDraw and FreeHand, can export to MS Word, and only earlier versions of CorelDraw supported some sort of import function which had to be activated manually.
Some DTP programs may have an export/import function, but you'd still have to manually edit the file to ensure that all pieces of text fit in. Besides, only real text is exported (not curved text or bitmapped text).
DTP artists generally don't just "import" the text -- they rebuild the file from scratch (or from template), adding the translated text piece by piece. And if the canvas is the wrong size, it's not simply a case of *stretching* it to the correct size -- no, you have to rebuild it again, from scratch. I say, leave DTP work to professional DTP artists. A DTP file is a work of art.
| | | |
Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 18:44
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
| Link doesn't work | Jun 22, 2006 |
Hi Matteo and Samuel,
seems your link doesn't work, but this does:
http://www.scribus.net/
Uldis
| | | |
Jennifer Greene
United States
Local time: 10:44
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all and what's next? | Jun 22, 2006 |
Thank you all very much for taking time to answer my question. I now know what DTP is and have downloaded Scribus. I have two more questions:
1. Does anyone know how much a professional charge for an one page DTP project. The client needs it in both PDF and PSD formats.
2. I have downloaded both Ghostscript 8.53 (Win32 version) and Scribus 1.3.3.2 however when I open Scribus, it says "the following programs are missing: Ghostscript. you can't use EPS images or Post Script p... See more Thank you all very much for taking time to answer my question. I now know what DTP is and have downloaded Scribus. I have two more questions:
1. Does anyone know how much a professional charge for an one page DTP project. The client needs it in both PDF and PSD formats.
2. I have downloaded both Ghostscript 8.53 (Win32 version) and Scribus 1.3.3.2 however when I open Scribus, it says "the following programs are missing: Ghostscript. you can't use EPS images or Post Script print preview."
I have Windows XP Pro with Service pack 2. According to Scibus help file, I need to download Ghost "gswin32c.exe" not "gswin32.exe" however I can't find anything is gswin32c.
Am I doing something wrong? Please help.
Thanks
Jennifer ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Nicolette Ri (X)
Local time: 17:44
French to Dutch
+ ...
1. A leaflet with photographs may take several hours of DTP, even if there are only 10 words in it. The only way to know this is to take the work to your local printing house and to ask them. DTP is always charged by the hour, in number of days or even a general price (1 leaflet, XXX $), never in number of words. If it's a big job, you could try some pages and estimate the price. Have your estimation signed by the client before you begin. And be sure that you have the right to use photographs, l... See more 1. A leaflet with photographs may take several hours of DTP, even if there are only 10 words in it. The only way to know this is to take the work to your local printing house and to ask them. DTP is always charged by the hour, in number of days or even a general price (1 leaflet, XXX $), never in number of words. If it's a big job, you could try some pages and estimate the price. Have your estimation signed by the client before you begin. And be sure that you have the right to use photographs, logos and text.
Sorry, but I cannot help you for the other questions. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Robert Tucker (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:44
German to English
+ ...
2. I have downloaded both Ghostscript 8.53 (Win32 version) and Scribus 1.3.3.2 however when I open Scribus, it says "the following programs are missing: Ghostscript. you can't use EPS images or Post Script print preview."
I have Windows XP Pro with Service pack 2. According to Scibus help file, I need to download Ghost "gswin32c.exe" not "gswin32.exe" however I can't find anything is gswin32c.
According to:
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/AFPL/get850.htm
"... the Win32 package above (gs850w32.exe) includes gswin32c.exe, a Win32 command line version of Ghostscript."
Incidentally gs854w322.exe looks to be available from:
ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/gs854/
Also:
"When you first run scribus, you must go to Edit>Preferences>External Tools and change "name of executable" to wherever you have installed ghostscript to. You must choose the "gswin32c.exe" version for scribus to run!
For example, set it to: "C:/Program Files/gs/gs8.53/bin/gswin32c.exe"
http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Win32_version_of_Scribus
[Edited at 2006-06-23 09:12]
| | | |
| |
Login to reply/comment 
