CONTENTS
==========
1. FASTSTART TO INDESIGN
2. USERS LOSE IN ANTI-PIRATE WAR
3. PUBLISH YOUR BOOK
4. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
5. UTILITIES/UPDATES
6. HINTS
7. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
8. LAST WORD
The easiest way to tell someone else about this newsletter is to tell them to send a blank email to:
getformat@worsleypress.com
which will bring a copy of the latest issue from our autoresponder.
1. FASTSTART TO INDESIGN
========================
InDesign FastStart, an occasional email newsletter from Adobe Pacific, included some practical advice from a power company which switched programs for their customer newsletters (of which more than 800,000 copies are printed), in this case from PageMaker to InDesign. One important point was that as well as preparing new templates based on the old, they produced a dummy issue, created a PDF from that and sent it to printers in a first step a provided those to several printers being considered for the contract.
We read too often of print contracts being let, and then the workflow arranged. This describes the sensible way of doing it: Some small jobs in InDesign first, then planning the workflow, checking that it works all the way to the printer, and then doing it, with some backup from the firm that provides their inhouse training.
2. USERS LOSE IN ANTI-PIRATE WAR
================================
Most reasonable users of software would accept that the software companies need to do something about piracy, but it seems increasingly that the legitimate user is the one who suffers. Activation codes which tie software to a particular computer are now becoming common and that introduces problems for people who previously obeyed the software licence to the letter -- we have actually met users who would uninstall software on a desktop machine if they were going to be using that software on a laptop for a trip away. In this way they would ensure that the software was only used by one person at a time. The licence for most Adobe software actually allows a user to have two copies installed, one on their desktop machine and one on a laptop provided only one copy is in use at a time.
One immediate response to the activation system for QuarkXPress 6 was that this could no longer be done. In response, Quark plan to issue a second computer license, for a probable fee of US$75. To some outside the USA that may seem preferable to the previous method of a hardware dongle, plugged into the printer port, that was necessary for QXP outside of the USA.
Other moves include Quicken bookkeeping software which requires a fee (admittedly a small one) for activating a reinstallation whether on the same or a different computer.
3. PUBLISH YOUR BOOK
====================
Way back in 1995 we published a book called "Publish Your Book" intended for those who wanted to produce very short run books, including the ways that would-be publishers could do most of the work themselves with very little equipment. Things have changed a lot since then so we have brought the book up to date, but the second edition still tells of low cost methods including the "brick and paintbrush" method of binding.
The new book is now out at US$22.95, UK£12.95 and A$25.95. Format subscribers can get a 10% discount on copies bought from us or our UK or US distributors.
Incidentally, the book itself was an example in the production process of how things can go wrong: The proof was perfect except that a graphic on page 46 was missing completely though we and the printers could see it clearly in the PDF. Pitstop wouldn't say what the graphic was but we knew it was made from an PDF of a page from the previous book -- which was from a 9-year-old Word file. We reopened the Word file in OpenOffice and there was the problem -- a missing font -- and we now couldn't create a PDF or EPS that looked anything like the original. We changed the font (Times-Roman to TimesNewRoman) and to play safe made an EPS which we rasterized in Photoshop.
But almost sent the wrong file to the printer, and when that was corrected, discovered we'd made it a grayscale instead of a bitmap. It wasn't only the picture that was going dotty!
We have to thank the print manager for refraining from asking whether we really knew as much as the book makes out we do. There are many other illustrations in the book -- and they all worked perfectly.
4. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
========================
Another way to get embedded graphics out of Word documents is suggested by David Kunkel of Buffalo, NY: "If the author will paste the image into Microsoft Powerpoint, he'll find that he can right-click and choose "Save as picture". The result's resolution is dependent on the original file's resolution when placed, not on its scaled size. Also, if it's vector art the Windows Metafile format may preserve its vector characteristics. I found that TIFF files exported this way don't parse in Photoshop, however. PNG is a better bet.
Last issue Ian Partridge suggested copying the graphic onto a new Word page, increasing its size, then recopying to paste into Photoshop, for resampling.
