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PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Pages 5 features checklist

As you go through the new Pages 5 can you please add an added, missing or altered features here please.

I will start with some culled from the general discussions and if you could correct any errors add them:

Added

1. Right to Left text ie Arabic, Farsi & Hebrew. Uncertain about Pashtu

2. Single model templates. You turn off document text to get rid of the default. Not sure if this then can be mixed and matched with Word Processing templates

3. Able to share outside iCloud

Missing

1. Selecting non-contiguous text gone

2. Outline view appears gone

3. Customizable Toolbar is gone

4. Many templates appear gone

5. Captured pages gone

6. Reorganize pages by dragging gone

7. Duplicate pages gone

8. Subscript/superscript buttons gone

9. Select all instances of a Style is gone

10. Retain zoom level of document gone

11. Facing pages gone

12. Endnotes gone

13. Media Inspector can't find iPhoto library on external drive

14. Update is missing for older installations, Apple is reportedly working on a solution via a redeemable code or update on the ir Support Download site

Altered

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

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

3. Header appears to be multi-column

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

5. Page numbering method changed

6. T.O.C. appears buggy

7. Template file storage location moved - to where?

8. Imported older .pages files are not translating properly

9. Text language is detected automatically now

Letting you know I can't test or verify any of these as I haven't got Mavericks yet.

Peter

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Oct 22, 2013 7:57 PM

1,554 replies

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 11:49 AM in response to robthabruce

The Elephant In The Room (EITR):

Who in their right mind is going to put all their work in a format you know Apple will whip away every few years without notice, and without an upgrade path.

Peter

Nov 9, 2013 11:49 AM in response to robthabruce

I don't care how many pretty dresses MS puts on their ugly girl, she's still butt ugly and never will be pretty. Just remember that AppleWorks worked for almost 10 years after it was abandoned. Pages 09 is still my goto application. Where I don't need facing pages and linked text boxes the new one isn't all that bad once you understand that they totally disassembled the inspector and made it all contextual, which saves some steps actually, not having to go clicking around in the Inspector. Hopefully with the 64bit processors in the mobile devices we'll see stuff reappear that went away when the playing field was levelled. Convergence is actually something we need.

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 12:06 PM in response to BennyC92

That had no options in Pages 4.3.

Unless I guess you had the full EndNote purchased and installed.

Peter

Nov 9, 2013 12:37 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

I can't even use my former version of pages. Mavericks buggered that when it 'upgraded' to Pages 5.

I am Secretary of organizations and i use (Used?) pages a lot, and now I can't even do something simple like reposition headers and footers!

When I migrated to iMac a few years ago I was ecstatic. Now I don't know whether to be frustrated, angry or afraid that Apple is heading for oblivion. Right now a mix of all three.

Please Mr. DiMaggio, say it ain't so!

Irwin Judson

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 12:54 PM in response to hedgehog1749

Why not, it should still be in your Applications/iWork folder.

If you are not happy with Pages 5 have you gone to the App Store and reviewed/rated it?

Peter

Nov 9, 2013 1:25 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Hi Peter- very interesting. Before I made the comment I had Pages 5 open while opening Pages out of Applications/iWork with the result I posted.

I tried again with Pages 5 closed. Lo and behold! the old Pages opened normally.

Thanks.

Best you go to bed, daybreak must be approaching, as night is aproaching here in Eastern Canada.

Irwin

BennyC92

Level 1

0 points

Nov 9, 2013 2:28 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

It was the full Endnote I was talking about. I need a specific type of referencing for my lab reports and pages can no longer do it for me. It's a shame because otherwise I much prefer pages to word.

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 2:42 PM in response to BennyC92

Benny

I don't use EndNote myself, too expensive and I missed the chance recently to get it with a major discount.

I saw reports though that Mavericks broke it, so you may have to wait for an update.

Peter

Nov 9, 2013 4:59 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Peter: on p.75 of this thread, there is an exchange between ericeuhan and myself: ericeuhan reports Pages 4.3 crashing "every ten minutes or so" (on account of a plug-in) after the upgrade. In my own experience, this crashing happened with v.4.1 (recovered from backup) on attempting to save, but went away when I recovered v.4.3. It would seem that some system files (either the plug-in itself, or some other file that the plug-in uses) do not necessarily fare well during the upgrade. So, for some folkds, Pages 4.3 may well become really broken by the upgrade. But, with my one single MBP that has Pages 4.3 and 5.0 coexisting peacefully under Mavericks, I have "not enough data to compute." While your original post was about features lost/gained/changes, there may well be additional issues (bugs?) introduced by the upgrade...

