Q: Pages 5 features checklist

You know, while a few on this forum would have it that we have done some evil deed, the fact of the matter is Apple should reward us with new iMacs for beta testing NewPages 1.0. For literally no money at all Apple got a complete list of bugs, incompatibilities, and lost and desired features. If they were sincere they would thank us, not brand us. Only people who cared about the product would put up with these derisions.

By the way Apple, while you are adding features back in to NewPages 1.0, why is it the grammar checker that worked in Pages '08 and seem to be built in to the operating system (it seems to work in Textedit) is unavailable in Pages '09? Could you see that NewPages has a proper one? ............ I thought not.

ericeuhan wrote:

 

This is just pitiful.  Pages 09 was a fine program, at least to the extent that I had finally learned to do most everything that I wanted to do.  But Pages 5.0 is a complete joke.  Their only interest, apparently, was to create a word processing program that could do no more than an iPad app.  I tried it, and then went back to Pages 09.  The problem with that is that now Pages 09 crashes every ten minutes or so.  I'm now afraid to write on it.  It says "Pages Plug-in Failure" whatever that means.  I'm beside myself.  I'd hate to have to relearn MS Word, and reconvert all my files after five years with Pages, but it looks like that's  my only option.

Are you running Pages 4.3? [Previous versions were not accessing the iCloud, and the plug-in you see failing activates every time you (or the OS) try to save the file; it tries to access iCloud, whereupon Pages <4.3 crashes.] If you are using a version before 4.3, try using the updater from <http://support.apple.com/downloads/#productivitysoftware> to bring Pages up to version 4.3; it should run w/o hiccups. I am not sure what all would break if you alternatively located and removed the plug-in...

Hi !

I do agree with you.

On my side I took the decision to revert to Mountain Lion on my "Old" 2008 Imac,

So I am sure I can still run Iwork 09 safely untill further Apple decision to solve

this unbelievable "mistake" or misunderstanding of a large part of their

customer's needs.

Jean.

I did, on the very first day, after realizing what a fiasco it was.

Some things might be possible or implemented in Pages 5, but you cannot find the point to access the tools for using the feature (or my brain is too old). Or they have forgotten to offer a tool for such things

An example:

It is nearly impossible to edit a table within Pages 5 (and if possible, it is not really userfriendly to find out how to do). Yes, I can put content into the cells, but it is absolutely annyoing to format the table: How to create an blue edge on the left side of a single cell...? But it is no problem to create a table in Pages 4.3, format it, save it, open it in Pages 5 an copy the table into a Pages 5-document were it was not formatable before.

I am running version 4.3 (1048).  I agree with you, though.  The crashes seem to be occurring on the same schedule as the "cloud" saves.  I'm guessing that the OS X update along with the Pages 5.0 update must have eliminated those plugins.  Thanks very much for the advice.  Do you have any idea which plug-in I should be looking for?

Nor can you, apparently, use the tab key to move from cell to cell.  There used to be an option, a check box, I belive to enable that.

And when working in editing text, what happened to the "Speech" function?  You used to be able to select text, right click, select "speech", and it would be read aloud---a great proofreading tool.  Now all I see is a "create iTunes track".

Well I have fixed everything! 

I downloaded Office 365.  Now using Word for Mac.  it is brilliant.  I had forgotten just how good it was, having ditched Windows years ago..

Now I can keep the Mac which I love and use a program made for Mac which works and which I know will be around in years to come.

ericeuhan wrote:

 

I am running version 4.3 (1048). [...]  Do you have any idea which plug-in I should be looking for?

Sorry, but no; I had initially (over-exuberantly ) deleted the iWork '09 folder, restored v.4.1, had the problem with the failing plug-in—but it was solved when I restored Pages v.4.3 (1048) from a backup (just the iWork '09 contents, I never removed/added any system file by hand), which is co-existing peacefully with the 5.0 upgrade. I'd try sifting through the crash-logs (=> /Applications/Utilities/Console) to identify the culprit plug-in. However, it seems like you are missing the plug-in or a support file that the plug-in needs... that's beyond me. Anyone else?

"And when working in editing text, what happened to the "Speech" function?  You used to be able to select text, right click, select "speech", and it would be read aloud---a great proofreading tool."

Edit > Speech > Start Speaking

The ability to select bibliography formats other than the default 6 or so from endnote is missing. It's going to make referencing my university lab reports harder than it should be.

This is when using endnote, under edit - endnote bibliographies - bibliography style (from memory).

Well, I have given up on the Idea that Pages 5.0 is going to be sufficient for my document system needs any time soon.  I also decided that not want to take a chance that 4.3 will die someday without notice. Therefore, I have converted several hundred of my business' documents to a Microsoft word format and have been using Nisus Writer Pro for the last several days.  My experience so far has been good. It has a very "Pages (4.3)" look and feel and seems very stable.  I guess I'll stay with Nisus for the forseable future.