Pagestream Graphics
48 messages in this thread
Michael,
A friend has told me that the latest version of PgS on the Atari has a mode
which allows very fast screen updates ( a text mode?) This mode does not
show accurate screen renditions of fonts. Is this mode available in the
Amiga version.
Also, is it possible for Pagestream to handle a TIFF, IFF or EPSF without
importing the file into memory? That is, can the program just link to these
files on the disk and either display them as a box with an X in it or
display a low resolution version of the file?
If memory serves, ProPage has some such feature, and such file handling is
standard on the Mac (with the exception of IFF file capability). The fact
that PgS has to handle the entire file is a severe drawback, and makes
working with large graphic files nearly impossible, even with large amounts
of memory.
Handling and output of halftones on the Mac via Quark, for instance is
almost effortless. I can have a page on screen which represents over 30
megs of graphic files and output them very easily to my imagesetter. Quark
simply keeps track of the files on the disk, lets me manipulate the screen
representation of the file (size, shape, etc) and then includes the file
data in the PostScript bit stream to the output device.
Am I missing something, or can Pgs do the same? If it can't, is it possible
to get it to handle files in this manner sometime soon?
It would seem to me that handling the entire file is the worst of all
possible situations. The program has to work harder than just keeping track
of the disk file, and the burden on the hardware is enormous.
Thanks,
Rich
Richard,
Just to clarify part of your question:
Professional Page will import all (upto 24 bit IFFs) and use a 4 grey-scale
representation of the image but does not load the entire bit-map into
memroy. It is quite easy to have serveral high-quality 24-bit IFFs in a
single document. The 4 levels of grey also make for very easy veiwing of
most bit-maps.
Also, PPage does not save the bit-map in the document file but links it to
the original bit-map (BTW, any changes made to that bit-map is
automatically updated in PPage when the doc is reloaded or
printed…interesting concept of `hot-linking'…and it has done this since
day one).
PageStream must load the entire graphic into memory but only (I think)
displays a mono (B&W) image.
Philip Laitar
Supervisor
Philip,
Thanks. ProPage had the ability to easily handle graphics and color seps
very early in its existence. I really thought it would become a
'mainstream' application and I was very appreciative of the fact that it
did allow this machine some entry into the graphics arts world.
We are a commercial printer and service bureau and MUST have type 1 font
compatibility. It must be straight forward and painless. IMHO ProPage has
taken a direction away from compatibility which has severely hurt it. I
think that it is otherwise an excellent program.
I switched from ProPage to Pagestream as soon as Pagestream became stable (
think that was v1.8). Pagestream is the only program on this machine that
allows us to operate in this industry. I hope that Gold Disk recognizes the
need for full compatibility with the Adobe standard.
I am well aware of the history of Gold Disk's rebuf by Adobe's development
department, but that was a long time ago.
Rich
Richard,
I am *NOT* aware of "Gold Disk's rebuf by Adobe's development department.."
so how about a history lesson…:)
Jonathan
– via Whap!
Jonathan,
OK
Gold Disk can jump in here. I don't know if the same folks are still there
as when this all started happening.
I forget when PPage first came out. I got it because it was the _only_
program to support Bezier curves on this machine. It also had a different
name then, but I can't recall that either! Jees, the mind is a terrible
thing. They say that memory of comptuter program names is the first thing
to go. Can't remember what the other thing is . . .
Any way, PPage's original incarnation progressed into PPage and the folks
at Gold Disk were in contact with Adobe in order to develop their programs.
Gold Disk was the _only_ Amiga developer to even have been aware of
PostScript then.
They got a very cold reception from Adobe, if not a downright brush-off.
Adobe would not give Gold Disk the kind of tech support it was only too
glad to give Apple, UNIX and yes, even MS DOS computer developers (then in
their PostScript infancy). Adobe made it clear that it would not help
developers for the Amiga because the machine, being a CBM development was
not a serious platform, and not 'worthy' of an Adobe effort. It was as
though they did not want their name associated with CBM or Amiga.
I had several conversations with various tech support people at Adobe in my
own efforts at some PostScript packages that we wanted to release for the
Amiga. (A font downloader among other useful utilities.) The individual
people at Adobe Tech support were interesting to talk to. Some were very
candid. They were well aware of Amiga, some had Amigas. Most had to repeat
the "no comment" official line re Adobe's policy of helping Amiga
developers. Others openly admitted to me that Adobe's official but
unwritten policy was to not support Amiga.
