Adobe PageMaker 6.5

PageMaker is one of the icons of the desktop publishing revolution, but Adobe isn't content to live on past glories. Over the past several years, Adobe has been repositioning its publishing tools, including PageMaker, to excel in both print and electronic publishing environments.

The latest version of PageMaker v6.5 (PM 6.5) features tight integration with other Adobe publishing tools, especially PhotoShop and Illustrator, versatile import and export formats and the ability to produce electronic publications in HTML or Adobe Acrobat's PDF formats.

Because of its heritage in desktop publishing, I will comment primarily on improvements to desktop publishing functions in this review and only briefly discuss electronic publishing features.

Perspective

Can you imagine a world before desktop publishing? I can, although I don't have to imagine it, I can remember it. Painful as that memory is. It was difficult and expensive to have something printed. Way back then, we were still excited about how much easier it was to get something typed. We were thrilled with the ability to jazz up our pages with bold, underline or, wait for it, italic type.

When I first heard about new development called "desk top publishing", I was impressed, although not entirely convinced that I would live to see the day when such things would be possible. When I actually saw someone using PageMaker I was blown away. I've lusted after desktop publishing software ever since.

Through the years, as word processing programs grew more powerful and acquired many of the functions that impressed me so much all those years ago, I grew complacent. I no longer had access to the most powerful and usually expensive DTP programs my employers had used. I concentrated on writing and used graphic designers for most of the design work I needed. Every once in a while I would run into a project that really needed desktop publishing, but the client didn't want the extra expense. So I'd produce the finished material with my word processing program.

In time, I started to believe that improvements in word processing packages had eliminated the major advantages of desktop publishing programs over word processing programs. My first hand, in depth experience of desktop publishing programs was stuck in a time warp. (Despite having seen various demonstrations of the latest and greatest programs through the years.) As I worked, wringing every bit of finesse from my word processor, desktop publishing programs also grew more sophisticated, and easier to use.

It only took me a few minutes playing with PM 6.5 to convince me that I had made a mistake not investing in desktop publishing software. Working to get my word processing program to work like a DTP program, hadn't saved me money, it had wasted my time. I had been working harder and longer, to produce documents that weren't as well controlled as I had wanted them to be. I had been working harder, not smarter.

What you get

In a word, heaps. The commercial release features a CD-ROM containing

Page layout control

Layers, frames and automatic layout adjustment are major improvements to PageMaker's already impressive page layout features.

Figure 1. The default setup combines Styles and Colours in one palette, Layers and Master pages in another

Figure 2. You can separate Styles from Colours, or Layers from Master Pages

Figure 3. If you like you can combine the two default palettes into one super palette. Some palettes, including the Tool palette (on the left) cannot be combined with others.

Layers

The document wide layering feature enables you to work easily and more efficiently with complex publications, or multiple versions of a single publication. Text, images or instructions can be placed on different layers, and you can control which of these are active or inactive, locked or editable, etc. You set a layer active or inactive to control whether or not it prints. With a single file you can print two copies of a catalogue, one with retail prices, one with wholesale. You can produce the artwork for a black and white and a full colour brochure, in a single file. A company with branch offices can create a custom newsletter for each branch, with a different branch manager's photograph, contact information and hours of operation, in each version, simply by creating the master document and a different layer for each of the branches. You can also use layers to add editorial comments in the lead up to publication, or instructions to the printer in the final version. This feature is especially useful in today's work environment, when offices may be far apart and the client and printer may never meet face to face.

Frames

In earlier versions of PageMaker you had to have text or a graphic to put into the appropriate text or graphic objects. In other words, you couldn't create empty text or graphic objects and play around with the document style. If you already had the text and graphics, no problem. If you were designing the publication before the text and graphics were ready and wanted to see how your trial layouts would look or experi-ment with different layout options, you had to use dummy text and graphics. That's a common practice, but it can be distracting.

