QuarkXPress Integration with Adobe Creative Suite 3
Page 12

Tables

Tables are quite different in QuarkXPress. In InDesign, you must first create a text box and then insert the table much like an anchored item. Images in cells in InDesign tables also act much like anchored objects, which means that they sometimes cannot be directly manipulated in the same way as they can in QuarkXPress. However, QuarkXPress doesn’t offer the same freedom to control individual cell borders, and the process of creating running headers is quite different.

QuarkXPress has a dedicated Table tool. Draw the table on the page and you will then be asked for the cell content.

Content can be linked from cell to cell like from text box to text box. Cells can be converted between Text and Picture modes. The context menu (Ctrl+Click/Right­click) is perhaps the easiest way to do that.

To link to an external Excel file, check the Link to External Data box when creating your table. If you plan to connect to the data only and don’t want your QuarkXPress formatting to disappear when the data updates, uncheck the Include Formats and (usually) the Include Geometry checkboxes. Table data can be updated like pictures using the Utilities > Usage window. Unlike high resolution images, if a table is missing, your file can be printed without any problems.

You can also import pie charts from Excel. Simply draw a picture box and then import your .xsl Excel file into it using the File > Import Picture (Command+E) command.

To create running headers and footers, first split your Table using the Tables menu, then select the row you want to use as your Header or Footer row, then use Table > Repeat as the Header.

QuarkXPress tables can have separate transparency settings for the grid, each cell, each character, etc. Use the regular colour and transparency controls and the Measurement palette/Modify dialogue box.

Linking

Unlike InDesign, QuarkXPress uses a dedicated tool to link together text boxes.

You can link and unlink text boxes using the Link and Unlink Tools in your Tools palette. Linking is quite simple: simply click the boxes you want to link. However there must be a place to link to, so create your text boxes in advance.

If you plan on linking multiple boxes, a useful trick that works with many tools is sticky tools.

QuarkXPress will usually return to either the Item or Content tool after you use one of the other tools, but if you plan to create or link multiple boxes, you’ll want your chosen tool to remain active. Simply hold down the Option key when you select your tool. For example, to link together several boxes in one chain, hold down the Option key when you initially select the linking tool. When you are done, simply click on the next tool that you want to use to cancel the ‘sticky tool’.

You can unlink boxes by choosing the Unlink tool and click­ing on the arrowhead of the box that you want to break off.

Quark XPert Tools Pro provides advanced functionality for linking and unlinking boxes for power users via the XPert TextLink palette. See the PDF manual that comes with XPert Tools for details.

Printing

Printing from QuarkXPress is quite similar to InDesign. You can access all other kinds of output, such as PDF, using the File > Export menu. For more on PDF and output sets, see the PDF chapter of this booklet.

QuarkXPress Exclusives

QuarkXPress has some features that InDesign doesn’t offer. You can learn more about them from your training videos, PDF manuals and the resource centre. (See the Links section.) Following are short descriptions of some of the key capabilities.

Comoposition zones™

Share an entire layout with someone else, or divide a page that you are working on with live updates or email updates. Invaluable for sharing ads or collaborating on multi­page documents.

Quark Job Jackets®

A simple text file that lets you synchronize style sheets, colours, house design rules, PDF settings and more between multiple designers, printers and even clients. Keep your campaigns, publications and team members on the same page.

Flash (SWF) output

QuarkXPress can design for multiple media simultaneously using multiple layouts in the same project. You can even take an existing print layout and convert it for electronic publishing. For more details, see the Flash chapter in this booklet and the Help and PDF manuals for the Quark Interactive Designer XTensions software.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

If you enjoy our articles, click here to subscribe.
Free JavaScripts provided by The JavaScript Source