Unlike other publishing applications, most drawings and illustrations can be created right inside PageStream. Now additional tools are available to reverse the drawn direction of the path, flatten any curves into line segments, and smooth short line segments into curves. Second and subsequent lines of a special paragraph can now be set to start at the same horizontal location as the start of the first line when the first line starts with a paragraph number, bullet or even a drop cap. The object transform feature now supports new offset methods, incrementing pages, and blending between start and ending object transparencies. Need to render a page to a bitmap? Generate a TIFF, JPG, GIF or other picture format representations of the page. As with all releases, PageStream 5.0 includes numerous speed ups, bug fixes, minor features and a whole slew of new scripting commands.

+ Transparency for Text and Objects - Object and text can now appear to blend with the page underneath.

+ Picture Alpha Channel Transparency - Pictures created in paint programs which support alpha channels can now be imported into PageStream and the picture will be masked according to the alpha channel and blend into the page as directed.

+ Definable Printer Marks - Set the printer marks to appear as you need them and provide the right bleed needed for any print job.

+ More Keyboard Shortcuts

+ Path Reverse, Flatten and Smooth - Unlike other publishing applications, most drawings and illustrations can be created right inside PageStream. Now additional tools are available to reverse the drawn direction of the path, flatten any curves into line segments, and smooth short line segments into curves.

+ Hanging Bullets, Drop Caps and Numbered Paragraph - Second and subsequent lines of a special paragraph can now be set to start at the same horizontal location as the start of the first line.

+ New Duplicate Objects Method - The Object Transform feature now supports new offset methods, incrementing pages, and blending between start and ending object transparencies.

+ Print to a Bitmap Picture - Generate a TIFF, JPG, GIF or other picture format representations of the page.

+ and more! - Speed ups, bug fixes, minor features and numerous new scripting commands.

New in Pagestream 5.0 Pro
The previous release of PageStream Professional was a bundle of PageStream and a number of add ons. With this release, PageStream Professional now includes numerous features unique to it plus TextFX, Borders 1 & 2, Gary's Effects, Paper Direct templates, and Home & Office forms.

In the past, selected objects could only be exported to a object oriented drawing format, but now the objects can also be rendered into a bitmap at any resolution and saved in any supported picture format. A specified page of a PDF file can now be placed on the page like an EPS graphic. Automatically adjust text width for justified text by slight amounts, so the white space in justified text can be more even between lines of a paragraph. For those PhotoShop-like effects, you can now apply a gradient or radial blend mask to pictures/EPS/PDF/ and Drawings. These objects will then appear to fade into the page beneath it. Of course, no update is complete without improvements to the drawing tools. Now individual paths can be joined in unique ways in what we call path math.Draw two intersecting objects, and create a single new path that is the outside trace of those objects, or a new object that represents the common region in both objects, a new object that removes any common region, or a new object that has the second objects area removed from the first object.

As with all of PageStream's features, you can combine these new features with existing features in a astronomical number of ways. Need a gradient blend from solid to transparent? No problem!

The previous release of PageStream Professional was a bundle of PageStream and a number of add ons. With this release, PageStream Professional now includes numerous features unique to it plus TextFX, Borders 1 & 2, Gary's Effects, Paper Direct templates, and Home & Office forms.

+ Place PDF Objects - A specific page of a PDF can now be placed onto a PageStream page just like an EPS graphic.

+ Export Objects as Bitmap - In the past, selected objects could only be exported to a object oriented drawing format, but now the objects can also be rendered into a bitmap at any resolution and saved in any supported picture format.

+ Automatically Adjust Text Width for Justified Text - By adjusting the text width by slight amounts, the white space in justified text can be more even between lines of text in a justified paragraph.

+ Gradient/Radial Blend Masks for Pictures/EPS/PDF/Drawings – These objects can be made to appear to fade into the page beneath it. Samples can be seen in the last issue of eDTP World.

+ Path Math: Union/Add/Unique/Subtract – Draw two intersecting objects, and create a single new path that is the outside trace of those objects (Add), or a new object that represents the common region in both objects (Union), a new object that removes any common region (Unique), or a new object that has the second objects area removed from the first object (Subtract).