CONTENTS
========
1. SOME WORSLEY PRESS CHANGES
2. CHANGES IN ISBN AND BARCODES
3. MORE ON FONTS -- PC AND MAC
4. QUARK COMMENTS BY AN INSIDER
5. $15 PAGE LAYOUT PROGRAM
6. BEFORE AND AFTER BORN AGAIN
7. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
8. UTILITIES/UPDATES
9. HINTS
10. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
11. LAST WORD
1. SOME WORSLEY PRESS CHANGES
=============================
We've taken the first step in some online ordering changes. The biggest change is that all credit card orders from customers outside of the USA will now be directly processed online via the UK-based WorldPay system. This means that we do not get your credit card number -- that goes directly to the National Westminster (NatWest) bank, and we get an advice that the payment is approved and the details of what you have ordered and where it is to be sent. Customers in New Zealand and the UK can now order in their own currency (no more approximations of the Australian dollar price).
USA and Canadian orders still go directly from our web site to our US distributor Florida Academic Press and are charged by them in US dollars, but we expect to change to the new system with US dollar orders in the near future.
To be honest, while we are confident that our system has been as secure as any on the Web, backed by us being in business for 11 years and selling on the Internet for eight years, we do not believe that anyone buying on the Internet should have to trust credit card info to a company they may be dealing with for the first time. In a retail store you can watch that your card doesn't go out of sight; on the Internet who knows where the number goes? In our case we can now say that it goes only to WorldPay and the NatWest Bank, not to us.
There is still a guarantee that if you are dissatisfied for any reason, you'll get a full refund of the price of any book you buy from us. In more than a decade we have never had a chargeback by a credit card company.
Check out the Worsley Press online store at <http://www.worsleypress.com/wpstore/>. And don't forget that Format subscribers should enter the voucher number of 11204101 on any of the order forms for an immediate 10% discount.
2. CHANGES IN ISBN AND BARCODES
===============================
We have mentioned forthcoming changes to the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) scheduled for 2005, but have now seen some details. The 10-digit ISBN will become the same as the 13-digit barcode number which also appears on most books. This barcode has usually been created by adding the number 978 in front of the ISBN number and changing the final check digit. To create more numbers, the ISBN agencies such as Bowkers will be able to issue ISBNs with a new prefix of 979. Usually the first digits in the product barcodes indicate the country of origin, so I'be been told that the existing name for the barcode system of books is being regarded as the country: All books come from... Bookland!
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In another development Xerox has developed a way of making barcodes invisible except to the equipment reading them, which would allow them to be placed anywhere, even over text. They are called Invisible Control Marks (ICM) and are put on in the first uses by an inkjet unit, which runs concurrently with Xerox DocuPrint production printers which also have a camera for validating bar code quality, and an illuminator that makes the ink fluoresce for reading by the camera. The solution employs special ultraviolet/infrared ink. Initially it is likely to be used for bulk mailing systems where, for example, it helps ensure that the right bill gets in the right envelope. No indication that they'll be used on publications yet, but it would make cover design for books and magazines a lot easier.
3. MORE ON FONTS -- PC AND MAC
==============================
From Apple knowledgebase article 25251:
Mac OS X also works with font formats used by Microsoft Windows. These fonts have all their data in the data fork and do not have the additional resources found in Macintosh fonts.
Mac OS X works with these font formats:
* TrueType fonts (with the extension .ttf)
* TrueType collections (with the extension .ttc)
* OpenType fonts (with the extension .otf).
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A recent suggestion on the InDesign list is that you can place an alias for a font folder in the program's own font folder. This would make it a simple way of controlling large numbers of fonts, maybe even without a font management program. On a Mac the process could even be controlled by an AppleScript.
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For editing TrueType and Type 1 fonts the people who produce the amazingly complex FontLab have produced a much simpler tool called TypeTool <http://www.fontlab.com/Font-tools/TypeTool/>. There are demo versions (approx 2.5MB) for Windows and Mac and an online animated guide to what it can do. The program costs US$99, and is said to be able to make new fonts, automatically hint and kern your fonts, add ligatures, old style figures, fractions, currency symbols and foreign characters, make dingbat or clipart fonts, create font variations, print font reference tables, rearrange your keyboard, add correct em dashes, en dashes, quotation marks and apostrophes to fonts, make custom end-of-story markers for your newsletter, and convert fonts between Adobe Type 1 and TrueType formats.
