InDesignSecrets Podcast 029
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InDesignSecrets-029.mp3 (16.4 MB, 30:34 minutes)
or read the transcript of this podcast.
• Preview of the upcoming InDesign Conference: Master Class
• Critical update to Markzware’s Q2ID plug-in (opens QuarkXPress v3-6 files in InDesign)
• Fraction Fixes: How to make good-looking fractions with and without an OpenType Pro font
• Quizzler Number 3! Instructions appear below
• Obscure InDesign Feature of the Week: Update Library Item
Quizzler #3 instructions: As we mentioned in the podcast, DON’T post your Quizzler answer (or any discussion about it) here as a comment. Instead, e-mail your answer to us at info@indesignsecrets.com with “Quizzler” in the subject line. All correct answers we receive by midnight PST on Thursday, August 31 2006 will be included in our random dart throw that will choose a single winner. Duplicate entries from the same person will result in your being made fun of in the next podcast as well as disqualifying you.
Links mentioned in the podcast:
InDesign Conference: Master Class in Seattle, Washington; November 6-8, 2006
Markzware’s Q2ID Plug-in — click the Get Updater button if you’re not up to v1.59
Dave Saunders’ TextStylesReporter script — CS2 only, Mac/Windows
Dan Rodney’s ProperFractions script — CS1/CS2, Mac/Windows
Listener Comment Line: +1-206-888-INDY (-4639)
Talk to us, baby: Leave a message!
For the complete story on how that bug in my script was fixed, be sure to read page 2 of the readMe in the download. David’ version gives too much credit to me — the bug was actually isolated and the fix sent to me while I was asleep!
Dave
Warning about this comment mechanism: if you’re using Firefox and you are typing a word into the comment box and you start to wonder if you’ve spelled it correctly, so you switch to another tab to check the spelling, when you come back to this tab, the page redraws, wiping out everything you’ve typed into the comment box.
Guess who just did that! That’ll teach me to use the word “insidious”!
Dave
On the subject of fractions, be aware that the version of Myriad Pro that comes with CS2 (InDesign version 4 or Creative Suite 2) supports arbitrary fractions while the version of the same font that came with CS1 (InDesign version 3 or Creative Suite 1) does not.
This is one of the insidious little traps of working in both versions of the application. Say you have a client who is forced to continue working in CS1 for some reason, while you’ve moved on to CS2 for other clients. You’ve kept CS1 on your machine so you can do the work for that first client.
But, unless you went to extraodinary lengths, you’ll be using the CS2 version of Myriad Pro. Well, if your work involves fractions, and you try arbitrary fractions and are pleasantly surprised to discover that they work. You and your client will not be seeing the same thing on screen because that 2/3 you’re so proud of will indeed look like 2/3 on your client’s machine while it looks like a real fraction on yours.
My client had to upgrade to CS2 to take legitimate advantage of this even though they had no other need for CS2 at the time (they’ve since converted so the issue is now moot for us).
Dave
Thanks for the info, Dave. Yes, the fact that there are different versions of fonts (often with very little way of telling them apart) has caught many people unaware over the years. However, if you use File > Package, you could send your fonts to the client, too.
(Interesting legal question: If someone owns InDesign CS, they “own” Myriad Pro. So can you legally give them the version of Myriad Pro that comes with CS2? Can they use it?)
Here’s the reason that Thomas Phinney, Adobe’s font guru cites for the discrepancy in the fraction feature of OpenType fonts: The first OpenType fonts developed and distributed only had the actual fraction glyphs included in the font, like the version of Myriad Pro Dave Saunders cites. Part way through the development process, they developed the mechanism for creating arbitrary fractions, and font developed subsequently included the feature. New versions of some fonts (like Myriad Pro) were developed which had that new feature.
Sadly, there’s no good way of tell ing them apart. I would imagine that the packaging method would be the best. I’d think that if you already have a license to use the fonts, using a later version of the same fonts would be OK.
“Interesting legal question: If someone owns InDesign CS, they “own” Myriad Pro. So can you legally give them the version of Myriad Pro that comes with CS2? Can they use it?”