To my knowledge they never did give Amiga developers the kind of help they
did give other platforms. They eventually began publishing their standards
and eventually PostScript became well enough known that programmers could
code for
[ MORE ]
[ continuation ]
any machine. Also, the Type 1 standard was released to the Public Domain as
a result of industry pressure and apparent legal problems between Apple and
Adobe.
Gold Disk embraced the Compugraphic Font technology, which although
widespread by some accounts and established, was (is) the kind of
proprietary technology that PostScript rescued the industry from. In my
opinion, the Compugraphic Font approach was a dead end. A non-mainstream
technology on an oddball computer. (Right, oddball, like the Sparcstation
is oddball!)
As far as I can tell, Gold Disk saw some of the handwriting on the wall.
They realized that the gold is in the hills of MS DOS. Not in Amiga land.
They did _not_ see the truth in the way of PostScript standardization
despite their treatment by Adobe. But the double whammy of a limited market
in the Amiga 'DTP' arena, and lack of support by the standard bearer must
have been hard to take. There probably was some lack of support from CBM in
there along the way also. I doubt that CBM actively sought Adobe
cooperation for itself or its developers.
While I could understand Gold Disk's dissapointment at its treatment by
Adobe, I could not understand why they simply didn't develop their own
routines for handling type 1 fonts. It was clear to everyone in the
industry, even then, that non-PostScript formats were dead (and rightly
so).
Adobe's atrocious behavior notwithstanding, PostScript itself is a
monumental improvement over the tyranny of pre-PostScript proprietary
machines and operating systems. I know printers who have been forced into
bankruptcy by the dinosaur-like systems of not too long ago, with their
$100K-$200K price tags, and need for semi-annual system upgrades ($50K).
PostScript changed all that, and the evolution of the change (hmm, that's a
revolution) is just really gaining momentum.
Adobe's Ivory-tower attitude almost resulted in its demise when its
honeymoon with Apple Computer ended. But they are on solid ground now, and
I for one hope
[ MORE ]
[ continuation ]
they stay there.
Gold Disk could still have a killer application on this machine if they
would just rethink their position. If I were in charge, I would have a
product out the door in two months that would put Quark Express to shame.
All the pieces are in place, have been for a _long_ time.
Gold Disk should read 'Fumbling the Future,' the story of how Xerox let
complete dominence of the embryonic personal computer world slip from their
grasp before they ever knew they had invented the personal computer, but
after they had shown everone else how to build it!
8)
Rich
Richard,
Thanks for the history. From your account, I would mostly blame CBM for
the Adobe problem…if the company that builds the machines cannot court
developers, it should not be up to the third party to do so.
Jonathan
Jonathan,
Amen!
Rich
Rich,
The story I heard was that it was CBM who alienated Adobe; and others who
suffered by it.
Malcolm
Malcolm,
Yes, I think it was CBM who alientated others. By omission or comission . .
. Who knows. CBM has been such an frustrating and confusing entity.
How they could have such a mixed up organization is beyond any of us who
have lived with this situation.
There is no doubt in my mind that if the Amiga had been properly marketed,
by a team who knew what they were doing (and I truly don't know who that
might be – probably Apple, but, who knows. Look what a mess IBM is in. . .
Why hasn't the NeXT machine taken off? Why is the sky Blue?) it would be a
major player.
The computer world is so funny. We have incredibly complicated machines,
which if you look at the overall productivity of corporate America, have
NOT improved things. In many ways, the global picture of computer use
parallels the frustration we have had with the Amiga.
MS DOS machines, MS DOS itself should have resulted in _far_ more than it
has a long time ago.
Anyway, CBM _is_ (was?) a mess from the sophisticated comsumers' point of
view and needs. I don't think that they sat down and said, "Hey let's see
how we can screw up and give ourselves the reputations of being idiots."
But if they _had_ they couldn't have done a better job!
Rich
Rich,
Well, as it happens, I'm reading John Scully's "Blueprint for the Decade".
Apple did a very good job of asserting themselves well enough to get
acceptance and market share. (I love their ad in which a guy says that the
most powerful computer is the one people actually use. <g>) Now Apple
seems to have a pretty good idea of where they're going; which they can
determine cause "Macs 'R Us".
OTOH, PCs are anybody's game and where they go is more defined by Gates
than by any of the hardware makers. In fact, I've heard that Apple sold
more systems than anybody in Canada last year cause ALL the Macs sold were
Apples (obviously) while the PCs came from 100 different vendors. None of
the PC vendors here have 1% market share! That'll change soon though with
all the drastic PC price cuts we're seeing from the tier-one and tier-two
companies.