Frames enable you to design text and graphic spaces, without any actual text or graphics to fill the spaces. This helps you visualise a publication's style long before the text and illustrations are finished. It can also help establish text and illustration requirements for a publication. Since for printed publications total length and the number and type of illustrations will have a significant impact on the cost of a project, it's practical to have this information before you start writing and illustrating.

While working with empty frames, you can link them, predetermining the order and flow of text from frame to frame. These relationships remain even if you resize or move frames from one location to another.

Automatic layout adjustment

This is a ripper of a feature! Although it's not 100 percent foolproof, it reduces substantially the amount of time it takes to reformat a page layout from portrait to landscape (or vice versa). OK, it's not that common to finish a publication only to find that the page orientation has been changed at the last minute. It is however, common to discover that the text is 20 per cent longer or shorter than expected. There may not be any benefit in reducing the number of pages if, say, it's a book in a series, and the publisher wants each one to be similar in size and bulk. There will always be a cost in increasing the number of pages. Increasing the number of pages once the budget has been set is to be avoided at all costs. So changing page setups, enlarging or shrinking columns, or even adding or removing columns, are all too common tasks that often have to be done at the last minute.

PageMaker automatically repositions, resizes and reflows text and graphics when you change columns, page size or redesign master pages.

This feature is also helpful when you're adapting printed publications for electronic disribution. Many natural print layouts won't work as well for electronic presentations. If you only use this feature to reformat print pages for online presentation, you will thank Adobe for developing it. Of course Adobe planned on your using the product in just this way, which is why it has improved PageMaker's handling of electronic publishing formats.

Electronic publishing and distribution

The previous version of PageMaker supported exporting to HTML format and conversion to Adobe's proprietary PDF format. In version 6.5 these features have been extended and strengthened. You can create and test hyperlinks from within PageMaker itself. The hyperlink palette makes it easy to create links to any place in the current document, another document or any location on the World Wide Web. Imported links from HTML documents remain functional in PageMaker documents. Going in the opposite direction, URLs in PageMaker documents exported to HTML or PDF format also remain functional.

Figure 4. Intro page, for soup section

Figure 5. Sample recipe page

Figure 6. Setting preferences for adjustments

These pages are from a cookbook, originally for A4, landscape pages. Blue (non-printing) grid lines help position items on the page. The original layout was quite easy, although the conversion pushed the automatic conversion feature to the limit. However, it was relatively quick and easy to tidy the pages by hand, once the automatic conversion had done its thing.

Figure 7. Preference options.

Figure 8. Adjusting page orientation from landscape to portrait

Although purists chafe at the thought, you can import PageMaker files directly to HTML-formatted pages. The conversion process converts graphics to GIF 89 or JPEG format, on the fly. You can control the conversion, selecting colour, interlacing and file compression options. The previous version of PageMaker converted the page to a basic HTML rendering. In version 6.5, the converted page is created using tables, to reproduce the look and feel of your PageMaker document. Overkill? Perhaps, but if you've gone to a lot of trouble to create a well-designed page, you will most likely chafe at it being rendered as a basic HTML document. (See the accompanying figures and judge for yourself how my sample cookbook page survives the conversion process.)

Adobe's Acrobat portable document format (PDF) is another option for electronic publishing and distribution. Depending on your purpose, it can be a better option, especially if you need to preserve the look of your page. PDF files will be larger than an equivalent HTML file, and therefore take longer to download and those download or time charges, cost your more.

Figure 9. Results of automatic adjustment, Intro page

Figure 10. Results of automatic adjustment, recipe page

Figure 11. About 10 minutes work gets both pages back in shape (Intro page)

Figure 12. And the recipe page

This isn't a review of Acrobat, so I'll just say that Adobe has been working to improve PDF document features and address these issues. Improvements include the facility for creating dynamic, interactive PDF forms, easier to implement multimedia functions and new compression features that enable faster downloading. Still, for most Internet uses, I prefer HTML, it's a case of horses for courses.

