Tag: HTML5 Publications

New Webinar Series for QuarkXPress – Free Tutorials

eSeminar, Learn, QuarkXPress 2018, Video TutorialNo Comments

A few weeks ago Quark has launched a new webinar series about QuarkXPress 2018.

Here are the first three:

Webinar 1 – HTML5 Publications (PWA)

Side note: Often these kind of HTML5 exports are called progressive web apps (PWA).

Topics:

  • See a HTML5 Publication live
  • Quickly convert a Print layout as HTML5 Publication
  • Start a new HTML5 Publication from scratch
  • Add interactivity such as movies, sound, animations, slideshows popups and more
  • Export, host and configure

InDesign users:
Note that with IDML Import in QuarkXPress 2018 you can also create an HTML5 Publication from InDesign by

  1. Creating an IDML file out of InDesign
  2. In QX2018 choose File – New – Project from IDML
  3. Follow the steps shown in the webinar

 

Webinar 2 – Create ebooks (part 1 of 2)

Topics:

  • Which formats for your ebook?
  • Create a new ebook from scratch
  • Reflow vs. fixed-layout ebook
  • Convert print to reflow ebook
  • Convert print to fixed-layout ebook

Please note that the first 10 minutes are theory, live software demo afterwards.

Webinar 3 – Create ebooks (part 2 of 2)

Topics:

  • Add interactivity to your reflow ebook
  • Add interactivity to your fixed-layout epub
  • Add meta data, hyperlinks & table of content
  • How does “Export for Kindle” from “Export to ePub” differ?
  • What are post-processing tools like Sigil and ePubCheck and when do you need them?

Future webinars

We are planning to publish a new webinar every two weeks. Topics include:

  • Creating native Android/iOS apps
  • Create print-ready PDF (PDF/X)
  • Creating tagged PDF
  • Working with OpenType features (typography)
  • Color Fonts (typography)
  • QuarkXPress for beginners (1st document)
  • Image Editing and Image Effects
  • Job Tickets (in details)
  • JavaScript for beginners
  • JavaScript for advanced
  • Color Management
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Troubleshooting
  • and more

Try it yourself – free of charge

As Quark offers a free trial version of QuarkXPress that runs for 7 days and is functionally not restricted, you can try all of this yourself – without any cost:

http://www.quark.com/Products/QuarkXPress/Test_Drive.aspx

 

Progressive Web App (PWA) out of QuarkXPress 2018

Digital Publishing, Learn, QuarkXPress 20181 Comment

Just out of fun I checked whether my recent export for “OpenType typography in HTML5” fulfills the criteria of a PWA (Progressive Web App).

Side note: HTML5 Publications out of QuarkXPress are basically progressive web apps.

And I was surprised:

The HTML5 Publication scored 100 (out of 100) in Lighthouse 2.9.1

So it is 100% compliant.

How to you check PWA compliance?

It’s easy using Chrome and Lighthouse:

  1. Use Google Chrome (the browser) on MacOS or Windows.
  2. Get the Lighthouse extension for Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lighthouse/blipmdconlkpinefehnmjammfjpmpbjk
  3. Browse to the website you want to audit (my im case: https://www.quarkforums.com/resources/2018/Ligatures/ ).
  4. In Chrome, open Developer Tools (menu “View > Developer > Developer Tools”).
  5. Click on the “Audits” tab.
  6. Click on “Perform an audit…”
  7. If not checked, check “Progressive Web App” and run audit.

How to create a PWA yourself?

With QuarkXPress 2018 you can easily create a new PWA or convert your print layout into a PWA.You can do that using the free trial version of QuarkXPress 2018:

http://www.quark.com/Products/QuarkXPress/Test_Drive.aspx

Here’s a recent webinar showing you how:

Can you convert a HTML page into PDF? And republish?

How-to, UncategorizedNo Comments

Often I see a HTML page and would like to print it. Or use it as a base for publishing something. For example our web team created beautiful pages that I’d like to use as the base of our next print brochure. Or I just want to import it, change it and republish as HTML.

Is that possible? Yes! I found a way using a “HTML to PDF converter” and QuarkXPress.

