Pages 5 features checklist

KiltedGreen wrote:

This constantly updated list of features is partially wrong. I posted a correction earlier but it seems to have been lost:

* All documents open at 125%. Zoom level is retained after saving with the document.

I was waiting to check that as other users said the opposite.

* Alignment guides can be enabled in Preferences on the General tab

Can you show me the preference for drag out guides (not object to object guides)

* Shapes can be masked with Ovals, Arrows, Stars and more (Format > Image > Mask with Shape > ...)

I asked but didn't see a response. I may have missed it. I will fix it.

* Accented characters are available in both headers and footers (type the character, hold and choose the one you want)

Again you probably are right but I had a contrary report.

* Word documents can be exported to iCloud ( File > Export > Word > Next ... then choose iCloud from the popup menu)

Shall fix

Now, the deleted feature of "Open Pages '08 documents" is perhaps a bit odd. Did Pages '09 open documents from Pages '06 or whatever was before that?

Some Users are going straight from Pages '08 to Pages 5 and there is no longer a Pages '09 available to do the intermediate conversion. So still a fact. Up until now all systems supported both Pages '08 and Pages '09 possibly even Pages '06. Pages 5 can only be installed on Maverick to my knowledge.

Listing 'Removed - sync with iOS6' is a bit odd too. You 'sync' with iCloud not an OS version. Maybe this needs clarifying.

I believe the Pages > iCloud version is not compatible with iOS6 and some people can't upgrade to iOS7. The whole thing is an immense muddle between Pre Maverick, Maverick, iCloud, iOS6, iOS7 and Pages Online for Non-Maverick users. Can anyone plot out what actually works where?

Also, "New file format not backwardly compatibile" is true. This is invariably true of any piece of software after a certain time. To take a crass example, Word 1 can't open Word 2003 documents. At some point you need to transfer older documents to a new format to continue working and this has been the way with almost everything over the years. Where the problem lies of course is that Pages 5 converts your Pages '09 documents silently with no option of reversion.

I'l try and think of a better, but still brief way of describing how any Pages 5 file even saved back to Pages '09 is still not a Pages '09 file. It lacks all the Pages '09 structure and thus you can't collaborate or pass back and forth files.

The list of features missing in Pages 5 is bad enough without reprinting an incorrect list over and over and over. If it is to have value it needs to be correct.

I correct when and where there is a documented clarification. You are not the only one claiming it is or isn't a problem.

If you want a full and accurate list it helps if you clearly check and document the details and use the correct names for features. I am spending a lot of time trying to determine if what is being said is for the right feature or not.

PS This • is a bullet, not this *. When I see that I worry how well the user knows their software.

I doubt you are a HEAVY Pages user, but in your own mind you are sure of that. Like everything else.

I appear to have been an Apple customer longer than you. Given how long you have been a user I am absolutely amazed at some of the nonsense you spout.

Apple does come around, from crises of its own making, but always at our expense.

It is really tiring talking to you.

End of conversation.

Peter

Sure.

I'm sorry Kiltedgreen

I did the changes to my master copy and thought it had got posted but there was a forum outage and maybe it fell in the cracks. You are still looking at an older copy.

The issue with iOS6 is that there is also an older version of Pages on that I believe. It gets very complicated and I haven't enough devices running enough OSes and platforms to test them all.

Can someone clarify what is happening with Character and List Styles I still have question marks against them which means I didn't get an answer to my previous questions.

Also the drag out rules from rulers question is still unanswered.

Lastly can someone inset a multi-column Layout Break and look for Before, After and side margin settings.

Updated Check List

New Pages 5 added, removed or altered features:

Added

+ Right to Left text

+ Single model templates. No More Word Processing/Layout templates

+ Share outside iCloud

+ Phonetic Guide for Chinese & Japanese

+ Custom Template names can be changed inside the Template Chooser by right clicking

+ Custom Templates can be deleted inside the Template Chooser by right clicking

+ Text language is detected automatically

+ Collaboration

+ Unite/Subtract overlapping Textboxes

+ Unite/Subtract overlapping Shapes

+ Extra Shadow effects

+ Double click to mask image

+ Instant Alpha target zoom

+ 16 more languages

+ Multiple T.O.C. and can have them for each section

Removed

Select non-contiguous text

Outline view

Customizable Toolbar

135 templates

Capture pages/sections

Drag reorganize pages

Duplicate pages

Delete page

Manage Pages

Subscript/superscript buttons

Select all instances of a Style

Retain zoom level of document

Facing pages

Layout Margins

Media Inspector links to iPhoto library on external drive

Media Inspector links to Aperture Library

Styles Drawer

Merge Fields

Drag and Drop VCards

Default Start Up page

Vertical Ruler

Drag out Vertical (and Horizontal) Alignment Guides

Style Function key shortcuts

Bookmarks

Hyperlinks to external documents

Images within Tables

Mathtype Equations/Formulae within Tables (and other Objects?)

