Will there be a page layout program comparable to InDesign or Quark?

[donnaoverall]

I am so ready to abandon Adobe Creative Suite altogether. The only thing that is stopping me is needing to have a professional equivalent of InDesign or Quark Xpress for long documents. I do magazines and books, so just an Illustrator or Photoshop equivalent will not help me out unless I just use them as an occasional alternative to InDesign and Photoshop. When you're doing a 700-page book, you have to have a program equipped for that kind of work

 

Please tell me you will be marketing a Mac page layout program! Soon! Please!

If not, I will likely not use the other Affinity products since I have everything I need in Creative Suite. Help us break the Adobe habit!

[MEB]

Hi donnaoverall,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Yes, there will be an InDesign equivalent called Affinity Publisher. If everything goes according to the plans it will be available as a beta by the end of this year/beginning of next, with a release date set for the first half of 2016.

[Chandalf]

I've been a PagePlus user since v.1 (or maybe v.2 - it was a long time ago!) and I keep a Windows m/c - and BootCamp install - just to continue using what has always been the best value/features solution for my needs. Absolutely thrilled that at last Serif is joining those of us who have realised that OS X is the way to go! Quite frankly, there is no serious competition at the lower end of the DTP market on Macs. I've tried them all. If Affinity Publisher is even as capable as PP X3 was then it deserves to be a winner. Looking forward to the Beta…

[anon1]

Ouw in the end of this year seems quite some time ahead :oO I'm really psyched about Publisher.

 

... but maybe the time is worth waiting.

As far as I understand it all your (currently) 3 application will be based on a common base system and because AD and AP are steadily increasing their quality I expect publisher to start at a more refined beta stadium.

The devs obviously will have most of the knowledge about the formats/ export and maybe even advanced printing will be developed by this time and thus already available in Publisher.

 

One question:

Are your e-zines already designed using an intern alpha publisher version??

[mhdesign]

I am absolutely looking forward to Affinity Publisher. I've been an staunch InDesign professional user for the last 9 years (Quark for about 7 years before that) and would love to get my hands on Publisher. Is there a beta sign-up yet? Chomping at the bit for more info!

[MEB]

Hi mhdesign,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :),

No, there's no sign-up yet. Affinity Publisher will be available as beta at the beginning of the next year.

[mhdesign]

Noted, thanks MEB. I will keep an open eye for more info to be posted.

[SaijaAut]

This is great news! I've hesitated to try your other apps without an InDesign replacement in the mix.

 

One question: Will I be able to export PDFs from Publisher? Everything I do has to end up as a PDF, whether for the local printer (brochure, poster, etc.), or for a magazine (ad), or digital documentation (PDF with bookmarks and hyperlinks).

[melicharlks]

I can't wait for Affinity Publisher. I'm already using AF Designer and Photo as well. I'm so satisfied! Finally someone made so powerful tool instead Adobe software - I've got sick of it! Affinity is organised, intuitive, powerful and super fast! Can't wait for AF Publisher to own complete editing collection for the best price on the market. Thumbs up for all you guys from developers crew!

[misc33]

I can see that the timeline has been pushed back....beta by the end of this year, with final release in 2017. It's going to be worth the wait, but in the mean time I am in the position of having to downgrade my iMac from El Capitan to Yosemite, because InDesign CS5 has stopped working. This is a major pain in the neck!

 

Will Publisher be able to open InDesign files of varying versions? Will everything be editable, or will it be the same as opening Illustrator files into Designer?

[dotheDVDeed]

Well, here we are at late November 2016.

 

And we're still waiting for the release of Affinity Publisher beta.  Soon, maybe?

[Tia Lapis]

Beginning 2017 for the beta and end 2017 are the currently flying dates ...

[MEB]

Hi dotheDVDeed,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

The Affinity Publisher Beta has been delayed due to the way things have evolved, sorry. Please check this reply from Dave Harris for more info.

[SMA]

I would assume both

and

features, introduced at #AdobeMAX, would be essential in software like Publisher. Please make a Publisher-equivalent for each a reality in its original release.

