Best software for catalog layout?

[technowolf]

Happy new year to everyone at signs 101. wishing you all the best for 2008

First i want to thank everyone in my quest of becoming a better sign guy by helping me with my questions on this forum.

So here is another one, a customer of mine ask if i could do his new 2008 catalog layout (35pages of chinese gadget with text, going 3 gadget per page)

whats the best software for this kind of jobs???

cheers

Alex

 

[Shovelhead]

The printer will probably require a QUARK file.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I use Adobe InDesign (part of the Adobe Creative Suite and similar to Quark Express) and then export as high resolution PDF for my printer. He has no problem with them and the printed work looks great.

 

[MrKoob]

Most are accepting and preferring PDF files. As far as design, Adobe inDesign as Fred mentioned. They seem to be corning the market for catalog design.

 

[Sparky]

InDesign - Especially if you are used to using Adobe products. Recently finished a 840 page rulebook in InDesign as well as a 15 page catalog for a wheel manufacturer. Most printers will handle the InDesign file, but on the rare occasion they don't, you can create a PDF.

Quark is also accepted just about anywhere.

Need help or have questions, let me know!

 

[Bogie]

I've got Quark and InDesign... I'd probably go with InDesign... I think that Ventura is actually also still lurking around there somewhere... Be nice if the Mormons would get it going again...

 

[weaselboogie]

I'll second Quark and Indesign. Indesign is a bit more capable of eye candy. Some stuff you can do in Indesign that you don't have to make a picture file in Quark... Like DROP SHADOWS. I used Quark in College 10 years ago and I really can't tell of any major changes in the newer versions. In my opinion, Adobe has picked up where Quark has dropped the ball.

 

[Rodi]

The latest version of quark is pretty robust, can do a lot of "Eye Candy" like InDesign, it is better now in transparency (multidirectional compared to one way in InDesign), it handles PSD files with layers, and prints like no other program. The downside is it makes PDF files so friggin big, you gotta wonder where they made them from! Some people prefer InDesigns OpenType capabilities over Quark. They are both great though, not like Quark vs PageMaker.

 

[Techman]

Indesign is taking over.
Quark is still used,, but Indesign is now the one.

 

[Bogie]

Another suggestion:

I'm guessing you're used to "signs" and single-page type of layouts... If that is the case, you may want to sub this out to someone who has done it before (or be prepared to take longer than you'd like on the job).

Large-document production is a whole 'nother world... The indexing, etc., can get really interesting.

 

[wildhock]

InDesign.

 

[technowolf]

Thanks guys for all the good info. after searching the net it looked like indesign was good choice but now i am sure of it, thanks to you guys. since i am already a PS & AI user and have some free time these days i am willing to learn indesign.

I will probably post some other question soon...

thanks again
Alex

 

[Techman]

get some of the plugins too
especially the booklet plugin

 

[Bogie]

Hmmm... Be interesting...

Do any of the online store packages export to a paper catalog format? Or vice-versa?