Quark Forums

Haven't seen this problem spelled out as explicitly as I'll try to do. This is happening on three computers. Have a new MacMini and a new iMac, so am stuck with Snow Leopard on these two. Already upgraded my MacPro to Snow Leopard as well. Can't justify upgrading to Quark 8 because printers in this town seem to be pushing In Design by not upgrading to Quark 8, but still need Quark, as most of our catalogs are still in Quark, and will remain there until major updates are needed. I haven't tried loading/printing any complex files, only simple files. They print OK, but then when I try to exit the file, even without saving, Quark hangs, and I have to force quit. It shows Quark "not responding" when I do this.

 

I feel this problem is tied in with the switch from printing through AppleTalk to printing through IP address, but IP address printing works for all other programs on all three computers, just not Quark 7.5 (and it's not like IP address printing is new by any stretch)!

 

I've tried setting up a complete new user account as a test, with an all new printer set-up and preferences, and the first document I created and printed gave me the same problem. By the way, I can go to PDF with no problem - several files, several times - never hung.

 

There must be one little thing that needs to be changed, dropped . . . whatever, but I'm clueless to know what it is - where to look. HELP!!!

 

Thanks,

Ginny

Hi, Ginny,

Quark doesn't support QuarkXPress 7 under Snow Leopard, so I am afraid you won't get official help on this.

Have you tried the standard trouble shooting steps yet?

If not, I'd try the following (in this order and test after each step):
1. Delete QuarkXPress preferences. They are normally in your user folder.
2. Repair permissions (using Disk Utility).
3. Check whether preference folder has correct permissions (you need read/write rights).
4. See whether you have the latest PPD/printer driver installed. If not, install.
5. Test whether ASCII or Clean-8-Bit printing helps.
6. Test whether you can install the CUPS filter on Snow Leopard (untested from our side).
7. Disable fonts (to see whether it is a corrupt font) AND clean font cache.
8. Disable XTensions (ALL!) and if that helped move XTensions back step-by-step to find the culprit.
9. Check file system (Disk Util) and other system internals (e.g. using Onyx).

Thanks
Matthias

I've tried/checked some of these things, but not in any particular order. Haven't gotten to do much on this issue today. I'm not even sure what the CUPS filter is, or how to switch to ASCII or Clean-8-Bit printing. I'll have to do a little research! It is strange to me that two brand new computers (with new OS and new install/update to Quark 7.5) and my "old" MacPro with update to Snow Leopard seem to have the same problem. (I did migrate the user files to the new computers from their old G4s, though, so I guess corrupt personal preferences could be coming into play.)

I've also had a different (but possibly related?) printing problem happen before updating to Snow Leopard. I'm going to do a new post about this issue on Quark and Apple websites.

 Thanks for your help on this.

Hi, Ginny,

stating "Quark doesn't support QuarkXPress 7 on Snow Leopard" also means that we didn't test this combination. So we do not have any information about how good it works and where issues are and how to resolve them. Apple changed a lot under the hood with Snow Leopard, therefore we had to make quite some changes in QuarkXPress 8, which is supported under Snow Leopard.

I suppose upgrading isn't an option for you currently?

1) The CUPS patch is here: http://downloads.quark.com/Details.aspx?fid=117& (as said, we never tested this one under Snow Leopard, so use at your own risk. QuarkXPress 8 Installer contains the patch)

2) You switch the printing method in the Print Dialog in the "Pictures" section under "Data".

Best
Matthias

Well, the main issue seems to be ASCII versus binary. On another question I posted, regarding trying to print from Quark 7.5 in Leopard through IP address instead of Appletalk, the answer was that HP printers like ASCII, and Appletalk had been taking care of the conversion from binary to ASCII. IP address connections won't. (Why did Apple have to drop Appletalk in Snow Leopard?!?!? It may be old technology, but it works!!!)