IBM here has already started an "independent" (yeah, right) company (of 5
people!) to market clones. I've seen TV ads already. Their clones are just
what they're supposed to be, cheap AT-bus machines. They'll sell! The no
name guys either have to slash prices or say good-bye.
Now C=, like Apple, holds the reins exclusively. And I tell people that if
the Amiga had half the resources throw at it that the Mac does, there
wouldn't BE other platforms.
NeXT is getting places. It's not well-known but it's happening. I think
they get a higher profile than Ami despite the smaller user base because
they've got a name front man (well, two). People know who Jobs is and when
he talks, they listen. C= doesn't have someone like that.
I notice the other platforms moving to things Ami's had for a long time.
Graphics copros on PCs, interapplications communications on Macs. Before
long, they may qualify as second-rate Amigas. 😀
Malcolm
Malcolm,
In many areas, the other machines surpass the Amiga. They will eventually
have all that the Amiga started with – sound, animation capabilities –
things that were thought to be frivolous. And then, they will be the NEW
THING. Amiga will never really receive any credit for its pioneering and
excellence.
Look at multi-media. Whatever _that_ is. Even tghe Amiga/Toaster as
significant a piece of equipment that it is in the television industry,
gives no real recognition for the underlying machine. Mac users are told
that it is a Mac accessory! New Tek actually disguises the machine!
Rich
Rich,
I think you are missing the big picture here. You make the assumption that
Americans in general pick the better mouse trap when given a buying
decision. History itself is proof that this is not true.
There is no amount of marketing that Commodore could do to change the tide
the PC has created. Just ask Apple who is struggling to stay alive in a
market that they had created for themselves–desktop publishing. Apple
knows how to market, and does market, and yet there still is not a Mac on
everyones desk.
So to blame Commodore is to really blame the average computer buyer for not
doing more than trying to find cheap access to 'pirated' software to do a
specific task. You might also consider that most people today view
computers like any other appliance. To them, they see no difference except
price and the guarentee that their $1000 purchase will last for life.
Are you aware that Commodore co-ops with dealers to help pay for
advertising? Are you aware that Commodore has preserved the profit margin
for Amiga dealers so that they may be profitable? Are you aware that
ComputerLand and Entre' are now mere shells of their former self?
ComputerLand had wonderful marketing, what they couldn't fight was the
influx of cheap PCs, and they were selling mainstream machines! How in the
world can Commodore compete except the way it is competing–in target
markets like desktop video and multimedia?
Every Amiga sold, even for multimedia and desktop video is another Amiga
that will need a word processor or a spreadsheet in the future. I have yet
to see an Amiga installation that did not require some type of general
computing productivity software. Their *is* a market for *good* business
applications for the Amiga. What there isn't a market for is bad products
with software companies that are expecting to turn the quick buck. Tell
me, how in the world do the folks at Gold Disk and Soft-Logik stay alive if
there is no money to be made?
Remember to be a good dealer I have to be a cheerleader for Commodore and
[ MORE ]
[ continuation ]
their products — and I must do it on a daily basis. For the most part, I
don't find it a difficult task, and yes, we are making money selling Amiga
computers and software.
-mark=
– whappity whap whap… whap whap!!
Mark,
Either I completely mistated myself or you misunderstood something that I
had meant to say. I agree with you. I do _not_ think that the public
necessarily buys a better mouse trap. The computer public is still
experiencing as much computer phobia as it was when Lotus 123 first came
out. A PC clone is _still_ the safest thing to buy. The typical computer
buyer, corporate or private is scared to death to have something the
slightest bit different from the most typical configuration.
But I _can_ take CBM to task for all the utter stupidity that they have
demonstrated in all the years of Amiga's existence. The Amiga 1000 was a
_far_ superior machine to the Macs of that time. CBM could have had an
enormous marketing advantage if they had properly pursued name software
vendors.
At first they _did. Microsoft was on the team! Borland promised to support
the machine. CBM should have pursued Lotus and WordPerfect at the expense
of everything else. Development that was unique to this machine could have
still progressed. The DTP market was available for anyone who had the nerve
to take on Apple. CBM didn't.
The Next machine unfortunately is an example of a brilliant machine that
also is in trouble. Job's clout not-withstanding. That machine should be
killing high end Macs. It's not. And with Windows NT one one side and Sun's
Solaris on the other, Next may be finished very soon.
