Is there a PrintShop that is compatible with Mac-Catalina OS? I work for a school and do the marketing, therefore in need of an Upgraded PrintShop - if not, any idea of when there might be one coming out?

They are still working on it, but they do have a new version of Print Shop, Print Shop 4. Just cannot migrate files from the other versions yet. I asked today if they are going to make a patch or file so that files can be moved. They are working on it. All you hear is that they are working on it.............

Fortunately I did a backup of my iMac before loading Catalina and when I realised The Print Shop didn't work, restored back to Mojave. There is a The Print Shop 5 out but only comparable to Windoze. I honestly don't think there will be an upgrade and just wish they would say so and put us out of our misery

Why not use Print Shop 5 with Bootcamp/Fusion/Parallels? It's not ideal, but if you need the software, it's better than nothing. I don't know about Bootcamp or Parallels, but Fusion permits a user to exchange files between the Mac and Windows sides.

Since reading the comments on the forum I have downloaded Swift Publisher 5 along side my existing The Print Shop 4 running on my iMac with Mojave. After playing around with Swift, I found that most of the things I could do on Print Shop I can do on Swift although its not as user friendly. I can recommend Swift Publisher 5.

Thank you, that is good to know. Will give Print Shop another couple of weeks and then it will be time to move forward, learn something new. Someone told me about Canva, I tried it, wasn’t impressed. Of course I was comparing it to PS! I did give it a few weeks of working with it, dropped it!

I have a feeling that PS will never come out with a new versions, not being pessimistic but if they haven’t got it out by now it won’t be out!

I just ended my online conversation with the PS people. I have PS 3, so my files will be gone forever. Here are some of the responses I got about restoring my files:

Users that purchased The Print Shop product from us will receive newsletter when an update is ready so they will be able to download it right when it released, but that only applies to users of The Print Shop 4 product. 

When I asked if there will be a new version available for purchase:

According to the license limitations, a user from Northern America can't purchase TPS4 product for personal usage. So basically, you would not order it. 

But perhaps it will be changed in the future, let's see.

So.......it looks like those of us who have had PS3 are screwed. Now to find something else that may meet my needs........

When I mentioned that a lot of Mac users were upset about this, their response was:

Well, they changed MacOS to support only 64-bit application and since TPS 4 or TPS 3 were developed as a 32-bit application so that is why it is taking much time to create the update for TPS 4.

08:56

Previous MacOs version supported both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

I can't guarantee anything but perhaps the license limitations will change in future and you will be able to use TPS 4 on Catalina.

Me:

If they are going to upgrade it to 64 bit, why can't we purchase the new upgrade?

I don't have detailed information on why it has happened, but since January 1, 2008 you can't order any new versions from us if you are from Northern America, but you can purchase it from the rest of the world.

Greetings to those following this thread. A lot of people have wondered why The Print Shop was not upgraded before the change to 64 byte architecture. My guess, and it's only a guess, is the delay has been caused by two different issues. One, the ownership of The Print Shop has been convoluted and recently changed. Originally produced by Broderbund, that company eventually morphed into The Learning Company. While The Learning Company remained in charge of The Print Shop software, that company was subsequently sold to Softkey (1995) and that company sold to Mattel (1998). Mattel sold The Learning Company (that still owned The Print Shop) to Riverdeep Interactive Learning (2001). Riverdeep merged with Houghton Mifflin in 2006, which was renamed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2007. In April 2018, The Learning Company was folded into Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. I'm guessing that " folding" probably exacerbated the lack of software development.

In addition to Broderbund being mentioned on the box, there is a second company listed on the box named Software MacKiev. The main headquarters of Software MacKiev is in Kiev, Ukraine -- a company located in an unstable part of the world right now. According to their website, Software MacKiev is an award-winning developer and publisher of premium quality software including Family Tree Maker®, KID PIX®, The Print Shop®, Hyperstudio and more). I mention this because MacKiev just released a major upgrade to its Family Tree Maker software. Family Tree Maker is available for both PC's and Macs. The new Mac version is advertised as "Catalina ready." I'm guessing that whoever actually codes the software has been busy getting Family Tree Maker ready for publication and put The Print Shop for Mac on the "back burner" (because The Print Shop for PC's doesn't need an upgrade). I'm also guessing (hoping) that they have now turned their attention to The Print Shop for Mac -- there are a LOT of Mac users of their software and they wouldn't ignore such a large group.

I realize that this is ALL speculation on my part and I apologize if any/all of it is incorrect. (I wrote this information a couple of months ago. I apologize to those that have read this twice.)

