Desktop publishing allows the user and organization to create brochures, fliers, newsletter, advertisements and manuals without having to visit a print shop.
Many desktop publishing programs have predefined templates that allow the user to add their own text and graphics to quickly customize a publication.
Word processing packages and desktop publishing packages like Adobe PageMaker and QuarkXPress are used to do desktop publishing.
Typically, text material and graphics can be generated by word processing and graphic packages and imported as texts and graphics files.
Desktop publishing also provides the option of creating a digital publication.
Optical scanners may be used to input text and graphics from printed material. Files of clip arts also can be used, which are redrawn graphic illustrations provided by the software package or available from other sources.
The heart of desktop publishing is a page design process called page makeup or page composition. Most of the high-end desktop publishing software programs permit index tables to be created and will allow cross referencing of text within books or document.
Text materials and illustrations are then merged into the page format that has been design before.
The software will automatically move excess text to another column or page and help size and place illustrations and headings.
Most desktop publishing packages provide WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) displays so user can see exactly what the finished document will look like before it is printed.
Today, a personal computer with design and desktop publishing software is all that’s needed. While desktop publishing is typically associated with publication layouts and books, it’s term that extends to billboard, product packaging and just any other medium.
Desktop publishing
