*** From the Archives ***
This article is from July 25, 2011, and is no longer current.
How to Make Your Own Custom InDesign Panel
I can’t yet tell if this is completely frivolous or mind-bendingly brilliant.
Everyone knows that Adobe has been building many of their InDesign panels in Flash in CS4 and CS5, and that they are encouraging developers to use Flash as their basic method for creating user interfaces (UI). But I didn’t quite realize that this implies that any SWF you create can become its own InDesign panel.
For example, I grabbed a page from a recent issue of InDesign Magazine (this was from the InDesigners section, in which Pam Pfiffner was discussing a lovely layout produced with InDesign). The page contained a mso (multi-state object, made with the Object States panel) and some buttons to jump from one state to the next. I exported that one page as a SWF (File > Export), named it nettles.swf, and saved it in Applications > Plug-ins > Panels. (Don’t have a folder called “Panels”? No problem; I just made that “Panels” folder myself!)
When I re-launched InDesign, the program saw the swf, assumed it was a new plug-in, and placed it in the Window > Extensions submenu:
Choosing my new swf (nettles) from the Extensions submenu opens the prettiest panel I ever did see:
The content in the panel resizes along with the panel, of course. And, best of all, the buttons and MSO in the SWF work perfectly! It’s a completely interactive experience.
Is this a brand new feature? No, it works in both CS5 and CS4, on both Mac and Windows!
Okay, folks, if you could create any InDesign panel you wanted, what would you put in it?
 |
Oh, hey, by the way… as with all hacks of this sort: I don’t take any responsibility for what madness may ensue! It seems to be safe, but, well, caveat emptor.
Actions!!!
Very cool trick, I will have to file that away in the back of my brain.
However, if users want more control when they make panels, they should check out configurator.
https://creativepro.com/create-indesign-cs5-panels-with-configurator-2-0.php
Great! But?
?does the SWF-file have connection to the internet? may i pull some info from a server?
I’d revamp the entire Tool Panel. It’s so clunky. Only put in the things I actually use.
I’d also like to make a panel of my most used Scripts. As buttons. And I’d put them under the Tool Panel.
Oh and a Panel of my Saved GREP Searches.
@David: That’s… well, “bizarre” is the only word that comes to mind. ;-)
@James: Yes, Configurator immediately came to my mind, too. I must admit I’d never, ever have thought of trying this with any old swf, though.
David doesn’t merely think outside the box. Sometimes it’s more like, “Box? There’s a box?”
I’d love my Google Chat to be a Panel in InDesign!
I would also go with favorite scripts and actions.
How can i change the icon of the panel?
thx in advance?
@Manuel: I don’t think so… not without actual programming in C++. You don’t like Lego? :)
I work with students who (surprise) don’t always pay as much attention as then should during tutoring sessions.
I think I could do this with some of the basic handouts I use… especially a sample page with “call outs” highlighting the specific style sheets we use.
With a bit of work, it could end up being a built-in localized in-app tutorial!
Salvete! How can I make an extension, for CS4? I read about that Configurator, and it will work for Photoshop CS4, but not InDesign CS4.
Since I have Flash, it shouldn’t be too hard, right? Wouldn’t you just convert your javascript scripts into actionscript? Does anyone know where to read something about this? I am very interested.
David, I’ve been using InDesign for a little over 3 years now, but I’m still NEW to all of this. What exactly is a “panel”? I only have Kuler.
@William: A panel is just another name for “palette” — one of those floaty things you can get from the Window menu. :)
I’d gladly create a better video control interface. The panel in CC isn’t very robust…
1. I would like to have cuepoints set up so that you both change content when a video hits a cuepoint AND so that when you click a button, it goes to that cuepoint. (AKA Navigation Points…)
2. I would like better control over actually scrubbing through videos to place cuepoints. Maybe make it so that cuepoint names appear over top of their place on the timeline.
If anyone can help with this, I would be eternally grateful :D
I would like to know how to create a panel that would show how many objects have been selected at a go.
If anyone here knows how to do that, please give a step by step guide on how to.
Thanks.
Pam.
hi,
David Blatner, i am beginner in indesign plugin development so please suggest me how to start and where i found video tutorial. and how to use visual studio 2013.
The best place to learn about how to automate InDesign with plug-ins and scripts is the Creative Developers Summit at the PePcon conference. This year, it will be held in San Diego, California, on June 8. Many great developers and teachers there.