INPUT: a few dollars for new software + a little time to learn to use it
OUTPUT: time saved; errors minimized; consistent and dynamic-looking pages
Tremendous advantage can be gained through effective application of digital techniques and technologies, advises Irving S. Berman, digital production and workflow specialist for 21st Century Publishing and Communications (21C).
Of course it helps to know the tools to use.
So Berman compiled this list of concisely described software automation tools to share with BookTech readers. As extensive as it is, it is still by no means a definitive list, he says, and he invites readers to help him add to it by e-mailing him at ISBerman@aol.com.
21C, a division of Tiger Dragon International Corp., is a design, composition, prepress and print production services and packaging company dedicated to using the most advanced automation software, tools and techniques in publishing for its clients.
Artville Images / Artville
Utility: Original artwork, color corrected and royalty free.
Autopage / KyTek
QuarkXTension: Autopage is an extremely intelligent, award-winning XTension and automated page layout system that generates industry standard QuarkXPress pages automatically. Users report that the time required to produce high-volumes of complex pages is reduced by up to 75 percent, when comparing pages produced in QuarkXPress with Autopage versus without Autopage.
AutoPrice / Meadows Information Systems
QuarkXTension: Provides linking of QuarkXPress documents to external databases and supports text, pictures and versioning.
BatchProcessing / Meadows Information Systems
QuarkXTension: Utilities for processing multiple documents, supporting printing, collecting for output, updating pictures and search and replace.
BeyondPress 4.0 / Extensis
QuarkXTension: This QuarkXPress to HTML conversion and Web authoring software allows users to create Web pages without programming in HTML. Features DHTML (Dynamic HTML) positioning, which allows users to retain the look, feel and accurate layout of their original document.
David's Place XT / Jintek
QuarkXTension: Allows users to place text and graphics on the page without first creating a text or picture box; free at www.jintek.com.
Everything CD for Macintosh Scripting / ISO Productions
Scripting: A comprehensive resource of demos and run-ready scripts, with AppleScript source code, available to be viewed, edited, copied and pasted for plug-and-play usage and rapid script development; conveniently arranged in a superbly organized searchable database.
Eye Candy / Alien Skin Software
Photoshop Plug-In: A collection of 21 award-winning, labor-saving, automated production filters including drop shadows, inner bevel, glass, cutouts, glows, water drops, swirl, chrome, fire, smoke, motion trail and more. A version for animation, film, video and CD production is also available.
FlightCheck / Markzware Software
Application: Intelligently inspects QuarkXPress and PageMaker files, reporting potential problems with colors, fonts, images, formats, etc.; upon approval automatically collects all related files and fonts for output.
GluonArtSlugger / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically places registration and crop marks, along with file name and path information, around selected graphics.
GluonBatchPrinter / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically prints all Quark documents in folders and nested folders using user-defined default print set-ups.
GluonBoxWaves / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Creates wavy run-arounds for boxes with control over wave types, size and frequency.
GluonCopyReader / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Reads text out loud using the Mac's built-in speech utility for proofreading and content checking.
GluonEPSMaker / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically saves pages, ranges of pages, documents and folders of documents as separate EPS files.
GluonGuides / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically places guides and tabs with control of placement up to one 1000th of a point.
GluonPICTMaker / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Saves Quark pages, documents and batches of documents to disk as high-resolution PICT files for multimedia use.
GluonPresenter / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically creates animated presentations using folders of any combination of PICT, JPEG, GIF or TIFF files, with control over transitions, speed and sound.
GluonProlink / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Unlinks text boxes, maintaining the text formatting and location, and exports text as ASCII or TAGGED HTML.
GluonQuickRIP / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically RIPs common information once and creates step-and-repeat documents with variable information only being processed thereafter, for faster printing.
GluonScaler / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Scales selections, multiple selections and entire documents to precise size or percentage, with controls for proportional and non-proportional scaling.
GluonShapeShifter / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Creates complex masking effects in Quark.
GluonSignaturesLT / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Converts documents in reader's spreads to printer's spreads.
GluonTextWaves / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Creates wavy text with control over wave types, size and frequency.
GluonTracker / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Automatically generates a database file for each Quark document using system-supplied document information and user-defined trafficking information.
GluonWebXPress / Gluon
QuarkXTension: Specifically designed to simplify the process of repurposing QuarkXPress documents designed for print to HTML uses such as Web publishing.
Hot Door CADtools / Hot Door
Illustrator Plug-In: Precision drawing plug-ins for technical design and drafting with controls for scale, measurements, auto-dimension, lines, walls and arcs.
