DTP layout software publisher Quark has announced a number of new features in it's forthcoming update to QuarkXpress, version 7. The key focus appearing to be on collaborative workflows.
Creative team collaboration
The most dramatic new feature is the ability for several members of a team to work on the same QuarkXpress project document. This new feature in QuarkXpress 7, is utilised by dividing the document into composition zones. A layout designer could be working on one composition zone, whilst a sub-editor could be editing another zone. Updates to zones within a QuarkXPress page appear in the layout designer’s QuarkXPress project as soon as they are saved.
Another new feature, which will please prepress professionals, is the new Job Jackets facility. QuarkXpress Job Jackets allow the linking of project files to maintain a consistency throughout the whole design and production workflow, including style sheets, color settings, page size and count. While workgroups collaborate on developing the design projects, QuarkXPress will track predefined output parameters.
Job jackets are based on the Job Definition Format (JDF) standard, which can include information about scanning, printing specifications, binding, cutting and distribution.
Photoshop transparency editing
Bringing it up to level pegging with Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress 7 finally provides full transparency features, including the ability to manage opacity levels for any color element of an linked graphic. QuarkXpress version 7 will also allow soft drop shadows and the ability to mask pictures with soft edges using alpha channels – including native transparent Photoshop files such as PSD or TIFF files. The new version will also allow designers to adjust masks on the fly in a page layout.
Other features
Other developments include new ICC based color management features, synchronized content for editing files, enhanced table editing- including the ability to automatically resize table cells when importing data from Microsoft Excel - and new methods of viewing how the design is progressing on the page.
14 September 2005
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