Input for Collage
Collage accepts images created using virtually any image creation software, on a Macintosh or other system, in many formats including PostScript, PDF, Tiff, or Handshake. A robust RIP is integrated seamlessly into Collage software.
PDF Workflow
Collage supports a full PDF Workflow: PDF input, job layout with PDF, and output to any licensed device in PDF. There is no need to convert the PDF to PostScript.
We recommend PDF over PostScript: PDF is more robust than PostScript; PDF/X-1a is best for packaging images.
One-up or Full-Up
Images can be one-ups -- single images to be stepped and repeated in 
Collage -- or the image can be a full-up (stepped-and-repeated) with all marks, created in the original image creation software. In either case, use Collage to set the output parameters, such as screen or angle.
Note: Collage-E only accepts full-up images..
Collage native format
When a PostScript or PDF image is ripped “up-front” -- that is, before being imported into a job for layout -- it is converted to Collage's internal format. A layout created with Collage format images makes the most efficient use of image handling and storage, for faster processing to the output device, faster transfer to other systems, even faster archiving.
Tiffs
The resolution of Tiff images is not as high as that of PDF or PostScript. The best results come from PDF or PostScript. Additionally, when full-up Tiffs are created, the file size can be very large, making file transfer slower and archiving difficult.
Legacy Jobs
Collage provides a way to import jobs created on CCS* or GravoComplete* systems.
If you need to remake cylinders from CCS or GravoComplete jobs, import the job and output to your Gravostar or Hell engraver.
Note that only limited editing of converted jobs is possible, since those legacy systems work in a very different way than Collage does. For example, CCS images were rescreened to the engrave resolution while Collage images are maintained at Prepress resolution and are not rescreened until output time.
* License required