Digital Prepress WORKFLOW
Chapter 7
Digital
Prepress Workflow
Computer Basics
The digital process was ushered in with the development of the computer. In the digital process, the computer processes information as binary digits or bits of information. A computer has electronic circuits which can be turned on and off at a rapid pace. A circuit that is turned on represents a value of one, and a circuit that is turned off represents a value of zero. A computer thus uses the binary system.
People interpret and see things as continuous or analog images. A computer interprets images and text as digital. For example on or off, yes or no, ones and zeros, black or white, or an electrical impulse or no electrical impulse. Images are digitized with a scanner, a digital camera, or image editing software applications. For each character that is keyboarded, a code for that character called ASCII is sent to the Central Processing Unit and stored in the memory banks as a code. For example, each letter is translated into the computer as a binary number. Each letter has a numerical position (1-26) in a computer.
This numerical position is then converted into its binary equivalent.
Sounds are converted into binary equivalents in a similar fashion as well as illustrations, which can be represented as a sequence of numbers. This is necessary because pictures have other information to be converted such as color, size, and brightness.
Then a raster image processor or RIP rasterizes the page as a series of horizontal rows of dots. RIP can be software based or a
Digital Prepress Workflow 205
separate device. Images, type, and graphics are rasterized. The amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) within the computer system has an affect on how fast the RIP will perform.
Desktop Publishing
Desktop publishing is an electronic combination of paste-up and typesetting. It was developed in the 1980s after the development of the personal computer. The first platform for desktop
Digital
Prepress Workflow
Computer Basics
The digital process was ushered in with the development of the computer. In the digital process, the computer processes information as binary digits or bits of information. A computer has electronic circuits which can be turned on and off at a rapid pace. A circuit that is turned on represents a value of one, and a circuit that is turned off represents a value of zero. A computer thus uses the binary system.
People interpret and see things as continuous or analog images. A computer interprets images and text as digital. For example on or off, yes or no, ones and zeros, black or white, or an electrical impulse or no electrical impulse. Images are digitized with a scanner, a digital camera, or image editing software applications. For each character that is keyboarded, a code for that character called ASCII is sent to the Central Processing Unit and stored in the memory banks as a code. For example, each letter is translated into the computer as a binary number. Each letter has a numerical position (1-26) in a computer.
This numerical position is then converted into its binary equivalent.
Sounds are converted into binary equivalents in a similar fashion as well as illustrations, which can be represented as a sequence of numbers. This is necessary because pictures have other information to be converted such as color, size, and brightness.
Then a raster image processor or RIP rasterizes the page as a series of horizontal rows of dots. RIP can be software based or a
Digital Prepress Workflow 205
separate device. Images, type, and graphics are rasterized. The amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) within the computer system has an affect on how fast the RIP will perform.
Desktop Publishing
Desktop publishing is an electronic combination of paste-up and typesetting. It was developed in the 1980s after the development of the personal computer. The first platform for desktop