A lot of people have been asking me recently whether it’s safe to use QuarkXPress 8 or 9 with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). The short answer is: it depends. (Are you feeling lucky?)
For whatever reason, some people are having complete success, and others are having a hard time. I ran into a conversation on Apple’s online discussion board that illustrates this.
You can read the conversation here, but for now the conversation goes like this:
Question: Anybody running Quark 8 or 9 under lion?
Answer from Quark representative:
As you might know, Quark doesn’t yet officially support QuarkXPress under Lion:
http://forums.quark.com/t/21811.aspx
That said, to our current knowledge we do not know of any major issues of QuarkXPress 8 or 9 under Lion. Also user wikis report both versions to run under Lion. Still, as this is anecdotal, you should do your own tests before running QuarkXPress under Lion.
Quark is currently testing the final build of Lion with QuarkXPress 9 and will release a free update to QuarkXPress 9, called 9.1, in August. QuarkXPress 9.1 will be officially supported on Lion.
This was followed by comment by another user:
I’m currently using Quark 8.51 with Lion an been working on a major project. Perhaps thirty-five hours of layout under Lion. So far so good. No problems to report.
I did get a couple of crashes when I initially launched Quark but Lion was still updating it’s indexes and doing it’s thing — so I’m guessing that was it. Smooth sailing so far.
And another followup comment by a different user:
I had my laptop in for repair and use it to build a weekly newspaper. I had to rush to buy a back up because it wasn’t going to be back to me in time for the next build. The back up had Lion on it. I had no choice but to use Quark with it because that’s all I had. I initially crashed over and over, then after trashing prefs it seemed to work itself out long enough for me to build. Well, now that I’m done and ready to go in for the next project, it won’t open at all now. Just crash after crash. Tech support gives me the same canned response that Quark 9 doesn’t support Lion but it will in late August. ARGH!!!! Good thing my laptop came home, finally!
The first user followed up with this:
Just an update: I’m a publisher and have now completed to entire magazines using Quark 8.5.1 and Lion with no issues. I use Font Explorer to automatically activate/turn off fonts as neded but not sure that has anything to do with it. Anyway I’m really happy with stability of Quark 8 under Lion. Keeping my fingers crossed none of the upcoming Lion updates breaks that.
And then the second user followed up with this:
I have been able to build, but I have to trash prefs every time I open the program up. That’s basically every day.
I am not finding it stable at all. If I move the mouse a little too much or do something too fast, it crashes. Thank goodness for the recovery file!
So… as I said before, are you feeling lucky?
(If you’re using Lion with QuarkXPress, PLEASE comment below on your experience!!)
Popularity: 30% [?]
29. August 2011 at 10:01 am
I tried using QXP9 with Lion and the program crashes every time. I’m waiting for the update so I can use it on my intel imac. I’ve currently switched to my laptop which is still running 10.6.
30. August 2011 at 12:44 pm
In the middle of large(ish) project for a restaurant.
Lull in actual production work due to client “thinking about things”.
Installed 10.7 on cloned copy of HD that was running 10.6.8 with Xpress 9.0.
Opened Xpress to do some tweaks and tidy stuff up.
Got a few of crashes of Xpress – but only when doing stuff like closing docs or printing – actually using Xpress was fine.
Decided it was not too much of a problem so repaired permissions again and persevered with quick-draw ‘Command-S-ing’.
Update to Xpress 9.0.1
Update to 10.7.1
Work comes back in.
Everything is fine and dandy with both the OS and Xpress. No crashes no problems.
That is all.
Carry on.
30. August 2011 at 1:17 pm
Great report, Bjørn! I’m glad you’re cruising right along. :-)
31. August 2011 at 3:28 pm
Quark 8.01 won’t even open any more! :( I have almost ALL of my files [20 years worth?] in QuarkXPress, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen. :( I hate to mention the “other” company but their older software isn’t giving me any trouble.
1. September 2011 at 11:32 am
Debi: yuck! Perhaps a quick online chat with Quark’s tech support will give you the key. But first, I would try the free upgrade to QuarkXPress 8.5.1 — which is a good idea anyway.
19. September 2011 at 6:18 am
With all due respect — Running 9 on Lion has been a big disappointment — having used Quark since it began on every MAC that’s been created for years, this is the most unstable program I have. A dozen times a day it crashes. Wake up Quark. The world is making other plans that don’t include you any more. I remember well that when I bought 8, I didn’t get to install it right away, so when I went to install it and it failed, I wasn’t even able to get tech support to get it running without paying for it — for a product I purchased from Quark! Now that’s customer service! Between activation codes, validations codes, serial numbers, Quark seems to have spent plenty of time protecting their IP — even legit customers can’t install their own software. It’s too bad. I’ve always preferred Quark, but I’m rethinking that decision for our studio.