Yes, as long as they are licensed for Myriad Pro, the newer version is considered to be dot releases, and are not charged for; you’re welcome to share it with somebody who is already legitimately licensed for the same font(s).
This would not apply if they only had the Type 1 or Type 1 multiple master version of Myriad, however. It’s also possible that some day we’d upgrade a font sufficiently (even within the same format) that it would be a paid upgrade and not a dot release. But we have no current plans to do so.
We do recognize that staying in sync with font versions is a major hassle, and we have some plans in the works to try to ameliorate the pain.
Regards,
T
Thank you, Thomas! That’s very helpful.
Does anyone know if Indesign CS2 has a similar function to the “Link palette” but for word documents, to help keep track of imported files?
You can tell which version of Myriad Pro you have by setting some type in it in InDesign and then selecting Myriad Pro in Type > Find Font. Click the More Info button there. The older non-fraction-savvy Myriad shows as v1.006, the new one shows as v2.006.
Thomas, I’m looking forward to your ameliorating my pain.
Thanks for the helpful comment.
Hi Tricia,
in InDesign CS2 in “Preferences > Type” there is a section about “Links”. There you can check “Create Links When Placing Text and Spreadsheet Files”. After this checkbox has been activated, when you place a text or spreadscheet file these will appear in the Links palette.
However, this is something to be very careful about, because, when you do local corrections and formatting in InDesign and then decide to “Update Link”, if these external files have been modified, you WILL lose all of your local corrections and formatting and will have to start over.
Well, what do you know! Thanks Anne-Marie. There’s a button I’d never clicked before — More Info in Find Font.
Excellent.
Now if that dialog could only be made non-modal so you could really zoom in on what if finds.
Dave
I try not to be a type snob but if you make fractions using the non OT-Pro method described in podcast 29, you will end up with fractions that are noticeably lighter in weight than the corresponding text. I do a lot of cookbooks, and I find that I have to use a heavier weight for the numerator and denominator, and of course the regular weight for the virgule.
I have found that by a series of search-andreplace-ing I can catch 99% of the single-digit fractions in a document, and tag each element with its own character style.
More details if anyone wants to know.
Great podcast.
John
I teach Photoshop and InDesign, one day a week at a local community college. I am continually stressing to my students about how important it is that your file is layered correctly to avoid flattening problems. I recommend as a starting point, a layer structure like this for new documents:
Guides
Text
Vector Art
Photos
Layer 1 (for background images) .
I don’t want to always set this basic layer structure up, every time I create a new document. What I decided to do was create a file with the layers mentioned above and simply add 1 element (I used a yellow square), on each layer, then select them all and drag them into a library. Now every time that I create a new document, I drag this “layer set-up” library element onto my page and the proper layers come along for the ride. I then delete the yellow squares as they are no longer needed. * “Paste Remembers Layers” needs to be turned on for this tip to work.
I see the benefits of this tip as being three-fold. Firstly setting this up makes a good exercise for creating an InDesign Library that they can immediately put to use. Secondly, it gets the wheels turning about using the library for not such an obvious purpose. Lastly and most importantly, it encourages them to start each new document off on the right foot as far as a good layer structure goes.
I have also created special libraries for specific clients that combine corporate fonts, process colours and spot colours along with a desired layer structure. These libraries can be shared with others in the department which encourages consistency and speeds up workflow.
Bill
I uploaded a Guide to OpenType Fractions to the site today which I think a lot of users will find helpful. The link to the PDF is in the blog post I just wrote about the topic.
Thanks Rufus! Will take extra caution with updating the links. =)
I am in CS2 limbo. I have had to upgrade to CS2 because our client is using it. Lo and behold I cannot buy it. All the major retailers have CS3 only! I do not want to upgrade the OS and so here I am.
I was able to get a copy of CS2 on ebay. They really force you to upgrade completely. I have tried juggling CS1 and CS2 docs but you can’t tell which is which? I have had to try and open the file and then get the incompatabliy warning. They should have made it much easier to get info on file and see what version of indesign is used. Sorry I had to vent my frustrations.