Desktop publisher recommendation?

[BangkokHank]

The company I work for uses Microsoft Publisher for creating publications. I find the program to be AWFUL, especially when it comes to formatting. Does anybody know of a better program for desktop publishing? Thanks.

[RichCor]

Publishing to what medium(s)? Electronic pre-press, web ... short article, magazine, book ...

Some programs are better as some thing, not at others. Some details please.

[BB1950]

Scribus
Scribus is an Open Source desktop publishing (DTP) application for BSD UNIX, Solaris, OpenIndiana, GNU/Hurd, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4, eComStation, and Windows desktops,

License: Open Source
Creator: Scribus

Current Stable Release: 1.4.4 (2014-05-29)

Discription:
Scribus is a desktop publishing (DTP) application. Scribus is designed for flexible layout and typesetting, and the ability to prepare files for professional quality image setting equipment. It can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms. Example uses include writing small newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters and books.

[BangkokHank]

Publishing to what medium(s)? Electronic pre-press, web ... short article, magazine, book ...

Some programs are better as some thing, not at others. Some details please.

It is a (quarterly) newsletter of about 20 pages, consisting of a mixture of text and small Excel charts set in the text, with two columns of text on each page. The final version of the newsletter is in PDF format, which is then emailed to clients. I don't think it ever actually gets printed out, if that matters. Or if it does get printed out, it is printed from the PDF file.

Perhaps the biggest problem that I am having has to do with the mixing of the text and the charts. If I insert a chart in the body of the newsletter, the chart stays fixed in place while the text around it moves, which is not what I want. I found the way to make the chart move with the text, but that only works for charts that are "pictures". But when we add a title to our charts, they become "objects" instead of "pictures", and no longer move with the text as the text is modified. (Maybe this is too much information, but I suppose that most people who have used Publisher will be familiar with this issue. And possibly this issue has been resolved in later versions of Publisher. We use the 2007 version.)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[BB1950]

Alternatives to Microsoft Office - Publisher

[RichCor]

In Microsoft Publisher the Excel Charts can be set as "Exact" page position or set to appear "Inline" adjusting position with the text.

<right-click> Format Object/Format Picture... (Layout) tab Object Position: [Exact / Inline]

If set "Inline", then CUT the image, place insertion marker and PASTE into article.

I really don't like importing excel charts as live linked objects as they sometimes modify themselves into a complete mess. Unless you need the chart to remain updated with the most recent excel calculations I would recommend using the Publisher feature to Save As Picture... (set a good resolution) then delete the object and insert the graphic you saved 'Inline". If you need to annotate, augment the image, do it in an image editor.

Do you have any other issues with Publisher that makes you want to abandon it and learn a completely new system?

[BangkokHank]

In Microsoft Publisher the Excel Charts can be set as "Exact" page position or set to appear "Inline" adjusting position with the text.

<right-click> Format Object/Format Picture... (Layout) tab Object Position: [Exact / Inline]

If set "Inline", then CUT the image, place insertion marker and PASTE into article.

I really don't like importing excel charts as live linked objects as they sometimes modify themselves into a complete mess. Unless you need the chart to remain updated with the most recent excel calculations I would recommend using the Publisher feature to Save As Picture... (set a good resolution) then delete the object and insert the graphic you saved 'Inline". If you need to annotate, augment the image, do it in an image editor.

Do you have any other issues with Publisher that makes you want to abandon it and learn a completely new system?

Thanks for your suggestions, RichCor. I will try them - and let you know how it goes.

For now that is my main issue with Publisher. And your point is taken regarding the complications of learning a new program. I just downloaded Scribus, which I'm sure is a fine program, but I'm finding it extremely frustrating to make certain changes that were so easy in Publisher. Ha. I guess there is no program that does everything well.

Should any other issues arise with Publisher, however, I know who I can turn to for help now - if you don't mind! Thanks very much. Also thanks to the other people who offered suggestions.

[RichCor]

In my younger days I was an Aldus, Adobe and Corel desk jockey.

I don't have extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office products outside of Word or Excel, though Publisher seem to function as modified variations of Word.

[KittenKong]

As RichCor says, Publisher does the job for most standard uses. Only a publishing professional is likely to want more, and they wouldn't be using Publisher in the first place.

Personally I like InDesign but that costs a lot more than Publisher does.

[innerspace]

Adobe indesign is good and used by a lot of magazines and print productions. Plays nicely with photoshop.

[DogNo1]

Whatever happened to Pagemaker? It was quite popular before Publisher was created and was versatile with text flow around graphics.

[RichCor]

Whatever happened to Pagemaker? It was quite popular before Publisher was created and was versatile with text flow around graphics.

Adobe bought Aldus and eventually took PageMaker its Mac 0S 9 and Windows XP users out deep into the woods and just abandoned them there.

Sure Adobe made offers to switch to a special InDesign PM Edition but by then the Desktop Publishing Revolution was over and dead. Long live Web Publishing!

[BangkokHank]

Okay, I have downloaded a trial version of Adobe InDesign. The program does appear to allow for a greater range of control than Publisher although it also comes with a much steeper learning curve. (I have been watching tutorial videos all weekend.) But I am still having the same specific problem that caused me to want to abandon Publisher in the first place: I inserted some Excel charts within my text, but these charts (which are within "boxes" - not sure about the terminology) stay fixed when the text moves if I change anything. I want the charts to be in the same relative position. In other words, I want the charts to move when I change the text. It is not apparent to me how to get them to move. Does anybody know how to do this in InDesign? Thanks again.

[RichCor]

Okay, I have downloaded a trial version of Adobe InDesign. [...]

I inserted some Excel charts within my text, but these charts (which are within "boxes" - not sure about the terminology) stay fixed when the text moves if I change anything. I want the charts to be in the same relative position. In other words, I want the charts to move when I change the text. It is not apparent to me how to get them to move. Does anybody know how to do this in InDesign? Thanks again.

Take a look at this How to Wiki: How to anchor objects in InDesign

[BangkokHank]

Okay, I have downloaded a trial version of Adobe InDesign. [...]

I inserted some Excel charts within my text, but these charts (which are within "boxes" - not sure about the terminology) stay fixed when the text moves if I change anything. I want the charts to be in the same relative position. In other words, I want the charts to move when I change the text. It is not apparent to me how to get them to move. Does anybody know how to do this in InDesign? Thanks again.

Take a look at this How to Wiki: How to anchor objects in InDesign

Thanks very much, Rich. That solved that problem. My mistake was pasting the charts into a separate box within the text whereas they should have been pasted directly into the text. That is a huge improvement over how Publisher handles this issue.

That being said, no sooner do I solve one issue than another one pops up! Now I have found that I need to change the width of the gutter between the two columns of text on the page. But when I click on Layout, Margins and Columns, and change the gutter width, it just moves the (purple) gutter lines to the desired new width, but the text remains in the same place - between the light blue original gutter lines. If you can't be bothered to offer a solution to this problem, I will understand - and I still thank you for the previous suggestions.

[RichCor]

Similar to the previous, take a look at this How To Wiki: How to Adjust Columns in InDesign

Jump in around STEP 6...

"Column width may also be adjusted manually by positioning your cursor over the edge of the column you wish to resize and dragging your cursor to the left or right once the double-arrow icon appears."

[BangkokHank]

Thanks again, Rich. I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that the problem with these programs might actually lie with ME! Ha.

[fstarbkk]

Thanks again, Rich. I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that the problem with these programs might actually lie with ME! Ha.

Adobe Indesign is the gold standard in professional publication design. Downside = Bloody expensive!