Challenger

Converting XPress documents into HTML format

Web and graphic designers can use typographic features of QuarkXPress with Challenger in order to produce interactive DHTML websites. Pages, which are already designed for printing, can easily followed up with Challenger.

Web technology
Challenger provides newest web technology for the layout of internet sites in XPress: Cascading StyleSheets, absolute positioning (positioning from objects with coordinates) and 3D layering (working with several layers). This is a definite advantage, compared to web tools of the first generation, when layouts had to be designed with charts and spacer gifs. CSS output in Challenger is compatible with Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. Challenger XT's version 2.0 allows also the export of QuarkXPress pages in XML format (Extended Markup Language).

Overlapping elements and 3-dimensional web sites
Challenger enables third dimension on web sites. A designer can place as many text and picture frames as possible on one upon another. Thus a headline lies on a text or picture or a foreground picture lies on another picture. With the line tools from XPress lines of all forms, thicknesses and colours can be placed all over the page.

Unique text and typographical functions
In order to design web sites typographically ambitious you can use the full QuarkXPress functionality with Challenger:

  • Text alignment: left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, justified
  • Definition of line, word and letter spaces
  • Typeset definition (typeface, font size, colour, style)
  • Underlining, crossing out etc.; upper/lower case, small caps and majuscules
  • Multiple column typeset
  • Masked text on transparent background
  • Comprehensive search and replace function
  • Easy setting of HyperLinks

DHTML computer animation and effects on a mouseclick
Each element on a QuarkXPress page can be animated with Challenger through a time orientated editor. Furthermore all elements can be defined as a popup window to click on or enabled for drag&drop. Further possible effects as smooth transition, fading, picture termination etc. can be applied on text and picture elements.

Separate JavaScript Libraries
To use animations or other DHMTL effects on HTML sites JavaScript will usually be used. Conventional DHTML editors generate filling pages of JavaScript at the beginning of each HTML file. This slows down the request of a web site and complicates the editing of a web designer. Challenger uses own "HexMac JavaScript Libraries" which are saved outside the actual HTML document. The library includes all necessary DHTML functions und has to be loaded only one time.  

Simple project management with master pages
Challenger makes the use of QuarkXPress master pages possible for web design. For an example recurring elements as navigation buttons or logos can be placed here. Thus a various number of websites can be created out of a single XPress document. 

New in version 2.1:

  • Export from QuarkXPress files as XML format
  • XML tags can already be relocated to XPress database fields (for web databases)
  • Automatic production of individual Document Type Definitions (DTD) for XML pages happens already in XPress
  • Dynamic JavaScript actions are predefined and ready to use without programming

 

 

 

 

 

 

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