[MikeW]

I would assume both

and

features, introduced at #AdobeMAX, would be essential in software like Publisher. Please make a Publisher-equivalent for each a reality in its original release.

 

Not essential. I more or less like the ColorChameleon, the QuickLayout not so much. ColorChameleon seems like a fancy redo of the Match Color routine that has been in PS for quite a number of years with the palette concept thrown in. But do note that it still requires fairly decent and already reasonable tone-matched images.

 

I personally think the color matching would be a better fit with APhoto. It doesn't need to be done in APub. QuickLayout has no real place in layout design any more than providing dozens of stock templates--they don't increase the quality of the application.

[SMA]

But do note that it still requires fairly decent and already reasonable tone-matched images. - Agree

 

I personally think the color matching would be a better fit with APhoto. It doesn't need to be done in APub. - Disagree

ColorChameleon would do well for Publisher, as well as Photo, since a consistent color theme may be highly needed.

 

QuickLayout has no real place in layout design any more than providing dozens of stock templates - Disagree

Doesn't a layout program, Publisher included, deal with layout of all sorts? We are not just talking about templates here, we are talking real-time adjustment on the fly. Now, this is time-saving!

[MikeW]

ColorChameleon would do well for Publisher, as well as Photo, since a consistent color theme may be highly needed.

 

Doesn't a layout program, Publisher included, deal will layout of all sorts? We are not just talking about templates here, we are talking real-time adjustment on the fly. Now, this is time-saving!

 

 

By the time I actually begin using a layout application for a new client, there already is a consistent color theme. And usually it is comprised of corporate colors to whatever degree. When colors are to be added to those established colors, they are thoughtfully chosen and go through a review process. And while I may play with layout minor ideas prior to getting material for the layout, most all decisions have been made.

 

And obviously for established clients, there has been a body of material produced already where unless they are desiring a make-over, those color palettes are reused even if added/subtracted to/from.

 

That said, where the ColorCameleon comes into play is once images are handed over, one can then see which ones that may be beneficial to "harmonize" with such a process. 90% of all the images that are handed over to me are professionally shot and are already in close harmony. Of the remaining images, these are generally coming from low-end clients and I can see where the ColorCameleon could be helpful. But it isn't something I would use with regularity unless all I received were disparate stock images.

 

The layout thingie. Do note they are using AI in that video. But let's consider the video. Max was 9 images they displayed. If I needed to manipulate those 9 images in an image editing application prior to layout, is there really any time savings versus having it in APub? Also note that during the resizing part some image appeared to get distorted and nearly all of them would have been needed to have recropped. So what if the text moved upwards automatically? Just how long does that take on a one-page flier anyway. The feature as I understand requires a fairly simple grid-based, low page count document. I do make a fair number of these per year, but I wouldn't make use of this dubious feature.

 

As an Adobe customer, I am slightly miffed that they would even consider adding these features at the expense of long-standing issues or truly needed, never been added things to both AI and ID. InDesign has seen little love for too many years. It's the bastard step-child among the Adobe's products.

[SMA]

First of all, MikeW, we are not just talking about one or two use cases, concerning ColorChameleon (CC). Fortunately, you were quick to point out, there could be other instances where CC would come in handy.

 

Secondly, I knew QuickLayout (QL) was demoed using AI. But I'm making a case for Publisher. I don't even need to open an app to find out if a QL feature were useful. And obviously, all those drawbacks/constraints you mentioned, will need to be addressed if Serif were to come up with a highly effective/successful tool in this department. This is for their consideration. Again, we should not just be limiting to one or two use cases here.

[anon1]

I would assume both

and

features, introduced at #AdobeMAX, would be essential in software like Publisher. Please make a Publisher-equivalent for each a reality in its original release.

does not look very useful to me, rather gimmicky 

 

 

the outcome of colorCamelion is pretty oversaturated and does not compare well to a professional edit and QuickLayout does not provide much help because creating a frame and moving one item is extremely easy anyway.

[MikeW]

First of all, MikeW, we are not just talking about one or two use cases, concerning ColorChameleon (CC). Fortunately, you were quick to point out, there could be other instances where CC would come in handy.

