1st version of IDML Import (InDesign Import) released

[Matthias Guenther (Quark)]

Hi all,

on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Quark will release a first version of an IDML Import as a Public Beta.

As we have seen many people switch and users of QuarkXPress having the need to work on designs created in InDesign, we started developing an IDML Import filter. IDML Import Filter can import InDesign documents (in IDML format), convert them to editable QuarkXPress layouts and keep the attributes of the InDesign objects (such as style sheets).

How to use:

1. In InDesign: Save your layout as IDML: File > Save As, Format: IDML.
2. In QuarkXPress 2017: File > New > Project from IDML.
3. Done. Save the converted layout as QuarkXPress project.

IDML Import is first offered in the “QuarkXPress 2017 January 2018 Update” (internal version number 13.2). It is not yet 100% complete and has beta quality. For limitations and what is already working, please see here: viewtopic.php?f=62&t=29781

(All other features of QuarkXPress 2017 January 2018 Update of course have production quality. So if you are worried about using beta quality, please refrain from using IDML Import yet.)

Feel free to test IDML Import and please give us feedback, so that we can perfection IDML Import in the next iterations.

IDML Import is also available in the Trial Version of QuarkXPress 2017.

Our goal is to make the IDML Import as perfect as possible until the end of this year, so that your InDesign layouts can be reproduced in QuarkXPress.

Enjoy!
Matthias

[Jiri Melnicky]

Hi, Matthias, so that's a great news, I thought it would be IDML import. Have you developed this new feature yourself or are you cooperating, for example, with Badia? (if it's not a secret:)

[Matthias Guenther (Quark)]

Hi Jiri,

glad that you like it.

Yes, we have developed the feature/technology ourselves.

It's brand new technology and that's also one reason for the public beta. The closed beta gave us mixed results, some people absolutely raving that it converts 1:1, others see glitches or issues that we need to address.

Thanks
Matthias

[dannyrome9]

Hi Matthias,

Just fired up the IDML import and opened a fairly simple InDesign file. I view the functionality on the basis of how much time did it save me in regards to actually rebuilding the file from scratch. Very impressive for a Beta. The only problem I encountered was the changing of outlined text (converted to outlines in the original file) are now three separate image boxes In the original InDesign file the text from the headline had a stroke value of 1pt. Can't say what happened to the by line text outline. That, for me, would be a minor fix in the imported file. Again, it's a small, single page file but as it's beta I thought I'd share. Everything else converted quite nicely (Size, frame, background color, text in the body of the page, image)

-Danny

[Jiri Melnicky]

Today I installed the QXP2017 trial version. IDML file created by our customer from InDesign CC2017: Opened in InDesign CS6: Instead of previewing the TIFF image, it shows the gray area, the others all right. Opened in QXP2017: replaced Teuton font for MinionPro font. I have this font installed. Unfortunately, Quark does not report the font name that is missing. The others are all right. ID vs. QXP 1:1

[Matthias Guenther (Quark)]

Hi Danny, hi Jiri,

thank you for your feedback, this helps us to make IDML Import better. It is currently n beta, the next version of QuarkXPress will have a production-ready version of IDML Import.

It still might have some shortcomings then, however we are dedicated to remove all of them.

Thanks
Matthias