Import Quark tagged text 2

[Lessa]

I have a bunch of files tagged for Quark that I'd like to import into Indesign. When I import them, the formatting is gone. Any way to do this?

 

[kronos123]

I have had success cutting Quark text and pasting it into InDesign. It retained all the formatting. Try that rather than exporting.

 

[Lessa]

They aren't in Quark. They are Word files made with Quark tags to be imported into Quark preformatted. I'd like to use Indesign instead, but can't unless ID can translate Quark tags.

 

[kronos123]

Hi Again,

I'm not sure if this is what you mean by importing. I sellect place under the file menu and the sellect a text box and the document flows into it. It seems to keep the formatting from the Word doc and rtf. That's all the help I can offer. I hope it helps.

 

[Lessa]

never mind. I don't think it's doable.

 

[robiNETpl]

Lessa,

I don't know how Quark Tags look ... could you post me few lines ??
or send me file ... maby I can do something for ypu

robin

Scripts for AdobeFamily

http://www.adobescripts.com

gg 3753393
Skype: indesignscripts

 

[Lessa]

Hi Robin,

Here's an example of one the 200+ files that I'll have that I'd like to use in InDesign. Let me know if you can make heads or tails of it. Thanks for your help.
Lisa


<v2.05><e0>
@Normal=<Ps100t0h100z8.5k0b0cKf"GillSans-Light">
@Author=<Ps100t0h100z13k0b0cKf"GillSans">
@Diamond top bullet=<Ps100t0h100z12k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"ZapfDingbats">
@Normal=[S"","Normal","Normal"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,0,0,0,g,"U.S. English")>
@handle=[S"Normal","handle"]<*p(0,0,0,15,0,0,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z13k0b0cKf"Futura">
@note=[S"","Normal","Normal"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,0,0,0,g,"U.S. English")>
@author right=[S"","author right","Author"]<*R*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,15,0,0.864,g,"U.S. English")>
@Book Title Left=[S"","Book Title Left"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,26,0,3,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z24k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"Futura">
@Book Title Right=[S"Book Title Left","Book Title Right"]<*RPs100t0h100z24k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"Futura">
@Top bullets GS=[S"","Top bullets GS"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(13.68,-13.68,0,12,4.5,0,g,"U.S. English")*t(13.68,0,"1 ")Ps100t0h100z10.5k0b0cKf"GillSans-Light">
@Body First Paragraph=[S"","Body First Paragraph"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d(1,3)*p(0,0,0,12.5,9,0,g,"U.S. English")*t(9,0,"1 ")Ps100t0h100z10k0b0cKf"GillSans-Light">
@bullet promo right=[S"","bullet promo right"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(9,-9,0,12.5,6,0,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z10k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"GillSans">
@bullet promo left=[S"bullet promo right","bullet promo left"]<*RPs100t0h100z10k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"GillSans">
@Also avail right=[S"","Normal","Normal"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,0,0,0,g,"U.S. English")>
@Also avail title right=[S"","Also avail title right"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,12,0,0,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z8.5k0b0cKf"GillSans-Italic">
@Also available right=[S"","Normal","Normal"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,10,0,3.024,g,"U.S. English")>
@Pub Date Right=[S"","Pub Date Right"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,10,12,0,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z8.5k0b0cKf"GillSans-Light">
@specs=[S"Also available right","Normal"]<*p(0,0,0,10,6,3.024,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z8.5k0b0cKf"GillSans-Light">
@Publisher Right GS=[S"","Publisher Right GS"]<*L*h"Standard"*kn0*kt0*ra0*rb0*d0*p(0,0,0,15,12,0,g,"U.S. English")Ps100t0h100z15k0b0c"PANTONE 2735 CVU"f"GillSans">
@International Codes Right=[S"specs","Publisher Right GS"]<Ps100t10h100z9k0b0cKf"GillSans">

@note:F 2005 PGW CHILDRENS(ChA.Art; Pg. 79)
@author right:Vicki León
@Book Title Right:A Colony of Seals
@subtitle right:Second Edition
@Top bullets GS:<x@Diamond top bullet><b-1.714>u<b$> <@$p> A photo-and-text book on some of nature's most engaging sea creatures
@Top bullets GS:<x@Diamond top bullet><b-1.714>u<b$> <@$p> This fully revised edition includes a "To Learn More” page listing websites, books, organizations, videos, and DVDs
@Body First Paragraph:<x@Drop Cap><@$p>Although most people are familiar with seals and sea lions thanks to their antics at marine parks, <I>A Colony of Seals<$> shows that these animals are even more fascinating and lovable in their natural habitat. Known as pinnipeds, these irresistible creatures are portrayed in 40 color photographs, most taken by world-famous naturalist Frank Balthis. The images cover a wide range of behavior among these social animals — everything from playful pups to nurturing mothers to raging males. Included is a worldwide survey of pinnipeds, with special sections devoted to harbor seals, sea lions, and the ever-intriguing elephant seals. <I>A Colony of Seals<$> reveals the wild life of one of nature's most beloved animals.
@bio:<@bio name><@$p><@bio name>Vicki León<@$p> is the author of the popular <I>Outrageous Women<$> series and several books, including several in the <I>London Town Wild Life<$> series. She lives in Morro Bay, CA.
@quote sidebar right:"A harbor seal sees so well underwater that it finds prey without looking, using its whiskers." — from the book
@Pub Date Right:November
@specs:$7.95, Trade paper<\n>ISBN 0-9766134-0-9<\n>ISBN13/EAN 978-0976-61340-4<\n>48pp, 8<z4.25b2.975>1<z$k10b$>/<z5k$>2<z$> x 11<\n>40 color photos, Maps, Charts<\n>Ages 10 & up
@specs boldrevious Edition ISBN: 0-918303-15-X
@Publisher Right GS:London Town Press

 

[kronos123]

Can you get the files sent to you as a Word doc or rtf?

