Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to supply a hard copy of my electronic manuscript and if so, does it have to match my electronic file?
• What word processor program should I use to write my manuscript?
• I'm in the process of starting to write a new edition of a book published several years ago by your division. Can I get the electronic files?

• Can McGraw-Hill use any electronic file I submit?
• I want to submit my art figures to you for the first time via e-mail. Is that acceptable?
• I created my manuscript with Microsoft Word, and I've embedded the art figures in the document. Is that acceptable?

• Can I e-mail my files to you?
• Can I send my files to you by FTP?

Do I need to supply a hard copy of my electronic manuscript and if so, does it have to match my electronic file?

Yes. You must supply a laser printout and it has to match exactly the electronic manuscript.

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What word processor program should I use to write my manuscript?

Almost any commercially available software package can be used, but our first preference is Microsoft Word 97. If you are considering using something different, consult your editor and send us a sample file.

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I'm in the process of starting to write a new edition of a book published several years ago by your division. Can I get the electronic files?

There are two parts to the answer. First, we would have to ascertain that the files do indeed exist. When and where the previous edition was typeset will determine whether the files have been archived.

If the new edition is lightly updated, you can update the electronic file as long as you leave an electronic "tag" in the file to indicate what is new. An alternate method would be to update the printed tearsheets by hand.

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Can McGraw-Hill use any electronic file I submit?

No. Electronic art files must be compatible with the pagination programs used by McGraw-Hill, its prepress houses, and printers. Electronic art must be submitted in a high resolution, standard file format that the Production Department can edit, size, and place into finished, integrated book pages. Standard file formats are Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Windows bitmap (.bmp), encapsulated PostScript (.eps), TIFF, of PC Paintbrush (.pcx). If your illustration program can export to one of these file formats we can use your files.

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I want to submit my art figures to you for the first time via e-mail. Is that acceptable?

We must have a hard copy of each file in order to compare it with the electronic version so we can determine that what you submit in electronic format matched what we see on our computers. Therefore, a laser proof that you have generated must accompany each electronic file.

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I created my manuscript with Microsoft Word, and I've embedded the art figures in the document. Is that acceptable?

Embedded art is a big problem. Keep art source files and text separate. It's OK to include reference copies of the art in the manuscript, but keep the original files in a separate directory for use by the Production Department later.

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Can I e-mail my files to you?

Yes, you can. There isn't a single e-mail address for file submissions, but our editors and production personnel all have e-mail addresses. Your sponsoring editor can tell you where to send your files; contact him or her for an e-mail address. Note that we must have printouts of all files you submit, so you'll need to send hard copy along by some other means.

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Can I send my files to you by FTP?

Yes, you can, but we don't accept files by anonymous FTP. You'll need to speak to your editor, who can arrange to have a directory set up for your project on our FTP server and can assign you a username and password. Even if you FTP your files to us, we'll still need up-to-date printouts of the files, so you'll need to send us hard copy by mail or courier.

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