CONTENTS
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1. INDESIGN 2 & QUARK 5 GO ON SALE
2. NEW PAGEMAKER BOOK
4. AND THEN THERE'S RAGTIME
5. PANTONE CHANGES THE NUMBERS
6. USING PAGEMAKER WITH WIN2000 AND XP
7. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
8. UTILITIES/UPDATES
9. HINTS
10. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
11. LAST WORD
1. INDESIGN 2 & QUARK 5 GO ON SALE
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InDesign 2 and QuarkXPress 5 are both now on the market in the USA. InDesign should be available worldwide in English language versions this month with others to follow shortly. QXP has not yet said when the new version will be available outside the US, but it should not take long.
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QuarkXPress 5.0, was released in the USA on January 23 and, Quark stated that it "fuses tools for print and Web design in a single, innovative application for media-independent publishing."
Tables can now have cells with pictures and text and the new Layers feature "allows users to isolate items within QuarkXPress documents, and lets publishers manage hundreds of document variants quickly and easily."
It has a revised print user interface, enhanced PDF support, contextual menus, and better color management. Users will also be able to package fonts with their documents.
The new Quark License Administrator is a server-based system that lets site administrators create user pools. The server can be configured to allow remote users to check out software for use off the network.
The XTensions API has itself been extended though most v.4 XTensions will work with v.5 (there's a list on the Quark website of those which do not).
List price in the US is $995. Upgrades from v.4 costs US$299 and from v.3, $399.
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InDesign 2.0 was released two days earlier, and is being emphasized as having "editable transparency effects such as drop shadows, table creation, long document support, extensible markup language (XML) import/export support and a greatly enhanced printing interface."
In an unusual move for Adobe, there have been mailings of a late beta version, on CDs carrying both the Mac and PC versions, to some major users and especially to service bureaus. We obtained one of these and our first impression was of a dramatic difference from version 1.5 in ease of use and speed. There are many small points, such as that the document window opens by default without being partially covered by the major palettes down the right hand side. The printing interface is a dramatic improvement.
InDesign 2.0 is priced in the US at US$699 with an initial 90-day upgrade offer in the United States and Canada of US$99 (US$149 thereafter).
Plugins created for InDesign 1.5 will not work with version 2 but some tasks which previously required plugins are now built in to the program. Adobe has provided plugin creators with a number of tools which will make them "easy to port to 2.0, but (they) will need at least to be recompiled and linked against the 2.0 libraries." The main tool to do this is called Dolly.
2. NEW PAGEMAKER BOOK
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"Publication Production using PageMaker", our new book which updates our previous book on newspaper production to cover PageMaker 7 and extends it to cover a wider field of magazine and newsletter production, will be published by mid-February.
Pete Masterson, a well known publisher and publishing consultant, who has seen the galley proofs, commented: "I'm quite impressed -- you've put together a very helpful book with very clear explanations." He added: "I forgive you the British spellings -- after all you don't know any better <g>".
We've had similar favourable comments from others who have seen the galleys, such as from Geoff Heard, who produces newsletters as part of a management consulting business, and who asked for his marked proofs back.
As well as marking comments for us, he'd also marked things he wanted to introduce in his own workflow, despite being a PageMaker user since the very early versions.
There will be a lot more detail on our web site by the time you receive this, and we will be offering Format subscribers a 20% pre-publication discount until February 15 for orders direct from us or from our US distributor. Just add "Format discount" in the comment section on the on-line order forms or ask for it when you phone. See <http://www.worsleypress.com/pubprod/pp-pm7.htm>.
4. AND THEN THERE'S RAGTIME
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Another of the old page layout favourites is still around in addition to Ready,Set,Go! which we mentioned last month -- and that is Ragtime, with details at <http://www.ragtime-online.com/>. It originated in 1986 in Germany.
They have just launched Ragtime Solo -- a free version for non-commercial use: "As long as you are not earning money working with RagTime, you can use RagTime Solo". This is not a demo or limited trial version, this is the full 50MB program.
