2015

Job Jackets
The Job Jackets feature takes a revolutionary step beyond preflighting: It helps to ensure
that a print job adheres to its specifications from the moment it is created, and that it
continues to adhere to those specifications all the way through until it rolls off the
press. Furthermore, Job Jackets expand the concept of job specification enforcement
beyond the realm of the individual user by linking projects to synchronized,
dynamically updateable design specifications that include everything from style sheets
and colors to page size and count.
Before QuarkXPress 10, Job Jackets were stored in a binary format. In QuarkXPress 10
and QuarkXPress 2015 they are stored using XML.
Understanding Job Jackets
Job Jackets serve two main purposes:
• To allow a job definer to create detailed specifications for Print and Web layouts.
• To allow a layout artist to create projects and layouts from those specifications, share
the specifications with other layout artists, and verify that a layout follows its
specifications.
Job Jackets were created because producing a layout and successfully sending it to
output can be a complex task.
For example, consider some of the difficulties that have plagued creators of print
layouts. Different presses have different capabilities, and modern page layout
applications must be versatile enough to support all of those capabilities. Consequently,
any number of things can go wrong, especially when you include the inevitable
possibility of simple human error. Just to provide a few examples:
• A layout artist may use colors or imported graphics that cannot be reproduced
accurately on the target press.
• A document that has been budgeted at 100 pages may be sent to output with a length
of 112 pages.
• A project may be sent to the output device without its required graphic files or fonts.
• A layout with small text in a spot color may be sent to a four-color press, resulting in
text that is unreadable.
A GUIDE TO QUARKXPRESS 2015 | 357
JOB JACKETS