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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What are the best File Types for figure submission?Glossary of Terms Bitmap
Many websites suggest you "bookmark" the URL (website address) so you don't need to remember the URL. We suggest the opposite! Always use the link provided in one of your emails (if you have received one), or type the URL into the address bar in your browser. Never use a bookmark, 'favorite' (Netscape), shortcut or URL remembered by your browser when you are typing the address. If you use a bookmark, the login page will load correctly, but it may not let you into the site. For security reasons, each session on the system is given a different identifier. Using shortcuts like this refers to a redundant identifier from a previous session, so the system does not let you in. (Internet banks use similar tricks to keep their sites secure, which you would expect, as a customer). Back to Frequently Asked Questions Browsers Back to Frequently Asked Questions Changes to Manuscripts After Submission If you realize, after submitting your article, that a file is missing or the wrong file has been uploaded, log into the system, click on the 'Live Manuscripts' folder, click on the item you have submitted and then select 'Send Manuscript Correspondence'. This will send an email to the editorial office with your comments. If the correction is sufficiently important that you want the current submission halted so that you can resubmit, the manuscript can be 'returned' to your online desktop for changes. You do not need to telephone the editorial office or send an email from your own email software. You would not make small changes after submission when submitting by mail, and likewise you should not expect to do so when you submit online. Thus requests for minor changes to text are likely to be disregarded. Back to Frequently Asked Questions If you have a slow connection speed you may wish to upload "screen resolution" figures at submission to save internet connection time. Many institutions now have a fast connection via a network, while some individuals still have dial-up phone line connection. You probably know already what type of connection you are using, and whether it is 'fast' or 'slow'. If you are not sure, you can check the speed of your modem on your PC by clicking on 'My Computer' on your desktop. Click on 'Control Panel'. Click on 'Modems'. Click on 'General' and then 'Properties'. Click 'General' and read the figure given in the field for maximum speed. If it is lower than 46000 (46 kbps), you may want to consider submitting low-resolution figures (as an RGB GIF image or low-resolution JPEG) for review. (You will then need to mail us high-quality files on disk later if your paper is accepted.) If you cannot see anything from this window, you are probably on a network or have broadband connection, in which case submitting production-quality figures should not be a problem. Back to Frequently Asked Questions The manuscript tracking system depends on the use of cookies to track different roles for different logins. Cookies are small harmless files that are sent to your PC by web sites. Most computer operating systems set their defaults so that cookies are stored. However, if you have Windows XP, the default setting is that cookies are blocked. To use this site properly, you will need to unblock cookies. Otherwise you will encounter problems with XP compatibility (such as 'Unauthorized' messages). For the most up-to-date advice on changing your cookie defaults, and for more information about cookies (what they are, how they work), we suggest you consult the Microsoft homepage. Back to Frequently Asked Questions We cannot accept email submission for the following reasons:
Back to Frequently Asked Questions Please submit figures and images in any of the following formats:
TIFF (Tagged Image Format) Please submit figures only in grayscale or CMYK color. Figures not intended to be printed as color must contain only grayscale graphics. We cannot accept RGB files for color figures. Please size the artwork according to the ratio at which you
expect it to be reproduced for publication. Is there a standard?
If so we should mention it here. (You may wish to use the printed
journal column width as a guide.) Do not embed tables and
figures in the text of the manuscript with your word processing
software. Images from PowerPoint are not usually production
quality, as their resolution is too low for print. Figures must
meet the minimum resolution standards in the chart below to
reproduce well in print.