Rich
Richard
I'd heard there'd been a bit of `bad-blood' between Adobe and Gold-Disk in
the early days … and it's probably true that this is the main reason why
CompuGraphic support was provided, plus the fact that a CG font engine was
fairly readily available.
I agree 100% with your comments about G-D … they have _massive_ potential
in ProPage, and could indeed knock spots of Quark (which I met for the
first time just recently, and was pleasantly surprised) but I just feel
that the will is not there, and that they are spoiling the ship for a
ha'p'orth of tar.
Mike (from the UK)
Mike,
Gee, I hope Gold Disk is listening. Don't sell Quark too short, though. It
is quite a significant piece of work.
But Pro Page _could_ do better, if they had the desire. However, I think
that Pagestream is closer to that goal, having extensively used all three.
Rich
Yes, PStream is indeed closer to teh goal …. but there are still some
nice things about PPage, but it's getting harder and harder to use.
Mike,
I left Propage a couple of years ago. But I think I will revisit it to see
if it will allow me to handle large graphic files. PgS will not.
I have modified my PgS prologue file to place four registration marks on
the page, rather than the usual two. If I can make both programs output
their registration marks at precisely the same place on the page (and I
don't see why I can't) I can use them in tandem to accomplish both graphic
handling and type 1 font handling.
As a matter of fact, apropos of our other discussion re EPS files. Maybe I
can use one program as the host for the other's PostScript output. My
choice would be to write the PgS PostScript code to a file, then
encapsulate it and let it serve as an addendum to the Pro Page prolog.
Whew! what a rube Goldberg that will be!
Sure hope that either ProPage gets type 1 capability or that PgS gets
external file handling ability!
Rich
Richard,
Part of the decision to stay with CGFONTS was based on CBM endorsement of
outline fonts as a WB font.
This would mean that you would still only require one font type on your
system.
What is that they say about hindsight.
Philip Laitar
Supervisor
Philip,
What they say about hind sight is that it is 20-20. But what 'they' also
say is that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
So, G-D went with the wrong font technology. Forget it. Include type 1
capability _now_ and get it done.
What's the problem? Why is G-D avoiding the obvious and the inevitible?
Rich
Richard
I agree entirely with that.
There's certainly nothing wrong with going down the CG road _in_addition_
to Type-1, after all that's exactly what PStream has done with consumate
success.
Gold Disk's argument of trying to unify the font environment would stand
much more chance of being believed if they had adopted the same one-file CG
approach as Commodore and SoftLogik.
Mike (from the UK)
Mike,
Since my last message, I have re-installed Pro Page on my machine, just to
check out the (external) bit map handling. It's quit slow in loading, but
otherwise works as advertised. I had forgotten what the program felt like.
Funny, like an old friend!
Then I saw an ad for Pro Page 3.0 which states that it _does_ support Adobe
type 1 fonts. It's Sunday here. No chance to call Gold Disk right now.
Are you faniliar with the new 'type 1 font capabilities?
Rich
Richard … yes, I am familiar with the `type 1 font capabilities'.
But, they are a little misleading in their claim that PPage3 supports
Type-1 … PPage 3 itself does _not_ support Type-1.
What they have done is provided a stand-alone program which will take a
Type-1 and create a CG font from it. It's a very clumsy solution, but I
guess it works (although it is far more sensitive to problems with Type-1
fonts than, say, PStream).
Mike (From the UK)
Mike,
Thanks.
Holy Cow! It's the middle of the night in GB. I'm looking at my screen of
SunClock which I just downloaded. I didn't expect a response so soon!
Rich
<he he> I'm at my most active at this time of night … to be fair, I'm
actually in the office at work through the night (working 7 x 12-hour night
shifts) and I often get a little time to pop online in the wee small hours.
For instance, it's now 0335 🙂 And I'm here for another 6 hours … it
also gives me a chance to join in the CO where other UKers don't get the
chance 🙂
Mike (From the UK)
Rich,
PPage 3.0 does handle Adobe type 1 fonts, but only after you use the Type
1 font as the source in Fontmanager, which then generates a CG format font
that will be used by PPage. Direct Type 1 use is not implemented,
(hopefully) GD will see that although C= is supporting CG use, the rest of
us want direct Type 1 support. So now I have two font libraries, one for
Type 1 fonts and the other for their Compugraphic clone cousins (the same
but different).
My hard drives are mostly filled with fonts these days.
