Well I can try to help you.
I'm going to use Big Bears insert site as a reference since the majority of the inserts I have used came from here in one form or another.
http://shockboxes.crazearcade.com/index.html
Let's take the Garou: Mark of the Wolves insert as example.
What you will need:
* A media writing device that can store more than 5mb of data. (preferably cd-rw since you can rewrite to it)
* Extraction software to extract the *.PDF files within the parts at the site.
Mark of the Wolves is 3 parts at Big Bears site consisting of the following archives
ffmotwwork.part1.rar 1424 KB 5/30/2004 5:06:00 PM
ffmotwwork.part2.rar 1424 KB 5/30/2004 5:06:08 PM
ffmotwwork.part3.rar 1369 KB 5/30/2004 5:06:16 PM
A common software to use to extract these forms of files is "Winrar"
*If you plan on editing the inserts at all you will need something that will allow you to play with a *.pdf file format (Adobe Photoshop for example). I will not go into this portion. I am assuming you simply wish to extract the files and get the inserts printed at your local printshop.
Extracting the archives:
Assuming you have downloaded the archives for the respective insert (MOW for this example) the next step is to EXTRACT the print file from the "rars".
One quick way (assuming you have Winrar installed) is to simply right click on the first archive "ffmotwwork.part1.rar" and select to extract the file like so:
once you do that it will create a folder named the same as the archives "ffmotwwork".
Go into this newly created folder and you will find the "ffmotwwork.PDF" that you will need to write onto your media.
If you want all your insert spines to be consistent, look for all the inserts you need that have been "reworked" to fit Big Bears current template. Mark of the Wolves has been reworked this way. Take a look at the sidebar notes of each Insert to see if the rework has been done. The dimensions that match the current template are:
(15.25 INCHES)(38.74 CM) in WIDTH and (9.203 inches)(23.38 CM) in HEIGHT
All you do is repeat all those steps to get your PDF files.
Now that you have all your PDF files extracted you are ready to burn them onto your CD-R/RW to take to your printshop. Choose your Burning software and simply burn a "DATA DISC" where you can select all of your PDF files you wish to store on the disc.
Now you have your files on disc. Take these files to the store and tell them you want them printed out on:
GLOSSY TABLOID, HEAVY STOCK
They will ask you how many prints you want per file, etc. Printing will begin!. You will end up with a large sheet with your insert printed in the center of it. Use their in-store cutters to slice out your insert. Once your happy with your cutting, your ready to go home and slide those badboys in.
Its really simple if you do not plan on doing any extra editing, etc. (as most of those inserts are intended for to begin with)
Hope this helped some.
NeoCverA
