Quark Forums

Hi, all,

please note that we released QuarkXPress 8.1 today, a free update for all users of QuarkXPress 8.

What 8.1 adds

• Increased stability
• Higher performance
• Scaler (numerically)
  
• Drop shadows in Object Styles (with reporting)
  
• Ability to find and replace drop shadows
• Insert text without formatting
• Welcome Screen for Windows users
• XML Import
• Faux Font warning
  
• PDF media boxes via Print dialog
• Spell checker improvements
  
• Possibility to create layers in PDF
• Ability to not flatten transparency in PDF
• and more
  

You can find it here:
For Mac OS X: http://downloads.quark.com/Details.aspx?fid=134&&mid=2
For Windows: http://downloads.quark.com/Details.aspx?fid=133&&mid=2

Enjoy!

Matthias

 Great news, Matthias. The scaling item is a welcome addition, as well as native transparency..

Hi Matthias. Can you elaborate on the "and more" item in your list? Is there a link that covers all fixes and enhancements? Thanks.

There's one here that helps with issues fixed etc: http://8.quark.com/techinfo/known_issues.html

Hi, LTD,

Dave's link points you to "Known Issues & Issues Fixed" in 8.1.

Once you download the updater, you'll find a PDF in there that lists all features added to QuarkXPress 8.1. These documents are also installed in the Documents folder of QuarkXPress.

Best
Matthias

 

• Drop shadows in Object Styles (with reporting)
  
• Ability to find and replace drop shadows

THANK YOU!!!

 

"Ability to not flatten transparency in PDF" I think you better go check this. Yes you now use "PDF marks" to try an explain transparency to postscript but, if I'm reading the literature correctly, that only works for certain rips, not everyone will be able to use this. As long as Quark remains tied to postscript, transparency will always be an issue.

Hi, almaink,

PDFmarks is a standard way to get attributes not supported in PostScript into PDF, that's why Adobe invented them. Please see here: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/pdfmarkReference_v9.pdf

Both, the built-in libraries of QuarkXPress as well as Adobe's Distiller recognize these and create native transparency within the resulting PDF.

What you are probably referring to is that some PostScript interpreters migth not know how to handle PDFMarks. Therefore we advise to either use the built-in libraries (from Global Graphics) or Adobe Distiller, both fully support the PDFMarks written by QuarkXPress 8.1.

Once the transparency is within the PDF you have all the advantages and issues that RIPs have with unflattened transparency within PDF, regardless how it was created. 

Best
Matthias

Thanks Matt. I just watched the video and it seems pretty good although since I don't have a copy of 8.1 there is no way for me to test this and see if it does indeed work. If it does work tho there still remains the issue of imported PDF files that contain transparency. It seems Quark has been listening but in order for a lot of us to go back to Quark we need full transparency support not only for export, but for import as well. It seems to me that will only happen when Quark dumps postscript for good.

The fact that QuarkXPress uses PostScript to get to PDF is for most people an "under the hood" detail that has no affect on their workflow.

You are correct that while 8.1 can export live transparency in PDF, it still flattens transparency in imported PDFs. That is why we recommend that natively transparent PDF export only be used for final output -- not as an intermediate format for bringing back onto the page.

Your assumption is incorrect that we will not be able to support transparency passthrough as long as we're going through PostScript. I'm not stating that we'll do it using PostScript and PDFMarks, but it is possible.

Keep in mind that using PostScript in this way does afford certain workflow options, such as the ability to use legacy PostScript processors (such as PostScript OPI or imposition) in a natively transparent workflow where flattening is deferred to a late-stage process.

Don't get me wrong, we are constantly working on advances to our PDF output, including solutions that don't involve PostScript. But at the same time I think it's wrong to paint PostScript to PDF as an inherently flawed approach, even when transparency exists. I'd say that QuarkXPress 8.1 is a perfect example of that.

thanks for the feedback!

Dan Logan

Product Manager, QuarkXPress

Dan did you make available the excellent new features video you did for 8.1. It would clear-up a lot of stuff , particularly the warnings about not re-placing native transparency pdfs back into quark and expecting them to remain transparent.

 Almaink. Can I make my die hard Quark fan comment now?

Go right a head. I'm still not swayed tho. Until I can place a PDF with transparency and then export it, without flattening, Quark is useless to me. Try doing an ad book with over 500 ads, all created by different people, all containing transparency. If I use InDesign no worries, if I use Quark I gotta check every ad to see what flattening did to it. I also gotta check the trapping on every one of those ads because of the flattening. It's a step in the right direction what Quarks done with it's own transparency tho, now get the import of transparency fixed before I retire.

IMatthias, I have QuarkXPress version 8.01 installed ... is this 8.1 an upgrade to this? My installation seems to be relatively stable and I have an important job due out soon, so I don't want to upset the status quo. 

Hi, Me,

Me in the corner:

I have QuarkXPress version 8.01 installed ... is this 8.1 an upgrade to this?

Yes, 8.1 is a FREE update for all users of QuarkXPress 8 (regardless of sub version).

Are you using Mac or Win?

Regards
Matthias