MPS CopyFit™ Desktop

Professional copy-fitting software for
QuarkXPress & Adobe InDesign (desktop) and QuarkDDS (server)

CopyFit is a software module for QuarkXPress® and Adobe® InDesign® (Macintosh or Windows) that is designed to detect and remedy overset (or underset) text conditions in any document. The product is bundled with the Meadows DesignMerge Pro software, but is also available for purchase as a standalone desktop version, or as a server version that works with QuarkDDS™ (see details below, or click here to download a PDF version of the CopyFit data sheet).

How CopyFit Works

CopyFit works by modifying overset text within a box using a set of attribute parameters (point size, scaling, leading, etc.) as a guide. All of the CopyFit parameters are user-definable, and can also be changed to specify the order in which the parameters are applied. CopyFit settings can be defined and stored as sets. Each box in a layout can be “tagged” with its own set of unique CopyFit settings, and the tagged boxes can be copy fit at any time. CopyFit settings and operations are controlled via the CopyFit palette (shown below). CopyFit can work interactively on a single box, or can process an entire document with a single click.

Choose Your Style

In addition to providing extensive control over copyfit parameter selection, the user can also choose from one of several pre-defined “fit styles,” that can be used to simulate practically any copyfitting methodology. By selecting the appropriate style, a designer can programmatically mimic the steps that they would take to copyfit a box manually. This exclusive feature ensures an aesthetically pleasing result.

Automatic Error Checking

CopyFit can also be configured to automatically check for overset conditions during Save, Print, or Save as EPS operations, prompting the user when such conditions are detected.

Bundled and Integrated with DesignMerge® Pro

CopyFit is bundled with the Meadows DesignMerge Pro variable data software package. When the CopyFit option is enabled inside of DesignMerge, overset text conditions are detected and remedied on-the-fly during the DesignMerge session. This ensures that variable data is fully visible, and does not clip or overrun the specified box area.

MPS CopyFit™ Server

Available for QuarkDDS 3.50

In addition to the desktop version of CopyFit, the product is also available for QuarkDDS 3.50, which is the server version of the QuarkXPress publishing engine. In this workflow, documents are first tagged using the desktop version of CopyFit for QuarkXPress as described above, and are then uploaded to the QuarkDDS server in the normal fashion. When a request for a document is sent to the server, CopyFit can be enabled via a set of simple HTTP parameters. When the document is processed, CopyFit quickly searches for qualified boxes, and applies the copy fit settings that had been stored with each box. The modified document, with CopyFit settings applied, will then be returned by the QuarkDDS server in the specified output format. In addition to fixing overset text boxes, CopyFit can also be used to fully expand text to fill a designated box area. CopyFit is the perfect compliment to any dynamic document application using QuarkDDS, and it also works with the Meadows DesignMerge® suite of variable data software.

CopyFit™ Scripting and API

AppleScript Support

The CopyFit module can be utilized in an AppleScript environment when used in conjunction with the Meadows AppleScript module. Using the Meadows AppleScript module, you can copyfit an entire document from within your script and receive a count of the number of overset boxes in the document. The Meadows AppleScript Module is available as a separate purchase.

SDK Available

Additionally, if you are an XTensions developer that would like to include CopyFit functionality in your project, Meadows offers a SDK for CopyFit. The SDK includes a simple set of defined routines for controlling CopyFit functions from another XTensions module. Using the SDK, you can perform the following actions:

> Open/Close the CopyFit palette
> Read tagged box settings into the CopyFit palette
> Retrieve CopyFit set names and parameters
> Tag a box with the current palette settings
> Detect if a box contains overset text
> CopyFit an individual box
> CopyFit an entire document

The CopyFit SDK is available only to authorized QuarkXPress XTensions developers. Please contact John Kriho of Meadows Publishing Solutions to receive more information about the CopyFit SDK.

If you have additional questions about CopyFit Desktop or CopyFit Server, please give us a call, or send an e-mail to our sales department.