Quark Forums

Any respond from Quark developers? I did my little research - many of my collegs are having same problems with Quark 8.1+ Snow Leopard combo. 10.5.8 seems to work OK. Urgent update will really help - please hurry up!

Thanks everyone for sharing your test results. We've narrowed this down and believe it's isolated to Type 1 fonts used in documents created on Tiger or Leopard, then opened in Snow Leopard (so the bulk of your work, I know). The root cause is in a Mac OS API that we use to read the font's metrics. This issue is not new to QuarkXPress 8.1, it's new to Mac OS 10.6 and also affects QuarkXPress 7. Apple is aware of it and we expect a fix is forthcoming. Our engineers are investigating whether a workaround exists and I'll post an update when I learn more. All Snow Leopard testing of 8.1 was done on pre-release builds of the OS. I don't yet know when this issue was introduced, but I can only assume it cropped up shortly before release.

A few of the issues reported in this thread may also have to do with a runaround problem we just discovered in QuarkXPress 8.1. When runaround is used in conjunction with tabs or lock to baseline, in some cases it can cause reflow in documents opened in 8.1. As a result we're going to release an update to 8.1 shortly. Keep in mind this release won't resolve the Snow Leopard issue described above, but will resolve similar issues for anyone who's experiencing them on Tiger or Leopard.

thanks,
Dan Logan
Product Manager, QuarkXPress

 Thanks for the response. Quarks PR department needs to step it up a little, but at least we know now you are working on it. I also suggest adding this to the known issues on your stickied Snow Leopard Post, as of now it's not mentioned.

Hi, all,

Dan Logan (Quark):

A few of the issues reported in this thread may also have to do with a runaround problem we just discovered in QuarkXPress 8.1. When runaround is used in conjunction with tabs or lock to baseline, in some cases it can cause reflow in documents opened in 8.1. As a result we're going to release an update to 8.1 shortly. Keep in mind this release won't resolve the Snow Leopard issue described above, but will resolve similar issues for anyone who's experiencing them on Tiger or Leopard.

Here's the update Dan was hinting at, we just released it:
http://downloads.quark.com/SearchResults.aspx?pid=1&oid=0&ftid=2&&mid=2&lang=en

Best regards
Matthias

Hi Matthias.... I just emailed you in relation to my own problems with font reflow also... I had viewed this post many times before and the font re-flow issue wasn't listed, so when I checked just now and saw it listed I felt comforted that you guys were at least now acknowledging an issue that's deeply effected my workflow from the moment I launched Quark 8.1 in Snow Leopard and I have been dealing with the productivity fallout ever since. mSum is also very right in pointing out the snail like response from Quark's PR Department.... customer need re-assuarnce their concerns are being reviewed and addressed.... as the silence on this issue was deafening. I'm sorry to be so negative sounding.... but all this is just more ammunition for the InDesign switch camp... and it makes me worry that Quark will suffer badly because of this incredible oversight whether it's Apple or Quarks issue... is irrelevant now... we need the issue resolved asap and on behalf of all one man show design business's all over the world.... there has to be updates in relation to progress on this so that we feel Quark is working with us and for us to get this issue resolved as fast as is humanly possible. I have legacy documents that have already been approved by clients down the the last comma and full stop that now need hours of work to put them back together again and I also now have to be sure they are perfect cause if they go to press and there is an issue, it will be my responsibility and not my clients... and he or she won't care about Apple TrueType Font APIs or not.... and it will be me that will have to pay out for any reprinting. I know you may feel I'm over exaggerating or over dramatising this issue.... but this is a real issue... and the sooner we get a fix, the less pain us as Quark user will suffer and the less bad sentiment Quark will receive. A wise person once told me.... if you go and have a bad meal in a restaurant.... people will leave and tell about 20 other people about that experience... which in turn will tell more and more... and so on... but if you have a good experience... people normally stay quiet and happy in the knowledge they found something really special. That's how I would like to feel right now about Quark... So please keep us posted as to what is happening in relation to this issue.... I would think 90%+ of Quark user have been loyal users for many years now... please treat us as such. Sorry for the rambling message.... :) Regards, Anthony irish MacUser and MacAddict

Hi, Anthony,

I totally understand.

And please believe me, we take this very seriously.

This problem is our highest priority and we’re are investigating how we can resolve this. Unfortunately it looks like this is not under our control, so it is impossible to give a timescale right now.

We are in close contact with Apple and will let everybody know once we have progress and/or know a timeframe.

Thanks
Matthias

You should revert back to 10.5.8 until this gets fixed.  That's what we did, it sucked for a few days but I think it's the safest option. 

 By staying on SL the question is if you fix your legacy documents in SL and give them to a vendor not running SL then what?  I wouldn't risk it personally.

 

Also a question for the Quark rep, I'm assuming if apple fixes the API then Quark 7.5 will work in SL as well?