 

[MarcusStringer]

I don't think you can because the Quark tags are different to InDesign tags.
I don't even think there is a plugin to do it either

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[Lessa]

I think you're right Marcus. I'll just have to put up with Quark this time. But next time I do this project I'll import it into ID and make tags from there and they can set all the type using those tags instead.

 

[robiNETpl]

Lessa,

I don't understand few tags ...

coud you send me PDF or JPG with this finall text in Quark ??
or manually modified by you in InDesign to finall layout ??

i.e.
<I>A Colony of Seals<$> - is this text is ITALIC ??
and few lines start with ParaStyles defined in this file - few with not specified ...
what is this - <@$p> ?? ENTER or end of CharStyle ??

@specs:$7.95, Trade paper<\n>ISBN 0-9766134-0-9<\n>ISBN13/EAN 978-0976-61340-4<\n>48pp, 8<z4.25b2.975>1<z$k10b$>/<z5k$>2<z$> x 11<\n>40 color photos, Maps, Charts<\n>Ages 10 & up

<\n> - this is NewLine ??
<z4.25b2.975> - ??
<z4.25b2.975>1<z$k10b$>/<z5k$>2<z$> - 1/2 as super/subscript ??

robin

Scripts for AdobeFamily

http://www.adobescripts.com

gg 3753393
Skype: indesignscripts

 

[Lessa]

Hi Robin - Thanks for doing this, it's so nice of you. Is this going to allow me to import Quark tags into Indesign? That would be so awesome!

I don't have your email to send you anything. You can go to my website:

http://users.ca.astound.net/portfolio

and get my email. Then I'll send a PDF.

<I>A Colony of Seals<$> YES - this is italic
<\n> THIS is a soft return (shift return)
<z4.25b2.975>
<z4.25b2.975>1<z$k10b$>/<z5k$>2<z$> - these codes have to do with manually made fractions.

I may need to send you a few more things if you're actually planning to make a script from this. I can send tags for all the fractions used plus there are some tags that weren't used on this page.

This is very nice of you. thank you Robin!
Lisa

 

[Peaon]

Hi,
You need to export the Quark stories from Quark by using the "Save text" feature. Each story has to be exported individually (a drag). Save the file as Word 6.0/or Word 95 (we found this works best). Then import the Word file into Indesign. If you are using InDesign CS2, make sure you click "Show Import Options" when placing the file. Then in the dialog box click "Preserve Styles and Formatting from Text and Tables". Also, make sure "Import Styles Automatically is checked." If you don't have any styles in InDesign set up, just use the default "Redefine InDesign Styles" and your styles and formatting should come in normally. (The Adobe Help website can walk you through this.)

Also, it really isn't done anymore to use local styling. Instead of bolding or italicizing text, make a style that uses a the same font family, but a bold or italic version of it. For example, if your text is Helvetica, and you want one or two words styled as italic, select the text, change the font to Helvetica Oblique, then Format a style, name it and save it with the document. This obviates any "stripping" of local styling.

 

[johnhodgson]

Hi Lessa

I've just come across this thread a couple of months after your original post and have some information that may help.

Tagged text is simply a text file which contains codes (tags) that Indesign recognises and uses to format the text

<ParaSyle:Style1> for instance will apply the paragraph 'Style1' to a paragraph when the file is placed

Almost all InDesign features can be specifed this way. We use tagged text a lot to produce directories by extracting data from a database, adding the tags programmatically to give a file which will load into InDesign with 95%+ of the formatting and make-up done, the only work that is really left is checking page tops and bottoms for bad breaks

There is a reference guide to tagged text on the InDesign CD
\Adobe Technical Information\Tagged Text\Tagged Text.PDF which gives you all the information you need to know about how text tagging works.

You don't say where you get the text tagging from, but if you have a scenario like the one we often use which is to extract data from a database and insert the tagging programmatically you will need to get whoever programs the output the change the tags from Quark tags to Indesign tags, a tedious job rather than a difficult one.

InDesign claims to read Quark tags, so you should be able to do the following:

If you've opened the files in Word and saved them as Word documents this will introduce loads of Word stuff you don't want, so save the files as plain text, with an .xtg extension (this is the standard extension for Quark tagged files). We have InDesign 1.5 (!) and when placing the file (Quark) Xpress Tags is an option in the 'Files of type' dropdown. Select this and you should get a pretty good import, though you may need to do some tidying up. At the present moment I've looking at the tryout for InDesign CS2 and that doesn't seem to have the import Quark files option, so whether it's been removed or is simply not provided the tryout I don't know.

Hope this helps

John

 

[Lessa]

Thanks John. This is my understanding of what yy client does on their end. They have a database set up with one field for each Quark tag for a catalog that looks the same each time. When they type the new text, I guess they type it into the correct field, then save each record as a text file. Then I get the text file and import it one page at a time and it's formatted. It's individual pages because their clients send stuff in at different times and pages have to get repaginated at one point.

I ended up doing this in Quark (it's at the printer now). For the next one, I'm going to open an old 4.1 file in Indesign, set it up the way I want and save a section of style sheet formatted text. Then I'll send that to them and they'll redo their database using ID tags.

 

[RClaborne]

If you have the original Quark files you can simply open them in InDesign using the "Q2ID" plugin. See

http://www.q2id.com

for details.

 

[Lessa]

Rclaborne - that's not at all what I was talking about. I am well aware that you can open Quark files in Indesign. You just can't import Quark tags directly into ID.