[scribus-dev] Fwd: Great meeting you in Saarbrücken

[Leonard Rosenthol]

> The problem is a versatile exchange format for DTP files
>
If the goal is exchange/interchange - then I think the problem could be solved - and using PDF as the container.  Most/all of the applications in question already do support reading & writing PDF today - so it would be more about finding ways to give richer information in that exchange.

If the goal is a native format, then I don't see a solution for the various reasons you mentioned.

Leonard


On 6/13/19, 2:21 PM, ""Christoph Schäfer"" <christoph-schaefer at gmx.de> wrote:

    > Gesendet: Donnerstag, 13. Juni 2019 um 02:40 Uhr
    > Von: "Leonard Rosenthol" <lrosenth at adobe.com>
    > An: "Scribus Development Mailing List" <scribus-dev at lists.scribus.net>
    > Betreff: Re: [scribus-dev]  Fwd: Great meeting you in Saarbrücken
    >
    > Ale - IDML is very tightly bound to InDesign, I wouldn't recommend it for other uses.  (not that you couldn't but it would be forcing things into ID's way of thinking).
    > 
    > > pdf is a wonderful format for the print workflow, but it's not as good in the screen oriented world...
    > >
    > Bite your tongue!!   PDF serves both of these outputs - and others - better than any other format out there today...
    > 
    > I would love to hear what you think PDFs limitations are for screen-based publishing...
    > 
    > Leonard
    > 
    > On 6/11/19, 5:36 AM, "ale rimoldi" <ale.comp_06 at xox.ch> wrote:
    > 
    >     hi tamir
    >     
    >     as i've suggested at the lgm, i'd like to see a comparison of your plans
    >     with the features of the IDML file format.
    >     
    >     i've quickly went through the copyright notice and the introduction of
    >     
    >     https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwwwimages.adobe.com%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Facom%2Fen%2Fdevnet%2Findesign%2Fsdk%2Fcs6%2Fidml%2Fidml-specification.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Clrosenth%40adobe.com%7C58146119cc6745781bd808d6f0450c71%7Cfa7b1b5a7b34438794aed2c178decee1%7C0%7C1%7C636960576700565734&sdata=jfFgCtQnljzBB9NnWrVI1YiV2nLascX%2BpkSQu%2F3gUbk%3D&reserved=0
    >     
    >     and while its not clear to me, if it's permitted to use this document to
    >     create a software for the interchange with other applications,
    >     which are not part of the adobe world.
    >     
    >     on the one side, adobe clearly states that idml
    >     has been created for the interchange inside of the adobe world.
    >     
    >     but on page 15, it mentions the usage as a compatibility layer with
    >     other file formats... so we can think that adobe does not completely
    >     exclude the usage with other programs. (quark express and scribus both
    >     provide importers for IDML, so they are not "forbidding" the usage by
    >     other developers)
    >     
    >     personally, i'm not that hot about extending the pdf file format
    >     storing the information making them editable, but i'm not against having
    >     a new format (or an existing one...) that can be embedded in a pdf
    >     document (or used in an independent way.
    >     
    >     pdf is a wonderful format for the print workflow, but it's not as good
    >     in the screen oriented world...
    >     currently, if i have to think about creating a new file format, i would
    >     want it to at least have an excellent support of the rendering on
    >     screen.
    >     
    >     having an (existing or new) independent file format that can be
    >     optionally embedded in epub or pdf files might lead to a usable
    >     solution...
    >     
    >     finally, i don't think it would be a bad idea to build upon a file
    >     format that has been created for layout interchange and is already
    >     supported by at least three of the relevant layout programs...
    >     
    >     but since the best candidate is owned by adobe, we would have to ask
    >     them what they think about such plans...
    >     
    >     ciao
    >     a.l.e
    >     
    
    Hi all,
    
    
    I'm actually siding with Alessandro here, at least in principle. The problem is a versatile exchange format for DTP files, like we have with OpenDocument for Office data and (to a degree) with SVG for vector graphics. IDML is fully documented and it is, naturally, centred on InDesign's capabilities and limitations, so it would be useless for this purpose. However, it might serve as a basis for a universal standard that can be supported by all DTP programmes, just like StarOffice's XML-based SX* formats served as the basis for OpenDocument. Quark used to support an XML version of its proprietary format but seems to have abandoned it, and VIVA Designer provides an option to export XML versions of its binary format, but you'll lose  a lot of content, since it's plain XML.
    
    (We have similar problem with image files, since ORA is still limited, and with the recent relases of GIMP and Krita we can't even use Adobe's PSD format, since Photoshop doesn't support all of their layer modes, but that's another issue.)
    
    The major problem here is probably one of corporate politics and strategy: Is there enough interest in creating such a format? It would require all players to agree to sit at one table and a genuine desire to find a solution.
    
    
    Just my 2 cents.
    
    Christoph
    
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