DeskTop Publishing, or DTP, is the process of using a personal computer to create the layout of a document in preparation for publishing, either by printing on paper or in digital form. The result of DTP is a digital file that may be used for physical printing or for distribution in electronic readable format, such as an e-book or PDF file.
DTP – a Value-Added Service
DeskTop Publishing is related to the translation process because customers frequently want a publication to be translated, but translation only involves the text of the publication, not the layout. We offer DeskTop Publishing as a value-added service for customers who need a finished product that is ready to publish.
Preparing a document for publishing used to be a tedious manual job, using a complex photomechanical process, manual positioning of text strips and engraved printing plates. An example of how this used to be done can be seenhere. This is all done by computer now.
DTP software
There are several major professional DTP programs, including:
- InDesign
- Page Maker
- QuarkXpress
- Frame Maker
Several other popular programs are often used non-professionally, including:
- Microsoft Publisher
- Serif PagesPlus
- Scribus
DTP output
All of these programs generate a proprietary file type, incompatible with the others. For distribution and end use, a PDF file is usually generated, but this PDF file is not meant to be edited or translated. See more about translating PDF files.
Translating DTP files
If you need a DTP file to be translated, please submit a Request for Quote and provide as much information as possible, including uploading the files.