How to convert HTML to PDF to QuarkXPress

Using QuarkXPress 2016 and higher and EVO’s great “HTML to PDF converter”, you can use this workaround to convert HTML to PDF and to an editable QuarkXPress layout:

  1. Navigate to the following location: http://www.evopdf.com/demo/default.aspx
  2. Input any URL (in my example: http://www.quark.com/Products/QuarkXPress/InDesign-Alternative/) and convert to PDF.
  3. Import the resulting PDF into a new layout in QuarkXPress 2017.
  4. “Convert to editable objects”.
  5. You probably have to replace fonts or merge text boxes. Make the changes needed so that it looks great. Check whether anything didn’t convert well.
  6. Export as PDF or as HTML using QuarkXPress 2017. Set up color management to get good results.

Instead of using EVO you could also use the “Print as PDF” out of your browser (replacing step 1&2).

Screenshots of example flow:

Step 1: Enter the URL into EVO’s demo website and convert website to PDF
Step 2: Download the PDF
Step 3: Create new layout…
Step 3: …and import PDF into QuarkXPress
Step 4: In QuarkXPress, convert to native objects
Step 5: Replace missing fonts
Step 6: You are done, you now have the HTML page as an editable layout with editable objects in QuarkXPress. Feel free to change and output as PDF or HTML or ebook or native app

Important!

Please make sure that you value copyrights and intellectual property.

So when you use images or text that you didn’t create yourself, do not publish them without having consent and/or a license from the copyright holder or original creator!

And please do not misuse the demo of “EVO’s HTML to PDF Converter”. If you use it often, please buy their product (or a similar product).

 

QuarkXPress 2017 Now Available

Feature, News, Quark, QuarkXPress 2017, UpgradeNo Comments

New Version of QuarkXPress Introduces Non-Destructive Image Editing and Adds the Ability to Create Responsive HTML5 Publications and “Unlimited” iOS Apps; Continues to be Available as a Perpetual Lifetime License – No Subscription Necessary!

Quark Software Inc. announced the official availability of QuarkXPress 2017, the newest version of Quark’s fully-integrated graphic design and desktop publishing software for professional print and digital production.

QuarkXPress 2017 introduces new graphics and image editing capabilities, such as non-destructive image editing, and extends text and typography features, such as text stroking and shading. The new version includes a range of the top user-requested features and continues to be sold as a perpetual license.

New Features Delivered
Hundreds of thousands of users around the world who value quality and performance choose QuarkXPress as one of their primary design tools based on its performance, stability, sustainable pricing structure, and consistent feature innovation. QuarkXPress 2017 delivers on all counts with new powerful features that span image and vectors, typography and text, digital publishing, and many new customer wish list features.

Major Highlights
Just a few of the many new features in QuarkXPress 2017 include:

  • Non-destructive Image Editing: Edit images by adjusting levels and curves, changing brightness and contrast, applying gamma correction and much more. All adjustments are non-destructive, so original images stay intact.
  • Adaptive Layout Conversion for Print and Digital: QuarkXPress supports the rapid conversion of print layouts into digital media or even from one print layout to another. Adaptive conversion lets designers duplicate a layout and automatically resize all design elements, even if the layout is converted to different aspect ratios.
  • Responsive HTML5 Publications (Multi Device Output): QuarkXPress 2017 can export multiple digital layouts of different sizes as a single HTML5 package. For example, designers can create a layout for an iPad (vertical and horizontal orientations), duplicate the layout using Adaptive Settings for an iPhone and adjust it accordingly.
  • Convert to Native Objects Enhancements: With the introduction of this game-changing feature, QuarkXPress is the first layout application to convert almost any third party content and layout such as PDF, Adobe Illustrator, EPS, InDesign and Microsoft Office files to native, editable QuarkXPress objects. Based on user feedback, this capability has now been greatly enhanced. For example, converted images can optionally be saved to disk and linked to the QuarkXPress layout, keeping their resolution, color model, and color profiles.
  • “Unlimited” Free iOS Apps: Use the QuarkXPress digital layout capabilities to create innovative interactive experiences, all 100% based on HTML5. Now designers can create as many single iOS apps as they would like. No subscription, no per-app fee, all done directly from within QuarkXPress 2017. ˚‡

These are just a few of the many new features included in QuarkXPress 2017. For more information please visit: www.quark.com. For a comprehensive overview of QuarkXPress 2017, check out the What’s New video. Download the free Trial Version for a fully-functional test of the new version.

