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As a part of today's major Adobe announcements, the company has gone into detail for the upgrades present in its design software. Illustrator CC features a new Touch Type tool, which lets people manipulate individual characters in text while still maintaining control over font and other edits. Multi-touch devices have been added as a form of input.
Following up on our previous story, Adobe is now offering a ZIP archive of replacement files and instructions for 2012 MacBook Air and Pro model users running OS X 10.7.4 on how to manually patch a bug that causes InDesign (CS5 and higher) to fail on those machines. Though not as simple as a patch installer, the company's instructions are clear and relatively easy to follow -- and appear to fix the issue, which centered around how a particular API handles icon management.
Adobe began the week early with official launch details of Creative Suite 6 and Creative Cloud. The collection of professional tools are available for pre-order as of Monday and should ship within 30 days.
Extensis has released Suitcase Fusion 4, an update of its font manager for Mac and Windows. The software handles both browsing and control tasks. New to Fusion 4 is the concept of Font Panels, which integrate functions directly into Adobe's InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Fonts can be previewed and activated without having to leave Adobe software.
A free, fully-functional public beta of CameraBag 2 has been made available by Nevercenter. The updated software features a new Analog Engine capable of retaining smooth colors, even when applying numerous modifications simultaneously. As effects are added, they are placed into a bottom tray as tiles where they can be edited or rearranged at anytime. In addition, the company is currently offering free upgrade licenses to anyone who purchases the original CameraBag before version 2.0 is officially launched.
iDML is a new iPad application that allows users to edit stories from InDesign documents directly on their mobile device. The software shows all stories within an InDesign document and prevents layouts and third party data from being modified during the editing process. It also displays a list of all fonts and styles used throughout the document, allowing users to quickly assign matching formats to different text selections. iDML is being offered in the App Store for $20 and is compatible with all iPad devices running iOS 3.2 or higher.
Annotations 1.0 for Adobe InDesign is a plug-in from DTP Tools that allows users to import text edits, yellow sticky notes, comments and more from PDF documents directly into InDesign. The company says the plug-in is the first of "several" new products that will allow users of other programs ways to more easily participate in the creation of InDesign documents. Annotations should improve productivity dramatically when making changes based on PDF worksheets.
Adobe has announced a free public beta of a new WYSIWIG web design tool it has presently dubbed Muse (code name). It is a web design tool built on Adobe's AIR platform, created with the aim of easily allowing graphic designers familiar with InDesign to create web pages without the need to code in HTML. It was developed in response to requests from graphic designers who typically design the look and feel of a website, but who were frustrated by the inability to turn their design directly into a webpage.
Developer David Blatner has made one of the most popular of his Blatner Tools plug-ins for Adobe InDesign available separately from the suite, available through DTP Tools. The plug-in, called Power Styles, is aimed specifically at documents that were developed without a consistent use of styles or no styles. The plug-in automatically generates new styles with generic names based on existing styles.
Adobe has announced Creative Suite 5.5, an update to its major creative applications including InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Premiere Pro, and After Effects along with a new SDK for Photoshop CS5. The company -- which now offers new monthly subscription-based pricing options for each of the major suite bundles -- says the new version brings advances to HTML5, Flash authoring, digital publishing and video tools as well as new capabilities to help integrate tablet-oriented designs into creative workflows. Also present is a final version of Audition for the Mac; the SDK is the Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit (SDK).
Layer Comps 2.0, an updated plug-in for Adobe InDesign (versions CS3 and higher for both Mac and Windows) enables users to record different layout variations of documents, enabling the same content to be re-arranged for many different formats or platforms within a single document. The new version adds further recording abilities, as well as features specifically geared for iPad and tablet publishing.
The upcoming iPad-capable version of Packager for iPhone will be part of an update bundle for Creative Suite 5, says AppleInsider. The collection is said to be named "Creative Suite 5.5 Digital Publishing," and include Flash Professional CS 5.5, reportedly in beta testing. Likewise tagging along should be Flash Catalyst CS 5.5, an "interaction design tool" with features like live app design and the ability to deploy for the web, desktops or mobile devices.
MacTech has announced that its DNS service provider, ZoneEdit, was hit with a denial of service attack yesterday, making the company's servers unavailable. In light of this, MacTech has extented the pre-registration pricing for the MacTech Boot Camp to January 18th. The event will take place in San Francisco on Jan 26th, and will provide sessions geared towards small/medium business communities. Registration costs have been set at $495, however, those who take advantage of pre-registration will save $100. The complete event schedule can be found online, along with travel and hotel information, registration forms, and more.
