catalog publishing

[AnnaAnna]

I am looking for some suggestions on which software to puchase to create a catalog that is linked to my filemaker database. I've been doing some research on Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress and was wondering if anyone has used these programs to create a printed catalog. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Andy Robo]

Do you want the catalogue to update automatically as you make changes in your FM DB?

[AnnaAnna]

That is exactly what I am looking for. We're not a large company, but we want the capability to update our catalog as we update our database.

[Andy Robo]

I would have thought the most simple thing to do would be do create a catalogue layout in FM and print your catalogue from that. That way catalogue updates would be automatic...

You could import graphics from image software - PNG format works well in FM, and layover fields on the layout -

I work with a number of Adobe packages, so have a preference for Indesign, but I guess it depends what else you are running...

And also how you are printing - inhouse, laser, or offset...

I guess if you're sending your catalogue to a commercial printer you really want to be able to deal with a separate file each time....

sounds challenging... best of luck

Andy

[ralph.nusser]

Have a look at [color:"blue"] EM Software for database publishing.

Happy FileMaking!

[schotja]

For over 10 years through many versions of filemaker i've utilized Fmpro to create catalogues. Currently the one that still continues is a catalogue with full color / product photos / and complex data and calculations / used in the cattle industry!

The above EM software will work well if you are only mirgrating a few fields of data but when the bulk of your "guts" are already in filemaker then its easier to just use your favorite design app and ultimately place the background in the fmpro layout as the above user suggested.

One other alternative that i use OFTEN when a huge variance in catalogue conten is present, is to just print pieces to PDF's and merge them. (ie cover in photoshop / preface in quark / illustrations in illustrator/content in fmpro) all printed to PDF and merged!

Good luck

[email protected]

[AnnaAnna]

thank you for all of your help, I appreciate it a lot. I'm running it by the bosses today to see what their take on it is....

again, thank you!

anna

[George TOUBALIS]

I make catalogues with Fm & Quark.... the last 5 years (huge catalogues) 200-600 pages (3.000-10.000 products)

so I suggest to Use a Quark Xtention

Go...to http://www.emsoftware.com/products/xdata

This by far the best solution (import tab delimited text, images, or anything normally Quark can import)

Tell your boss that ...before 5 years there was commercial solutions (Xtentions) in the pre press market who do the job only for $5.000 per user .....

(If you have all the data, text & and images with traditional way you may spent a week or so...

to design one cataloque with 100-200 sorting mistakes ...... :-)

The speed is ammazing 200 pages (2.500 tiffs high Rez with full description) in 00:06':00"

By the way (you don't have to tell to your boss nothink..... hahahahahaha

Good luck...

George

[Anne Verrinder]

Question for anyone who has used xData ...

As I understand it, xData allows you to make a template in Quark, and then pull in text that was exported from, say, FMP. The PR info on the EMSoftware site says you can also import graphics but there's no meaty info on that site about *how* this product works, that I can find. Can the graphics import be at all automated? For example, if the path to the graphic is passed via the text import from FMP?

[CoZiMan]

You know, I should have posted sooner. FMP and Indesign both manage xml pretty well, and there is a FREE application (MAC only) which I use all the time to generate all types of printed documents. You name it, I generate it. If you want the info, give me a shout. PS - I was a QXP user for more than 8 years but they are falling behind Indesign and I expect Adobe to make real progress in the next few years.

My 2 cents.

[George TOUBALIS]

1) All the images must be in the same folder.

2) The Quark file must be in the same folder with the images

3) The Text (export) file must be in the same folder with the images

4) Look at the examble files for sample code.

[George TOUBALIS]

Sorry .....but In Design is very very

[CoZiMan]

Interesting. QXP was version 2 ten years ago. I've never met anyone who bought that. Everyone was using Aldus Pagemaker back then. I won't debate features and functions and many have. Suffice it to say I am not looking back and I am very happy wth the 'Speed' and 'Logic'.

The program is an Applescript Studio application called DBP. Here is a link.

http://www.pinecode.nl/

[George TOUBALIS]

Actually the Xpress 2.0 was version 2 15 years ago.

Xpress 3.0 released at 1990..

I think before 10 years (1994) the 90% of Page Layout Designers was use Xpress 3.0

The solution DBP isn't for professionals.

I was downloaded before years but I didn't use it, because its limitless.

In design is good programme for 1-64 pages documents... after 64 pages is very slow...

Anyway the taste is different ... and depends from the needs of every user.