MEI Announces K4 Publishing System Version 5.7 and the new K4 Web Editor

January 25, 2007; 05:26 AM
Managing Editor Inc. (MEI), an Adobe Systems portfolio company and a leading provider of software and services to the publishing industry, today announced the release of SoftCare K4 Publishing System 5.7 and the new optional K4 Web Editor 2.0. The latest version of the high-performance editorial system, along with the newest add-on tool, further accelerates publishing workflows using Adobe® InDesign® and Adobe InCopy®. The 5.7 release also includes new scripting capabilities and a set of new features that make the system easier to use than ever before. MEI is the exclusive distributor of the K4 Publishing System in the Americas.

“K4 Web Editor opens up a wide range of new capabilities for K4 workgroups, whether it's to support traveling correspondents, editors working from home, or any other scenario in which users need to access articles from remote locations,” said Linda Bruce, vice president of enterprise sales at MEI. “The simultaneous release of this new option along with Version 5.7 makes the system even more powerful for all publishers.”

New Web-Based Tool
Web Editor lets users write, edit and copyfit InCopy articles in K4 from any computer with nothing more than a Web browser and an Internet connection. Articles checked out with K4 Web Editor are locked in the database; check-in from Web Editor unlocks the file and updates the database. Accurate representations of K4 articles, complete with styling, font mapping and layout geometry, are generated by Adobe InDesign Server and made available via a password-protected browser interface. Web Editor keeps any objects in an article intact, including notes, tables and inline objects, and also offers offline capabilities.

New in Version 5.7
K4 Scripting Interface enables functions specific to the K4 Client Plug-ins to be accessed through scripts (JavaScript, AppleScript, or Visual Basic), improving speed and productivity by allowing sites to automate tasks within the editorial workflow. “We concentrate our development on creating an open editorial system that can be integrated and adjusted quickly in order to suit the customer’s processes without any problems,” said Andreas Schrader, managing director of SoftCare. “The new scripting functionality underlines this approach.”

Easy Query Mode allows users to quickly search for objects by name, issue, section, status, or a combination of these properties. Easy query mode can be used to search for layouts, articles, pictures, advertisements and other K4 objects; results are updated automatically.

Other new features include:

- Larger font options for K4 palettes for enhanced readability.
- Rollover tool tips on the InDesign layout and on the layout view in InCopy, which provide quick, helpful information about page objects and who has them checked out.
- An enhanced Assignment Dialog window that provides previews of assignments and allows direct checkout from the assignment window.
- Automatic access to version and comment history upon article or layout checkout.
- Query palette tabs now automatically and interactively show the name of the query displayed in the palette.

Availability
K4 version 5.7 will be available from MEI and its distribution partners starting in early February. All K4 customers on active maintenance agreements are eligible to receive a free upgrade to version 5.7. The K4 Web Editor is available for purchase as an option for K4 5.6 and 5.7 installations. Contact an MEI sales representative at 215-886-5662 or [email protected] to schedule your upgrade.

About K4
The K4 Publishing System, integrated with Adobe InDesign and InCopy, allows publishing professionals to manage and integrate design and editorial workflows and to control the entire production process. With its multi-level security controls, open SQL database architecture and robust customization options, K4 supports a transparent and secure production workflow for individual workgroups or entire publishing enterprises.

About MEI
Managing Editor Inc. is an industry leader in the development of quality, proven software solutions for the evolving publishing industry. The Page Director Series of Advertising and Classified Layout Systems, K4 Publishing System, Integrated Production Suite (IPS), Wave2 and IPS AdTrac deliver automated pagination and workflow solutions to newspaper and magazine publishers, as well as to other print and electronic publishing markets. MEI is a portfolio company of Adobe Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE), and has twice been named a laureate of the Computerworld Smithsonian Collections. Additional information regarding MEI’s products and services can be found on the company’s Web site at www.maned.com.