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A new player has join Suitcase and Font Reserve for font management in OS X. FontAgent Pro is a Cocoa application that "manages, organizes and repairs fonts". See <http://www.insidersoftware.com/>. Cost is US$89.95 and there is a 30-day trial version (925kb). (The program is also available for previous Mac OS versions at $69.95 and for Windows (at $49.95, though it does not list a version for XP).
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Adobe now offers a new OpenType font bundle specifically for educational institutions, called "Type Classics for Learning," at the low price of US$99. It includes 400 fonts (plus another 26 Japanese fonts). It shipped on November 4. We have not found out yet whether it is available to educational organisations outside the USA.
4. QUARK COMMENTS BY AN INSIDER
================================
Jurgen Kurz, Quark's director of product management, was recently interviewed in MacUser UK magazine, where, pushed for a time for release of QXP 6, said that it could be as early as March, "but quality not timing will dictate its appearance, and that could mean this (northern) summer." Of Apple's decision to make all Macs from January only boot into Mac OS X he is quoted as saying "I think that's a decision which could alienate some of Apple's customers. It's not our fault if they want to do that. And XPress 5 runs in Classic really well."
He denied that Apple was helping with development costs but said that QXP 6 would not just be a port to OS X: "There will be some exciting new stuff, like full support for PostScript 3 RIPs and smooth shading. Let me also point out that this is a complete rewrite to take full advantage of Mac OS X. We're taking time over details so that XPress 6 will be fast and very stable. We are always hearing people complain that they 'can't use Adobe InDesign when a document has more than 20 pages.' We are also going to implement cross media XML, CTP [computer to plate] features, and integrated PDF-based job ticketing."
The article is at <http://www.macuser.co.uk/simonre/news/news_story.php?id=34724>
There were also comments in the Mac Daily News at <http://www.macdailynews.com/> quoting Quark CEO Fred Ebrahimi at a recent event in New York for "publishing professionals" convened by Quark. According to the report he told his guests that "the Macintosh platform is shrinking," and that "publishing is dying". He suggested that anyone dissatisfied with Quark's Mac commitment should "switch to something else", although he insisted that making the move to Adobe's long-Carbonized InDesign package is "committing suicide". 'Everyone was stunned, and most folks left by noon,' one attendee reported. 'It was awful,'" the story quotes. The intended topic was the pending integration of Quark Publishing System and Digital Media System within a framework of Microsoft?s .Net and SQL Server technologies. Notably absent, the report stated, was any mention of support for Mac OS X Server.
5. $15 PAGE LAYOUT PROGRAM
==========================
Overlooked in our recent survey of DTP alternatives was a US$14.95 program, Publisher Pro, for Mac and Windows, from Metis International, based in Minneapolis <http://www.metisinternational.com>. There's a demo available for either platform, at around a 10MB download. Registration costs US$14.95. The program is said to "provides users far more control over the appearance of text than ordinary word processors", letting the user "tinker, tweak and outright torture text, plus create headlines and special effects like the best of the big-name publishing software at a fraction of the cost". It includes a Bezier Text Tool and as well as standard Object Tools to create lines, curves, circles, squares, and round-cornered rectangles, Publisher Pro offers Speech Balloons and a Star Tool. The description adds: "Turn ordinary text into graphics that really get noticed. Choose from an entire palette of built-in treatments or create your own special effects." There's a trial version for download (10.38MB Win, 12.13MB Win).
6. BEFORE AND AFTER BORN AGAIN
==============================
Before & After magazine is not dead. A new print issue appeared recently, in a tabloid format, and the publisher says their intention is to resume publishing and honor remaining issues left from old subscriptions. Check <http://www.bamagazine.com> to find subscription status and information.
7. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
========================
Most of our questions this month came from users of PageMaker, but many of them apply at least partially to other layout programs.
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Laurence V. Artale asked us about maintaining specially applied subscript specifications in importing Word 2000 documents to PageMaker. They had created a macro for Word but people in the office kept forgetting to use the button to apply it.
We suggested: Once the text is placed in PageMaker, it presumably has PageMaker styles applied -- either styles created in PM or imported with the Word file.
