Quark Updates XML Author to 4.0

Theresa Stone

If you’re in a publishing environment and need to generate structured XML content–not an easy feat for many people–you may have an easier time if you can do so in a familiar application. That’s where Quark’s XML Author for Microsoft Word comes in.
Even though you may be more familiar with QuarkXPress, XML Author has actually been around for a while, and the most recent update is version 4 (officially shipping by June 24, 2011).
Those of us who aren’t very technical may appreciate version 4’s features that make it easier to jump into XML:
There are Quick Start Templates that not only give you some initial structure, but also include help that’s a bit like a self-guided training manual. Depending on the template, the help can include instructions, examples, and placeholders. If the built-in help gets in your way, it’s easy to turn off.
In addition, version 4 has Intelligent Styles. Because they’re conditional–that is, they appear in the document only where they’re relevant–you no longer have to scroll through irrelevant styles.
Another conditional new feature is the Conditional Preview, which gives you an idea of what your document will when output to print, the Web, smart phones and other mobile devices. Note, however, that you must have the optional DITA Publishing Module to access Conditional Previews.
Finally, version 4’s Semantic Tables let you display user-defined tags as a table. Quark XML Author 4 also includes better DITA support.
As with many enterprise products, pricing for XML Author is a little murky. You can speak with a salesperson to find out how much it will cost for your set-up.
Mac Need Not Apply
Quark XML Author 4.0 runs only on Windows XP Professional, Vista,
or Windows 7. You must also have the 32-bit version of Microsoft Office 2010 installed.
Go here for complete system requirements.