PageMaker works with different types of files for publications, text, graphics, and images. Understanding file formats helps you choose the right format when saving, importing, or exporting your work.
A file format is the structure used to store information in a file. Different applications use different file formats.
For example, a document, image, and PDF can have different file formats.
File formats help applications understand how information is stored.
Choosing the appropriate format is important when saving, importing, sharing, or printing a publication.
A PageMaker publication is the main working document that contains the page layout, text, graphics, and other publication elements.
The publication file is used when you continue editing your project.
Traditional PageMaker publication files commonly use the .pmd extension.
The extension helps identify the file as a PageMaker publication.
Suppose you create a brochure named college_brochure. It may be saved as:
This file can be used as the working publication.
PMD is associated with PageMaker publication documents.
It can contain the layout information required for editing the publication.
The PageMaker publication is normally the working file. You can continue editing this file whenever changes are required.
A final document may also be exported or prepared in another format depending on how it will be shared or printed.
Text can come from different applications and may be imported into a PageMaker publication.
Common text formats include .txt and word-processing document formats supported by the particular PageMaker workflow.
A .txt file is a plain text file. It contains text without complex page layout and formatting.
Plain text can be useful when importing simple written content.
Text may also be prepared in a word-processing application and then brought into a PageMaker project.
The exact import options depend on the PageMaker version and the source document format.
PageMaker publications can contain imported images.
Common image formats used in desktop publishing include JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP, depending on the workflow and PageMaker version.
JPEG is a popular image format used for photographs and many web or digital images.
JPEG files usually have the .jpg or .jpeg extension.
TIFF is an image format commonly associated with high-quality print and publishing workflows.
TIFF files normally use the .tif or .tiff extension.
GIF is an image format that supports a limited color palette and can also support simple animation.
GIF files normally use the .gif extension.
BMP stands for Bitmap. It is a raster image format that stores image information as pixels.
BMP files normally use the .bmp extension.
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is commonly used for sharing documents while preserving their page appearance.
PDF is useful when a finished document needs to be shared or viewed on different computers.
PDF can help preserve the appearance of a finished document, including its pages, text, and graphics.
It is widely used for sharing and distributing finished documents.
Different image formats have different characteristics. Some are better suited for photographs, while others are commonly used for print-quality graphics.
Always consider the purpose of the publication before selecting images.
Raster images are made from pixels. JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP are examples of raster image formats.
When a raster image is enlarged too much, it can lose visual quality.
Vector graphics are created using mathematical paths rather than individual pixels.
They can often be resized without the same pixelation associated with enlarged raster images.
The format you use can affect how a document or image is handled during a printing workflow.
For professional printing, always follow the requirements of the printing service or workflow being used.
When sharing a publication, choose a format that the receiver can open or that preserves the required appearance.
PDF is commonly useful for distributing finished documents.
A file extension is the part of a file name that usually appears after the dot.
| Extension | Example Type |
|---|---|
| .pmd | PageMaker publication |
| .jpg | JPEG image |
| .tif | TIFF image |
| .gif | GIF image |
| .bmp | Bitmap image |
| .txt | Plain text |
| Portable Document Format |
Choose the file format according to the purpose of your work.
Changing only the extension of a file does not actually convert the file into another format.
For example, simply changing .jpg to .pdf does not create a real PDF file.
It is good practice to keep the original working files.
For example, keep your PageMaker publication file even after creating a final version for sharing or printing.
Keep your PageMaker publications and imported images organized.
Example:
Create a simple PageMaker publication containing a heading, paragraph, and image.
Save the publication using a meaningful name and identify the file extension of the publication.
Identify the following file extensions:
Try to identify what type of information each file normally represents.
In this lesson, you learned about common file formats used with PageMaker workflows. You learned about PageMaker publication files, text files, image formats, and PDF.
You also learned why file extensions are important and how choosing the appropriate format can help when editing, sharing, and printing your work.
Question: Which file extension is commonly associated with a PageMaker publication?