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 5:40 PM in response to Tristan Hubsch

I appreciate that Tristan.

It was such a humungous task collecting and verifying the Additions/Removals/Changes list whilst simultaneously fending of the active few who objected to the notion of even trying to chronical it all, that I couldn't possibly also tackle the far more complex task of bugs and flawed UI design.

I am like everyone else in that I just don't want to use Pages 5 for serious work so can't do what I have done with previous versions of Pages, run it thoroughly through its paces and note any issues that crop up.

I am well aware that documenting and arguing bad design and bugs is both a thankless and futile task with Apple. I've done this for many years and look what we got. Not an upgrade, but a downgrade because Apple has decided rather than get rid of problem software, instead get rid of problem users.

The iWorkTipsnTricks forum was a big and ongoing project which I did because it helped users and I really was into Pages, but I can't see how I will be helping people just by making Pages 5 less objectionable for as long as Apple wants it around. Which may not be that long as Apple blows hot and cold in another uncharted direction.

Maybe you can advise me. Should I pick up the pieces for Apple? If so what for?

I haven't completed the Pages 5 review because it is like writing its obituary. I'm not like the Apple media, accustomed to lying through my teeth for the occassional little treat from Cupertino.

Peter

Nov 9, 2013 9:44 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Peter: I appreciate your general perspective. In my direct post to you, I was referring to your response ("Why not, it should still be in your Applications/iWork folder") to hedgehog1749's reporting that he couldn't use Pages 4.3. That is, just because Apple's iWork '13 upgrade left the iWork '09 folder intact may not mean Pages 4.3 is not broken. Without knowing exactly what syzygy of file replacements/deletions reproduces the crashes that ericeuhan experienced, we cannot be certain that Pages 4.3 can safely coexist with Pages 5.0 under Mavericks, nor how long that may continue. For my own part, I do not have the time and resources to also embark on reverse-engineering bug-extermination; vita brevis. Apple does have the resources and could, if its leadership decided it was worthwhile; I'm not holding my breath. I'm saddened about Pages, but I trust professionals will find suitable replacement tools.

For my own 2¢'s worth, I believe this thread has achieved its goal of compiling the additions/removals/changes in the Pages 4.3 → 5.0 upgrade; kudos! Whoever feels strongly about it should submit (a personally cherished subset of) the list of removed features as a request/complaint at <http://www.apple.com/feedback/pages.html>. The more the merrier. See what happens. Other than that, perhaps it is time to move on?

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 9, 2013 10:18 PM in response to Tristan Hubsch

We are of one mind re the clumsy and unstable Pages '09/Pages 5/Maverick three legged race.

People are already reporting oddities with printing and I think very few appreciate quite a few of the removed features in Pages 5 are due to removed features in other software in Mavericks eg Contacts for the merges.

I can't see how Pages '09 will escape the lobotomised environment of Mavericks.

Why everyone is jumping onto the Mavericks bandwagon is a mystery to me.

XtraFinder [free] gives me a better Tabbed Finder. Default Folder, ForEverSaveLite, Tagit and a suite of other 3rd party utilities, mostly free, all since Snow Leopard, do a way better job of upgrading the System than anything Apple forces on us.

I am looking around. I even joined my local Linux SIG, and fired up my old PC to see what needs doing to get it up to date. Windows on an old PC looks brisk compared with OSX, but still lacks that clean look. It is skinable however.

Shame Apple is so hostile to its own users.

Peter

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,196 points

Nov 11, 2013 5:12 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Updated list of changes to Pages 5

http://www.freeforum101.com/iworktipsntrick/viewforum.php?f=22&mforum=iworktipsn trick

Peter

pinkuff

Level 1

25 points

Nov 11, 2013 9:20 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

PeterBreis0807 wrote:

Updated list of changes to Pages 5

http://www.freeforum101.com/iworktipsntrick/viewforum.php?f=22&mforum=iworktipsn trick

Peter

My, my, my more profits for your grubby fingers?

Nov 11, 2013 9:35 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Stick to the topic. If you just wanna attack someone for not thinking (or worshipping a corporation) the way you do, there are other ways of getting in touch with Peter, I presume.

Pages 5 features checklist