Back to Frequently Asked Questions We suggest that you use a standard application such as Photoshop,
Illustrator or Freehand to create your figures. Most programs
used for producing images in suitable file formats (see above)
will have their own internal help functions and manuals. However,
you may find the tips below useful while preparing your figures:
Back to Frequently Asked Questions People use the phrase "home page" to mean different things. When we use it, we mean the internet page you are presented with once you have logged into the system, with the pending items, folders, and options presented like a 'desktop'. Back to Frequently Asked Questions Macintosh and Linux Operating Systems Our online submission process is fully compatible with Macintosh and Linux operating systems. We do not have a platform preference. Back to Frequently Asked Questions Even if you are new to the system, you may already have a password if your contact details were in the journal's previous database or if you have been asked to review a manuscript. A link from the login page will allow you to access your password. Click on 'unknown/forgotten password' and type in your first and last name. If the system recognizes you, it will send your password to your email address from our database. If the system does not recognize your name, you do not have an account. In that case, click on 'New Authors should Register for an Account' and provide your contact details. If you already know your password, but for some reason it is not working, it may be that you have been 'locked out'. For security reasons, three failed attempts to log into the system will lock you out for a short period of time. You can try again later, or contact the editorial office and ask them to email your password to you. Back to Frequently Asked Questions PDF stands for Portable Document Format, a standard format for embedded post script documents across all platforms (Macintosh, PC, Linux) and requirements (screen resolution to print resolution). Though developed independently, it is best known through the freely available plug-in products from Adobe. When you submit your manuscript files online, they are turned into PDF files so that editors and reviewers can access the documents over the internet, regardless of their computer type and connection speed. PDF technology is essential to the operation of our online submission and review system because it is universal, allowing reviewers and editors to read manuscripts on screen or print them from a desktop printer. To download the reader software for free, click here . You will not need any software to create PDFs, as the system does this for you. Please note that you cannot use this online software to create PDFs for any purpose other than as part of manuscript submission. You may need to check that conversion has been successful (from the link on your desktop when you are prompted) more than once. If ten minutes elapse and you still do not have access to a 'PDF' version of each file, conversion has not been successful. This is not likely to happen, but if it does, you should first delete the failed file using the 'delete' link below the file in question on your desktop. Then make sure that the system accepts files of the type that you are trying to upload by referring to the dropdown boxes for "file type". If the file you are uploading is not in the dropdown list, then it is likely that you are trying to upload an unsupported file type, in which case you should convert the file to an acceptable format before submitting it. If the file type is correct, try to upload it again, and repeat the conversion process. If this fails, email the journal office and tell them you have had a failed conversion. They will be able to assist with the submission. Back to Frequently Asked Questions All users have to enter a password to access their part of the system. Passwords are encrypted on the database. If a user forgets a password, the system prompts creation of a new one. Hacking in by guessing the password through multiple attempts is prevented because the system locks people out after several failed attempts to log in. When an authorized user is logged in, cookies are used to track that user's approved level of access. 'Roles' are determined from three pieces of information: the user identity, the manuscript identity, and the type of user (author/reviewer, editor, staff). This allows the system to have a fine-grained security approach. For example, an author on one manuscript may be a reviewer on another manuscript. The system will provide author-level access for the authored manuscript and reviewer-level access for the reviewed manuscript. The data on the system is backed up daily, and mirror copies are kept in two different locations to allow for disaster recovery. Back to Frequently Asked Questions Uploading (opposite to downloading) is sending files from your computer over the internet. Our system then coverts them to PDF format for you to approve. When you download the PDFs for approval, you should 'open from current location' rather than 'save to disk' (unless you want to save the screen-resolution PDF files for your own use). This will open the PDF in a new browser window while you are on-line. The speed of this action depends on your internet connection speed more than your computer's processor speed. Back to Frequently Asked Questions Glossary of Terms Bitmap is a type of graphical file format that represents images as a set of dots (called 'pixels'). Some formats also include compression to reduce file sizes. Bitmap formats are commonly used for photographs and grayscale images. Changing the size of bitmap images can result in changes to the image. CMYK stands for Cyan Magenta Yellow Black, the colors used in the printing process. (K is used to avoid confusion with blue.) All files that were created in RGB color must be converted to CMYK before publication. Compression is the process of squeezing data into smaller files to save disk space and/or download time. GIF