Imation OPEN / Imation Publishing Software.
Application: Performs server-based automation tasks by building a "pipeline" to link and automatically manage production and file-based task sequences sent by local and network users, like creating PDF files or converting image formats.
INposition / DKA Prepress
Application: Imposes Quark, PageMaker and PostScript pages for printing, with preview, edit, proof, color separation capabilities, and EPS, TIFF, PICT and PDF support.
Intellihance / Extensis
Photoshop Plug-In: Intelligent image optimization of files or batches of files; contrast, brightness, cast removal, descreening, saturation, sharpness, tone and despeckle controls.
MarkzScout / Markzware
Application: MarkzScout, a cross-platform application, looks inside documents and routes files based on what it finds and your instructions as to what to do. Pre-configured with more than 300 ready-to-use rules; handles QuarkXPress, PageMaker, FreeHand, Illustrator, FrameMaker or other types of files. MarkzScout facilitates batch processing: Users diagram routines by positioning folders and arrows.
ItemMaster / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Creates item style attributes for text boxes, picture boxes and rules much as you would set up text attributes in style sheets, then globally change or modify all specified attributes documentwide.
Mask Pro / Extensis
Photoshop Plug-In : Easily and quickly generates precise image masks for the most detailed images using a unique color-matching technology, with simple eyedroppers to define colors.
Nisus Writer / Nisus
Application: Text and word processor with internal scripting capabilities; AppleScript-compatible.
PageAlign / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Aligns and distributes multiple objects without using guides or rulers.
PageColor / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Changes the color of text, lines, ovals, polygons and rectangles selectively or globally.
PageGlossary / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Maintains commonly used text and graphics with and without formatting.
PageGuides / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Adds, deletes and duplicates all types of objects and column guides.
PageMarks / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Adds crop marks and registration marks.
PageMover / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Allows you to send objects from one page to another, without leaving the page you are working on.
PagePreview / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Displays previews of the first five pages of a publication in the Open dialog box.
PagePrinter / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Allows you to preview each page of your document before printing, and select multiple, non-sequential pages for output.
PageScaler / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Scales single and multiple objects with options for graphics, lines and text.
PageScripts / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Creates scripts for repetitive tasks and makes buttons on a tool bar for each script.
PageTabs / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Records and applies tab settings to selected paragraphs without affecting paragraph styles; for text, tables and figures.
PageThumb / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Allows you to preview and navigate other pages without leaving your current page.
PageType / Extensis
PageMaker Plug-In: Creates and applies character-level styles to selected text without affecting paragraph styles.
PhotoButton / Extensis
Photoshop Plug-In : Provides dialog box for the creation of 3D buttons; control over shape, color and lighting.
PhotoCastShadow / Extensis
Photoshop Plug-In : Casts perspective shadows with blur control for realistic depth.
PhotoText / Extensis
Photoshop Plug-In : Allows text and style sheets to be created, formatted, saved and reedited in Photoshop.
PM2Q XT / Markzware Software
Utility: Converts PageMaker files to QuarkXPress files.
Portfolio / Extensis
Image Database: Organizes, manages and shares digital content cross-platfom simultaneously, with key word master lists, and automatic key word assignment to files and batches of files.
PreFab Player / PreFab Software
Scripting: Controls non-scriptable applications and fills in the gaps in scriptable applications.
PreFab Text Machine / PreFab Software
Scripting: Provides intuitive English-language approach to complex pattern matching in text documents, facilitating text cleaning, formatting and extractions as well as conversion to HTML in single files and batches.
Preflight Pro / Extensis
QuarkXPress Preflight Utility: Inspects QuarkXPress files or folders of files, corrects certain errors and reports on others, collects all necessary fonts and graphic files for correct output of the job, and allows you to create and save custom profiles to be used for similar jobs.
QX-Bevels / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates flat, round, slope and double bevel effects on images and text in QuarkXPress with control over tinting, shadows, light source and highlights.
QX-CopyStyle / Extensis
Quark XTension: Applies line, paragraph or color attributes from one box to others.
QX-DocStyles / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates document settings for reuse in similar documents.
QX-Emboss / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates cutout, raised, edge or blurred embossing effects on images and text in QuarkXPress with control over depth, contrast, softness, highlight and shadow intensity, and light direction.
QX-Filters / Extensis
Quark XTension: Runs Photoshop plug-ins on images within QuarkXPress.
QX-FindChange / Extensis
Quark XTension: Expands the Search and Replace function to handle virtually any object type including frames, picture boxes, rules, colors, etc.
