Adobe Systems Version Cue CS4

Name: Adobe Systems Version Cue CS4
Rating: None
Author: Galen Gruman

Version Cue is now much less visible to users of individual CS4 programs, but better for it.

Galen Gruman

InfoWorld

09/10/08

Expert Rating

Not yet rated

Pros

An end to the 'parallel universe' of dialogue boxes

Cons

Nothing of note

Bottom Line

This simpler approach definitely takes Version Cue out of the way, while keeping its capabilities available when desired. The biggest change is having to switch to Bridge to create projects, manage their file sets, and "promote" older versions over more recent changes — you no longer do such actions in the individual CS4 programs. Administering your virtual servers — the project sets, and the access controls for the — remain in essence the same as in previous versions.

Would you buy this?

Yes 4
No 3

Price
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Two editions of Creative Suite ago, Adobe introduced a confusing technology called Version Cue that promised to do two things: let you track and manage versions of your files so you could revert to earlier versions if desired, and provide a shared workspace for all participants in a project to work on the files.

Adobe Version Cue CS4 is included in the following Creative Suite 4 editions: Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium; Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Standard; Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium; Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Standard; Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection.

Before CS4, if the Version Cue feature was enabled, Creative Suite applications had a second set of Open and Save dialogue boxes meant to provide a unified experience across Windows and Macintosh, but one that didn't work like the rest of your application's Open and Save dialogue boxes.

In Creative Suite 4, that parallel universe of dialogue boxes is gone. Version Cue is now much less visible to users of individual CS4 programs. Now, Adobe Bridge is where you manage Version Cue projects, creating virtual servers that appear on the Mac and Windows desktops like any other network drive.

In programs such as Photoshop and InDesign, you simply open Version Cue files from those network drives, and the programs understand that you are working in the Version Cue environment. That means the applications' commands to check files in and out become available, and when you save your work by checking the files back in, the programs create a new version of the file, not replace the original.