Back to my Snow Leopard issues . . . Regarding upgrading to Quark 8, with the printers in this town pushing InDesign by not upgrading to Quark 8, I'm kind of stuck. (If it wasn't for the two new computers I just bought that came with Snow Leopard, I wouldn't be in this situation!) We have too many catalogs in Quark that we do minor revisions to when we reprint so we cannot easily convert to InDesign right away, but if I switch to Quark 8, we'd have to backsave everything to get it printed. Until someone convinces the printing industry (at least in our town), that Quark 8 is worth having, I've got to hope I can get Quark 7.5 to work.

I tried installing the CUPS patch, but it wouldn't install. However, when I asked it to "uninstall," (thinking I might then be able to install it), it indicated it actually installed it. I attempted to "uninstall" it again, and got the same response. So, don't know if it's installed or not. Don't know how to determine if it is or isn't installed, and haven't had time to look for it yet.

Switching to ASCII seems to do the most for fixing the problem. I have several output styles set up for these printers, so I went into each one and changed from binary to ASCII and saved. I then printed about 20 times, and nothing crashed . . . and then it did!!! Upon further checking, my output styles had switched back to binary??? How could this happen? I switched back again, and printed about another 10-15, and so far so good. I'm making progress, at least!

On some documents, I got the error message: "Page could contain EPS pictures which include binary data. OK to continue?" I let them print, and can't see any problem.

Thanks for your help!

Ginny

Hi, Ginny,

glad it now works for you most of the time.

Out of curiosity, are you still providing your printer with open documents (QuarkXPress fles with fonts and pictures)?

If you give them a PDF (e.g. a PDF/X-1a), then the version of QuarkXPress you are using doesn't matter, you just need to create a correct PDF.

Many printers have appropriate output styles available. Additionally you can use such from standards bodies or user groups, like e.g. the Ghent PDF Workgroup: http://www.gwg.org/applicationsettings.phtml

Best
Matthias

Hi Matthias,

Had to do some "normal" work yesterday. Now I'm back to working on computer issues!

Our printers will take PDFs, but they still seem to prefer the open documents, whether Quark or InDesign, especially on our larger catalogs. Guess that's so last minute errors can be more easily/quickly fixed. (Our catalogs are very technical with a lot of numbers. Seems it's impossible to get a "perfect" catalog, no matter how many eyes look at it prior to going to the printer. When a small error "jumps out" when looking at the final proof from the printer - or some engineer finally looks at a sample copy we sent around a week earlier, we feel it really has to be fixed. When they have the original document and art, it's easy for the printer to fix it and keep moving on the project.)

As things move forward, I do see we'll be forced to use InDesign as we do new catalogs or when major revisions are needed to old catalogs.

Thanks for all of your help. Hopefully I can get us all working OK with what we've got to work with. Ultimately, it seems our problem evolved to the fact that our HP printers aren't compatible with binary printing, and Appletalk used to fix this "on the fly." (Why Apple did away with Appletalk is beyond me! Though old technology, it was working fine, even on my nearly 3 year old Intel MacPro!)

I do have Quark 8 copies for everyone here - actually installed on the 3 older computers. We just haven't been using it because of our printers not having it. Who knows, I'll probably encounter the same ASCII/binary problem with the HP printers with it as well if/when I upgrade all to Snow Leopard. I'm now thinking of downloading the newest Quark 8 update and trying Quark 8. When I have to send to a printer, I'll either try to pick one that does have Quark 8, or backsave to Quark 7 (or go PDF). (I'm canvassing several printers to see how many do have Quark 8; unfortunately, the four we use the most do not!)

So far, I'm really not thrilled at all with Snow Leopard. I only bought it for the 3 older computers because of the 2 brand new computers I just bought. I like to keep everyone on the same platform. I've also already discovered I'm going to have to upgrade our Toast software. I like the control I get with it over what the OS gives, but my old version won't even launch with Snow Leopard (and the two computers I haven't yet upgraded to Snow Leopard also use Toast; one an even older version than mine). All 3 are/were fine in Leopard! Perhaps I need to experiment more with the OS burning methods to see if they've been enhanced enough to be acceptable!