User interface

You don't have to be a full-on Adobe user to appreciate the improvements in the user interface. If you are, you will be able to put the improved efficiency they offer to good use almost immediately.

This version of PageMaker incorporates and improves on the tabbed pallettes feature first introduced in Adobe's PhotoShop 3.0. These make it easier to organise an efficient work space.

Pallettes, for colour, control, layers, master pages, etc, can be hidden or displayed as you prefer. You can also combine pallettes, to save space, simply by dragging one pallette over another. You separate them simply by dragging one away from the other(s). When pallettes are combined you bring the one you want to use to the front, by clicking on it. When a pallette is displayed, you can view its menu commands by clicking on the triangle in the upper right hand corner of the appropriate pallette. This is another efficiency feature that you will appreciate more, the more you use the product.

Displayed pallettes can be opened or closed with a mouse click or two. PageMaker also provides key stroke options (keyboard shortcuts) for almost every function. These are, as much as possible, the same for Illustrator and PhotoShop.

The tools pallette includes a new, "Hand" tool (users of Adobe's Acrobat Reader will already be familiar with this tool). The hand tool enables you to scroll the page in any direction, and preview or follow hyperlinks in the publication.

This version of PageMaker offers context-sensitive, right mouse button support, something Windows 95 users now expect. For example if you point to an empty part of the page, and click the right mouse button, you'll see page size menu options.

High-end publishing features

I haven't had the opportunity to test these features.

According to Adobe, PageMaker 6.5 incorporates an RGB print model that improves PDF colour output for on-screen viewing and greater control of high-fidelity colour options.

Something I am looking forward to trying is the "Save for Service Provider" plug-in. Any top ten list of DTP horror stories is guaranteed to include at least one instance of a job, without a key file or with an out of date file, sent to a service bureau. Any feature that makes this tedious but necessary task easier, automatic, or fingers-crossed "fool proof" will be appreciated by designers and service providers alike.

The verdict

I've been using PageMaker 6.5 on and off for a couple of months. I've yet to explore the depths of its features. Not for want of trying either. Every time I've taken it out for a spin, for work or pleasure, I've found myself spending a lot of time, enjoying myself as I try this or that.

PageMaker 6.5 is a fun program to use, and a powerful one. You can use it to create publications with very little training. This means you can be productive with PM 6.5 without having to be a power user. You can get plenty of use out of it, as you learn the ropes. In other words, you can grow into it, without ever feeling as if you're out of your depth.

If you're reasonably competent using your Windows 95 system (or Mac), you can expect to create simple to moderately complex documents with PM 6.5 after an hour or two. If you want to work through all the tutorials you might take a day or two.

At the same time, PM 6.5 isn't just an easy-to-use publishing tool. It's power is limited only by your imagination and willingness to learn how to use its more advanced features. So it will take you a while before you're creating mind-blowing masterpieces. For that, you'll need to get right into it, learn how to clang all its bells and toot all its whistles. Along with an in-depth technical knowledge of the program, you'll also need a certain amount of innate talent.

Using PageMaker doesn't turn you into an award winning graphic designer. However, almost anyone who uses a little restraint and follows basic rules of graphic design, can produce complex, professional-looking documents with it. Once you have the hang of it, you can produce them more efficiently with PageMaker than you can with your word processing program. If you're already an award winning graphic designer, PM 6.5 can help you work smarter, not harder.

You don't need to be a full-time desktop publisher to get your money's worth from an investment in PM 6.5. If you want to exercise more control over document layout, and you regularly produce moderately complex documents, documents that combine text and graphics, use columns, span several pages, etc - or if you routinely find yourself pushing the limits of your high-end word processing software, it's time to add a desktop publishing program to your holdings. PageMaker would make an excellent choice.

If you are a full-time desktop publisher, PageMaker could be the tool you're looking for, the one that will help you get more and better results from the time you spend in front of the computer.

Reprinted from the April 1998 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia