QuarkXpress 7.0.2, any problems

[B&Wtoon]

I know there are a lot of inDesign scaremongers but any legitimate problems with QXP now that its gone to 7.0.2 ??

I have just installed my version which looks the biz but have not put it into print (as if anyone would use it for websites!) production on live jobs yet, but wil have to on an impending 200+ page colour catalogue.

initial response after an hour of flitting around (+2 hour installation):
• type and colour redering brilliant, miles better than v6.5
• drop shadows opaciticy looks awesome.
• fixes bugs I learned to live with in v6.5, i.e. Page Layout window bugs.
• on installation version 7 leaves v6.5 untouched on hard drive – excellent for saving back to v5.
• BUT any new tricks obviously cant be save back to version 6.5
ANY KNOWN PROBLEMS TOWATCH OUT FOR??

 

[Blue Velvet]

Have they fixed the long file-name import yet? Take a random TIFF, give it a 32+ character name, import it and then collect the whole document. Has it changed the file-name?

Anyway, there's also this.
http://www.quark.com/products/xpress/702knownissues.html

 

[primalman]

Known Problems…

Yes, the first part of the name…Quark.



Seriously.

 

[B&Wtoon]

thanks Blue Velvet for your constructive post,

tried a 34 lettered (+.tif) file name and all was OK – although I would never introduce file names that length into production for any software not just Quark.

The known problems link doesnt seem to be a problem for my needs, they seem very minor.

QXP 7 seems much faster than 6.5 and looks to be a big advancement.

As with any new software I am wary of putting it into full production as it is the hub of what I do for a living.

ANYONE USED IT FULLY YET? – no InDesign comparisons please!

 

[Blue Velvet]

We have purchased 4 upgrade packs from v6.5 but they're sitting on the shelf until:

a) We upgrade our network to Tiger or (prob) Leopard in April or May depending on release dates and...

b) When 7.1 is released.

When it comes to production, I'm conservative about upgrading until problems and bugs have been ironed out. I usually read Macintouch, PrePress forums and the Quark forums to get a sense of what is going on out there.

Nice to hear someone say it's running faster than v6.5 because I had heard otherwise and even though we're running dual 2.5s with 2.5gb of RAM (soon to be 3.5gb) for our main production Macs, Quark 6.5 can still get bogged down especially with spreads containing polygon shapes and free-drawn curves.

Edit: Just one thing that might be worth closely investigating is the standard and file-size of PDFs that come out of its native PDF producer, especially with all the bells and whistles of transparency and other effects. Always prefer to still write Postscript to Distiller on a PDF x/3 setting.

 

[B&Wtoon]

speed wise and overall view is from initial tinkering NOT scientific in any way... but looks good.

I would have held off upgrade but have been forced into it.

Got a good deal on upgrade + tiger as a bundle which helped.

I had been warned at upgrade install, to download & upgrade to 7.0.2 BEFORE launching 7 and watchout for laser print driver errors.... which I am now investigating....

NON scientific verview from our print suppliers production depts: Big printers no problems – Mid printers no problems – Small printers no upgrade yet go via pdfs.

 

[Blue Velvet]

If you've got time, any feedback on the table tool would be nice. It's hopeless in 6.5...

I'm doing a 2 colour publication as I write and messing with the rules and frames of the table and how they trap is a nightmare... reminds why I normally use InDesign* for tables and import them as EPSs.

Have gone back to the old-fashioned way of drawing them by hand.



*Why not InDesign for the whole studio, BV? To stick together we must go at the pace of our slowest team-member.

 

[cmcconkey]

7.0.2

I am using Quark 7.0.2 on a Dual 2.3 G5 and everything seems to be zipping right along. I have noticed no problems with it, I have noticed that it seems to be a little more responsive than 7.0.1 (I think that the bulk of the updates from 7.0-7.0.1 was the universal binary).

As for table tool, I haven't dealt much with it, but I will do some digging when I update to 7.0.2 on my PB G4.

Any more questions shoot me a PM or reply here.

Christopher

 

[B&Wtoon]

Yes 7.0.2 looks the to be so much zippier than 6.5 (never tried 7.0.1) have run into problem with printing to fiery so am waiting for Quark techie in India to alter my ppd before I can seriously test out anything.

thankfully version 6.5 is still in use after the upgrade!

BV must admit I have never used table tool in 6.5 as it looked to risky but maybe soon in v7?

PS. never had any problems exporting to pdf direct from QXP as long as: always set-up correctly (many people don't), always check in Acrobat Pro preflight to check trapping etc. – will check out v7 soon...

 

[G.Kirby]

Running v7.01 on over 100 Macs (intels, G5's, G4's, laptops etc) only came across minor glitches but these are mainly due to student error. The new license administration software works great no problems there so far. The network drag install is a work of genius saved me hours at installation.

It is still in the early days as our students (and Staff) are getting to grips with the software, if any problems or solutions arise will post them here.