19. September 2011 at 9:20 am
Dave,
Frequent crashing while working in documents is usually not an OS version conflict, but probably a font or picture problem, or perhaps corrupt documents or preferences. The best way to proceed is to determine a method for consistently reproducing the crash, then troubleshooting its cause by eliminating variables like those listed above.
Problems with installation are different, and for that I recommend you contact our online technical support, who will help you at no additional cost.
http://support.quark.com/chat/
If you still don’t get a satisfactory answer then feel free to contact me directly at dlogan@quark.com.
Dan Logan
Product Manager, QuarkXPress
19. September 2011 at 9:25 am
One important comment about Lion compatibility — while most of 9.1 has been certified on Lion, the one exception is the App Studio palette, which has a significant problem on Lion. The user interface on that palette was implemented using the Adobe Flash Player plugin, and on Lion it has an issue where text entered into edit fields records each keystroke twice. The workaround is to fix small entries using the arrow and delete key; or dealing with longer entries by typing them first into a text box or another application, then copy and pasting them into the field. I understand this is not a trivial workaround and we’re pushing for a quick resolution to this problem. As the problem is not within our own code I can’t commit to a timeframe, but I’m hopeful we’ll get a fix soon.
Dan Logan
Product Manager, QuarkXPress
21. September 2011 at 6:47 am
Thanks for the responses Dan. Unfortunately, there isn’t a common thread to the crashing — try though I have to find it. Our studio runs the same files/fonts/techniques on a half dozen other machines without that issue — only the Lion OS seems to encounter the problem. Luckily, we only implement new software on one or two systems at a time. I’m hoping that if I delay a roll-out, some of this will be addressed. It’s too soon to know, but I’m not looking to replicate this problem on a number of systems and users. That would flip the place upside down. Fonts, pictures, corrupt documents or preferences is a pretty wide net to try to identify a problem. If I send over a crash report (or two dozen or so), perhaps you can identify the culprit.
2. October 2011 at 6:58 am
My quark 8.01 does not open at all with Lion! Big disappointment.
I just purchased a new macbook pro. Anyone, any suggestions on what to do? Should I try to upgrade quark and see if it opens?
21. October 2011 at 10:28 am
QXP 9.1 with Lion (10.7.2):
Please help: I cannot export a document to 6,5 from the QXP 9.1. For me a big problem …
21. October 2011 at 12:01 pm
Steven: you’ll want to contact Quark’s free technical support. QuarkXPress 8 should run on Lion, so there is probably a permissions or prefs problem.
21. October 2011 at 12:01 pm
Ben: Yeah… every version of QuarkXPress has been able to export back to one version earlier. InDesign has the same limitation.
4. November 2011 at 11:17 am
Hey, is there experience with MarkzTool 8 for export documents from QXP 8 to 6…?
Best regards
Ben
31. January 2012 at 5:02 am
Nice new iMac (OSX10.7.2) – no Quark. V8.5 just crashes on startup, theres plenty of advice around but has anyone actually fixed this particular issue? Is there some Xtensions that need moving or adjustments to prefs/permissions? I have used Mac Migrate to shift apps and account from G5 to iMac. I can’t believe this is still a problem. I don’t want to go down the ‘why can’t they just leave things alone’ but….
15. February 2012 at 3:03 am
We have 3 MacIntosh’s on OSX 10.7.2
Xpress 8 crashed at launch on 2 of them. On these 2 machines, I first installed version 8.02, then update 8.162, then update 8.5.
Xpress 8 doesn’t crash on the MacIntosh where I FIRST INSTALLED version 8.5.
Try following:
– remove the “QuarkXPress 8″ folder from your “Applications” folder.
– download Xpress 8.5 update file (750 Mb)
– Install this Xpress 8.5.
This worked for me!
15. February 2012 at 9:06 am
Sergio: great tip! That’s certainly what I would try if faced with a crashing QXP 8 on Lion. Thanks for sharing!
15. February 2012 at 1:14 pm
Heres the fix for Quark on Lion:
Launch Quark .
go to preferences
click on XTension Manger
click the box “Always”
hit ok
if another box come up hit “ok” again
and you are go to go!
7. March 2012 at 5:58 am
Helene, if you are referring to the “Missing icons” problem, then a much better tip is to install QuarkXPress 9.2.1, which we released a few days ago:
http://www.quark.com/support/downloads/Details.aspx?fid=225
3. April 2012 at 2:47 pm
Today is my first day with an mac os lion and a quark 8.02. Well, i had more than 15 crashes until now, and in many different occasions. But crashing was my only trouble. Sometimes keyboard commands just stop to work, like save as or undo. They worked only if i use mouse and menus. And when i choose to restart quark, these troubles were solved for sometime. Its a sorrow day… I’ll have to work on In Design until august!
