Here's a neat little trick for converting Illustrator paths to editable QuarkXPress paths (actually it works with any application that can paste paths to Photoshop). It requires XPert Box Tools, a component of
XPert Tools (free for QuarkXPress 7 users).
1. Select the path in Illustrator and copy it to the clipboard
2. Create a document in Photoshop (size & color model doesn't matter)
3. Open the Paths palette and paste
4. Select Paste As Path in the Paste dialog. This will paste the paths into a new work path.
5. Double-click the work path on the Paths palette to name it and save it
6. Save the image as a TIFF and import it into a QuarkXPress layout
7. From either the Measurements palette or Modify dialog, go to the Clipping tab and select Embedded Path as the Type (it will default to the first path it finds)
8. Select Item > Picture Box Shape From Path > New Box From Clipping Path
9. If necessary use Item > Split to separate compound paths
10. Delete the picture content from the resulting box (I usually change its Content Type to None)
11. Color and style them as needed in QuarkXPress
This technique only works one path at a time, but it can handle compound paths so you can gang up a bunch of paths and convert them all at once if you like. There are also limitations to how closely you can match the styling of the original if it used a thick stroke (since QuarkXPress does inside or outside frames instead of strokes), but if you've ever considered recreating a complex shape in QuarkXPress you'll find this to be a good timesaver.
Dan Logan
Technical Product Management
Quark