Help Please... What Page & Layout Design Program to Get?

[Polar]

Hi

I'v been frozen week after week, now turning to solid months.

Lost on what program to get.

Page Plus X8 or Xara Page & Layout Design 10

Yes I'm a newbie. Why asking you the experts helping pointing me in the right direction with a bit of why.

Yes I've tried the trials and still confused. Lots of learning to do in both so not sure what is best.

It's really I'm more afraid when I do have a grasp of the product and I learn I made the wrong choice. Don't want this to happen.

I'm set to get Xara PLD10 but when I do a search about it, up comes a review saying it doesn't have such and such engine...what does that mean? Or others saying up dates are slow and wondering if it will continue. Making me become like a deer, frozen in headlights on the on coming car.

Thanks for your expertise helping thawing out my brain so I can get on with using the product.

[mwenz]

It really depends on what you want to do, and how you expect the software to help you achieve that.

So...why do you think you need a layout software? What is it you want to make, the range of types of print products?

Mike

[Polar]

Thanks Mike... use for brochures, posters re adverts (photo/text),flyers, small size info mag. To grow into.

[Christine Farrelly]

Go for the best Xara!!!

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics Polar

I used Xara Designer Pro X10 to create color ads, brochures, websites, to edit photos, I have even done two complete paperback books (cover, plus all the interior text). Designer Pro X10 is the top of the line Xara product and has all the features of the other products. You might want to start with Xara Page & Layout Designer and then if you need more features, upgrade to Designer Pro X10.

The biggest reason for purchasing Xara is TalkGraphics.com It is a great community of knowledgeable people (like mwenz and Christine) who are willing to share their expertise and discoveries with the community. This is really important when you are first getting started with any product.

You can try any Xara products free for 30 days. So give it a try and let us know if you have any questions.

[Albacore]

I know many here would say use a Xara product but from the examples you give I would go PagePlus. For why! well if your not going to print your own "brochures, posters re adverts (photo/text),flyers, small size info mag" work then you want to be sure of your CMYK colours that you use. Because PagePlus will give the reassurance that the colours of your screen will be the same will be same when exported as a PDF if you have a calibrated monitor. Also PagePlus will give more control over things like imposition mode which can save you money and your time as it is done for you when you select your doc. type. Mind you will also need a bitmap editor to produce CMYK jpeg files and not just rely on the RIP software used by your printer. If you go with Page & Layout Design 10 and you take your PDF's down to your local digital printer to print let's say some brochures which are full colour you may be surprised to find that some of your colours are slightly washed out when printed. That's why Gary P suggested that you buy Designer Pro X10 so that you can use Pantone colours and if you have a book which shows these colours you can be sure of your colours in you PDF's. Do a search about printing in CMYK & RGB as it is a large topic to get more info.

[mwenz]

Thanks Mike... use for brochures, posters re adverts (photo/text),flyers, small size info mag. To grow into.

And thank you for the info, Polar.

For the most part your list should be fine done in an Xara application. I have never used P&LD, but I have used XDP for the past 4 years or so to create assets used for a variety of intents (print and web graphics). I have used XDP for some cards, ads and fliers. I would never use XDP for an text-rich use (newsletters, small mags, books, etc).

For the present versions' capabilities, if OpenType features are or would be important to you, then Xara products will not be suitable. Xara has yet to incorporate the ability to access OpenType font features. So even on the smaller work I do wholly in XDP, it is when I do not need to access those font features.

Peter (Albacore) mentions the CMYK issues. It is true that Xara applications are also not color managed. What that in part means to a designer is that you better understand what colors will do in print versus their on-screen appearance. For much of what I do when I wholly create something in XDP it means little that Xara products are not color managed. But I also make darn sure to check the PDF in Acrobat before it leaves here.

PagePlus is a good option you list. I also use it. It also has its quirks but is generally very reliable. Previous versions can be had for pennies on the dollar direct from Serif. It has adequate drawing capabilities, but that's not what it is really designed for.

If I had to give you one recommendation, it would be PagePlus. But I think that purchasing both PagePlus X7 (cheap) or X8 for their layout and OpenType ability, along with Xara's Photo & Graphic Designer (or Xara Designer Pro if the money is there) for their great ability to produce drawings for use in PP would make for the best combination.

Mike

[Polar]

Thank-you mewnz, Albacore, gwpriester, all wonderful help.
Great info and things to think about.
Learned a lot.

Thanks.