YoursTruly Xtension

[DCurry]

You can buy it directly here. It works as a plugin for Acrobat, Quark, and InDesign. You can start in Quark or InDesign and designate what text or graphic boxes contain variables, then you export to PDF and insert your data fields, then once everything is good you compose the document into its final format (it can do several formats, including PDF, PPML, JLT).

You can also skip the Quark/InDesign step and add variables to any PDF, but if position is critical it is easier to start in the layout app.

[Amir]

The Indigo YoursTruly Xtension is now named HP SmartStream Designer.

HP SmartStream Designer for InDesign CS4 & CS5, and SmartStream Designer for QuarkXPress 8 installers are available for download at
www.hp.com/go/SmartStreamDesigner
or at 'My HP Indigo' web pages.

HP recently released SmartStream Designer for QuarkXPress 8.5, which is including fixes to few reported issues since 8.0 was released.

[Slappy]

Man, HP's site is one of the worst I've seen or navigation. I can drill down & find the SmartStream Installer link for Quark 8.5 and even InDesign CS5  but NO idea how much it costs.

[DCurry]

Amir, thanks for the heads-up on the newest updates.

Slappy, I agree that HP's site is very difficult to navigate. Whatever the cost, I'm sure it is overpriced. I wish HP would include one full license (and lifetime updates) and wrap it into the click charge. They'd probably make more money on it that way.

[Slappy]

Yup, that's exactly why I still have to save all the new Quark jobs that require SmartStream back as EPS files & drop 'em into Q6. That's the last version the Powers That Be bought the Xtension for, and likely the only one I'll ever see.

[DCurry]

The InDesign version is much better than the Quark version. At training the number of differences between the 2 was staggering - it's as though they have 2 completely different teams working on them and they don't talk to each other much.

[Amir]

As a member of the HP R&D team that develops the SmartStream Designer - we are certainly one team - and we do talk with each other 

You may try the Designer for QuarkXPress 8.5 - we improved there some look & feel, so it is closer to Designer for inDesign, but indeed, almost all new features go to the Designer for InDesign.

I know some other companies that used to do plug-ins for both products stopped the development for Quark.
The Designer for Quark is primarily on maintenance/compatability mode, to enable you to continue working with latest QuarkXPress 7 & 8, while most of the new features we develop go to the Designer for InDesign CS5.

That's the reason for the functionality differences you observed.

As for the upgrade price - Search for the order form in the My-HP-Indigo web page.

[Farabomb]

I know some other companies that used to do plug-ins for both products stopped the development for Quark

Even you guys know Quark sucks.

Anybody know how to play Taps?

[DCurry]

I know, Amir. I don't blame you for phasing the Quark plugin out gradually. I hope you don't take any offense to my comments - they are not personal and are strictly based on my experiences. I know I've mentioned to you before that I'm glad you are on this forum - makes me feel like I have a voice and that HP is listening.

For anyone who was wondering about pricing - the InDesign version is $360 for the upgrade, $1500 if you are buying from scratch. Didn't bother checking the pricing of the Quark verison. If all you do is impose and send to the Indigo, you don't need to purchase it. Buying the upgrade just gives you the ability to do variable data.

[jdubayu]

We've recently started using SmartStream for Quark8 and In Design CS5 and are having problems building saddlestitch books. It works fine for variable data and simple backed up pages but if we try to build a book the files shift out of position when sent to the rip. Are we doing something wrong or is this a bug others have run into?

[DCurry]

Welcome aboard, jdubya!


I have the ID CS5 version and have not seen this problem, and I do a fair number of saddlestitch books. Are you seeing it in both Quark and ID? Are you printing direct to the rip, or creating .jlyt files? I do the latter.