X-Ray Magazine v5n6 QuarkXPress 8: A Suite Response

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QuarkXPress 8: A Suite Response

DID YOU BORROW MY TOOLS?

Now, about that tool palette.... The first time I saw the new tool palette, I felt like a kindergartner with a box of oversized sidewalk chalk — but this design is part of Quark's new iconography plan for QuarkXPress 8 (that extends all the way to the application icon and document-representation icons). Gone are the delicate (and, admittedly, hard to decipher) tiny tools and in their place are large icons that you can see from across the room. Not that this is bad, mind you, it's just different — and it took time for me to come to appreciate it.

When you look at the tool palette it's hard to miss that something's missing. In fact, lots of things are missing. As it turns out, missing isn't exactly the proper term. They're consolidated.

Let's first peruse a summary of the streamlining concept when applied to the tool palette, and then we'll delve into the new behaviors of the tools.

Figure 9a and 9b The before and after shot of the tool palette are both shown here.

		Item tool: Starting at the top, there is a tool that closely resembles the item tool, and you'll find that this tool has maintained its functionality, if not its look. Double-clicking with the item tool now works more intelligently. For example, you can double-click a text box to switch to the text content tool for text editing, or double-click a picture box to import a file or modify the box. Preferences let you control what happens when you double click a box.

		Text content tool: Use the text content tool to edit text or to draw a rectangular text box and immediately switch to text-editing mode. Text linking and unlinking tools: Use the text linking tool to flow text between boxes. Use the text unlinking tool to break the flow of text between boxes. Note: The content tool has been replaced by the text content tool and picture content tool. Note: The tools in the text on a path group no longer exist. Instead of drawing a text path, draw a line, and then double click it with the text content tool.

		Picture content tool: Use the picture content tool to work with pictures in picture boxes, or to draw a rectangular picture box and immediately import a picture.

		Rectangular box tool: Use the rectangular box tool to create rectangular boxes that accept both text and pictures. Oval box tool: Use the oval box tool to create oval-shaped boxes. Press SHIFT to create circular boxes that accept both text and pictures. Starburst tool: Use the starburst tool to create star-shaped boxes that accept both text and pictures. Composition Zones tool: Use the composition zones tool to create composition zones items.

		Line tool: Use the line tool to create straight lines at any angle. Note: The tools in the line tools group of previous versions have been replaced by the line tool and the tools in the Bézier tool group. Note: The orthogonal line tool has been removed. You create orthogonal lines (and lines at 45° angles) by pressing SHIFT before drawing.

		Bézier pen tool: Use the Bézier Pen tool to draw and edit Bézier lines and boxes. Modifier keys (SHIFT, OPTION, COMMAND, and so on) make it easy for you to add, remove, and convert the points of the Bézier lines without having to switch tools. Add point tool: Use the add point tool to add a point to a Bézier line or box segment. Add a point to an existing path by clicking the path with the Bézier pen tool. Remove point tool: Use the remove point tool to delete a point from a Bézier line or box segment. Remove a point by clicking it with the Bézier pen tool. Convert point tool: Use the convert point tool to convert a Bézier point or line segment to a different type. Convert a point or line segment by pressing OPTION and then clicking (Mac) or pressing ALT then clicking (Windows) with the Bézier pen tool. Scissors tool: Use the scissors tool to cut a box or line segment by adding Bézier points. Select point tool: Use the select point tool to select a Bézier point. Freehand drawing tool: Use the freehand drawing tool to draw a line with a continuous motion.

		Table tool: Use the table tool to create tables.

		Zoom tool: Use the zoom tool to zoom in on the layout. Press OPTION (Mac) or ALT (Windows) and click to zoom out. Pan tool: Use the pan tool to scroll the layout in any direction.