Em Software's data-publishing applications have been updated to be compatible with Adobe InDesign CS5, the company reports, adding some new features as well as expanding compatibility to the current version of Adobe's publishing app. All three applications -- InData, InCatalog and Xtags -- now take advantage of some of the new features found in InDesign CS5, including column-straddling and multi-column paragraph properties.
A Belgian software house has announced a public beta of RovingBird ePublisher, a two-step solution that takes Adobe InDesign CS5 publications and turns them into apps ready for the App Store without users knowing or seeing a single line of code. Interactive features, live links, ad-hoc distribution or submission to the App Store and more can be part of the finished application.
ID Image Catalog, an app that uses Adobe's InDesign program to automatically create catalog pages from a folder of images, has been updated to version 4.0, now offering grouped images and text frames, a facing-pages option, automatic updates and object styles for easier customization. Because the program now supports Snow Leopard (10.6) only, the purchase includes previous version 3.9 which continues Tiger (10.4) and Leopard (10.5) support.
A new update to Xinet's WebNative Suite has added Adobe CS5 support to Picture Wrangler ID, WebNative ID, Annotator ID, and Asset Browser ID. The four plug-ins have been created to work with Adobe InDesign, providing users with additional features not found in the default software. For example, Picture Wrangler ID provides one-click relinking between FPO and high-resolution versions of images, while Annotator ID can be used to create PDF's that contain interactive links to images that reside on the WebNative server. To purchase the WebNative Suite, customers must contact one of the specially trained Authorized Xinet Integrators in their area, however a free demo of the software can be requested through Xinet's website.
DTP Tools has launched an updated tool suite, Blatner Tools for InDesign CS5, and a new beta plug-in, Active Tables for Adobe InDesign. Blatner Tools is a collection of 12 plug-ins -- now available for InDesign CS5 -- that provide InDesign users with over 100 new capabilities -- they include features like creating character and paragraph styles and applying them across a document quickly, finding and replacing colors and managing keyboard shortcuts. Users can also browse undo lists, create formatted fractions and run live typographic preflight tests. The tools contain David Blatner InDesign tips plug-ins, which are no longer available via free plug-ins. The tools have a Script Manager and over 50 user-customizable shortcuts, like swatches, managing layers and styles.
The New Yorker confirmed late Tuesday that it was working on an iPad magazine app. The new magazine will use the same Adobe Digital Magazine platform that powers the pioneering app for Wired's edition rather than the Conde Nast equivalent being used for other magazines with the publisher. One WWD source justified it as noticeably superior Conde Nast's app, which is designed to translate relatively easily to other platforms.
Insider Software has released a series of FontAgent Pro plug-ins for Adobe's Creative Suite 5 suite of applications. The new plug-ins automatically activate fonts used in documents as they are opened in CS5 programs such as InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop.
Adobe today formally introduced the Digital Publishing Platform, technology for both producing and reading publications meant for tablets, smartphones and other hardware. The Wired iPad app is cited as an initial example of the company's digital viewer software; while retaining much of the look of a print magazine, it includes a number of interactive and video elements, and the ability to browse contents via a zoomed-out mode. The interactivity extends to advertising, which like Apple's forthcoming iAd is intended to better lure people in while not forcing them to leave an app.
Wired today set a possible benchmark for e-reading after its New York Bureau Chief John Abell revealed that over 24,000 copies of the iPad magazine were sold in just the first 24 hours. The number is a rarity for digital magazines and would have made the Conde Nast magazine $83,832 in one day after Apple collected its royalties. The figure comes even with a large half-gigabyte download and a relatively high $5 price.
Managing Editor says it has released a v6.2 update for the vjoon K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform. The software is aimed at larger publishers of content like books, magazines and websites, and allows workers to submit and collaborate on content in a coordinated way. The v6.2 code mainly introduces support for Adobe's just-launched Creative Suite 5. In particular, users can -- for example -- take advantage of interactivity options in InDesign, or the ability to publish for handhelds.
As promised earlier this month, Adobe has begun shipping Creative Suite 5, a major revision of the company's flagship software. Of special emphasis is the shift to 64-bit code; After Effects, Photoshop and Premiere Pro have made the transition. Also present are new versions of Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash and various supporting apps, all with major feature additions. Flash is the second highlight of the suite, gaining tools for cross-platform development.
Adobe has formally unveiled Creative Suite 5, the next generation of its flagship software collection. The new suite makes several major changes, perhaps most notably upgrading Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere Pro to 64-bit code on Mac and Windows systems, improving speed on modern multi-core processors. Premiere Pro further supports acceleration from NVIDIA-based video cards, making it practical to edit in real-time or play back projects without rendering first.
