Abstract: In the line-by-line recording of films (15') for producing offset printing forms or in the line-by-line exposure of offset printing plates from recording data, i.e. density values of a line, the setting values for the individual zone screws are directly calculated from the density values and are stored or, respectively, directly forwarded to the printing machine (80). Before the forwarding of the setting values to the printing machine (80), density values are advantageously converted into the setting values with masks that, with reference to printing areas, printing surface in the pages (50) and with reference to the register system of the printing machine (80) as well as with reference to the characteristic data of a page (50), contain the allocation of the setting values of the zone screws calculated from the density values of the page (50).