EZBook FAQ
Cover Set-Up
May we design our own cover?
Yes, this is a billable option. Custom covers MUST be submitted between Nov. 1 and Feb. 8 for books shipping before June 30. For Fall delivery books (delivered between July 1 and Dec. 31), cover files must be submitted between June 1 and Aug. 1. Customers meeting submission deadlines will receive a free proof. Shipping charges will apply. Additional proofs are available for an extra charge. Custom covers submitted late will add 10 working days (Mon.-Fri.) to production time, and possibly longer if files are not submitted in the correct format.
Please see the Custom Cover Brochure/CD for cover setup instructions and cover templates. Cover Templates should be used for all custom cover setup unless it is to be scanned and set up by your yearbook provider. Cover templates vary according to cover type (saddlestitch, perfect bound or hard cover) and page count. You will need to choose the correct cover template by these criteria. Cover templates are available in QuarkXPress, InDesign, and Photoshop. If design work needs to be done for your custom cover, there is an additional charge. In order to do a custom cover, the Custom Cover Envelope provided in your kit must be completed and submitted with your custom cover.
May we print on the back cover?
Only if you are creating a custom cover. Custom cover pricing includes printing on both the back and front covers.
Formatting Your Images
Should my images be in RGB or CMYK color mode?
Only RGB images can be imported into the EZBook program. Gray scale images should be converted to RGB as well. Images with the Nikon SRGB color space (common with most Nikon Cameras) should be saved as TIFF files. If left as JPEG images, they will be very dark when imported into your book.
Which file format should we use to save our images?
EZBook accepts JPEG, TIFF, and PNG files only. JPEG files are recommended for candids because of the much smaller file size when compared with TIFF files. PNG files are recommended for clip art because PNG files can have a transparent background.
At what resolution should I have my image?
Every image should be 300 DPI at the actual size the image will appear in your book. Scanned pictures should also be scanned at 300 DPI at the actual size the image will appear in your book. When ordering a photo CD from your photographer you should request a high resolution CD with portrait images that are 640 x 800 pixels.
How do I know if my candids and clip art are high resolution?
EZBook keeps track of the resolution of every image that has been placed on a page. When you click on an image within EZBook, the resolution is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Can I open images in Photoshop and change the resolution to 300 DPI?
Your images will still be blurry even if you force them into a higher resolution. You cannot add quality back into an image where no quality existed previously.
My image is only 72 DPI but it is very large (40 inches by 30 inches), will this image be okay?
Certain digital cameras take images at 72 DPI but make them extremely large to retain quality. An image that is 72 DPI at 40 inches by 30 inches has an actual size of 2880 pixels by 2160 pixels. This means that this image could be as large as 9.6 by 7.2 inches and still be 300 DPI since 2880 / 300 = 9.6 and 2160 / 300 = 7.2.
How should my images be named?
You can name your images in any way that you see fit. EZBook will automatically rename any images that it needs to. There is no reason for you to rename your images for EZBook.
May we import images from a digital camera?
Yes. You should have your camera set to between two and four mega pixels so that images are the appropriate resolution.
How will we know if our images are linked correctly?
You will not need to worry about linking images in EZBook. The program automatically stores a copy of your image within your book when you initially import it.
May we include a two page spread in our book? How should we submit it? What size works best?
Yes, a two page spread can be done directly through the EZBook program. A digital 11 x 17 inch photo at 300 DPI provides the best results. A 10 x 8 or 14 x 11 inch photo will also work, but will not be proportional to the page size and will leave a 1/2 inch margin on the top and bottom of each page. When creating your image, be sure to leave space in the center for the gutter. To avoid an unwanted white border, make sure that you have ample space in the picture around the subject of your photograph that can be cropped out.
Page Layout
Can I import a master book into a satellite book?
No, you can only import satellite books into the master book. The master book contains the portrait database and satellite books cannot contain a portrait database. Satellite books are for candid pages only. If you try, you will receive an error message saying that the book you selected contains a portrait database.
How can I make changes to a template page outside of what the template allows?
In order to add items to a template page outside of the template area, you will need to remove the template by going to the Edit menu and choosing Remove Template. Be aware that after you have removed the template from the page, you will not be able to add it back on to the page. So be sure that your items are placed on the template as you want them before choosing to remove the template.
Artwork
Does EZBook include artwork for me to use in my book?
Yes, EZBook includes a wide variety of backgrounds, borders, clip art, and autograph pages for use in EZBook. Use coordinated artwork from one of the artwork series or mix and match to suit your tastes. There are no usage limits on stock artwork in EZBook.
Can I import my own clip art into EZBook?
Yes, you can import any clip art so long as it is not copyright protected and meets our specifications: RGB color profile, high resolution, and JPEG, TIFF, or PNG file format. PNG files are allowed to have a transparent background, so you will be able to see the background on the page around the clip art. This makes them ideal for use as clip art. Custom clip art should be imported into the Clip art Tab and you can either make your own tab or use the standard Default tab.
May we use custom artwork?
You may use custom artwork that follows our guidelines. Use caution when bringing in custom art. We cannot guarantee that custom art will reproduce through our image setters, nor can we assure faithful color reproduction. Not all art is suitable for printing processes, and not all art is legally available for reproduction if you are selling your books. If you choose to use custom art, you can import it from a CD or scan it and import it into EZBook as a candid image.
Can I place images to the edge of the page in a collage?
It is not recommended to place any images outside the solid black line on the screen as these images may be cut off when your book is printed. If you are aware that any images placed outside the solid black line may be cropped and you are okay with these images being potentially cropped, please note on the production form that you realize cropping may occur. Do not place any text outside the margin lines.
Book Submission
What process do we follow to get our book printed?
Complete the Production Form and gather all publication materials to be sent to us. You may submit your completed EZBook on a CD, DVD, or flash drive. You must also send a PDF file of your entire book that includes the export code and has already been proofed for errors, text, and image placement.
Do we get to see a proof of our book before it’s printed?
No. The PDF file you send us will be used as the proof to check the final pages against. You should keep a copy for yourself of the digital files you submit for publishing. If you discover errors or changes you would like to make after your book has been submitted, please call to see what can be done. Changes made after you submit your book will add an additional charge and may delay your book. If you request a proof, you will be billed for the proof and your book will be delayed. It will be rescheduled to the next available date once your proof is returned. To avoid delays, please let your yearbook provider know if you will be requesting a proof when you sign up, so your book can be scheduled properly.
When will our book ship?
The EZBook plan is fast. In as few as twenty-four business days after you send in your files and they pass preflight, your books will be shipped. Allow up to five business days to receive your books.
Helpful Tips
- Portrait names can be difficult to read on darker backgrounds. You might want to consider choosing a border or lighter background. You may also try making the portrait text white.
- When importing candid images, you should select the tab that they are going to be placed into before starting the import. Once the import has begun, you won’t be able to change the tab that the photos have been placed into. You can move them later, but selecting the right one from the start saves time.
- Keep all images and text within the black margin lines on the computer screen to avoid having the images cut off. The black margin line around the page is a boundary, and only the background should go beyond it.
- Do not use copyrighted materials in your book. These include product logos, photographs from magazines, photos downloaded from the internet, movie posters/DVD covers, CD covers, professional sports logos, etc.
- Proof your PDF file before submitting your book. The publisher will go by this if there is something in question when the book is processed.
Problems Getting Started
I started the EZBook application but I don’t see my pages.
After you start EZBook, you will have to either start a new book or open one you have already saved. To start a new book, follow the instructions earlier in this book. To open an existing file, go to the File menu and choose Open. Then select the file you had previously saved.
I saved my file and now I can’t find it.
By default, EZBook will save your book in your home directory. On Windows XP, this is typically your My Documents folder. On Windows Vista, this will be your Documents folder. On Macs, this will be a location on the left hand side of your Mac HD that is the same as your user name on your computer.
Flowing
The names on my portrait flows are not how I want them (example: Harold instead of Harry, names all in upper case, etc.)?
To fix this, you will have to go to the Portraits menu, choose Edit Database, and make the changes you wish to make. Any changes that you make under the Edit Database screen will automatically be reflected on the portrait flows. You will not need to reflow the portraits.
I have two classes that are flowing together, how do I get them to flow separately?
To get two classes to flow separately, you will have to go to the Portraits menu and choose Edit Database. In this box, you will have to change every student in one of the groups to be another value. For example, if there are two kindergarten classes that are flowing together, you might consider changing one class to “Kindergarten AM” and the other to “Kindergarten PM”.
I want to flow my portraits but the icon is not highlighted.
First, make sure that you are not working on the cover. If you are not on the cover, the problem is that you do not have a database imported. If you import a database, you will then be able to flow portraits.
Working With Images
How do I delete candids from the book?
