Guidelines for Generating and Submitting Portable Postscript Files

The IEEE Computer Society encourages the submission of proceedings papers in PostScript format because this allows for easier conversion of material to digital form. The following guidelines have been prepared to help with the process.

Configuring Your Printer Driver to Produce Portable PostScript

The following are some guidelines to use when configuring your printer driver so as to produce portable PostScript. "Portable" or "compatible" PostScript is PostScript that can be printed on a wide range of PostScript-compatible printers and will consistently produce identical or very nearly identical documents. The converse is PostScript that is tuned to print better or faster on your specific printer. Some of these guidelines are designed to facilitate the Computer Society's ability to process the file, not necessarily to maximize portability.

• Some printer drivers have settings that directly address the portability issue, offering the options for "optimizing speed"
  or "optimizing portability". You should select the "optimize
  for portability" setting(s) wherever possible.
• Enable the Adobe Document Structuring Conventions,
  if available. You may see this abbreviated as ADSC
  or just DSC. This is sometimes included in the
  "optimize for portability" option mentioned above.
• Specify the paper format as American Letter, if available, or custom define paper size as 8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm). Please do not use A4. Complete instructions on page
  formatting may be found at Internet site ftp://pubftp.computer.org/press/outgoing/proceedings/Format.pdf.
• If your printer driver offers you the choice of using PostScript
  Level 1, 2 or 3, specify Postscript Level 1.
• Many drivers will offer you a choice of data formats,
  usually including ASCII, one or more forms of binary data.
  Always use the ASCII format.
• If you have the option to compress bitmaps, choose No Compression.
• If your driver offers you a choice of how to send TrueType
  fonts, choose to send TrueType fonts as outlines
  (also called Type 3 fonts). Avoid options that refer to a font substitution table, or built-in printer fonts.
• Choose a resolution setting of no less than 300 dpi and
  no more than 600 dpi.
• Enable "page independence", if available.
• Disable "job codes" (also known as Control-D characters).
• Do not use "duplexing" (printing on both sides of the paper).

Word Processing Considerations

Even if you have already configured your printer driver to use Letter sized paper, you should define your page size as American Letter, or custom define the page as 8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm) in your word processing program as well. Please do not specify A4 as the paper size.

In general, the thirteen "standard" PostScript fonts (those built in to every PostScript interpreter) should be used whenever possible. These are:

If you must use other fonts, be sure to configure your printer driver to send TrueType fonts as outlines (also called Type 3 fonts), as mentioned above.

All figures should be properly positioned and embedded in or linked to the document so that they appear correct in size and position, and are legible when printed. The final layout should be identical to what you wish to have printed in the proceedings.

Once everything has been finalized, generate the PostScript file from your word processing program ("print to file").

Encoding / Compression

Only files processed using the following methods of encoding and/or compression are acceptable: uuencoding, mime encoding, and BinHex-ing; tar files, shar files; and those compressed with PK-Zip (WinZip, etc.), Stuffit, Z (Unix compress) or GZ (GnuZip). All other encoding and/or compression schemes are unacceptable.

Transmission of Electronic Files

FTP

Because it is the fastest, most reliable, and most convenient method, the IEEE Computer Society prefers to receive electronic files via ftp. Our ftp site is now a secure site requiring a logon name and password. The IEEE Computer Society staff editor will provide you with the necessary information to access our secure ftp site. Once you have access to the secure ftp site, use the /press/incoming/proceedings/xxxx directory, where xxxx is the abbreviation for the conference you are submitting to. Please name your file with the conference assigned paper number (if applicable) followed by the last name of the first author listed on the paper.

Generic formatting guideline files are available on the IEEE Computer Society anonymous ftp site at:

ftp://pubftp.computer.org/press/outgoing/proceedings/

E-mail

If you are having problems uploading to the secure ftp site, you should contact your staff editor to request assistance and/or permission to submit your paper as an e-mail attachment. Although problems related to file size and the various encoding methods used by different e-mail software packages make this a less reliable method, electronic files may also be transmitted as e-mail attachments. Please address the e-mail directly to the IEEE Computer Society staff editor. The message should include pertinent information such as your name, the name of the conference, the title of your paper, the software used to generate and compress the file.

Storage Media

Although we prefer to receive files via ftp, submissions on 3 1/2-inch diskettes and Iomega Zip disks are also accepted. Diskettes should be formatted DOS/Windows or Macintosh compatible. Because we can access diskettes formatted for some, but not all, versions of Unix, we strongly discourage submissions on Unix diskettes. Note on the disk label all pertinent information including your name, the name of the conference, the title of your paper, and the software used to generate and compress the file. If you must submit your electronic materials on one of these media, we recommend using the special packaging materials available, and shipping them via a reputable express courier service. 

For Further Assistance

The Adobe Systems Inc. web site offers additional information on PostScript and generating portable PostScript files. Not all the information available at this site is applicable to all situations, but most of it is accurate and useful.

http://www.adobe.com/

If you need a Postscript printer driver, they are available on Adobe's web site.

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html

If you have questions or problems, please feel free to contact the IEEE Computer Society for help. If you have already been in contact with one of our staff editors, please contact that person directly.