RagTime integrates a layout program with word processing, spreadsheets, pictures, charts and drawing, and says it does so "in a decent way", which has win an award for the most understated claim we've seen in a long time. It is aimed at those who use an Office package but who "have no fun with slipped pictures or pages added unexpectedly," and want "no surprises when printing, please!"
RagTime is a frame-oriented application for Windows and Mac and the company acknowledges that "the disadvantage is that it is a 50MB download for either Windows or Mac, though a CD will be available for a "small handling fee" shortly."
System requirements are mild: a 486 with Win95, or a Mac running at least OS 8.1.
5. PANTONE CHANGES THE NUMBERS
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One of the less pleasant surprises you may get when you create something in one of the new layout or illustration programs is when you come to specify a colour by its Pantone number.
We read a few comments on newsgroups and therefore took a look for ourselves: Take PMS5415 for example. In PageMaker and InDesign 1.5, it is defined as C56 M11 Y0 K43. But in InDesign 2.0 (and, we understand, in QuarkXPress 5.0) it is C40 M8 Y0 K41.
We understand the explanation, which includes that the new Pantone swatches are printed on a brighter paper, more representative of that in general use, and changed ink laydown sequence from YMCK to KCMY, but the period of changeover is going to be confusing. If you lift some artwork from an old file, was it done according to the new Pantone Solid to Process book or the old? What happens if a publication includes new and old artwork?
More concerning is that so many people in printing do not know that the change has happened.
We mentioned the new Pantone numbers in Format56 but we did not realise the significance of the changes. It seems we are not alone. See <http://www.pantone.com/support/support.asp>
6. USING PAGEMAKER WITH WIN2000 AND XP
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Peter Linnell has prepared a "a real FAQ on Windows 2000 and Pm 6.52/7.0" at <http://www.atlantictechsolutions.com/pmfaq1.html>
This is a "must read" for anyone who is or plans to run PageMaker on either of these platforms. It may also help many others who plan to use any legacy programs on these operating systems.
There's a PDF version available (referenced at the foot of the html page) (332KB).
7. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
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We've had a number of nice messages via the comment form on our web site recently, such as this from "Lee": "I have been receiving Format for some time now. Its an excellent publication with extremely useful information. Happy New Year...and keep up the good work."
Salli on the "Stirling Ranges Bream" wrote: "Thanks all at Worsley Press. Your contribution to the "everyday" worker is fantastic. All the best for a fantastic 2002 and please, please, please .... keep your wonderful updates and info coming.
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Hans Vincent wrote from The Netherlands in answer to our comment in Format58 that Adobe's technical documents seldom seemed to be available via their autoresponder email service: "These technical documents seem to be available only after some time after the mail list has been sent. So I usually retrieve these about 14 days after. Thanks for your interesting Newsletter!"
Adobe also announced that they are "revising the technical announcements to provide direct link· to new documents we create. Look for this change next month, when you receive your next announcement."
8. UTILITIES/UPDATES
====================
They've been described by the media as looking like a desk lamp from The Jetsons -- the new iMac which "features a stunning 15-inch flat-screen display that appears to float in mid-air" according to Apple eNews. See them at <http://www.apple.com>. All new Macs now ship with OS X as the default operating system as well as having OS 9 loaded too.
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Callas Software has launched "pdfSaveAsPDF1.3", a US$49 plug-in for Acobat 4 and Adobe Acrobat 5 that allows users to save PDF files for Acrobat 4 compatibility. Callas state that it "bridges the gap in the transition period from the use of PDF 1.3 to PDF 1.4". Details at <http://www.callas.de/>
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WoodWing Software is now shipping Smart Connection Pro. This new member of their Smart Connection family further optimizes workflow with InDesign and InCopy. The Pro version now offers automated "basket based" workflow. An editor can mark a story ready after editing which will route the story automatically to the next stage. Page designers will be notified automatically when a story reaches the ready-for-page status. The program also allows users to send a message to the person working on a story or page, even without knowing who is working on that particular page. Smart Connection 1.0 is now known as Smart Connection Light.