Changing the specification of the style in PM will allow you to change the subscript position and size -- and that will apply to all text which has that style applied.
Doing this in PM will overcome the problem of others using the Word template as the change will only apply within the PM file. If you create a template in PageMaker with the style names identical to those in the Word template, and with formatting specified as in the Word document, except for the subscript, then this style will apply when the document is placed.
You can use a PM file with a previously imported document as a basis for this template.
When you alter a piece of text in PM and want to make those changes to become part of the style, go to the Control Palette, hold down shift and control and click in the style name box (which will now have a plus sign next to the name). A dialog box will appear which states "Press OK to update style with current setting" (On a Mac its shift and command). That's a hint from my Publication Production using PageMaker book.
You will not be able to add a second font specification within the style definition. However, you can use the Change function in PM to search for any text which has a subscript attribute and change the font of that character. If this needs to be done frequently, a script could be used.
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Hisham Khodeir wrote: "I have PageMaker tagged text files I need to import these files in InDesign 2.0 Has anyone gone in this process before?"
We replied: Sadly, InD 2 cannot import PageMaker tagged text files. I think your options are to try 1.5 which could do this. Otherwise bring the tagged text file into a new PageMaker file, and convert that to InD 2.0.
You could then export as InD tagged text, though I think there are problems with image file specifications which PM's tagged text did not have, and which is holding up InDesign's implementation by some newspaper publishers.
Hirsham replied: "Thanks for this advice. It worked with ID 1.5 perfectly. It is not important for me about the images. I can insert the images again"
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Sherry Stinson wrote: "I recently purchased your PageMaker book and it was great! Really good job! My problem is this: I have a file that had a corrupt index entry from Word (I'm assuming). Long story short, the editor created the index using marked index entries, cross-references, etc. yet PageMaker would NOT let me import the file. Once she removed those marked index entries, the file imported with no problem. The dilemma, however, is now we don't have an index and they'll have to manually generate it.
"I contacted Adobe and they said it was due to a corrupt Word file with a missing index reference or something of that nature. I attempted to remove the index entries from my PageMaker file since the corrupt file DID actually dump some of the entries into the file before giving me the error message. I was able to successfully delete all the index entries except for 'E' and 'N', which is where I believe the corrupt entries are. No matter what I do, when I select either letter, PageMaker will abruptly quit. If I try to generate an index, it gets to 'E' and tells me index internal error.
"I'be tried diagnostic recompose; it says no problems. I'be scoured the Adobe forums, but nothing. They do mention the problem, but never one where the index entries are so corrupt they don't let you delete them."
We replied: I'm not sure if this will work, but it is worth trying. Export the main text as a tagged text file (the "complex" tags, which means choosing "tagged text" and unchecking the Export tags checkbox).
Then in a text editor, preferably not a word processor like Word -- perhaps SimpleText -- do a search for the index entries. Perhaps search for ones in the E range and see if you can work out what is going wrong. If you have a text editor which can do complex search and replace functions it may help.
My suspicion is that the problem entries may be those with cross references and multiple topic entries.
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Peter Phelan wrote from Cornwall in the UK: "Just came across your site again whilst browsing; I have your original PM docs and it was a trip down memory lane seeing them again! Is it that long ago I filed them away in my 'Sundry PageMaker Tips' file?" He then adds a suggestion for the previously mentioned problem of a PC-based publication receiving advertisement files from ad agencies working on Macs in QuarkXpress.
Peter suggests: Whenever I receive material from Mac-based agencies (and whose world only consists of Quark, Illustrator and Photoshop <g>) I find it is generally quicker and easier to accept the raw Quark files, along with the linked files, and Mac fonts on a purely Mac HFS CD. I then convert everything myself to PageMaker using Mac Opener, the Quark converter and Cross Font. Depending upon page layout complexity etc there is usually some adjustment required in the converted document, but I also ask for a print/proof to allow me to match the original layout. This is not an ideal solution of course, but at least you have control over the final page.
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Reader J Regan asked: "I have taken a 2-day course in PageMaker 6.5 and still am unsure about how important Master Pages are in formatting a newsletter. Must I use Master Pages? Also, when moving from page to page, how should I number my pages when there are four pages but they are two sided? I am confused by this."
