Customer Reviews

QuarkXPress to InDesign: Face to Face

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is perfect for anyone making the transition from QXP to InDesign. Galen Gruman's new book, QuarkXPress to InDesign: Face to Face, features over 250 switcher questions answered in step-by-step, head-to-head tutorials. In addition to walking the reader through common how to tasks like setting bleeds and crops, creating style sheets, exporting Web documents, and defining clipping paths, Face to Face also delivers other valuable information such as a chart comparing the graphic file formats supported for placement by both applications, shortcuts to insert special characters like em dashes and trademark symbols, and workarounds when features are not mirrored between the programs-such as working with the levels of a placed image, something that can be accomplished directly within Quark 6.5 but not in InDesign CS2. A section on InDesign-only tools and charts of keyboard shortcuts for both programs round out a desk reference indispensable to any switcher.

This book is indispensable to any designer making the switch from Quark Xpress to InDesign. Using the side-by-side comparison of features is much faster than trying to find the answers online, because in order to look up how to do something, you have to know what it's called in InDesign. With this book, you don't. As a book designer, my only complaint is that the layout is unnecessarily complex. The shaded areas and bars, underlined text, icons and more were distracting rather than helpful, and the quality of the paper used makes the book look and feel cheap. Even so, I highly commend the author for the fine job in compiling such a massive amount of material and I highly recommend the book.

This book is not really for Quark users as really each entry is going to show you the Quark way then tell you the InDesign way and even if the Quark way is superior and easier you will be told that InDesign does it way better! It is just page after page of shameless ad hype for InDesign, which if you're buying this book you've already got InDesign so they really don't need to sell it to you. Except that with each page you are going to ask yourself why anyone would ever give up QuarkXpress for this miserable throwback to Pagemaker-- so I guess that's one reason why with every other page they have to try to sell you the idea.
Save your money and get the Adobe Classroom.

This book was a great help in making the jump from QuarkXPress to InDesign. When I chose it, I didn't notice that it was aimed at QuarkXPress version 6.5 to InDesign CS2, but it was still sufficient in answering the questions I had in working with InDesign CS3. I particularly like the charts generously appearing throughout the book. The format of having the information for the two applications side-by-side on facing pages is very helpful. The information you are looking for is very easy to find, and the explanations are clear and concise.

I am actually trained on InDesign, but when I started my position with a nonprofit org they still use Quark 5. I purchased this book to see if I can somehow convert concepts the other way around. This book did a lovely job of showing how to do the same task in Quark and InDesign. It's lifesaver. The only opportunity for change would be illustrations. There are illustrations provided, but I wish there were more. Besides that it's a great bang for your buck.

Like many others out there making the switch, I have too. Going from Pagemaker to Quark I literally did in an hour. Quark to InDesign, well that took a little longer. This book is great when your in the middle of doing something and you know what you want, but no clue how to do it or what its called. For those things that need some further explaination I recommend the CS2 Bible. I use Face to Face more, but both are great references to have!

If you know Quarkxpress then learning Indesign is simple with this book.
Easy to read, the text cuts right to the chase, with a page by page comparison of each task.

Also works in reverse, if you know Indesign this book will help you learn QuarkXpress in no time.

I found this book to be a great reference quide for the handling of two different programs in the desktop publishing field. Would recommend for anyone starting new employment where this situation would be involved handling these programs.

If you've never used Quark before, this is the perfect book for you! The book also has side by side instructions from Quark to InDesign. These two programs are really great for page layouts and I never knew how awesome the program was until I received this book and used everything almost to its potential. If you have Photoshop experience and want to learn more about Indesign, this may be a good book, though the interface is pretty much intuitive. The book is great, but I wished it showed more shortcuts...I rely on that more than the tools now!

If you want to feel like you're on prehistoric times...just go for the QXpress software.

* QXpress would never work

* QXpresswould always crash, you would need to do long and endless phone calls to see how you can solve issues, you would need to enter a million numbers and letters on your activation code and even though, it won't work EVER

* if you finally get in contact with QXpress customer support they would never help you and when you tell them about all of the issues...they would try to convince you to upgrade and pay $299, and when you explain that no because it did't work, they would be very disrespectful to you and leave the conversation without asking if you need anything else.

I was a QXpress user for many years, but the involution of this software is way too much.
My recommendation: use InDesign instead, no doubt.

Thanks for reading my review.