Quark updated the Tools palette in QuarkXPress 8, with new icons, fewer tools, and a more intuitive layout. Below is an explanation of how the new Tools palette works, courtesy of X-Ray magazine. (This is an excerpt from “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 9bThe before and after shot of the tool palette are both shown here.
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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. | |
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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 Note: The content tool has been replaced by the text content tool and picture content tool.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. |
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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. | |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Table tool: Use the table tool to create tables. | |
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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. |
Table 1 (and Figures 10 a through h) The new tool palette is larger, more intuitive, and shorter. So where did everything go? Think consolidate.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Could you explain how changing the palette that I’ve been used to for 20 years is “more intuitive”?
August 26th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Sure! “Intuitive” refers to how well a person with no experience with a tool is able to use it. Quark’s goal with the entire interface update was to make its parts more easily accessible — and that means two things: reducing the number of steps necessary for all users to perform a task; and making it easier to find its myriad features. How’s that?
August 26th, 2008 at 8:12 am
But it’s not “easier”. OK, so I’ve been using Quark for two decades now… I’m not a luddite by any means, but the popup menus are not “fewer steps” to follow. To get from the text to to the link and unlink tool, for instance; they just hide what used to be in plain sight.
Apart from that I find the colour palette which Quark chose for these to be dull and over-fuzzy. It’s not very attractive.
Worse though is the set of palettes on the right hand side of the screen. These are at least 33% wider than the ones in all previous versions of Quark, and can’t be re-sized as far as I can tell. Screen space is at a premium when I’m travelling with my MacBook.
All in all I’m disappointed by these “improvements”.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:47 am
When I open a file from an older version of Quark and I make changes, then save them. The next time I open the file and make changes I get a message that the file is locked and I save those changes.
I combed preferences looking for a solution, but have found none. I make changes to files several times in a day and can’t put up with this.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Michael: I got curious about your observation that the palettes are “33% wider” than previously, so I measured them. The new ones are two pixels narrower, by my measurement (251 pixels vs 253 pixels).
As far as the linking tools go, you can always move them into a first-level position by just Control-clicking them. To move them back, Control-click them again.
Are you sure this isn’t just a question of being comfortable with the old design?
August 26th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Oops. I forgot to mention that my measurements were for QuarkXPress 8 and QuarkXPress 7, respectively.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Debra: I don’t have a solution for you, but I’ve heard of this before. I assume that you’re working on the file on your hard drive, not across a network, right? That has been known to cause problems.
Also, it seems that having QuarkXPress 6 running while you’re using QuarkXPress 7 can sometimes cause this problem.
I found some discussions in the Quark Forums about this:
http://forums.quark.com/p/7599/31950.aspx#31950
http://forums.quark.com/p/19141/76340.aspx#76340
http://forums.quark.com/p/7266/30499.aspx#30499
http://forums.quark.com/p/6993/29251.aspx#29251
If you search for “locked” in the search field of the Forums, you may find what you’re looking for.
Debra: I don’t have a solution for you, but I’ve heard of this before. I assume that you’re working on the file on your hard drive, not across a network, right? That has been known to cause problems.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Jay, I wasn’t talking about the width of the Tools palette, which is the same width. I was talking about the palette to the right, that has Page Layout and so on in it. It can now be made no narrower than 224 pixels, while in Quark 7 it can be made as narrow as 154 pixels. That’s a 31% difference. That reduces my visible work area. And… why?
I know I can move the linking tools into first position “just by” control-clicking them. I don’t believe that this is more logical; I don’t believe that it’s a necessary change; I don’t believe it’s more ergonomic either. For twenty years I’ve just clicked on them. I’m 45, and I like new software and new things. But not change for no reason. What is the benefit to me of having them moved? What was wrong with my being comfortable with the old design? What’s so “good” about the new one?
August 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Ah, I see what you mean by “first-level position”. Interesting. Well, that’s something. :-)
August 28th, 2008 at 8:39 am
I see what you mean about the width of the Page Layout palette, etc. I was indeed measuring that group in my earlier comment, but I didn’t try to minimize the width before measuring. I just used the default width, which is about the same in both v.7 and v.8.
I think it depends on which palettes you have attached to the palette group. I noticed that when I removed the Lists palette from the group, I could narrow the palette more than when it’s attached. (!)
With the default palette group of Page Layout/Style Sheets/Colors/Layers, I measured these widths:
v.7: 198
v.8: 224
So indeed, the v.7 palette group appears to be able to appear narrower by a bit (13%?).
You were able to narrow your palette group even further in v.7. Which palettes were you including in that group?
November 19th, 2008 at 5:50 am
I’m also a 20 year Quark user and not too happy with 8. Simply activating it and updating to 8.01 was a 3 day nightmare. The tool pallets look like they were designed for school kids, why have one green tool?
… anyway I can’t currently made pdf or PS files. If I wait about half an hour eventually I get the helpful error message “cannot make PDF”
I’m having to export back to V7 to make PS files prior to distilling.
Anyone have any ideas?
November 19th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Wow, Matt! Something is extremely wrong there. Much like you, I’ve been using QuarkXPress since version 2. I’ve upgraded each time, and my upgrade to version 8 went without a hitch. It took a few minutes, and I was up and running.
I’m also successfully outputting PDFs (quickly, I may add!). Have you tried using Quark’s free technical support phone service? There must be a corrupted file or permissions setting somewhere.