QX-Glows / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates glow effects on images and text in QuarkXPress with control over stroke width, radiance, opacity and color.
QX-Layers / Extensis
Quark XTension: Assigns objects to layers which can be shown, hidden and rearranged.
QX-Manager / Extensis
Quark XTension: Controls the loading of multiple QuarkXtensions.
QX-Print / Extensis
Quark XTension: Allows the printing of non-consecutive pages.
QX-Scaler / Extensis
Quark XTension: Scales multiple object interactively, or by any percentage or unit of measure.
QX-Shadows / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates high-quality cast and perspective shadows in QuarkXPress with control over color, blur, opacity, position, angle, shape and light source.
QX-SmartBar / Extensis
Quark XTension: Watches while you work and creates a custom toolbar with buttons of commands you use most.
QX-Styles / Extensis
Quark XTension: Creates and applies character-level styles.
QX-VectorEdit / Extensis
Quark XTension: Allows users to open and edit in QuarkXPress any artwork that can be printed, such as MS-Word tables, Excel charts, PDF files, EPS files and Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia FreeHand artwork.
ShadowCaster / A Lowly Apprentice Productions|
QuarkXTension: Creates soft shadows for text, graphics and groups in QuarkXPress.
Stylist / Alien Skin Software
Illustrator Plug-In: With user-created style sheets for text and graphics in Adobe Illustrator, automates the application of styles to multiple elements.
Trapper / DK&A Prepress
Application: Performs automated PostScript-object-based color trapping on files or folders of files, with support for image replacement, color separations, and printing.
UPC-EAN XTension / Azalea Software
Quark XTension: Automatically creates printable bar codes from within QuarkXPress.
UPCTools / Azalea Software
Utility: Automatically creates printable bar codes.
VariScript / Varis Corporation
Application: Accepts existing PostScript pages, text, graphics and variable data and generates custom pages on-the-fly.
VE Assassin / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically deletes unwanted graphics from a document or folder of documents.
VE Auto Mask / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Creates masks for graphics right in QuarkXPress.
VE Auto Save EPS / Vision's Edge|QuarkXTension: Automatically stores an EPS image of your page every time it is saved.
VE AutoLib / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Creates a new library, inserts the graphics from a user-defined folder into the library, and labels each library entry with the file name of each graphic.
VE Batch Print Files / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: You create a list of files, then Batch Print automatically sends the listed files to print or writes the listed files to disk as PostScript.
VE Bookletizer / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Creates printer's spreads from reader's spreads with adjustments to control creep.
VE Break Story / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Allows you to link two text chains that already contain text. A Break All Links feature unlinks all boxes in a text chain while leaving the text in the boxes undisturbed.
VE Copy & Apply / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Samples character and paragraph attributes of selected text and lets you apply those attributes elsewhere.
VE Create Shadows / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Creates drop shadows and 3D shadows of any color or size in QuarkXPress.
VE CropsXT / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Applies user-definable crop and registration marks to any selected item, group of items, or page, along with color and gray bars.
VE Delete Unused Colors / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Removes colors from your document that are not being used, for smaller files and smoother output.
VE Exposé / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Scans a user-defined folder or disk drive and imports all graphics into a user-defined catalog template, along with file name, path, size, modification date, etc.
VE Find Overset Stories / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Finds, displays and facilitates the editing of over matter from overset stories in a document.
VE Fit Text Block / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Adjusts the text or enclosing text block for a perfect fit without editing.
VE Focus / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Allows variable-data printing to be done through QuarkXPress, with links to your database.
VE GridMaster / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically creates grids of text or graphic boxes, to fit specified areas, to specific sizes, or by multiplying an example box.
VE GuideMaster / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Generates grids of guides with control over position and color.
VE I Shadow / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Creates soft drop shadows in Quark with control over resolution, style, size, position and blur.
VE IndeXTension / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically generates an index based on tagged words and phrases.
VE Job Slug / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Places an informational slug anywhere on your document, which can include client name, job name, job number, run date, output date, etc.
VE Layer It! / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Lets you assign elements to groups that may be hidden from view.
VE Nametag / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically adds a text box for each picture box with the filename of the picture included.
VE New Layout / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Store, organizes and recalls commonly used layouts.
VE PageShot / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Saves Quark pages as EPS, including individual pages or batches and non-continuous pages.
VE Paragraph Styles Palette / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: A floating palette for quick access to all controls found in the QuarkXPress Paragraph Formats dialog box.
