This Month in InDesign Articles, February 2016
Hold down the Option/Alt key! Double-click! Press Esc and stand on one leg! Okay, that’s enough InDesign tips for today. Now let’s look at this collection of articles and interesting links I’ve been collecting for you:
- Want to make an object look like it’s “flipping” over when you roll over it? Lulu Kwan shows you how in this video.
- Bob Levine nails it with an explanation of why interactive PDF is such a problem (the comments after the post are great, too!)
- Speaking of PDF, did you know PDF 2.0 is coming next year? Check out these stats about PDF in 2016, and these conference videos from the PDFA event.
- Want to learn how to import XML into InDesign? Chad Chelius has a new title at Lynda.com that explains it all for you!
- I love this line: “[Design] is a positive, life-affirming profession.” That’s John McWade reflecting on design and the new Uber logo.
- I’m actually not sure what a “worksheet” is (at least, not in this context), but here’s a little tutorial for beginners on how to create one with InDesign.
- Hey, our friend Cari Jansen has her name on an InDesign book: Learn Adobe InDesign CC for Print and Digital Media Publication (from Peachpit Press/Adobe Press).
- Have your iPad nearby? Why not launch Adobe Comp? Erica Gamet explores some of the ins and outs of sending Comp files to InDesign. Adobe also has a fun story about how graphic designer Jason Robinson uses Comp.
- Erica follows up with a terrific explanation of how you can organize your (too often messy) paragraph, character, and object styles panels
- We can learn a lot by reading “case studies,” where people explain how decisions were made and what tools they used on a job, from start to finish. Designer and artists Sharon Steuer lays out the steps involved with a poster and identity design, in amazing detail!
- “There’s an ongoing commitment to maintain an app, which can become a drain on resources.” This article on the future of apps as a publishing/media platform is important.
- The folks at TFP have posted a new case study on how they helped America’s Test Kitchen
- Twixl (one of the best alternatives to DPS for making apps from InDesign) has a good article on why you may want to export articles based on PDF now.
- Print buyers “understand the value of print and when print is not replaceable.” So what will happen when they retire?
- If you’re an InDesign scripter and you don’t want people to be able to decode/modify your scripts, you may want to try obfuscating them with this script
- What kind of ebook (EPUB, FXL, etc.) should you choose? Kevin Callahan offers some great advice
- If you love fonts and especially script faces, you will go ga-ga for the new Bickham Pro 3, now with Greek and Cyrillic characters (and more contextual alternates). Love it!
- Speaking of a love of type… what’s the 27th letter in the alphabet? The ampersand, of course!
- You should never, ever, ever try to make Tie-Dye in InDesign. (But I’m sure glad Kelly did!)
Enjoy!
 |
Love the articles this month, David.
However, regarding Cari Jansen’s: Learn Adobe InDesign CC etc., etc., Peachpit/Adobepress has let the side down. I purchased this book on the 14 February 2016 and only 3 project files had been uploaded to the Peachpit/Adobepress site. Granted the team rectified that situation within 24 hours. Not only that the videos and links don’t work. (I am not the only one complaining!!) :)
Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents, as this happens on a regular basis with InDesign CC CIB!!! Don’t they like InDesign CC at Peachpit/Adobepress? :) :)
So, I’m going back to Lynda.com at least their videos work! The site will most probably crash now I’ve said that!!!!! :)
Anita: Wow! Thank you for letting us know. I’m sorry to hear about that problem; I was not aware of it. I do know that Peachpit is currently going through a pretty massive upheaval and change these days. We’ll investigate.
Many thanks for your response/investigation.
Tech Support mentioned that they were going through a massive restructuring programme and that’s why I haven’t sent any more emails.There’s nothing worse than being pestered when going through a corporate upheaval.
Thanks, David, for chasing Peachpit.
I gather its an experiment on their part, but they really should make sure everything functions – links, videos, etc., before launching the product on the open market and charging for it. Otherwise, it’s just off-putting! I’ve had a look at it today and its still not functioning properly.
So, I’ve downloaded all my InDesign CIBs and am watching your videos on Lynda.com, which are far, far better anyway………! I only bought it as I thought I needed to refresh my skills.
It’s like reading a transcript of a video and the tutor is talking about Kuler and whoever updated the website used the spelling Cooler!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only is it off-putting but excruciating. As a proofreader, in a former life, it’s absolutely painful when they can’t even spell the name of the software correctly.
Unfortunately, both manual and video lose credibility!!
Gosh it really has been a long week. :)
HI David; I am re-watching your Lynda.com Insider Training Interactive PDFs (January 2014) and came to InDesignSecrets to see if anything has changed/improved with Interactive PDF. I read Bob Levine’s piece (and all the comments) that you recommended above.
I produce a PDF newsletter that is read mainly on desktop (Mac and Windows) that currently just has hyperlinks. I would like to add just one thing: Slideshows. (Simple ones where you can click on a photo/caption and another photo/caption takes its place.)
Right now I just recommend that our readers get Adobe Reader or Acrobat—and I have to avoid creating anything interactive except hyperlinks. Do I have any options/hope on the horizon for slideshows? Publish Online? FXL ePub? Export to Acrobat DC and somehow create the slideshows there?
Thanks for your huge knowledge base, your clear manner of teaching, and the fact that you reply to comments often and surprisingly quickly!
Philip: I’m glad my work has been helpful for you! Slideshows are tricky in PDF. You can do it with show/hide buttons. But beware: While this works in Acrobat or Reader on the desktop, it may not work on tablet devices.
Some background:
https://creativepro.com/showing-and-hiding-objects-in-interactive-pdf.php
https://creativepro.com/creating-a-two-function-button-for-interactive-pdf-or-swf.php
As for other options: If your audience has internet access and can view in a web browser, then Publish Online is a great way to go. Then you can use any InDesign animations, slideshows (via multi-state objects), etc.