Xerox Corp’s Ventura Software Inc has announced its Publisher’s PowerTools suite of Windows-based desktop publishing tools. This includes enhanced versions of the San Diego, California company’s Ventura Publisher for Windows, Ventura Database Publisher and Ventura ColorPro products, and two new ones Ventura Adpro and Ventura PicturePro – aimed at the desktop image-editing market. AdPro 1.1 is intended to fill a gap between desktop publishing and illustration programs, offering graphic designers the drawing and page make-up tools needed to design quality ads, flyers, coupons and similar promotional literature. It enables users to stretch and shrink objects; rotate text or objects in thousandths of degrees; place text and objects with precision; apply full 24-bit colour control; and manipulate text and typography. Automatic grid guides are also provided. PicturePro 1.1 is a colour graphics editing program providing drawing, painting, retouching, editing, scanning and colour correcting and separating tools. It also enables users to manipulate separate layers of an image independently and then combine them. It supports the TIFF, Windows BMP, GIF, PCX, TARGA, Scitex CT image, EPS and Al vector formats. English versions of both AdPro and PicturePro will be available from December; prices to be confirmed. European translations will follow. The revamped Ventura Publisher 4.1 desktop publishing package incorporates a number of improvements suggested by customers – and apparently drew gasps of delight at the Ventura Users Group in San Jose where it was shown two weeks ago. It has a new graphical user interface with flexible menu and dialogue box positioning, customisable three-dimensional button bar and multiple zoom levels. New frame tags enable users to standardise the attributes of particular items such as picture sizes, border width and fonts throughout documents.
Tab and indent
Tab and indent editing is made easier now users have simply to click on to a new tab ruler to set tabs. Full TrueType support, paragraph and text mode convergence are also available. Colour scanning and separating can be carried out from the desktop with the inclusion of Ventura Scan and Ventura Separator, which were formerly sold separ-ately. Ventura Publisher will be available from November, priced at UKP670. Version 4.0 of the Ventura DataBase Publisher, used for publishing data intensive documents such as catalogues, directories, price lists and financial reports, features improved database and spreadsheet file compatibility. It can access data in dBase, Clipper, Foxpro, Paradox, Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows and files in .CDF, .SDF and flat ASCII formats. Output to PageMaker 4.0, Word For Windows 2.0, AmiPro and WordPerfect for Windows as well as Ventura Publisher is also supported. The package has a ‘one button publishing’ function for automatically composing and printing updated documents. Other new features include a new graphical user interface, graphics importing, calculated fields, multiple heading levels and on-screen publishing pre-view. It’s UKP300, next month. And Ventura ColorPro 1.1, the colour correction and separation package has an improved, Windows-compliant user interface. It costs UKP600. Upgrade paths for all products will available. 80486 CPUs and 24-bit colour monitors and boards are the recommended minimim configuration for each, with scanners and printers to be chosen according to user requirements.
