Switching to InDesign from PageMaker

[jenpal@adobeforums.com]

The company I work for uses PageMaker 6.5, and we're thinking of switching to InDesign.

I know it's hard to say without seeing the files, but generally speaking, how easy is it to convert PageMaker files into InDesign files?

Also I'm currently working on a brochure that contains a lot of tables, which take me a long time to do in PageMaker. Does InDesign have a table function (like Word), and if so, is it any good?

Thanks in advance,
Jen

[Scott_Falkner@adobeforums.com]

Indesign's table function is better than Word's because it is not Word. Anything is better than Word. It does have some finicky parts, particularly when it comes to pasting text into tables. One feature ID has over Word is automatically alternating row or column shading.

[Gabriel_Ayala@adobeforums.com]

Anything is better than Word




8o Well... almost anything, what about MS Works, Wordpad or Notepad? :P

[Scott_Falkner@adobeforums.com]

MS Works




Oxymoron.

Wordpad and Notepad are fine. They are limited, but within those limitations, they function well.

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

> Indesign's table function is better than Word's because it is not Word.

I disagree vehemently. While ID's table function is far superior to
anything else in the pagelayout world, I'd rather create a complicated
table in Word and then c/p it into ID to finish it up.

If you think Word is that bad a program, I can only surmise that you
simply don't know how to use it.

Bob

[Guy_Smiley@adobeforums.com]

[email]Scott_Falkner@adobeforums.com[/email] wrote in
news:3bb3ee8f.2@webx.la2eafNXanI:

>
>
> MS Works
>
>
>
>
> Oxymoron.
>
> Wordpad and Notepad are fine. They are limited, but within those
> limitations, they function well.

For what it is designed to do well, Word does exceedingly well.

[Gabriel_Ayala@adobeforums.com]

Oxymoron




LOL, I agree.

I'd rather create a complicated table in Word and then c/p it into ID
to finish it up.




I won't c/p, I'd rather PDF it, but that's just me.

For what it is designed to do well, Word does exceedingly well.




The only major thing I like about Word that ID doesn't have now is the spelling and grammar check as you type function. I like being able to see the red squiglie line under text that has been typed incorrect.

[Uwe_Rottkamp@adobeforums.com]

Jenpal,

> I know it's hard to say without seeing the files, but generally speaking,

how easy is it to convert PageMaker files into InDesign files?

There is no need to convert PM-files as ID opens them. Normally you have to
reedit and update the styles, to control the textflows etc. The more complex
the PM-files is, the more time those things take.

> Also I'm currently working on a brochure that contains a lot of tables,

which take me a long time to do in PageMaker. Does InDesign have a table
function (like Word), and if so, is it any good?

I suggest to load the tryout and see what ID can do for you.

Uwe

[Stu_Bloom@adobeforums.com]

One feature ID has over Word is automatically alternating row or column
shading.




Word has it.

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

> Word has it.

Not only that but it also has quite a few useful styles already defined.

Bob