Within the next month it will include support for PDF 1.4 and PDF X, including alerts on the use of transparency.

The next developments will be support for QuarkXPress 5.0 and Mac OS X.

In the autumn it will launch a simplified "boxed" version of the internet-based service, which will cost substantially less than the current price according to director of product marketing Jon Maroney. The firm is currently working on the pricing model.

Recent developments of its QX-Tools Pro set of QuarkXPress XTensions include a function to pre-flight files using a version of Preflight Online hosted by Extensis as part of the job collection options.

The Extensis site has several generic profiles for checking the files. By changing the URL it is possible for QX-Tools Pro users to pre-flight and deliver complete jobs from within QuarkXPress itself.

Extensis is also working on integrating its pre-flighting products with PDF creation, but is unable to give any firm product details or dates as yet.

By Barney Cox