Can multipage be used instead of Indesign or Quark

[tonylondon]

Without text wrapping, it would be cumbersome at best, to do a brochure of any size.



Auto page number, definitely.

What are master pages?

You place on a master page anything that you want to appear the same way on a large number of pages, in particular page number position and formatting, and any guides. Typically a long document may have a master page for all the ordinary pages and a subsidiary master page for the first page of each chapter. This ensures consistency throughout the document
T

[BQ]

If your going to be entering a lot of text, it would be important to have a speell-checkar

[tonylondon]

If your going to be entering a lot of text, it would be important to have a speell-checkar

Are you sure you don't mean "spoll chickar"?

T

[sallybode]

I use CorelDRAW for my multipage layouts, unless it is over 50 pages, then I use InDesign. Quark, I hate it, like InDesign, expensive and cumbersome but there is more I find I can do with InDesign.

DRAW has Master Pages and via scripts, page numbering.

As DRAW can illustrate right in the multipage program, it saves time going back and forth from designing graphics to where they are used. It can also link externally, to keep the file size down. Far less expensive and that is a major plus.

In comparison with Xara, Xara hands down is the best illustration program I have EVER used. If you can dream it up you can do it in Xara.

People say there is a long learning curve in these other programs, well, you can get up and running quickly in Xara, but to implement all the program is capable of, takes time to fully become the master of it in all areas.

Allowing the users to write macros like in DRAW has been a big plus for DRAW. As I work primarily in DRAW at work, I find myself using a script several times an hour, and in going back and forth with Adobe Illustrator, these scripts make copy/paste much more practical than importing. Is scripting planned for Xara?

Frequently I use "lock" where I can lock a larger graphic behind some smaller items I need to work with or group. This is very useful. Would hope Xara will do this in the future. It is quick and you don't have to set up a layer for just something you are only spending a moment on.

Cloning and using the Info Bar to move items via their x and y coordinates is good, but in terms of doing impositions, with a copy function which could also be applied to rotation, would be good to have.

Then there will be some that say that you are making Xara like programs we hate. If you don't want to use a function, you don't have to, if you need to and it is there, so much the better. As forum members we can help one another learn to use the changes in the program now and into the future.

I am excited about what Xara is doing and very glad they once again support Spot Color.

[AntonyF]

Hi Antony I think this statement will come back and bite you on the bum, "I can't think of anything off the top of my head, layout wise, that you wouldn't be able to achieve in XXPro."

Perhaps I should have phrased myself better. What I meant was that I don't think there's anything visually in Quark that you can't achieve in XXPro. Certain things may take longer in XXPro because we don't have a certain feature (i.e. automatic page numbering) but they are still achievable. But there are lots of things Quark can't do which XXPro can. Like why have a grainy TIFF preview when you can have the original vector drawing in your newsletter?

So at the end of the day you have to look at your own usage patterns, weigh up the features and see what is best for you. But I personally think XXPro will be better than Quark for many projects. And I'm sure we'll see more development of the DTP side of XXPro in the future which will only help that.

[alepacca]

You can make your graphics in Xara X and export as TIFF CMYK and use Scribus (open-source programs).

You have PDF/X export, master page, text around images...

And it's free!

[Albacore]

Hi Antony,
can I ask how did you print serial numbers on tickets? For an easy job like that I use Serif's page plus, printing it via A3+ laser, and for going to the printers for concert tickets with foil inserts InDesign. I cant see fow you can print serial numbers in the right order unless you hand insert each number and that leads to mistakes when I do it.

[tonylondon]

I use CorelDRAW for my multipage layouts, unless it is over 50 pages, then I use InDesign. Quark, I hate it, like InDesign, expensive and cumbersome but there is more I find I can do with InDesign.

DRAW has Master Pages and via scripts, page numbering.

In comparison with Xara, Xara hands down is the best illustration program I have EVER used. If you can dream it up you can do it in Xara.

People say there is a long learning curve in these other programs, well, you can get up and running quickly in Xara, but to implement all the program is capable of, takes time to fully become the master of it in all areas.

Allowing the users to write macros like in DRAW has been a big plus for DRAW. As I work primarily in DRAW at work, I find myself using a script several times an hour, and in going back and forth with Adobe Illustrator, these scripts make copy/paste much more practical than importing. Is scripting planned for Xara?

Frequently I use "lock" where I can lock a larger graphic behind some smaller items I need to work with or group. This is very useful. Would hope Xara will do this in the future. It is quick and you don't have to set up a layer for just something you are only spending a moment on.

Cloning and using the Info Bar to move items via their x and y coordinates is good, but in terms of doing impositions, with a copy function which could also be applied to rotation, would be good to have.

Then there will be some that say that you are making Xara like programs we hate. If you don't want to use a function, you don't have to, if you need to and it is there, so much the better. As forum members we can help one another learn to use the changes in the program now and into the future.

I am excited about what Xara is doing and very glad they once again support Spot Color.

Sally,
I'd agree with your comments. And was very interested to learn about your work flow. XXPro is by far the best drawing program and Indesign is much better than QuarkExpress.
I wasn't aware of how advanced Corel Draw has become.
For me the break point between XXPro and Indesign is 4 sides. I can import shapes from XX into Indesign via Illustrator, otherwise the breakpoint might be more in XXPro's favour.
I'm pleased to hear from Antony that more DTP features are planned for XXPro.
Tony

[tonylondon]

So at the end of the day you have to look at your own usage patterns, weigh up the features and see what is best for you. But I personally think XXPro will be better than Quark for many projects. And I'm sure we'll see more development of the DTP side of XXPro in the future which will only help that.

I think we can all agree that for short documents, XXPro wins hands down. I shall await the future developments in DTP with great interest.
One thing - if you can include the capability of inserting new text areas beween existing text areas (in the same thread) that would be much appreciated!

[AntonyF]

Hi Antony,
can I ask how did you print serial numbers on tickets? For an easy job like that I use Serif's page plus, printing it via A3+ laser, and for going to the printers for concert tickets with foil inserts InDesign. I cant see fow you can print serial numbers in the right order unless you hand insert each number and that leads to mistakes when I do it.

I get a list of serials, all on a line each. The thing that Quark did and thankfully XXPro allows is for me to set up all the text areas, then just paste the list into the first area. Then the serials automatically fill out all the text areas. Is that sort of thing you wanted to achieve?