🚀 go-pugleaf

Arnis, 

I agree that it's possible to create bleeds in Framemaker; my point is that, since FM doesn't allow one to view anything beyond the edge of the defined page, "untrained" (and many trained) users are much more likely to forget to include bleed. 

Compare Quark, Pagemaker, InDesign, etc.--all have the ability to view the page and the "pasteboard" or background. Objects which extend beyond the page are clearly visible. 

This is another ease-of-use issue in which FM is inferior to other programs. As printers, we spend too much time catching and rejecting (or fixing) FM pages that don't have bleed. 

I realize that some readers may not understand what we're talking about. In commercial printing, objects which extend to the edge of a page (think of a photograph or a rule) actually need to extend BEYOND the edge. We call that extra bit of object "bleed" (it typically extends 1/8" beyond the trim). Since there's always variability within a press run, folding, and trimming, if an object just touches the edge, some finished books will show an unprinted gap between the object and trim, while others will look just fine. 

The only other solution for the printer is to trim the book undersize; that solves the lack of bleed problem, but a) the customer gets a smaller book (or other printed piece) than they asked for; and b) trimming undersize may result in objects such as folios being chopped off as well. 

RL