We replied: You don't *have* to use Master pages, but they do come in useful for all that repetitive stuff like running heads, page numbers, etc. For a simple newsletter I would set up the default Master pages (i.e. the ones you reach from the L and R page icons at the bottom of the screen), and then use the Menu command View>Display Master Items to switch off the master page for page one.
If you set up the line which will show the page number on the master page, with a line such as "XXX Newsletter, January 2003 - page " and then at the end of that text enter shift-control-3 (or Alt-Control-P in Windows; Cmnd-Opt-P on a Mac) which enters a placeholder for the page number. The actual [page number will appear on all the pages where Master pages are turned on. You may need to set up separate Master Page lines for the left and right hand pages -- but that is a personal choice.
For a smallish newsletter it is normal to start from the front cover as page 1, though it probably won't have that number anywhere on it. With a larger publication it is common to treat the cover as a separate file, especially if it is printed on different paper, and number the first right hand inside page from 1.
Make a collection of newsletters by others -- a good source being the office trash bin.
8. UTILITIES/UPDATES
====================
Version 7.0 of BBEdit, the well respected programming and text editor for the Mac has been released. See <http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit.html> There's a 30-day 11.2MB demo and the program costs US$179 ($49 upgrade).
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Another of those text cleaning programs, recommended by subscriber Jeff, "eCleaner v2.01 is freeware and works well. The Windows program can remove any kind of > or | symbol and fix screwed-up line breaks. Copy and paste the text of an e-mail into eCleaner, click on "Clean", then copy and paste the results. It will also remove HTML code and headers. See <http://www.simtel.net/pub/dl/13283.html> for the 442kb zip file.
9. HINTS
========
Adobe have pdf files (around 700kb) on their website for the key combinations to access all these standard and extended characters (assuming the font has them available). It's at http://www.adobe.com/type/main.html (scroll down towards the bottom of the page and look for "Character Access Charts"). We read one suggestion of printing a copy (double-sided) and laminating it as a reference to keep by your keyboard with all those Alt + numeric keypad numbers or Opt/Shift etc. combinations.
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If you need to do any manual imposition in QuarkXpress, make each page a "start of section" and give it its same page number, before you move them around. Using the Document Layout palette, select the page, click the "Page X" box in the lower left of the palette, click "Section start" in the popup menu, and type in the page number.
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Adobe have confirmed that InDesign quits 3 times in a row then opens when Norton Anti-Virus software is running. Disabling auto protect solves the InDesign problem -- but of course may raise other issues.
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Why is 14.4pt a common leading size? That set us wondering. Maybe it is a bit big for newspaper use but it is common in books. Five times 14.4 equals 72, so it is 5 lines to an inch.
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If the latest Outlook Express tells you that it has a file, but you can't have it, simply click the Forward button. OE dutifully creates a forwarded message - and attaches the incoming file to it. Working with the forwarded message, you can open or save the file to your heart's content. (From Woody's Windows Watch <http://www.woodyswatch.com>)
10. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
=========================
A website for joining a variety of lists including Photoshop, Win, Mac and Eudora lists: <http://www.listmoms.net/lists/>
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There are links to a number of sites that offer font identification or related features at <http://www.fontlab.com/html/fontfinder.html>
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Microsoft's "Manual of Style for Technical Publications" is now available as a free downloadable Windows HTML-style Help file (.chm format) from <http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/education/>. It is the company's "Complete styles and guidelines for publishing a variety of technical publications" which has acquired a good reputation in this field. Follow the link near the bottom of the page. It is a 1077kb download.
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There have been some major changes to a web site which we have long regarded as a primary source of information on Acrobat and PDF usage: <http://www.pdfzone.com/>
11. LAST WORD
=============
The company that started business making kiosks that let consumers create their own custom CDs, manufactured on demand in record stores, is now finding success with a revised business model. RedDotNet?s kiosks give shoppers access to 2.5 million sample album cuts (from 200,000 albums, including audio books, movies and video games) that can be listened to in stores. Customers wave the CD bar code to bring up the sample they want. There are about 200 kiosks in US stores so far. -- From the Publishers Lunch newsletter for Tuesday, November 19. See <http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20021118/tc_usatoday/4630165>
Gordon Woolf
The Worsley Press
Hastings, Australia.