KonaPDF takes a folder of QuarkXPress documents and automatically produces a set of PostScript .PS files, placing them in a watched folder ready for Acrobat Distiller to turn into PDFs. All you have to do is select the folder of Quark documents and the Distiller watched folder. It's as simple as that.

On starting KonaPDF this is what you will see first: a window asking you to choose the folder containing the QuarkXPress documents you want to turn into PDFs (or a folder containing aliases to the Quark files)

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Next, you choose where you want KonaPDF to put the Postscript .PS files - this should be an Acrobat Distiller watched folder.

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And that's it - let KonaPDF do the rest. With Acrobat Distiller running as a background application, the PostScript files will be turned into PDFs while KonaPDF is creating new PostScript files from the remaining Quark documents.

You don't have to worry about page sizes - KonaPDF reads the layout dimensions of each document and sets the PDF page size to these. And the PostScript files are sensibly named: they take the QuarkXPress filename, with each page in the document numbered sequentially.

In fact, KonaPDF is two Applescripts: one will output single pages as single-page PDFs and two-page spreads as spread PDFs; the other will output all Quark pages as single-page PDFs.

Resolution
KonaPDF will output 200dpi PostScript files for Acrobat Distiller to work on. These PDFs will be "plain vanilla" ones with no crops and trims, bleeds etc. The final quality and file size of your PDFs will depend on your Distiller settings. KonaPDF works with QuarkXPress files set up for CMYK output: it will not work with spot colours.

Requirements:
OS X 10.4 Tiger (tested on 10.4.10) or OS X 10.3 Panther (tested on 10.3.9) NOT tested on Leopard OS X 10.5.
QuarkXPress 6.5
The OPI extension in Quark to be loaded (though it can be left unchecked in the print dialog box)
Acrobat Distiller 6 or Acrobat 7
Mac OS system language to include British English
Default printer set to a PostScript printer

For the KonaPDF scripts to run smoothly, QuarkXPress should already be running, all required fonts and colour profiles loaded and active, and images properly linked (not missing).

Please note the requirement for the Mac OS X system language setting in System Preferences to include British English. It's doesn't have to be at the top of the list, just in it.

Users on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger also need to update the Script extension in the Quark extensions folder. This is vital for KonaPDF to work in Tiger. The extension is included in the Output Enhancements XTensions software (user mode) for QuarkXPress and QuarkXPress Passport 6.5 available from the QuarkXPress website - go to Support, Desktop Downloads.