Elpical on Monday released an update to its Claro series of image-enhancement utilities. Version 7 now supports direct integration with Adobe InDesign, while adding new analysis and correction tools for skin-tone adjustments. The software also provides indexed colorspace options and support for e-book readers such as Amazon's Kindle.
Zevrix Solutions has announced the release of a new document packaging workflow automation tool for Adobe InDesign. Package Central automates InDesign packaging by processing files from hotfolders and offers font auto-activation, e-mail notifications, detailed processing logs, and more. The software runs on a dedicated machine and can monitor a list of "hot folders" that are linked to its workflow settings. All of Package Central's functions can be automated allowing it to run unattended and support has been included for submitting files from both Mac and PC computers. Package Central runs on Mac OS X 10.4.2 through 10.6 and can be purchased for $500.
Markzware has launched v2 of its utility for content searching and retrieval, PageZephyr. The software provides tools for searching through QuarkXPress, InDesign, and MS Publisher files, while enabling text to be exported in RTF or TXT formats. Version 2 offers new ways to search files, incorporating support for less common formats such as .indd, .qxd, and .pub. Users can also now search for a specific area of interest across different file types.
iPresentee has released a new set of iWeb Intros to be used with Apple's website-building application. iWeb Intros 3.0 is a collection of five short Flash animations that can be used as a way to welcome guests to a webpage. The package includes Cityscape, Sunset, Highway, Nature and Factory, with each customizable using static and animated text. iWeb Intros requires a Macintosh computer with either iLife '08 or iLife '09 installed. Each Flash intro can be purchased individually for $10, or the package of all five can be ordered for $30.
Some major changes are planned for the Mac version of Adobe's Creative Suite 5, say sources claimed to be familiar with the pre-release software. Of these the most important may be in Photoshop CS5, which will finally make the switch to 64-bit code. The technology had been planned to go into CS4, and indeed Windows users have been operating in 64-bit mode for some time. The earlier Mac code was rooted in 32-bit Carbon architecture however, requiring an overhaul for the more modern Cocoa standard.
Zevrix has released BatchOutput 3.6, an update to the company's InDesign companion plug-in. The program is designed to handle automatic printing and exporting of multiple InDesign documents in different formats. The new version adds a series of features and improvements, including automated preflighting of final PDFs with Acrobat Pro preflight droplets. Exportable formats now include TIFF, PNG, GIF, and BMP, among others.
Moksa and Insider Software have together announced the release of TypeTrax, a supporting tool for Canto's Cumulus 8 DAM suite. When a user imports an InDesign project into Cumulus, TypeTrax is employed to automatically import all fonts and files required. It accomplishes this in part by checking the differences between fonts in incoming projects and those on a user's system.
DTP has released Blatner Tools, a suite of 12 plug-ins for Adobe InDesign. An included utility allow users to analyze documents for application of character and paragraph styles, while another tool finds colors such as spot colors inside placed graphics. An Extras menu provides access to scripts, or users can compare styles and remove unwanted text formatting from entire documents.
DTP Tools has announced a public beta of the Blatner Tools suite, a set of 12 InDesign plug-ins designed for functions such as automatically applying paragraph styles or locating colors within placed graphics. The plug-ins feature over 100 new features and provide tools for controlling text, comparing paragraph styles, or applying keyboard shortcuts to layers, styles or color swatches. For keeping track of changes, it includes a lite version of the company’s History plug-in which displays a panel listing of all past actions.
Markzware has released a v6.5 update for FlightCheck Professional, its specialized preflighting tool. The software scrutinizes output documents for problems that could potentially affect the print process, such as trapping, overprinting and mismatched color spaces. The app then flags source issues, which can be corrected through a separate publishing suite.
Elpical has introduced Claro Layout, a plug-in for InDesign that provides tools for image enhancement and correction. The utility automatically runs quality analysis and then makes the necessary adjustments. Users can integrate RGB images during layout, and then optimize the content without leaving InDesign.
Zevrix Solutions has released v4 of its Adobe InDesign plug-in, LinkOptimizer Light. The software is used to convert between various image formats and eliminate excess image data, effectively reducing the time spent processing images for online posting. The latest version improves the link information table, allowing users to view selected links in the InDesign document. The update also enhances back-up and relinking features, with options to optimize links for external use, such as web design, without relinking back to InDesign.
axaio has released new versions of its MadeToPrint line of products, used to standardize output from InDesign and QuarkXPress. The line consists of MadeToPrint Standard, MadeToPrint Auto, and MadeToPrint Server. The Auto and Server versions integrate into various publishing systems, including vjoon's K4 and WoodWing's Smart Connection Enterprise. The update exports fully imposed PDFs.
