Affinity Publisher - Simple Request : Book and Technical Typesetting

[tariq]

I'm excited that Affinity is developing a DTP application.

From the various rumours and snippets I can't tell what Affinity Publisher (AP) will be like.

My simple (but important imho) request is this - that AP must not be a fancy page layout application designed for posters and small pamphlets, but must be usable for larger books and technical publications.

Right now there is a gaping hole in the market. Indesign and Quark seem to have de-emphasised the serious / technical book publisher or author, leaving the space to the extremely expensive systems like ArborText (link).

What would this mean for AP? It would mean workflows - workflows that allow users to create masterpages/templates and design elements like styles and partially complete objects like callouts and tables .. which are not placed on a page but in a sequence which is assembled and typeset to a final layout, the ability to cross-reference between sections, and even multiple books. 

Taking this user-centric view we can see, and be puzzled, as to why software like MS Word in 2018 still can't apply styles to images (try applying a style which sets inserted images to 70% if the text width.. it's not possible). But a book designer would need to be able to adjust how figures in a book work with ease and elegance.

 

Please don't release a glorified Affinity Designer with fancy linked text boxes ... !!

[tariq]

• some printers want something called "total ink coverage" to be within bounds - a good DTP application will tell you how much ink is going to be laid down if you print the page
• some printers want everything in a PDF to be CMYK 

these are just two examples of what serious book publishers need to think about -  I hope Affinity Publisher will meet these needs

[MikeW]

APub, like ID, QXP, et al, must be capable of a wide range of uses. 

Both ID and QXP are capable of technical work, but they do require plug-ins/XTensions to do so. And to be more equal to what ArborPress is, they should be driven by their respective Server models. Internally, they are both mainly XML with Quark having an actual DOM model.

As for much of your post? Don't hold your breath. APub isn't going to be capable for most anything as distinctive as ArborPress--nor Prince, nor ID, nor QXP--for years to come.

Mike

[tariq]

any updates on AFPublisher beta testing?

[Bobi]

Last time I check, it was said mid - late August.