Chris
Chris,
Thanks for that info. Looks like I'll start using Pro Page again. I'll just
create the CG version of the type 1 fonts that I need as I create each new
document that (also) has halftones on it. That will be a lot easier than
creating the document in two programs (one to handle the text and the other
to handle the halftones). The question will be, which will happen first –
my hard drive fills with fonts or PgS finally supports external graphic
handling!
PgS will remain my main page layout program, at least for a while.
Maybe I'll get to like Pro Page again. Maybe it will actually get real type
1 support. Does Pro Page have the editing capabilities of Pgs – that is
global replace one typeface (font) with another? This capability is a MUST.
Rich
Rich,
Yes, there's a Function Genie to do a global replace of typefaces.
Malcolm
Malcolm,
Thanks.
Genies? Never heard that before. Oh, well. A macro by any other name.
Rich
Richard
That's excatly how I work … if I need a Type-1 font in PPage, I convert
as required. This requires me to run two different programs externally to
PPage (FontManager to generate the CGfont and CG_update to ensure that
PPage knows it exists).
I considered doing a major conversion on all my Type-1 fonts but PPage
doesn't have any mechanism to manage the large directory that would result.
In addition, having the same fonts in CG and Type-1 format on the same HD
seems a total waste of space … there's really no need to keep the CG
format there for the benefit of WB2 (how many fonts do you really want with
WB2?), so Type-1 is my default format.
Now, I wonder how long it will be before PStream adds True-Type support?
As for Global typeface replacement, there's a Genie called SubstituteFont
which will do this for you (assuming you didn't use tags of course, when a
simple style change will have the same effect).
By the way, those PPage3 Genies are just _wonderful_ … every time I use
them I love them more. I just had to do a complex print run, changing the
ordering of pages (across three different document files!) and adding
binding offsets. There's no way PStream could even approach doing this …
but it took me about 10 minutes to write the Genie, and I then left PPage
to get on with it. If I'd sat and done this at the keyboard it would
probably have taken 6-8 hours!
Do any other DTP packages on other platforms have this sort of
near-infinite power?
I'm also trying to write a couple of Genies to give PPage full and proper
font management … it will also give `direct' Type-1 font support in that
you can list all the Type-1 fonts on your system, chose the one you want
and it will do the conversion and add it to the CGfont directory. The
problem I'm having (is GOLD-DISK listening?) is that FontManager is only
GUI-driven … I would _love_ a command line option FONTMANAGER
PsDir:Type1.PFB CgDir:
Mike (from the UK)
"Now, I wonder how long it will be before PStream adds True-Type
support?"
Mike:
Ughh! I keep hoping that if I ignore TrueType long enough, it will
disappear. The last thing I want is ANOTHER font format! Type I suits me
just fine.
// Michael
\X/ …on AutoPilot
Mike,
The Genies sound great. But what do you mean that Pro Page has no way of
managing the large directory that would result from converting a large
number of type 1 fonts?
True Type. It will _completely_ replace type 1 in less than 18 months.
Adobe's multiple master technology may survive, but True type will probably
conquer that as well. Sad.
A year ago I would have scoffed at such a statement (and did). Remember,
you read it here first!
Oh, yes. Amiga programs will get True Type support about 3 years after the
rest of the world has embraced it.
Rich
Mike,
CG_update you say? Don't have it! I'll have to tell myself it's not
important. 🙂
You've run into one of the situations where a Genie is the only way worth
considering. Just the binding offsets alone would be SO time-consuming!
I don't think any other DTP has such near-infinite power; however,
Microsoft Publisher has Wizards. I don't know if they're any more than
simple macros though.
Malcolm
Yes, Atari 2.2 has a draft gadget in the Greek Text requester. This turns
off outlines to screen and uses bitmap screen fonts only. This is a fast
mode but degrades screen quality. It is especially important on the Atari
since almost all users have 8 MHz machines, whereas the Amiga has a large
number of users with faster machines.
It is not available in Amiga 2.2. (Atari 2.2 came out later than the Amiga
version.)
Graphics must be imported and retained interally at this time. We plan on
supporting external file links in the future.
Michael Soft-Logik
I am curious, how well is the Atari product doing? Is the Atari still a
viable product in the United States?
-mark=
– whappity whap whap… whap whap!!