What ever fixes you apply to your documents in Snow Leopard, get reversed when viewed back on Leopard. E.g Drop Shadows face the opposite way, all values are negative of each other.. all sorts.

 

Steve Tolton:

What ever fixes you apply to your documents in Snow Leopard, get reversed when viewed back on Leopard. E.g Drop Shadows face the opposite way, all values are negative of each other.. all sorts.

See this makes Quark unusable under SL in my opinion.  AND if you fix a document under SL and then apple updates and fixes the issue, then what? You'd have to assume everything would shift AGAIN back to the way they were supposed to be in the first place.

Very bad situation, everything is too abitrary for documents that need to be extreamly percise. Revert back to 10.5.8 or switch to InDesign are the only options right now.

Some success - tried converting one font (Frutiger), which was a PS Type 1 font into an Opentype font using TransType Pro. Layout back to normal.

Hi Alexis.... how did you convert the font... is there an effective, efficient that I can buy that will allow me to do the same... as Frutiger is also one of the main fonts that's giving me the font re-flow problems also. I have as a designer formed an over reliance on certain fonts and unfortunately these seem to be the ones effected... especially as Frutiger is a great legible body text font at all sizes.... especially the smaller sizes even 6 & 7 point. Please let me know how you made these conversions when you get an opportunity.... as it could be a fix to my situation until a proper solution arrived from Quark & Apple. Talk soon... :) Yours sincerely, Anthony Irish MacUser and MacAddict

Anto38x:

I have as a designer formed an over reliance on certain fonts and unfortunately these seem to be the ones effected...

Don't take this the wrong way but, as a responsible designer who relies heavily on a productive workflow and endless repeated archive work, you should also do the same with software issues and the need to use emergency alternatives if a major f*** up happens such as now.

Anto38x:

.... as it could be a fix to my situation until a proper solution arrived from Quark & Apple.

Who knows how long Apple & Quark are going to sort this, I mean, it's only take four weeks for Quark to upload a suitable update after the amount of complaints on the forums - which I am now assure works - but still a long time in which many people have probably strayed. dd72

Hi Guys: Looks like someone has been sleeping and I think it is Quark. I recently installed Snow Leopard and had issues from the beginning like wiping out my address book. Now the issues are all the issues everyone has mentioned +. I have written to Quark and they have no plans to update 7.5. But with all the comments I have read, seems that would not do any good anyway since 8 has issues also. When I open up documents in 7.5 and click on a picture or type box, it crashes. And when it doesn't, I have noticed type changes of all sorts and then it will eventually crash. I have a 74 page catalog I need to start on now and even if I upgraded to 8, there seems to still be issues. I am certain they are aware there is an alternative in CS4 and InDesign. Not sure if all of us should hold our breath as this is probably not a quick Quark fix. This is a corporate decision and if something is not done it could be the closing of a corporate fixture in the design world and then Adobe would have a monopoly and that is scary. And by the way, no one who has bought Quark for the number of years I have and supported Quark financially should have to be the creative ones with work arounds. If it's a faulty product then the manufacturer is responsible for fixing it, not us. I am not in this profession to fix software or spend my time/energy with work arounds. I do not have the time or talent or the focus. We buy and use their products to solve client problems, not Apple, Quark or Adobe problems. If you are going to be a tech for these companies, then they should pay you. That's how all of them operate, put the product out and let the users identify the bugs and at times find a solution. I worked with a tech company and I know how they operate and I know about bug list and there are plenty when a product is released as per Quark, Adobe and Apple.

Anthony MacCarthy Irish MacUser and MacAddict You have stated it very well. I too have a 72 page catalog I need to get started on and it has a ton of images and information. I would hate to have had it done and needed to go to press next week. An upgrade is nominal in cost as opposed to the cost of reprinting 10,000 72 page catalogs. I love you saying except for the last part. I as a Quark user since the early '80s have promoted and defended Quark. I even went to an Adobe Conference in Washington and defended it. If I don't get a solution to the Quark problems, I am off the soapbox and out the door. I have a responsibility to my clients and myself. Steve Collier

Totally agree with Steve and Anthony. It is sad to admit this but I am totally fed up with Quark's arrogance and ignorance when it comes to supporting their own loyal supporters. I was told this week that I would have to upgrade to Quark 8 (from 7.5) if I wanted any support regarding the issue resulting from upgrading to Snow Leopard (although after reading this forum I am sorry to hear it is affecting Quark 8 users as well). I've been a Quark user for over 15 years and think this is the straw that finally breaks the camel's back. I have not got the time to wait for Quark and Apple to get their acts together as I have deadlines that need to be met and this issue has already caused untold amounts of stress for both me and my clients, so to ditch QuarkXPress and move over to what has become the industry standard DTP package unfortunately seems to be the only solution. Jason Harris.