5. UTILITIES/UPDATES/PLUGINS
============================
For QXP, the Type Tricks XTension, free at <http://www.quark.com> includes a function to find overset text boxes. It is also a function of most flightcheck software, but it is better to find such errors earlier than that.
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Edit Original is a QuarkXTension for QuarkXPress 6 and QuarkXPress Passport 6 on Mac that allows the opening of pictures with a default application and update modified pictures. Edit Original is a replacement for the Open Publisher command provided by the Subscriber Options dialog box found in QuarkXPress 5 and earlier. 202kb.
Badia's free OpenNow XT <http://www.badiaxt.com> also shows the full path to the image, its modification date, and reveals the picture file in the Finder but doesn't provide the Edit Original and Update commands via the context menu of picture boxes that the Quark XT does -- if the Update command is enabled then the picture is Modified or Missing, if the Update command is disabled then it's OK.
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A new version of Adobe Font Folio features the Adobe Type Library in OpenType format on one CD-ROM... more than 2,000 fonts in OpenType format, and available in a new 10-computer license for smaller design workplaces that is available for US$4,999. There are no prices for places with fewer than 10. (20 was previously the norm, and that version costs $8,999. <http://www.adobe.com>
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Extensis now owns both Font Reserve and Suitcase. Their web site comments: "Extensis is committed to integrating the best of both the Font Reserve and Suitcase technologies and features to create a better font management experience for you. Until the integration is complete, both product lines will continue to be marketed and supported. Once the new integrated product becomes available, there will be a clear, easy upgrade path from both products to the new product."
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Smart Catalog v2 is now available from WoodWing Software. With this plugin a data source can be linked to text or image frames within InDesign. It allows publishers to create and update product or image catalogs, pricelists or any other content driven publications. As the data in the document is linked instead of copied, the data remains "live" and can be quickly updated or changed. <http://www.woodwing.com>
6. HINTS
========
The Opt+Cmnd+click shortcut for zoom is broken in QuarkXPress 6. One of Quark's people, part of an increasing presence on relevant newsgroups and email lists, has promised that it wasn't intentional and that it will be back. The broken command does zoom, but doesn't centre on where the layout was clicked.
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Cari Jensen, an Adobe CTP (certified training provider) in Western Australia, has some useful tips for a variety of programs including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat at <http://www.carijansen.com/tips/index.php>. There's only one PageMaker tip, but it's a useful one on using the rotation tool.
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If you need to do a lot of Windows screenshots and are having trouble with moire patterns on scroll bars, the answer could be to change the way Windows displays scrollbars. This is the suggestion made at <http://www.techknowledgecorp.com/help/moire.html> which tells how to change the Registry setting for scrollbars to get rid of the mix of colors. This is mainly a site with a lot of helpful hints for FrameMaker users but with several useful general help pages.
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If you are having trouble with a scanner after an operating system update, or with a new computer, you may like to consider Hamrick Software's Vuescan which is available for Mac (including OS X), Windows and Linux at <http://www.hamrick.com>. It might not work for every scanner, but you can download a trial version to make sure it works with your scanner before you pay the US$59.95 (or US$79.95 for the Pro edition which includes unlimited upgrades).
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An InDesign tip. Open the Glyphs palette, place it near the styles palette or the Character palette and, as you change the styles or fonts, you will see the type displayed in the Glyphs palette.
7. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
=========================
Some good tips for InDesign, QXP, Photoshop etc at Mac Design magazine: <http://www.macdesignonline.com/>
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"Acrobat Tips: Fonts Can Make or Break PDFs" is an article on the CreativePro website by PlanetPDF's Shlomo Perets. It was written for Acrobat 5 but has been checked for Acrobat 6 too. <http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20045.html?cprose=4-34>
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There have been major rule changes in The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth Edition, just released. See:
<http://www.press.uchicago.edu/>.
8. LAST WORD
============
Microsoft is said to be about to launch its answer to PDF and Acrobat, in particular their forms capability: Infopath. Microsoft's own info at <http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/infopath/default.asp>. It's due for release October 21.
Gordon Woolf
The Worsley Press
Hastings, Australia.