We're still selling PageStream for the Atari and did port the good parts of
Amiga 2.2 to the Atari recently. (The Atari version didn't get the new
requester designs or HotLinks.) Our Amiga version far outsells the Atari
version and is our primary platform. All development originates on the
Amiga. But we're not losing money on the Atari version, and unlike
WordPerfect, we don't drop products when they 're earning money. 😉
Michael Soft-Logik
Michael:
Is it true that you folks have a Mac & PC version of PgS in the works?
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
No, we are only working on PageStream for the Amiga at this time. We do
have Macs and PC's in the office, but the PC is used for the BBS (didn't
know what else to do with it) and we use the Macs for admin since there
wasn't any good database and networking products for the Amiga when we set
the system up. But we are not programming on any platform other than the
Amiga at this time.
Michael Soft-Logik
Michael,
Thanks for the answer. But I don't think I really made my point. Since
graphics must be imported and retained internally, the reality is that Pgs
makes it a practical _impossibilty_ to use even medium sized b&w haltones
or even very small 24 bit images.
This is a _very_ serious shortcoming, and probably as serious as ProPage's
inability to use type 1 fonts. It would probably simplify Pgs code if it
stopped reatianing the file internally. Is there any way that this kind of
change could be made quickly?
Who at Soft Logik makes these kind of decisions? In case Soft Logik hasn't
noticed, the abilty to handle graphic files gracefully and successfully is
(has been) a part of almost every other DTP program of any worth.
Rich
Richard,
If I recall correctly, Pagemaker also retains the graphic internally.
QuarkXpress does not, which used to cause problems with some of our first
time clients. They'd bring us the disk file sans external graphic file. Our
VT4300P would image a nice page with a bitmap rendition of the structured
drawing.
Here is something you may find interesting. If you'd like to extract the
Illustrator file from within a Pagemaker document, Launch Illustrator, and
select open and choose the pagemaker file. Illustrator will search through
it and load the first illustrator file it finds. If this isn't the one you
want delete it from the pagemaker document from within pagemaker, resave
(another filename of course) and repeat the process. It works, and can be
helpful if you'd like to use that vector drawing somewhere else.
Chris
Chris,
I try to avoid Pagemaker as much as possible. Ugh! I break out in hives
just thinking about it. The Mac version is bad enough. The Windows variety
is a dog (as is Windows).
Unfortunately, my customers won't let me get too far from it. Some days I
have to spend all day just to get one file to print.
Rich
Rich,
I have had my problem files with PMKr for MAC. Mostly it boiled
down to Adobe Illustrator art in them that caused the VT4300 to choke. Many
times the art had to be resaved with (oh I can't remember the exact
wording) a feature turned on that broke up the vector drawing's path into
segments. Or save the Illustrator as an 88 version instead of 3.0x. I did
like to extract the embedded ART files from a client's job though. Got my
Visa and Mastercard artwork that way!. Course I could've made it myself,
but hey, that's what secret tips are for! That was my specialty, getting
errant files to print. But I'm no PS guru, just a mechanic. B^)
chris
Chris,
I have had no problems with Pagemaker and AI files. It's Windows PM that is
the real stinker!
Rich
We're very aware that retaining graphics externally is something you really
need for high resolution and color images, but sorry, we don't have it in
our current version. It's high on the wishlist for the next major version.
It would be difficult for you as a user to somehow modify your files to do
it. Actually, impossible I should say. It'll probably be implemented via
HotLinks because then you'd just subscribe to an edition and retain the
original externally as an edition.
Michael Soft-Logik
Mike,
I sure hope that PgS provides the ability to externally handle graphics
_real _ soon! This is an absolute must.
This area of pre press is exploding faster than I can believe. Right now, I
_must_ make the choice between splitting my jobs between Pgs on the Amiga,
and either ProPage on the Amiga or Quark on the Mac.
Staying on the same platform is an advantage, but working in a program that
allows me to deal with large graphic files is essential to my survival.
A few years ago, I switched to PgS for the single reason that it could
handle type 1 fonts. Now inability to easily handle large files is becoming
the test for not giving a program a vote of confidence in this industry!
I don't know any Mac users anymore who don't work with, or don't expect
others to be able to handle halftones. Everybody's got a scanner, or access
to one.
I hope that Soft Logik is listening.
Rich
We will definitely add external graphic handling in our next major version
but we have not announced any timetable for the next major upgrade, and
it's a long ways off right now. We are listening to your complaints, bug
reports and wishlist items and we will respond to all of them. Right now
we're busy getting Art Expression out the door, plus are working on a few
surprises.
Michael Soft-Logik