To delete a candid from the book entirely, go to the tab on the left hand side that contains the candid. Right click on the candid and choose Delete.
Is it okay if I use color images on my black and white book?
Yes. When your book is submitted, any color images will be converted to black and white. Please bear in mind that dark backgrounds will show up darker when the book is printed in black and white, so you may want to consider using lighter backgrounds.
Why are pictures and text going behind portraits?
By design, portrait flows will always be on top of every other item in your book. This is intentional and cannot be changed.
How do I import multiple images at once?
When selecting images, there are a few keyboard shortcuts to know that will allow you to import multiple images. First, by holding down the CTRL key, you can click on individual images to select them one at a time. By clicking on one image, then holding down the SHIFT key, you will select all items in the range between that image and the next that you click on. Finally, by pressing CTRL+A, you will select every item in the folder that you have open.
I was given a picture that isn’t in a format that EZBook supports (Microsoft Publisher file, Adobe PDF file, etc.), what do I do?
You should contact the person who gave you the image and request a JPEG or TIFF file. EZBook will not import any files other than those.
I need to select an item that’s completely covered by another item (such as a portrait flow), what do I do?
You can use the tab key on your keyboard to move between all the items on a page. If you are unable to select an item, simply press the tab key on your keyboard until the item you wish to select appears.
Text
I’m trying to change the color of my text and it won’t stay changed to the color I want.
Because of limitations in the printing process, you will not be able to select any color other than black for text that is less than fourteen points in size except for white. You may have white text as small as eight points in size. If you try to change the text color when the size is too small, it will simply revert to black.
I’m trying to use a special character, but when I click off of the text box, all I get is a square.
Only certain special characters are compatible with EZBook.
I have a document done in a word processing program (such as Microsoft Word), how do I get the text into EZBook?
While EZBook cannot directly import text, you can use the copy/paste function in order to bring text in. To do this, open the file in whatever word processing program it was created in, highlight the text and press CTRL+C to copy the text. Then go to EZBook and insert a text box. Edit the text box so that there is nothing there but a blinking cursor and press CTRL+V to paste. You may have to increase the size of the text box in order to properly display all of the text. Also, any formatting such as size changes or bold/italics will be discarded.
Printing
My printer stalls after X number of pages.
This is caused because your printer is set to spool the entire document before printing but then the printer does not have enough memory to handle the entire file. This can be solved by printing ranges. If your printer prints the first 56 pages of an 88 page book, just print 1-55 then 56-88 or 1-44 then 45-88. This will ensure that the printer does not run out of memory when printing.
I have Mac OS 10.5 and I cannot print a range of pages. What should I do?
Go to File, choose Print. In the drop down box where you choose the printer, select EZBook PDF Printer, then click Print. This will ask you to save a PDF file of your book. Save this file on your hard drive. EZBook will then output your book to a low-res PDF. When printing is finished, minimize EZBook and double-click on the file you saved. This will open the PDF and will allow you to print a range of pages.
Exporting
I’m exporting and getting “text not visible” on Verifying Page Layouts section of the export.
If you receive this error, you need to take your book and carefully examine any page that is giving you that error. If you can see all of your text clearly and nothing is being cut off, you can safely disregard that error.
I’m also getting “items outside the page margin” in the same section.
If you get this error, you need to go back through your pages on the screen and verify that you can see the solid black line around every page that is giving that error. If you can see the solid black line going around the entire page, you can safely disregard that error.
I exported my book and told EZBook to save it directly to a CD, but it’s not on the CD.
When exporting your book, you should not try directly saving to a CD. This does not burn a CD and EZBook has no capability of burning a CD for you. Please save the file directly to your hard drive (either your Desktop or My Documents folder works well) and then burn the files to CD outside of EZBook.
I exported my book and the exported file is a different file size than my regular file.
It is expected that your exported (.ezx) file will be smaller than your normal (.ezb) file. The exported file only contains pictures that are actually used on pages. If you did not want to use a picture on one of your pages, that picture is not needed to publish your book. It is perfectly normal for files to lose 25, 50, or even 75% of their size when exported, depending on how many unused images you have within your original file.
My book is larger than a CD and I don’t have a DVD burner, what can I do?
You may submit your book on a flash drive instead of a CD/DVD. To do this, export your book as you would normally, but instead of burning the file from the hard drive to a CD/DVD, copy it to a flash drive. Please note that if you wish to have your flash drive returned, you will need to include a postage paid envelope along with your book submission.
