Comments on: InDesignSecrets Videocast #9: Notes and Comments

By: franz

franz — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:25:00 +0000

thanks a lot! very clear and exhaustive!!

By: Neil Isaacson

Neil Isaacson — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:33:56 +0000

You really don’t have to use the Note tool, or go to the menu, just control-click where your cursor is, and get a pop up menu and select New Note.

By: Anne-Marie Concepcion

Anne-Marie Concepcion — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:22:55 +0000

Excellent, excellent tips … thanks so much everyone!

By: Adam Jury

Adam Jury — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:12:41 +0000

I think, more accurately in this case, you would want to export Visible Layers, which is different from All Layers (which would include any hidden layers that you may REALLY not want to print/export at the moment). That would work, certainly.

I think the “human” reminder is also important, though.

(After a book has gone to press, or just before, I do tend to go through and *delete* all of the Notes layers, to be on the super-safe side so they don’t get accidentally enabled by someone else for a later printing, by a foreign licensee, etc.)

By: BoazE

BoazE — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:55:25 +0000

You can “Export All Layers” and you’ll see it in the PDF.
It’s better to set it as a part of print/export draft presets.

By: Adam Jury

Adam Jury — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:33:26 +0000

Absolutely — and that means that the layer won’t show up when you export it to PDF, which during the proofing stages is often necessary because that’s when the notes are often used.

Much better, IMO, to do some preventative maintenance right when the layer is first created.

By: BoazE

BoazE — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:18:20 +0000

@ Adam Jury: You can change the entire layer to a nonprinting layer, by unchecking the “Print Layer” in its Layer Options. The layer name will become italic.

By: Adam Jury

Adam Jury — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:44:11 +0000

Something I’d advise for any layer that contains items that you never want to print: always put “Never Print” or something similar in that layer’s title. Just in case the file gets handed off to someone else who doesn’t take a close look at it and quickly prints or exports it.

Especially necessary if you don’t use Nonprinting on those elements — which, if you want the elements to show up when you export a proof PDF for someone — you can’t use!

By: David Blatner

David Blatner — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:38:54 +0000

@Steven: GREAT point. Oops. I guess we just don’t use that very often, but you’re right: The Notes tool also lets you insert a note/comment via the Notes panel.

By: Steven

Steven — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:31:47 +0000

I meant “hear” not here.