Elpical joins Enfocus Partner Program
By: Erik Vlietinck
June 20, 2007
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The industry-leading PDF preflighting software, PitStop Automate, now has the ability to automatically enhance images embedded within a PDF file, following a partnership between Enfocus and Dutch firm Elpical. Elpical’s Claro Module for PitStop Automate plugs into the Enfocus automation product to enable hands-off image optimisation to become an integral part of the PDF workflow.
DTP Tools Announces Cross-Reference Plug-in
By: Erik Vlietinck
June 19, 2007
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Cross-References product (XRefs) enables cross-referencing functionality in InDesign. There is a remote resemblance with FrameMaker’s Cross-References, InDesign edition is more versatile. The product consists of two separate plug-ins. Cross-References plugin provides all functionality and is designed for InDesign/InCopy/InDesign Server, and Cross-References UI, which provides access from user interface.
Smart Editorial Workflow
By: Erik Vlietinck
June 10, 2007
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It has been over 2 years since I last saw WoodWing Software’s Smart Connection Enterprise running. Back then, it was version 1. It looked promising enough, but it was an editorial workflow system like any other. Today, Smart Connection Enterprise is a versatile publishing system based losely on Adobe InDesign and InCopy. It offers granular control and open source capabilities. WoodWing says it sold 400 copies of Smart Connection Enterprise, serving some 15,000 seats.
Q2ID, Markzware’s QuarkXpress 7 to InDesign CS2 Conversion Utility Underperforms
By: Erik Vlietinck
May 14, 2007
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Do I have your attention, with such a title? Yes? Well, of course it isn’t true, strictly speaking. I mean, nothing special happens when you open a QuarkXPress 7 document in InDesign CS2. It looks just like you’re opening another InDesign document. No fanfare, not a sound or even a slight pause in operation. It just works --very frustrating if you like a bit of drama in your every day life. Alas, Q2ID is a quiet and sure-fire operator.
Quark PArtners With Pantone and Linotype
By: Erik Vlietinck
May 03, 2007
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Quark announced that it has partnered with leading industry vendors, Linotype and Pantone, to offer a bundle of unmatched tools for design and layout for a limited period of time (expires 31st of July 2007). The promotion not only offers exceptional value for designers but it also provides them with the tools for better design, production, and collaboration.
The QuarkXPress 7 Design Bundle is available with all single and site license purchases of QuarkXPress 7 full product and upgrades excluding educational licenses. In addition to receiving a user manual, training DVD, and free technical support in English, French, or German, users will also receive a complimentary set of design tool add-ons at no additional cost. The bundle includes three Linotype fonts, which users choose from the more than 9,500 fonts on the Linotype Web site; a Pantone 100 Top Colours swatch; and Quark XPert Tools Pro XTensions software, all with a combined value of up to £199 /Eur299.
Creative Manager Pro software 8.4.2
By: Erik Vlietinck
May 03, 2007
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Creative Manager has released version 8.4.2 of its flagship product, Creative Manager Pro.
After last month’s integration with Apple’s Mac OS X iCal and Microsoft’s Outloook, Creative Manager Pro turned it attention inward to allow the user to see a graphical representation of the project schedule across the entire firm
“For the past few months, we’ve been focused on integration with outside systems, because those were important features that our Fortune 500 clients asked for. This new release now adds more features to our own internal calendar,” boasts Ron Ause, Creative Manager’s director of marketing. “We’re stubborn! Our whole reason for existing is to respond to our clients’ needs!”
Callas Software Updates pdfCorrect
By: Erik Vlietinck
April 25, 2007
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callas software, a specialist in the development of PDF verification and optimization tools, is now offering an update to its well-known correction tool pdfCorrect. It is available free to existing users and can be downloaded from the callas software Web site.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 - May We Call It Bloatware?
By: Erik Vlietinck
April 11, 2007
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After having spent three weeks with the entire Creative Suite 3 for Web and Print Production, there is no longer any sense in denying it: much of CS3 is hypeware. InDesign CS3 is a disappointment, Photoshop CS3 Extended will appeal especially to scientists and medical users but there’s little to entice photographers.
Dreamweaver CS3 is even worse: it looks the same as the previous version, has roughly the same quirks. New to Dreamweaver CS3 is the Spry Framework for creating AJAX, a novelty that is a problem by itself. Fireworks CS3 looks a lot like Fireworks 8, and so does Flash CS3. In fact, the only real awesome improvements I saw were Adobe Illustrator CS3, Version Cue 3 and Bridge.
Quark Releases QuarkXPress 7.2 With New Features
By: Erik Vlietinck
April 05, 2007
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Quark announced today that QuarkXPress 7.2, the latest update to QuarkXPress 7 is now available as a free download to all existing QuarkXPress 7 customers.
“We are thrilled at the enthusiastic reception QuarkXPress 7 has received from the industry and customers alike, and we want to build on this momentum by providing customers with incremental enhancements,” said Jürgen Kurz, senior vice president of Quark’s Desktop Business Unit. “The QuarkXPress 7.2 updater provides performance improvements and addresses customer input. This important update also aligns support for recent announcements, including Windows Vista and Quark XPert Tools Pro (the most popular suite of QuarkXPress XTensions), and new language support with user interfaces in five additional languages - Czech, Greek, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Turkish. It gives me great pleasure to announce this valuable update for QuarkXPress 7, and an even greater pleasure to say that it is available to existing QuarkXPress 7 customers for free.”
InDesign CS3: First Impressions
By: Erik Vlietinck
March 28, 2007
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Adobe has unwrapped Creative Suite 3 on March 27. The next generation of the Creative Suite has become a pile of products that covers almost every creative need. The product range that can be yours when you buy the most complete package covers everything from layout over drawing, image editing, web design, web development, Flash authoring, editorial, video, and sound editing, all the way up to compositing.
FlightCheck Professional 6: Easier, More Automated, Better Interface
By: Erik Vlietinck
March 26, 2007
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Markzware’s FlightCheck Professional 6 has all the ingredients to make desktop publishers, prepress people and printers happy. Its interface has become more informative and better organised. The application is more intelligent as well, switching between PDF preflighting and other preflighting modes automatically. It’s more flexible too, with font and image paths that can be set and prioritised.
Atomik XML Publisher Makes Cross-Media Publishing Easy
By: Erik Vlietinck
January 23, 2007
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Ever had to convert an InDesign or QuarkXPress document into XML? Despite what Adobe claims, creating an XML document from an InDesign or even InCopy file is a daunting task. I once asked one of their engineers if the XML capabilities could make Golive obsolete, as XML surely would enable users to create true cross-media documents. The answer was that I would have a hard time creating XML and XHTML by using InCopy’s or InDesign’s ‘raw’ XML features. And QuarkXPress 7 or earlier is not about XML at all.