VE Picture Daemon / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Based on user-defined criteria, Picture Daemon will seek and list all graphics meeting the criteria and preview and import the graphics into your document from within QuarkXPress.
VE Picture Greeking / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Allows you to greek (gray out) a single picture while leaving others ungreeked, to minimize screen redraw wait states for large images.
VE Picture Information Palette / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: A floating palette that reports all picture information including file name, import date, graphic type, file size; length, width and resolution of graphics; compression type, etc.
VE Print Area / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Allows you to specify a portion of a page, and then either print out only that portion or save it to disk as an EPS or PICT file.
VE Resize XT / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Scales selections to size or percentage, proportionally and non-proportionally.
VE Scale Box to Picture / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Resizes a picture box to fit the graphic it contains.
VE Set-up Guides / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Makes evenly spaced grids of page guides on pages.
VE Sort Paragraphs / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically sorts a range of selected paragraphs into alphabetical order.
VE Story Count / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Counts the number of words and characters in the current story or the selected portion.
VE Style Sheet Report / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Generates a listing of all style sheets found in each document and details the attributes of each style sheet.
VE Tab Control / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: A tab control dialog box for easy set-up and application of tabs, which may be driven completely by keyboard commands for added speed and efficiency.
VE Test Prints / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically creates a new QuarkXPress document, creates new picture boxes, and places all of the graphics files from a user-specified folder.
VE Text Inset / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Set top, bottom, left and right side text inset values independently of one another.
VE TeXTractor / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Extracts all text or specified parts from Quark documents or batches of documents.
VE TIFF Export / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Saves Quark XPress pages or spreads in TIFF format, for portability to Photoshop.
VE TimeStamp / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Applies automatically updating time stamps to documents each time the documents are saved.
VE XFlow / Vision's Edge
QuarkXTension: Automatically imports folders of text and picture files into boxes in QuarkXPress templates based on box name assignments. Also automatically exports any combination of stories in a document to a single text file.
VectorBars / Extensis
Illustrator Plug-In: Creates customizable toolbars for frequent commands and effects.
VectorColor / Extensis
Illustrator & FreeHand Plug-In: Allows color curve editing, brightness/contrast control and conversion from color to grayscale, duotone, tritone and quadtone.
VectorFrame / Extensis
Illustrator & FreeHand Plug-In: Creates and applies frames to objects and groups of objects.
VectorLibrary / Extensis
Illustrator & Freehand Plug-In: Keeps commonly used images, text or illustrations in a floating palette with drag-and-drop capabilities.
VectorMagicWand / Extensis
Illustrator & Freehand Plug-In: Allows user to select paths with similar attributes including border width, fill color, stroke color, stroke weight and minimum and maximum areas.
VectorNavigator / Extensis
Illustrator & Freehand Plug-In: Allows users to quickly navigate and move to any location in a document.
VectorObjectStyles / Extensis
Illustrator Plug-In: Creates object-based style sheets, and allows the creation of multiple versions of artwork by applying multiple predefined object style sheets.
VectorTypeStyles / Extensis
FreeHand Plug-In: Creates character-level style sheets in FreeHand.
WAM!NET / WAM!NET
System/Service: Transports digital files from desktop to desktop--anywhere in the country--in minutes, by providing on-site, high-speed, high-bandwidth connections for users to its private national digital network, complete with all hardware, software, phone lines and installation.
XPert BoxTools / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Converts between text and picture boxes; automatically sizes boxes to fit pictures and pictures to fit boxes; can create different text indents on the four different sides of a text box.
XPert CharacterStyles / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Create character-based style sheets for XPress documents.
XPert Color / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Find/change process or spot colors quickly.
XPert ItemMarks / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Place unlimited crop and registration marks, color and grayscale calibration bars and CMYK indicators on any page element or group.
XPert Layers / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Assign elements to different layers that can be hidden or shown at the click of a mouse.
XPert Print / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Allows the selection of any area of any page and either outputs or exports it to EPS.
XPert Rulers / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Free floating rulers for QuarkXPress.
XPert Scale / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Interactively and numerically scale individual objects, groups or entire layouts.
XPert TextLink / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Link and unlink text boxes with precision and control.
XPert TextStyler / A Lowly Apprentice Productions
QuarkXTension: Drag a marquee around text anywhere on your pages, even in separate text boxes, and apply paragraph- and character-level styles with a single mouse click.
XState / Markzware Software
QuarkXTension: Keeps track of documents and performs file-organization tasks, like reopening last-used documents or sets of documents, and maintaining usage/time records.