and JPEG are file formats that use compression. A variety of techniques are used for compression, which normally rely on substituting or removing repeating strings of data. Utilities for file compression include Stuffit for the Macintosh and WinZip for Windows PCs. DPI stands for dots per inch. DPI specifies the resolution of an output device, such as a computer screen or a printer, or an input device such as a scanner. EPS stands for encapsulated postscript, a file format that uses mathematical equations (called a vector approach) rather than dots (as in a bitmap) to describe images. EPS is a subset of Postscript with some structural conventions. This format is useful for printing fine detail and allows scaling of images to any size without loss of quality. Unlike postscript, an EPS file often contains a preview of the image that will allow it to be viewed in a page-layout program. Generally, an EPS file can only be edited by the software program that created it. Export means to save a file in a different format. For example, many Adobe Photoshop files can be exported to become GIF or JPEG files. File format is a set of instructions that tell the computer how to store, access or transmit digital information. File compatibility requires being able to match the format of data created in one program to a format that can be opened by another. GIF GIF stands for Graphic Interchange Format. Files cannot be submitted in this format because its resolution is not adequate for print production. Grayscale refers to images composed of 256 different shades of gray. Half-tone is the 'breaking up' of images into dots so that they can be printed by the four-color process (CMYK). The effect can be clearly seen when you look closely at a large billboard poster. Hard copy refers to high-quality images that can be scanned for printing in case the electronic figures are not acceptable. Note that hard copy printouts must be on glossy paper to scan properly. Hard copy does not refer to CD-ROMs, floppy disks or computer hard drives. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, who wanted smaller files to transmit electronically. Because the format includes compression, files lose information each time they are saved as a JPEG, so it is advisable to save a file as a JPEG only once. Layering is a feature found in many graphics programs, such as Adobe Photoshop. It allows parts of an image (including text) to be created and moved independently. It is similar in concept to overhead projector sheets placed on top of each other. They can be combined (flattened) to produce a one-layer image, or the layers can be kept intact so that they can be edited later. Line art is any image that requires sharp edges and high contrast between areas of the image that have ink and areas that do not. These images require a high resolution to create the necessary sharpness, so they should generally be in Postscript or EPS format. PICT is another type of bitmap format. PICT has been around since the early days of the Apple Macintosh and does not contain the complex information needed for print production. Thus we do not accept figures in PICT format. Postscript is a page description programming language created by Adobe that is an industry standard for document and graphics output. The key feature of Postscript is device independence, which allows different output devices from different manufacturers, which may not be compatible through any other means, to print the same file in more or less the same way. Resolution is the number of dots within a given area, usually (square) inches. This measure of image quality only applies to bitmap images. Low resolution can cause a jagged appearance to lines and contours. Generally a file that is 72 dots per inch (DPI, same as pixels per inch) will be suitable for viewing on screen, but will appear fuzzy when printed out. A file at 150 DPI will be ideal for printing on a desktop printer, and a file at 300-600 DPI will be suitable for professional printing. When you upload your files, our system converts them to PDF. We optimize the resolution for screen and desktop printer use, as needed for the review process. We also keep your original files in case higher-resolution images are requested. We do not routinely use high-resolution files during the review process because these can take a long time to download from the internet. If you are using Adobe Photoshop, the image resolution can be found in the 'Image Size' dialogue box under the 'Image' menu. RGB stands for red, green and blue, the colors used to make up computer displays. RGB color often looks different from CMYK color. Although figures created and saved in RGB may look good on your monitor, they cannot be used for the journal's printing process. All figures submitted in color must be in CMYK. You can convert between RGB and CMYK in many software packages. Please be aware that the colors may look different after conversion and so may need to be adjusted. RTF stands for rich text format, a generic word processing format that carries information about formatting and text. It keeps a record of bold or italic text, the font used and paragraph indents. A file saved in RTF from Word Perfect will translate to Word and retain most of its formatting. TIFF or TIF stands for Tagged Image File Format. This bitmap format is the most commonly used in professional printing. It is versatile and can contain color information as grayscale, RGB or CMYK. Built-in compression techniques allow these files to take up relatively little disk space. Vector is a type of graphic image drawn in shapes and lines, called paths. Images created in Illustrator and Freehand (graphic design software) are vector graphics. The advantage of this format is that artwork can be scaled and manipulated without loss of quality. Vector graphics are resolution independent, that is, they will print up to the capabilities of the output device without any loss of quality. EPS is a vector format.
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