Quark Announces Features in Forthcoming QuarkXPress 7

At the On-Demand show in Philadelphia, Quark announced the new features that will be available on version 7 of QuarkXPress, expected to be released later this year.

One of the most intriguing new features is that QuarkXPress 7 will be built on the JDF standard, allowing users to set specifications to control a job from start to finish using a Quark Job Jacket. The Job Jacket will contain all job information–including layout intent and rules, output specifications, contact information, and resources required”?and will carry this information throughout the creative, production, and printing process. Quark Job Jacket elements will be compatible with JDF elements; they can be mapped to JDF elements (and vice versa).

In addition, Quark 7 will offer comprehensive, rule-based preflight capabilities to aid in ensuring that files are output-ready. The new version of the software also will ensure that all elements needed for production”?fonts, colors, images, etc.”?are embedded with the output file, ensuring PDF/X-compliant output.

Other features will include:

“? Support for Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML), enabling variable-data publishing with QuarkXPress 7 documents. All the static content, multiple instances of static content, synchronized content, and master page elements will be recognized as reusable elements.

“? New transparency features, allowing users to specify the opacity of the elements that make up any items or content. Users will be able to create dynamic, soft dro shadows and mask pictures with soft edges using alpha channels.

“? New controls to improve on-screen simulations for soft proofing. Users will be able to preview how RGB prints to CMYK on-screen, for instance, or how CMYK prints to grayscale.

“? Support for Unicode and OpenType, as well as interface improvements making it easier to insert special characters without looking up keyboard commands or resorting to third-party software.

Further, Quark announced that it has created QuarkXPress Markup Language (QXML), which will allow developers to easily access, update, and create QuarkXPress project elements. (Quark Inc.:www.quark.com)