InfoLogic has posted v6.4 of MathMagic, its equation editor. The app is divided into two main editions: Personal, which exports generalized output, and Pro, which includes plug-ins for either InDesign or QuarkXPress. The plug-ins are said to improve the quality of output, and speed up the insertion of equations into publishing documents.
Zevrix has launched a new version of its InDesign optimization software, LinkOptimizer 4. The application helps resize InDesign jobs, while increasing processing speed by eliminating excess data. With the update LinkOptimizer is now a Cocoa-based plug-in, armed with a redesigned user interface and over 20 added features such as setting presets, resampling methods and detailed processing logs.
XChange UK and ThePowerXChange have released Chartbot Barcodes, a new add-on for InDesign and QuarkXPress. Users can produce 1D, 2D and postal barcodes, without having to apply special barcode fonts. The software specifically works with variable data sources such as InDesign's Data Merge, and can automatically encode, checksum and resize graphics without reformatting a database.
Teacup Software has added several new features to its TypeFitter Pro plug-in for Adobe InDesign and InCopy. The software is designed to fix problems when pasting text into an InDesign spread. The Gap-toothed columns feature automatically detects and fixes gaps at the bottom of a text column without affecting vertical spacing. The update also offers Stubby chapter ends, a utility that tightens or loosens document text to prevent small numbers of words from being pushed to the last page or column.
Xinet has released three WebNative plug-ins for Adobe CS4: WebNative ID, Annotator ID, and Asset Browser ID. Each plug-in is designed to help merge the new features in CS4 with the company’s digital asset management software. WebNative ID is an application that creates previews for documents, and contains links to images used. Owners can also drag and drop images from the web preview directly into InDesign documents on the desktop. WebNative ID will only create previews for documents that have been saved after the program has been installed.
Meadows Publishing has announced a new plug-in for Adobe InDesign CS4, DesignMerge Pro. The software works within the InDesign application and enables variable data publishing, personalized printing, document automation features, and professional mail-merge. It supports text, picture, article, complete InDesign layouts, and master pages. DesignMerge Pro also includes a printing function designed for digital short-run color printers and copiers that are in need of quick throughput, and supports PostScript, PPML, and Creo VPS data printing formats.
WoodWing has released an updated plug-in for Adobe's InDesign publishing software. Smart Image CS4 is said to be aimed at organizations like magazines and newspapers, which frequently need to place caption and credit information alongside photos in their publications. The plug-in is used to automatically generate text frames around images, borrowing information from XMP or IPTC metadata.
XChange UK has announced CtrlChanges, a plug-in for Adobe InDesign and InCopy that helps users spot changes in an InDesign document. Created for situations in which more than one user is working with a document, the plug-in displays both added and removed text in the layout view. The software also provides users with information showing who has made a change, and at what time it was authored. CtrlChanges is available in three different versions: Light, Standard and Pro.
Zevrix has posted an update to one of its InDesign companion plug-ins, BatchOutput. The app handles automatic export and printing of data from InDesign, to print-specific formats such as PDF, PostScript and EPS, or alternately JPEG or SWF. Users can quickly bring files into the program through Finder integration, and process multiple documents at a time using a single range of settings.
Managing Editor Inc. has announced that its vjoon K4 5.9 R8 publishing system is now compatible with Adobe Creative Suite 4. The K4 layout and editing plug-ins for InDesign and InCopy, as well as the K4 modules including Web Editor, File Manager and Overview have been revised to work with the latest Adobe software. The company has also brought CS4 compatibility to its Notes Manager, Overset Manager and Revision Manager plug-ins.
GLUON has released an update to StudioPack ID, a collection of publishing tools for Adobe InDesign. Included in the pack are Slugger, which automatically updates slugs and includes a designer, and Cropster, which simplifies the creation of mechanical layouts. Another long-standing tool in the pack is ProScale, which resizes documents without skewing text or imagery.
WoodWing has begun distributing Enterprise 6, an update to its signature publishing platform. The software links InDesign, InCopy and web-based content management systems, as well as a variety of other applications. New to the sixth edition is the Content Station, which lets users pull material from third-party sources such as DAM and wire systems in order to build content packages. The app reduces the need to leave Enterprise, and additionally includes an XML editor for creating digital-only output.
