Moving from Quark Xpress to Adobe InDesign (CS)

Points to consider upon file conversion

Translating files – the simpler the Quark file, the easier the translation into InDesign

Best to check the file in Quark first, and check all its links under Utilities/usage.

When all links modified, drop the file icon over the InDesign icon on the desktop – this begins the process of file conversion.

InDesign brings in most of Quark’s features – including all master pages, paragraph and character styles and swatches – though some colours may not translate.

InDesign has its own links box (like Quark’s ‘usage’). Watch for broken links – a red circle means file missing. Do a shift/click to select files and go to re-link (same as Usage). Try relinking to original (psd) files – not eps,/tif versions.

Text runarounds do not convert well – these need to be looked at individually and re-worked (a plug-in is available from Woodwings which rectifies this). Go to Windows/type & tables/text wrap.

Some strokes try to change dash settings if they don’t translate. Check strokes round boxes and re-set if needed.

Achored elements are just aligned to the baseline in InDesign

Sub-set images (ones within others) can be selected by use of the indirect selection tool (follows Illustrator’s toolbox). Sets (grouped items) are selected using the direct selection tool.

InDesign does not set box frames from a measurement either inside or outside the box, but from the centre of the stroke.

Make sure ‘high quality display’ is checked – otherwise an image might appear white out.

Select all unused colours and discard them.

To test if a document has all images embedded, try making a PDF (try in Distiller). Sometimes images will need to be re-imported.

Andrew Mann – January 2004