Again, thanks for your help!

Ginny

Just have to comment on the ASCII/Binary/HP thing. I don't know for a certainty that printing via Appletalk was actually converting binary to ASCII for the HP printers. I think it's just a different protocol and it indicates that your HP printers have Appletalk - or are utilizing some sort of Appletalk interface. You would not see them to set them up via Appletalk if they did not.

But printing to an HP printer via IP using binary is where the issue is. I have had so many problems printing to HP printers using binary that now anytime I have to set up a print style for an HP printer I automatically make it ASCII. Why HP does this, I don't know. It's probably something in their PCL printer language (proprietary to HP printers). But whatever makes the dang thing print.

Hi, Ginny,

ginnypres:

I'm now thinking of downloading the newest Quark 8 update and trying Quark 8. When I have to send to a printer, I'll either try to pick one that does have Quark 8, or backsave to Quark 7 (or go PDF).

Again, thanks for your help!

 

You are more than welcome. And if you have more questions, just let me know please.

Best regards
Matthias

 

P.S.: Just remember, backsaving can be dangerous.

Matthias Guenther (Quark):

P.S.: Just remember, backsaving can be dangerous.

 

OW! My eyes, my eyes! 

 

eyoungren:

OW! My eyes, my eyes! 

It is called italics ;-)

Guess when the time comes that we need new printers, I might want to consider something other than HP? Guess converting things to ASCII is not a big deal, either, now that I know about it. For our use, these HP printers last forever!

Back saving is really just an issue if you do any of the "new stuff" an upgraded program will do, isn't it? As we do updates to old catalogs, it will just be in text blocks, and dropping in new photos as needed. These documents are mostly existing in Quark 7, and probably 2-3 still in Quark 6. The only reason I might try Quark 8 is to get away from the lock-ups/crashes Quark 7 and Snow Leopard cause as we work on the documents and print proof copies. (And maybe Quark 7 will end up working OK if we convert to ASCII?)

I would think these printers that haven't bought in to Quark 8 yet are going to have to eventually! Whenever they do buy any new MACs, they're going to be stuck with Snow Leopard. I wonder if they'll start turning away any and all Quark business instead of upgrading to 8? In these business times, can't think that's a good idea! With the life cycle of computers in business, also have to think printers buy new computers on a regular basis.

For me, I just want to get these 5 computers working good with the software we have, which is mostly very current, and just do minor updates as they come along for the rest of the year!!! 

Thanks to both of you that have responded to me.

Ginny

Hi, Ginny,

ginnypres:

Back saving is really just an issue if you do any of the "new stuff" an upgraded program will do, isn't it?

 

Yes. See here, I wrote about it some time ago: http://forums.quark.com/p/21675/87372.aspx#87368

Obviously between QuarkXPress 6 and 7 the technology difference is much bigger than between 7 and 8. Still, just be aware that reflow might occur.

Thanks
Matthias

Kind of what I thought regarding backsaving. I'm glad to see (based on the link you sent), that I can actually have 7 and 8 open at the same time (assuming I get 7 working well enough to use). Obviously, 8 opens automatically. Many times, I've clicked on a Quark document (before opening 7), wait for 8 to open, close 8 and then open 7. Now I won't necessarily close 8 before opening 7!

Thanks, and Happy weekend!

Ginny

I have a similar setup. Snow Leopard with Quark 7.5. I have found that using images that are bitmap or eps tend to freeze the program. My workaround was to open in Photoshop and re-save as a TIF then import that file instead. There are issues here regarding clipping paths and transparency when placing these over colors (to solve this, I made the clipping path a tad smaller). Due to the economy in my area, we are unable to invest money in Quark 8, so I will be using 7.5 for quite some time. We print to a Xerox (Fiery) and a Ricoh/Lanier both using LPD. I'm not sure why many are converting to InDesign when they are purely using only layout programs, I still prefer Quark... Hope you have found a solution? - Aloha