 

Secondly, I knew QuickLayout (QL) was demoed using AI. But I'm making a case for Publisher. I don't even need to open an app to find out if a QL feature were useful. And obviously, all those drawbacks/constraints you mentioned, will need to be addressed if Serif were to come up with a highly effective/successful tool in this department. This is for their consideration. Again, we should not just be limiting to one or two use cases here.

 

I don't think either is overly useful in a page layout application.

 

Here's something to consider. If you want Serif to take this seriously, you should provide the use cases and how these things would be useful to a broad spectrum of APub users. If others find that your use cases would benefit them, they can in turn show their support by responding in the affirmative.

 

Of these two items, I can see the potential usefulness of ColorCameleon in an image editing application as that is what it acts upon. I wouldn't overly welcome any image manipulation features in APub (but maybe that's just me). The palettes it would generate would be able to be used in APub after all.

 

The QuickLayout demo was used in AI for a reason. Adobe used a horrible "use case" in its major show. The thing looks like a Realtor flier.

 

But again, provide examples of how either of these features would benefit you and others as regards a layout application on diverse types of publications.

[pet_r]

Just adding my 50c regarding the wait for Publisher. I do not mind if it takes more time than we hope, but please do take care of the quality of its key feature: text setting. The only good enough algorithms I know of are in LaTeX and InDesign. I have been using InDesign for years, setting book pages that indeed look good. I take heavy use even of typographic fine-tuning. With a decent amount of work one can achieve a lot with InDesign. I confirm I as many others I am not interested in polluting Publisher functionality by stuff from Photo or Designer, I just need it to be really good at dealing with very long and complex texts, placing bitmaps/grpahics prepared in Photo and Designer, and - this is also crucial - prooducing high quality PDFXs.

Also, some way of importing InDesign files without completely screwing their contents will be needed. I am certainly not the only one who keeps an archive of a large number of layouts that may need to get reused in future.

 

And yes I am aching to get away from Adobe as so many other users. Now I stick with CS6, hoping it will survive for some more time before an OS update renders it unusable. I hope and pray Affinity Publisher will have matured enough by then. (But rest assured: I am going to purchase Publisher the moment it becomes available).

[SaijaAut]

I agree with Pet_r's 50c. Typography, especially for book interiors, and high quality PDFs are of paramount importance. Ability to import InDesign layouts would be really nice. Looking forward to abandoning Indesign CS6.

[SMA]

does not look very useful to me, rather gimmicky 

 

 

the outcome of colorCamelion is pretty oversaturated and does not compare well to a professional edit and QuickLayout does not provide much help because creating a frame and moving one item is extremely easy anyway.

There should be parameters to play with concerning the two features, and Serif may implement differently but it is always good to note new technologies that others come up with, to say the least. They inspire.

[SMA]

  

Of these two items, I can see the potential usefulness of ColorCameleon in an image editing application as that is what it acts upon. I wouldn't overly welcome any image manipulation features in APub (but maybe that's just me). - (Agree)

 

The QuickLayout demo was used in AI for a reason. - What would that reason be, you reckon?

 

But again, provide examples of how either of these features would benefit you and others as regards a layout application on diverse types of publications. - Already considered contacting Serif directly.

[MikeW]

AI lends itself to these types of simple layouts for 1, 2 page fliers, etc. InDesign doesn't. they are used differently though one can stand in for the other. But ID is a real page layout application that has far great use in layout types than does AI. For something as simple as Adobe's (stupidly designed flier), I would also tend to use a vector design application to pump out that type of work for an in-office type of flier.

 

I wouldn't use ID or QXP for those unless it was data-driven (which I do a lot of in both ID & QXP). But the reason I use those applications for data-driven, fairly simple layouts is because there isn't much money in them and they need to get done near instantly. Once the database is set up they can be pumped out quickly even with various design changes, they can have the business name/location, etc., personalized. I do sets of fliers like that (though with more info and pictures) for auto parts store chains and other small business types. the store names and locations change, sometimes there are regional differences (like snow tires in some locations and not others, etc.).

 

Even if I made them by hand, I would use an AI type of application for them.