The future of PDF editor softwares - PACKZ vs ArtPro+

[Matthieu]

This drupa will be the good place (and the good moment) to test and compare PACKZ , the native PDF editor from Hybrid Software, and ArtPro+, the brand new tool from Esko that put the pack and label specifics tools of ArtPro (original) to a new software, PDF native too with a totally new UI.
Some of us had tested the pre-rerelease version of ArtPro+ available on the Esko website.
Others, like me, have been early testers of PACKZ.
It's now time to compare for real...

 

[markcobs]

Hi Matthieu, What's the verdict? I work for a packaging company that is currently using Kodak Prinergy but we are getting ready to change over to PackZ. I was surprised by the choice because I thought we were going with Automation Engine. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

 

[Matthieu]

Hi Mark
There is nothing to compare.
ArtPro+ if far from a production tool. Esko is trying to build a nice software with an original UI, but it's useless for now. As they say, "You can check quality..." so you can see the colors of your job, images resolutions, document boxes, checking ink limit, moiré, edit vector path,... and some other essentials things.
I think ArtPro+ need 2 more years to be a production tool.
On the other corner there is Packs. All that you need is here. Packs was build by the mens who's build ArtPro. So they keep the software philosophy but with a modern engine.
You can open AI file, work on it and save them as a native AI file again. It's fast.
For now, the workflow of Hybrid Software (Packz editor) is a work in progress, but many features are already working.

I think you will be happy with Packz.

 

[cseas]

What are the benefits, now, of using either ArtPro+ or PACKZ? I've been working with Esko products for many years, beginning with Artwork-Systems in 2000. At that time we were using their ArtPro software and their RIP. I loved working with ArtPro. In 2011 I began working with another employer. Their Prepress Dept worked primarily in AI using the DeskPack tools, along with the Nexus RIP. At the time I had no experience using the DeskPack tools in AI. I had mainly worked in ArtPro. But the transition was seamless and I began to realize what is the specific needs of high-end Prepress software when one can use AI along with DeskPack tools? Don't get me wrong, I loved ArtPro and miss many of it's tools and options missing from AI. But unless someone is going to use these high-end softwares more for front-end design work, is there really a need for the big expense? Going back even farther..(showing my age now)..I began working in the digital world using Silicone Graphics CONTEX Prepress software, in the Rastered world! lol It seems like the answer might be, "it depends.."

 

[Tim-Ellis]

Hello,

Thinking about purchasing PACKZ. Anyone got anything negative to say about it?

 

[Laurens]

Matthieu, I am curious why you call Packz and ArtPro+ PDF editors. I don't know anything about these packages but if someone calls something a PDF Editor, I assume it means that the software can edit any PDF file created in any application in a somewhat intelligent fashion (meaning it can treat text in blocks not just individual lines,...). I assume these two packages embed their own data in a PDF or use AI data embedded in a PDF, which means they just use PDF as a wrapper. Correct?

 

[scoy]

I just saw a demo of PACKZ. It looks impressive. We have have used ArtPro since 2000 as well and we love it, but ArtPro does not edit the native pdf. It imports to its own format, but it does export good pdf files. We have been playing with ArtPro+ (the native pdf editor) but it is still in its baby stages. PACKZ looks like it is a much more mature product then ArtPro+. It reminds me a lot of ArtPro. I am hoping to look at PACKZ some more. I would love to hear more feed back about PACKZ.

 

[Puch]

Matthieu, I am curious why you call Packz and ArtPro+ PDF editors. I don't know anything about these packages but if someone calls something a PDF Editor, I assume it means that the software can edit any PDF file created in any application in a somewhat intelligent fashion (meaning it can treat text in blocks not just individual lines,...). I assume these two packages embed their own data in a PDF or use AI data embedded in a PDF, which means they just use PDF as a wrapper. Correct?

I have seen a demo of PackZ two years ago. It was a mature, almost production-ready software back then. After what I've seen, I can say that it can open PDF documents without prior conversion and able to write it back, retaining the original format and it's attributes.

I loved the "create bleed" feature, especially. Imagine a page created without bleed. You can't enlarge it, and the supplier cannot send a new version. Of course it easy if you need to move some Bezier point here and there. But in PackZ you just select the area with a tool, and voilá: it will automagically create a bleed, including the raster data, too. Basically it does what a (very experienced operator) would do: cloning the edge pixels to fill the needed space. All this in a matter a of millisecs.

All these features are comes at a price, though. I had a quote around 10000 USD per seat, if I remember right.

 

[sealleung]

I have tested packz ,it's very impressive, especially live object, very powerful.
Just a little expensive.

 

[bquarks]

PACKZ is fast, the interface remember Artpro

Last week I tested Artpro+ 16.0.2, looks fast and stable, mature enough for production. But don't have a Step and Repeat Module.

 

[Tim-Ellis]

There is an excellent free pdf viewer on the Packz website. It has more pre press viewing features than Acrobat Reader and some to rival Acrobat Pro. Well worth registering and downloading.

 

[Dgallm]

We are trying the PackZ workflow and it's a powerful tool. Cloudflow is suitable for personalisation and, with some knowledge of Js you can improve productivity.
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[pressIT]

@Dgallm What has been your experience with the automation of Packz? Good bad indifferent?

 

[PeteKincaid]

PressIT, you might find this interesting. Pactions is a new feature that comes standard with PACKZ. Pactions allow you to either record things that you do and replay them on other documents or you can build your own action list to replay on other documents. I work for Hybrid, if you would like more information or a demonstration I would be happy to assist.