3. April 2012 at 2:59 pm
Jean: you’ll definitely want to update to the latest version of QuarkXPress 8 (8.5.1, I think). It’s a free update and will definitely work better on Lion.
4. April 2012 at 2:37 pm
got a free copy of 9 when we bought 8 and I installed it on new 27″ imac running lion, so far so good, my only question so far is how to overide the function keys to get Quark using them again? I’ve unclicked everything that was using an F-key in the Keyboard preference pane, restarted the mac, restarted Quark but f10 still controls the volume not the document layout, what am I not doing right?
4. April 2012 at 2:58 pm
Beth: this story may help you:
http://www.planetquark.com/2012/01/23/fkeys-quarkxpress-laptops/
It applies to more than just laptops, possibly your new iMac. Here’s the text of it:
————————
If your function keys (Fkeys) on your Mac don’t invoke the commands you expect them to in QuarkXPress (for example, if they change songs in iTunes instead of opening a QuarkXPress palette), read on…
On Mac portables and some desktop Macs, the function keys don’t work as function keys unless you hold down the fn key at the same time you press one. Instead, they change system settings such as sound level and display brightness.
If you want to reverse this behavior, so that pressing an Fkey invokes a software command, choose Apple menu> System Preferences> Keyboard & Mouse. Then in the Keyboard tab enable “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys”. The Fkeys will then operate as expected in QuarkXPress and other apps, but you will need to hold down the fn key when you want to use them to adjust sound, brightness, etc.
11. April 2012 at 9:05 am
Does anyone know how to get back the icons on the Shape menu and the arrows on the measurements bar? I’m using Quark 8.5.1 on Mac OS 10.7.3.
30. April 2012 at 1:04 pm
My computer was just upgraded to Lion and I am using Quark 9.1. When I open a Quark file, none of my fonts load automatically, I have to go in and relink each and every font. I have gone from Quark 7 (where I had no issue) to Quark 9 where my fonts won’t automatically open. I just started using Quark 9 since the Lion upgrade over this past weekend. Any thoughts?
30. April 2012 at 1:04 pm
My computer was just upgraded to Lion and I am using Quark 9.1. When I open a Quark file, none of my fonts load automatically, I have to go in and relink each and every font. I have gone from Quark 7 (where I had no issue) to Quark 9 where my fonts won’t automatically open. I just started using Quark 9 since the Lion upgrade over this past weekend. Any thoughts?
30. April 2012 at 1:08 pm
Actually, I just posted here and since the upgrade, I have also lost my Outlook email system. Any responses to my personal email would be much appreciated!
Thanks, Dianne
30. April 2012 at 2:12 pm
Dianne: I don’t think your font problem is related to QuarkXPress. Since you mentioned “automatically open”, I assume you’re using a font manager that uses an XTension for QuarkXPress to know which fonts a document used.
If that’s so, then you’ll need to get an updated auto-activation XTension for your font management utility, from the company that made it.
14. June 2012 at 4:14 pm
Quark 9 and Font Fusion 4 incompatible..so I downgraded to Quark 8 and Fusion 3 which I know work, but now can’t open projects created in 9. Stymied…
17. June 2012 at 2:52 pm
Arch: it sounds like you need a friend who will convert your QXP 9 projects down to QXP 8 for you…
If you’re using Suitcase Fusion, you could upgrade to get compatibility with QXP 9, though.
17. July 2012 at 9:29 am
I just got a new Mac Pro which is not cheap. Quark 8 does not work properly with Lion no matter what anyone said. About ten crashed a day and now not recognizing my fonts. I have lost over a month’s worth of work using Quark 8.
19. July 2012 at 8:35 am
I downloaded QuarkXpress 9 trial version for the Mac running Lion. I appears to work fine but when I close the application I get an error “QuarkXPress quit unexpectedly.” Why and what does this message mean? Could it be because I still have QuarkXPress 8 installed too? Now the question is, should I purchase an application that is clearly not working properly.
19. July 2012 at 9:48 am
Denise: it sounds like you need to contact Quark’s free technical support. There must be something goofy about the installation. :-(
19. July 2012 at 12:43 pm
Thanks, I talked with tech support they advised remove AutoUdate.xnt from XTensions folder. That worked.
19. July 2012 at 12:57 pm
Denise: glad to hear it! An odd solution, but at least it worked. :-)
26. July 2012 at 5:50 am
Here’s the info about QuarkXPress on Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8):
http://www.planetquark.com/2012/07/24/quarkxpress-and-os-x-mountain-lion/