Well it depends... what dialog box are you referring to?

If it's in the creation of the PDF, then creating bleeds is necesary for printing (offset/litho(graphy))

You need to extend any material that is sitting on the dge of the page to at least 3mm beyon, this accounts for print/trim errors.

Then again, if nothing is going to extend to the edge of the page then there's no need for bleed.

Remember bleed is just for ojectst that intend to BLEED past the final shot/trim/print/area/ etc. so make sure your image goes past this point etc.

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/

Test

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/

test

Thank you so much for your help, and yes, it is for the creation of a pdf.  

You make yor document the size you want it, the size you would hold it in your hands. So if it's A4 (European) it would be 210 mm x 297 mm. If it has bleed then it's still the same size.

You just need to extend any elements off the document for the bleed, usually about 3 - 5 mm off the document.

Remember that anything in here will be trimmed off, it's just a safety measure.

All you need to do to get the bleed to show up is when you're in the Export>Pdf dialog box, in Marks and Bleed, make sure you set your Bleed to 3/5 mm all around.

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/

Oh and further to Eugene's advise...

Also Offset you trims to be what ever the bleed is set to. i.e. 5mm bleed, then offset trim 5mm.

that way you make sure you won't get any trim marks in you bleed area.

Marcus
www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

Very true Marcus, although if the printers are missing the cuts by 5mm then you should be worried :)

But seriously, the reason is, that the bleed is to allow for errors, so having anything in the bleed, other than the content of the document, like crop marks, wouldn't make sense.

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/

I used to work for one of the largest book printers here in Australia in the pre-press dept before moving to where I am now...

And, lets just say, I've seen more trim marks in printed material then I care to mention...

Especially clients who supply PDFs with 0,0 trim offset. At one point we almost had a guy working full time deleting the trim marks out of these thing via Pitstop...

Printers...as a rule aren't the most sharpest tool in the shed...

They are a little like drummers in bands...

 

Marcus
www.midlandtypesetters.com.au