Bookends and Apple Pages '09

[Ivica]

Unfortunately, it seems that Bookends can't scan documents created by the just released Pages '09. Hopefully the workaround would not be as hard with this version as it was with the previous one.
Iv

[Jon]

Hi,

Our copy of iWork '09 is on order. We'll have to see what changes must be made.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ozean]

Jon, you probably don’t know how they implemented the interaction with Endnote in Pages '09, right? To me, it looks like it is a custom solution tailored to Endnote X2 and MathType, not an open plug-in architecture… Quite a pity

[Jon]

I've written to the Apple Pages feedback site to ask, but in the past that has been a one-way street. If anyone has any insight into how that is being implemented, please share it with me (off forum if you'd prefer).

Jon
Sonny Software

[ozean]

I have also submitted feedback there, asking them to offer an open plug-in architecture so that other bibliography apps can offer equally convenient cooperation with Pages.

I would encourage other Bookends users to do the same. Here is the Pages feedback link:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/pages.html

[frvs]

I have submitted feedback to Apple, too, and I specifically mentioned my disappointment that only one bib-references manager has made it to work with Pages, and the fact that I'm a Bookends happy customer.

Jon, this Pages update is important. For the first time, SEAMLESS--as far as I can see--translations to and from Word (including styles), a web solution for sharing documents across platforms, and an outline feature are at hand. This means a very real possibility of discarding MS Word for good. I love Mellel, but they drag their feet and don't seem to realize the importance of seamless document sharing on a daily basis. I think it would be very important to establish compatibility between BE and Word '09 as soon as possible. (Unfortunately, docs written in Pages '09 cannot be opened with Pages '08 for scanning.)

[Jon]

Hi,

I'll be looking into scanning Pages '09 docs as soon as my copy arrives. BTW, have you tried checking the "Save as a package" option in Pages '09? Try this, then create a little fresh document and insert a citation. Try scanning and see if that works. Perhaps you can follow this up with me off forum.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

HI all,

There seems to be some good news at least. I have Pages '09 done some simple tests. Do this and scanning seems to work (again, not well tested):

1. Open Pages '09 preferences.
2. Check "Save new documents as packages"
3. Open a Pages '08 file in -09 and save it. Or create a new file in Pages '09 and save it.
4. Scan.

So far this seems to work.

Jon
Sonny Software

[aechallu]

The endnote-pages connection sounded interesting, so I checked Apple's information on '09. The screencast is not encouraging at all, it seems that this functionality is just limited to endnotes as the menu items explicitly mention Endnote (http://www.apple.com/iwork/pages/includ ... y-mathtype).

On a brighter side, arstechnica reports iWork '09 now uses applescript (http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.a ... s-pages-09). I doubt this will allow sophisticated manipulation of references as in the Mellel-BE (or Pages-Endnote) combo, but maybe it will simplify the existing scanning functionality. And hopefully competition may prompt the Redlers to keep ahead of the game and improve their offer for academics. (So far, it seems that they are betting everything on bringing functionality to parity with Framemaker.)

[frvs]

Nope, can't scan a '09 doc with some dozen citations saved as a bundle. The process starts, but then I get a string of Ambiguous Citation windows stating fake ambiguous citations such as (without the external quotes) ""y|", ""1|", ""3<6=?>J`@{A".

[Jon]

So far I've been able to scan with no problems. Please contact us directly if you have an example that won't scan so we can figure out why. We'll need the Pages '09 document (saved as a package) and your database, both zipped.

Thanks,

Jon
Sonny Software

[Ivica]

Hi Jon,

Interestingly, I don't have problems scanning documents with newly inserted references, but scanning old Pages '08 documents hangs in the middle before listing full reference list at the end (without ambiguous citation window, however) ?

Best,

Ivica

[Ivica]

Correction! I had one unmatched citation which was causing problems...So it seems that scanning works with "save new documents as packages" turned on!

Best,

Ivica

[Edwin Sanchez]

Folks, It seems to me that Pages finally works with BE!
Did as Jon suggested and set Pages 09 Prefs to save as package. I made both a new document in Pages 09 and converted an 08 doc to 09. Both were easily and speedily scanned by BE. Citations were put at end of document in proper hanging indent style. No errors.

Only two issues were found, both minor.

1) Any citations encapsulated by a Comment are not read. (Most of us would not scan such documents, anyway.)
2) BE wants to save scanned document as "filename.formated". So I simply told it to save as "filename.pages", and wahlah, a perfectly done Pages document instantly sprung to life. Woohoo...goodbye Word.

Eddie

[Jon]

Hi Eddie, glad it worked (BTW, Bookends has been compatible with Pages '08 for almost a year ).

The final document suggested name should be filename.formatted.pages. If you have "show extension" unchecked in the save dialog, you won't see the .pages.

Jon
Sonny Software