Have a look at what Macworld has to say about Swift Publisher 5. As I stated in an earlier post, I am able to use that and The Print Shop 4 with Mojave. The more I have used Swift it is almost but not quite as good as The Print Shop but should be usable depending on what you need to use it for. If you do decide on Swift it offers extras which includes a huge amount of fonts and pictures etc.

I have been asking this question ever since Catalina came out and was told several months ago by Mackiev Software that it was not yet released. However, they now have a banner on their web site that says "Catalina is Here....check compatibility". When I go through the site looking at the products I can't confirm that there is in fact a Catalina computable release yet. I have also sent an e-mail to them, but no response. Without it all of our files are completely inaccessible.

In my opinion, your best bets are:

If you have a lot of files in the proprietary Print Shop format:

1) Remain on Mojave

2) If you ignored the warnings and upgraded to Catalina anyway, backup and reinstall Mojave

If you’re like me and really don’t have any vested attachment to Print Shop or Print Shop files, and want to move to Catalina, check out an alternative that’s compatible, such as Swift Publisher.

Here is one way to get a version of Print Shop for Mac to work with Catalina. Information is from Encore Software (see their contact information below). I did NOT try this as I am now using Swift Publisher. If anyone does try this please let the group know how it worked.

*************Letter From Encore Software**********

Dear Liverpool Webmaster,

The current Encore version of The Print Shop Mac download (v1.0.234) will work on Mac Catalina Operating System with Root User enabled. Unfortunately, the project files from The Print Shop 2, 3 & 4 for Mac cannot be opened in the Encore version of The Print Shop Mac.

Use the following coupon code in the shopping cart to save 10% off your order: 10DEAL

I am linking you to a support article which shows you how to enable the root account on your Mac.

https://encoresupport.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/43000551700-how-to-enable-the-root-user-in-macos-catalina

Note that our developers are working on an all new version that will be released in the Spring of 2020. I have added your name and email address to our contact list for when it is released.

Sincerely,

Kathy Howe

Kathy H.

Encore Software | Customer Service

www.encore.com | www.broderbund.com

www.printshop.com | wwwprintmaster.com | www.mavisbeacon.com

I was told that they do not make a PC version of The Printshop. I certainly hope they actually are working on an update. The had plenty of warnings that they had to update to 64bit a long time before Apple actually turned off athe 32bit stuff. It was a really superb program that it seems everyone liked a lot. So I don't understand why the company is taking so long to do the update.

I am running The Print Shop 4 because I didn't update to Catalina but just to be on the safe side I downloaded Swift Publisher 5 which in my opinion after playing about with it is nearly as good as The Print Shop. It's not as easy to use but most of what you could do is in the Swift Publisher. It also works well alongside Art text 3. It is possible to load psf across, but jPeg lose some quality.

Broderbund sells The PrintShop for PC, you can view it here: https://www.broderbund.com/the-print-shop. Mackiev software sells The PrintShop for Mac (not the 64-bit version yet). You can see it here: https://www.mackiev.com/store_us.html

These two companies, plus Encore Software and Houghton Mifflin Hartcourt all seem to be somehow involved with each other regarding The PrintShop and other software programs, most notably Family Tree Maker (distributed by MacKiev). IT IS IMPORTANT to note that Family Tree Maker is software that works with Ancestry.com AND that MacKiev just recently finished a major PC and Mac upgrade to Family Tree Maker. It's been out now about 2 months -- but the promised paper version of the manual is still under development. IT IS MY BELIEF that MacKiev software developers were busy for the past year making the new version of Family Tree Maker (in part because they had to make both a PC and Mac version) -- and left The Print Shop for Mac on the back burner because they didn't have to upgrade the PC version.

I'm also guessing that since the new version of Family Tree Maker has been distributed that MacKiev is devoting the necessary resources to upgrade The PrintShop for Mac. The fact is that The Print Shop for Mac has been a mainstay since 1986 (originally published by Broderbund). There are millions of Mac users of The Print Shop around the world, MacKiev isn't going to abandon that many sales.

Right NOW, those of us waiting for a 64-bit Mac version of The PrintShop have the following options:

1) Wait until the new version is completed and published.

2) Reinstall Mojave and use the 32-bit version.

3) Purchase a substitute program like Swift Publisher 5.

4) Purchase the Encore version of Print Shop Mac V. 1.0.234 and install it under the root account of your Mac (see my 2 posts above for information).