One darn thing after another (iCloud onwards)

[allen-uk]

You (collectively) have helped me get iCloud sharing set up on my Mac Mini and my iPad, for which many thanks.

However... although I can now see my various QuarkXpress documents on my iPad, I can’t open them there.

I could I suppose save QX docs as PDFs, and be able to view them, but is there an easier way, maybe through Pages or similar?

Thanks.

Allen

 

[Raz0rEdge]

You have the right application on the iPad to open Quark files? Do those files open properly on your other devices without being converted to PDFs?

 

[allen-uk]

No, nothing on my iPad! I don’t mind buying some sort of program, but the nearest I can get is QuarkDesignPad which is $300, and probably as many pounds. I was hoping for a workround, as otherwise all our workin getting my iCloud up and running has been in vain.

I can probably resave ‘important’ (who am I kidding) documents in Pages, which I do have on both, which might suffice.

Allen

 

[Raz0rEdge]

I quickly looked at Quark's site and it looks like this is a content publishing tool. The Quark files will require an app (from Quark or others) to be able to open and manipulate. You can convert it to a common format like PDF, but that's more for the published version and not one where you want to continue working.

Pages is a text editor and I've heard of people using it to publish content, but it has significantly less features than Quark it seems. If you can export/convert the Quark files to Pages file, then you can use Pages to manipulate the files.

 

[allen-uk]

Right, Ashwin. I've been using QX for 30 years or more, so like it, and yes, it is the best of the DTP-type programs. I'll play with the Pages idea, as it might be a way round this.

I'll report back.

Allen.

 

[ferrarr]

Look what I found.... Quark DesignPad on the App Store. I'm not sure if you need to pay a subscription service to use it though?

 

[allen-uk]

Thanks Bob, having a look at it. Seems you can instigate designs, layouts, etc., on DesignPad, but as yet Ihaven't found a facility for opening (i.e. putting on screen) existing QX documents. But I'm trying their (Quark) forum, which might help.

Allen.

PS Your payoff line (Please backup. Everything has a life cycle, unexpected and warning free. Nothing will last as long as you want it to) strikes me as highly poignant - it's my old age, I fear...

 

[pm-r]

Look what I found....

Man, I'd sure be surprised if there is actually any iOS app that would open or allow any editing to any normal Mac Quark files. It's bad enough to keep working properly on most Mac OS versions.

I dare say one will have to stay with Mac OS to work with any Quark files.


EDIT:
As I was saying, how's this from their comments of their DesignPad app in the app store:

• Open your layout in QuarkXPress to polish your design
• For ultimate control, turn your DesignPad layout into a completed design by opening it in QuarkXPress* — our award-winning premier professional design and layout software

The only Mac users that I know of that still use the super expensive QuarkXPress.app, are those who have usually retired from the newspaper or magazine publishing business and just happened to have borrowed a copy!!!


It does work quite well, but it sure is quirky the way it works compared to most Mac layout and publication applications IMHO.



- Patrick
======

 

[allen-uk]

Patrick (and all other helpers).

Yes, the answer is 'No'. I downloaded DesignPad, upgraded it for ten pounds to the next level, and no, you can't open existing QX files with it.

There were similar questions on the Quark Forum over the years, ie asking the same sort of question, and they generally got fobbed off with 'working on it, hope to bring it out soon', etc. Well, they apparently are still working on it...

Never mind. There is no longer any good reason for me to be using QuarkXpress - it's the old story. I always HAVE used QX - it was the first program of its sort back in the 80s, my firm used it, and now I'm old and retired, I still use it.

But there's no reason why I couldn't do most of my stuff in Pages, which can be viewed on both Mac and iPad, so that seems to be the solution. Switch to Pages, and stop being set in my ways.

Worth a try, though.

Allen.

 

[IWT]

Switch to Pages, and stop being set in my ways.

A brave move And a wise move well done, "young man".

Ian

 

[Rod]

Much as I hate to suggest it could this be done with MS Word? I have Word for iOS on my iPhone and iPad as I still find Pages a bit limited and I have many .docx files stored on MS's free cloud storage OneDrive.

 

[allen-uk]

Rod: curiously you're even 'righter' than you think.

A workround for me was:
Open the document in Quark. / Click in the text area (no need for further selecting) / File, Save Text (then choose Word Document as option) / the new saved Word Document appears on your desktop (or wherever).

Open iPad / go to Files / select that new Word Document in your iCloud/Desktop / Opens in Word (why - I didn't know we HAD Word on iPad).

alternatively:

On your Mac, open Pages, then File Open that Word Document, it loads and appears as a Pages doc. Save THAT, then go to iPad, and it'll open as a Pages doc.

Very quick, so for any existing QX docs on my Mac, it's the work of moments to make either a Word document or a Pages document which I can view on both devices.

Still not 100% keen on Pages, but after 35 years of Quark that's not surprising. I shall persevere!

Allen.

 

[Rod]

Yes Pages is okay and I do use it for some things but when I started using Macs there really was no alternative to Word. I got MS Office For MacOS a long time ago because I needed Excel.


Sent from my iPhone using Mac-Forums

 

[allen-uk]

Yes, I have heard that. The only reason I was heading for Pages was that I already have it, on Mac and iPad, and I'm getting meaner as I get old.

I know it's not as simple as this, but would you recommend Word over Pages to the likes of me?

Main advantage of Pages seems to be it's free, but you find other advantages?

Word still seems pricey. Googling throws up varying results, from Amazon's £120 down to £34 for a cheapo version.

Thinking about it, there are certainly advantages to no longer being in thrall to Quark, and few advantages any more.


Allen.

 

[chscag]

I know it's not as simple as this, but would you recommend Word over Pages to the likes of me?

Pages has come a long way over the past several years and Apple continues to improve it. However, if you exchange documents with others you might want to stick with Word. Also, if you have an accumulation of older Word documents (doc) it's best to open them with Word rather than use Pages.

Since Pages is free, there's certainly no reason not to try it out for awhile. If you can't get along with it, remove it and press on with Quark or Word.

 

[Rod]

I could be wrong but I thought MS Word for iOS was free.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[ferrarr]

I could be wrong but I thought MS Word for iOS was free.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

This is what I was aware of, Microsoft Office for iPad apps are free, but it'll cost upto $120 a year to use it all | iMore.

 

[pm-r]

This is what I was aware of, Microsoft Office for iPad apps are free, but it'll cost upto $120 a year to use it all | iMore.

Just like so many other stupid and annoying apps listed as "Free" in the iOS App Store. Truly a misrepresentation and waste of a users time unless it's stated clearly!!



- Patrick
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