9. HINTS
========
Having trouble with an Epson inkjet that insists on making everything a little smaller? It seems the answer is in the driver setup. Set the "printable area" to "maximum" instead of the default "standard" and DON'T check "centered".
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If you open a PageMaker 6.5 file in version 7, it opens as an "untitled" file. However, there isn't a great difference in file structure, so you can just rename the original file with a ".pmd" extension if you are using Windows, and it will open as a named file, which you can then save. To do this with a complete folder, don't attempt to use the Publication Converter as it is meant for files created in versions earlier than 6.0, but you can create a simple batch file.
In Notepad, type the line:
RENAME *.p65 *.pmd
Save the file as rename.bat and create a shortcut to it (right-click on it in Explorer and pick "Create Shortcut"). Then right-click on the resulting shortcut and choose properties. You may want to pick something other than Normal Window under the Run box but the main change to make is to select
Close on Exit.
Just move the shortcut to the folder where you want to make the changes, or create another copy of it to place in the folder with the files to be changed, and then double click on it in Windows Explorer.
The usual cautions apply that it is better to work on copies than on original files (but then we'll all have backups anyway, won't we <g>)
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The following suggestion from Dave Saunders was on the InDesign List but it would apply to many page layout programs: "One neat trick (although it requires careful setting up) is to use a tab leader that consists of the bullet character. Define it as part of your paragraph style, then, to get a bullet all you have to do is start the paragraphs in question with a tab."
In PageMaker, for example, type a bullet (Alt or Option 8) on the page and copy it, to paste in the "Leader" box with a first tab selected at a very short distance in). You have to be careful or you'll get more than one bullet.
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Mail programs such as Eudora are more secure than Outlook but here are a couple of hints that make it even safer. Go to tools>options>viewing mail and make sure "Use Microsoft's Viewer" is turned OFF and that "Allow Executables in HTML content" is also unchecked.
In tools>options>checking mail, there's an option "Skip Messages over [blank] in size." If you put 40 in the box and check the option, Eudora won't download messages over that size to your mailbox. Instead, you'll see blue and red icons at the top of the message. Click on the red X to delete the message off the server without downloading it, or click the blue icon to download the message from the server.
These settings are not a substitute for antivirus software, and be sure to select to either delete or download messages. If you just leave them, all your server space will fill up and your mail will start bouncing.
10. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
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There are many links helpful to magazine and newsletter publishers <http://www.publishingbiz.com/html/links.html>
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Simple acrylic display stands for magazines or books: <http://www.footprintpress.com/stand.htm>
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What names are fonts known by? There's a lot of listings at: <http://bowfinprintworks.com/TheLists.html>
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If you have problems finding things in the Microsoft or Adobe knowledge bases, it could be worth trying <http://www.freeanswers.com> which provides a plain English search engine to both those sites.
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There's an article on how book publishers should prepare separate profit and loss statements for individual titles at <http://www.bizmark.net/publishing.htm>. Most of the information would apply equally to newspaper, magazine and newsletter publishers, or where a publication is just one activity of a business.
11. LAST WORD
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"Every school boy and school girl who has arrived at the age of reflection ought to know something about the history of the art of printing." -- Horace Mann, The Common School Journal.
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Google now has a searchable archive of decades of usenet messages with some of the historic ones mentioned at: <http://www.google.com/googlegroups/archive_announce_20.html>
One example is the first newsgroup message about the World Wide Web. It was from Tim Berners-Lee on the newsgroup alt.hypertext and posted on 6 Aug 1991. In it he tells how the WWW project "merges the techniques of information retrieval and hypertext to make an easy but powerful global information system."
He describes the use of links and indexes and adds: "To follow a link, a reader clicks with a mouse (or types in a number if he or she has no mouse). To search and index, a reader gives keywords (or other search criteria). These are the only operations necessary to access the entire world of data."
"A prototype (very alpha test) simple line mode browser is currently available..."
Was that really only 10 years ago? (Incidentally, in March, The Worsley Press will have had a web presence for 7 years)
Gordon Woolf
The Worsley Press
Hastings, Australia.
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