Typesetting

le-tex specializes in typesetting scientific books and journals.

Typesetting systems

le-tex uses three different typesetting systems: TeX, InDesign and Word.

In each of these typesetting systems, any XML formats can be supplied for additional output alongside the print data to allow reuse of content. In particular, page makeup is possible from a single set of XML master data in all these production lines.

The selection criteria for a particular typesetting system, apart from criteria dictated by customer requirements or special features specific to the project, are shown in the following table:

	TeX	InDesign	Word
++: very well suited +: well suited o: limited suitability −: generally poorly suited
Math content (large number of formulae, multi-line equation alignment, neat layout required)	++	−	o
Color (CMYK, spot colors, color separation...)	+	++	o
XML (typesetting from XML or conversion to XML)	++	++	++
Large page count	++	+	o
Complex or page-specific layout	o	++	o
Floating objects (positioning of illustrations, tables etc.), multiple columns	+	++	o
Table typesetting	+	+	+
Indexes/lists (table of contents, subject index, bibliography...)	++	+	+
Refining of page makeup created by the author	o	o	+
Availability of copy editors for source data	o	−	+
Return of processable data to authors (e.g. for the second edition)	o	−	+

Input data

le-tex can process almost all types of document:

Printed previous edition (no electronic data available),
PostScript/PDF,
TeX (Plain TeX, LaTeX, all macro packages, author macros),
XML (any document types, including OpenDocument format and Microsoft Office Open XML),
Microsoft Word,
Open Document and
Typesetting systems such as Pagemaker, QuarkXPress, 3B2, Ventura and FrameMaker – for these, le-tex works partially in conjunction with partners

Processing steps

If necessary, upstream production editing services e.g. image dimensioning or author consulting,
If necessary, data conversion or digitization,
If required, copy editing,
If necessary, layout creation and macro development,
If necessary, sample chapter,
Normalization (standardizing of the markup – document hierarchy, structuring of references, if necessary semantic markup of chemical and mathematical/scientific formulae etc.)
Page makeup,
In-house proofreading,
Proof dispatch (to author, editor and/or publisher), if required fully electronically via the le-tex eProofing Service and
If necessary, incorporation of corrections (with subsequent check).

Turnaround times

The times are agreed with the customer depending on priority, scope, manuscript quality and layout. They range between a few days and several months.

One of the particular strengths of le-tex is the company's ability to respond quickly to changes in customer priorities and meet agreed deadlines.

Quality assurance

Procedures and interfaces are documented in centrally stored process descriptions and working instructions.
Every work typeset at le-tex is proofread, in some cases word for word, depending on customer requirements and technical manuscript quality.
Multi-stage quality control in the respective typesetting systems: A project manager checks the output of the typesetters; the departmental manager for the relevant typesetting system supports and supervises the project managers.
Problem evaluation (case-dependent and statistical).