QuarkXPress 2017: Switch, Upgrade, or Purchase a New License
To purchase or upgrade to QuarkXPress 2017, visit the Quark eStore, call Quark Telesales, or find an Authorised Quark Reseller.

Upgrade or Purchase: Users on any previous version of QuarkXPress (versions 3-10 and 2015) can upgrade to version 2017 for $399/£345/€399. QuarkXPress 2016 users can upgrade to 2017 for only $185/£159/€185, and new licenses are available for $849/£709/€829. Education licenses are available for $79/£69/€79.

Switch with the New Competitive Upgrade Offer: For a limited time, users of alternative graphic design software products who want to switch or add QuarkXPress to their workflow can purchase a full new license of QuarkXPress 2017 (Mac/Win) for just $399/£345/€399.

With eligible proof of ownership of a qualifying competing product, any designer can get a new full QuarkXPress 2017 license for the low price of an upgrade. Eligible products are: InDesign®,  FrameMaker®, Lightroom®, PageMaker®, Photoshop®, Capture One® Pro, CorelDraw®, Microsoft® Publisher, and Serif PagePlus®. All versions of qualifying products are accepted including, perpetual and subscription licenses, single products, or licenses that are part of a Creative Suite or Creative Cloud®. To learn more about the competitive upgrade offer please visit: http://content.quark.com/switch-to-quarkxpress-us.html.

˚ Restrictions apply
‡ Own Webserver/Domain is required

Do you still work this way? Modern ways to share Print layouts over the internet

Learn, QuarkXPress 2016, WebsiteNo Comments

Often you want to share a Print layout over the internet. What are your options?

 

The “old” way

PDF?

Typically you might create a screen PDF and put it on your webserver. Though great for Print, PDF have several shortcomings over the web. In a browser they look strange (double navigation). On mobile devices they do not really offer interactivity. And accessibility depends on how you created the PDF. And so on.

Flash???

Not really. Go six years back and though Flash was widely spread it was already not the ideal format. Security holes, high CPU requirements (remember the fans of your device starting to howl?) and – maybe worst – they never worked on mobile devices.

Flipbook Services?

Sure, they offer you a one-stop solution. Typically you submit a PDF to them, pay them a fee and they create some kind of interactive format. In the past often Flash, nowadays some kind of HTML.

Have you ever used a flipbook? The issues beside having to pay a fee and maybe having to host it somewhere outside your web infrastructure are in my humble opinion the user experience:

Often these flipbooks only offer two zoom levels, one that lets you hardly read text, the other so large that it is difficult panning around. Text is often an image, which doesn’t make them available to accessibility features like screen readers (to read out loud). “Searching” is mostly not possible in the browser, it’s prefabricated in the UI. And interactivity is limited to maybe videos and audio. And should the flipbook service decide to discontinue the service, you are stuck again.

 

The modern way: Pixel-perfect HTML5

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just convert a Print layout with three mouse clicks to an interactive, web-friendly format? That allows you to add interactivity, works in a browser, giving you search and magnification?

And of course it should work on all devices, Desktop and mobile. And without additional fees.

That’s what HTML5 Publications promise to do:

  1. Convert out of a Print layout created in QuarkXPress 2016 with just three clicks
  2. Export standard HTML5
  3. Run on all platforms (mobile and desktop browsers)
  4. Text stays text and all typographic and design features are kept, pixel-perfect, as you created them
  5. No extra charge (besides QuarkXPress and web space)

Have a look how easily this is created out of QuarkXPress 2016, as many and as often as you want:

 

Best of all, using the free Test Drive of QuarkXPress 2016 you can try that yourself for 30 days:
http://content.quark.com/QX2016_RequestLP-EN.html

Warning:

If you use PostScript fonts (Type-1 fonts) then these will not work in HTML5. You have two options to replicate your Pritn layout as HTML5 Publication then:

  1. Substitute the Type-1 font with a TrueType font or OpenType font. Both formats will work well and keep typographic features such as kerning.
  2. If you need to keep your Type-1 font, then make sure QuarkXPress exports these text boxes as an image. You can define that in the measurement palette when being in a Digital layout. At the very right for each text box there’s a check box besides a small camera symbol to “Convert to Graphic Upon Export”. Use Item Find/Change to easily change all text boxes to export as image.

In the next post I’ll show you how to add interactivity like video, animations and slideshows and how to deploy them on your own webserver.