Grapher Equations/Formulae within Tables (and other Objects?)

Import Styles

Clean Import of older .pages formatting

Full User Guide (there is a short online guide missing many features)

Search Sidebar

Open Type features

Textbox linking

Background Object selectable

Storyboards

Text to Tables

Tables to Text

Tables in Headers/Footers

Word export to iCloud

Export to .rtf

Import from .rtf

Multiple Comments view

T.O.C. clean numbering

Character Styles ?

List Styles ?

Selective formating in Character Styles

Insert File Name

Search in Media Browser

Bullet points in comments

Search comments

Two up view

Paste and keep style

Custom Auto-correct

Find & Replace special characters eg paragraph returns

Auto-Dates on opening document

Speech to Text

Format Bar

Open Pages '08 documents

Headers in Tables

Sync with iOS6

Auto capitalise sentence start

Open .doc files

Roman Numeral Page Numbers

Character count including spaces

Import linked Numbers Charts

Styles including bulletted lists

Recent fonts at top of Font List

Page of Page Count at foot of Window

Full Screen background color

Font name matching between OSX and iOS

Copy/Paste from Pages '09 to Pages 5

Certain Fonts eg WingDings

Saving onto Windows server

Status bar

Drag out inserted image to Finder.

Uninstall permanently

Altered

↪ Pages '09 files saved from Pages 5 in Maverick are not protected by a simple name change eg (converted appended)

↪ Pages '09 files previewed on iPad via iCloud are irrevocably converted

↪ Update is missing for older installations, Apple is reportedly working on a solution via a redeemable code or update on their Support Download site

↪ Wrap methods have been cut back severely

↪ Documents reconverted back to Pages '09 lose all template information

↪ Language set under Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Show Spelling and Grammar now document wide

↪ Subscript/superscript text is now a convoluted route Gear > Advanced options > Baseline > Subscript/Superscript

↪ Headers and Footers appear to be multi-column

↪ Text is not wrapping in Footers

↪ New file format (but still .pages?) not backwardly compatible

↪ Page numbering method changed

↪ Custom Templates are now stored in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.pages (a package)

↪ AppleScript Library for Pages 5 has changed with many classes and commands removed which indicates how the feature lists have been slashed

↪ Character Styles are in the Text Inspector under Bold, Italic etc

↪ Tabbing within Table cells appears to be inconsistent, tabbing internally with numbers.

↪ Drag and Drop text only works with .txt files now

↪ EndNote plugin is partially broken unable to cite in footnotes and problems with in-text numbering

↪ List options are now in a pop-down menu in the contextual Inspector

↪ .doc no longer supported, only .docx

↪ Text highlighting is now under Format > gear icon > Advanced Options > Character Fill Color > Color

↪ Mail Merge has changed. Some people are reporting links not working despite Merge is still in the Insert Menu

↪ Merging Table cells is now: select the cell/s > Format > Table > Merge

↪ Unmerge cells only undoes the above

↪ Table Borders is now: select the cell/s > Format > Table > Cell > click on triangle > choose

↪ Quicklook preview of Pages '09 files in Maverick is reportedly buggy

↪ Layout Breaks work differently. You select the paragraphs you want as an exception and then change the column numbers. Currently can't find how to set before and after spacing or margin inset btw This is a totally undocumented and hidden procedure.

↪ Word Count is now Menu > View > Show Word Count

…and I repeat:

No warning of damage to previous Pages documents and no saving converted files with a different name to protect the customer's work.

This really shows Apple's managers and programmers are living in a bubble with no thought about Users or Testing.

They obviously knew that Pages 5 couldn't handle Pages '09 layouts. That was why they removed most of the Templates.

This is the key failure that has made this One Big Bag of Hurt.

Peter