Live Corner Effects in InDesign CS5

April 12, 2010

By: Chad Chelius

Well now that the cat is out of the bag so to speak, we can finally introduce you to some of the great new features found in Adobe InDesign CS5 that will really help you work more efficiently and more creatively. This article focuses on the new Live Corner Effects feature. This intuitive and easy-to-use feature provides a more fluid method for modifying the corners of frames while providing immediate visual feedback in the process.

Corner effects have been around for many versions, but there has never been an easy way to apply corner effects to anything but all four corners of a frame. A script that ships with InDesign allows you to quickly apply corner effects to one or more corners, however when the frame is transformed, the corners become modified as well—forcing you to start over from the beginning. Fortunately, this is all about to change! Let's take a closer look at the new Live Corner Effects feature in InDesign CS5.…

Posted in Layout

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Episode 11: Creating an eBook with InDesign (Part 2)

November 16, 2009

In Episode 10, I introduced you to the EPUB format and I explained how it's different from a PDF file. I also started the process of setting up an InDesign document that can be accurately converted to the EPUB file format. In this episode, I show you how to create page breaks, setup a table of contents, insert hyperlinks and cross-references, and add metadata to the eBook. Then I walk you through the process of exporting the final EPUB file.

If you would like even more in-depth information on creating EPUB files, check out my article in the October/November 2009 issue of InDesign Magazine.…

Posted in eBook Publishing, Layout, Video Podcasts

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Episode 10: Creating an eBook with InDesign (Part 1)

November 11, 2009

eBook publishing is becoming increasingly popular. More and more publishers are providing content in the eBook format. Major bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders are selling thousands of eBooks every day. And as more people become savvy with eBook readers, eBooks will become even more popular. This new and different way of distributing and accessing book content expands the opportunities for reading, just as the MP3 file did with digital music.

Adobe InDesign lets you create eBooks in the EPUB (electronic publication) format, which is an open eBook standard that was designed to enable content to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. With more publishers, bookstores, and developers supporting the EPUB format, there is no better time to start exploring the world of eBook publishing. In this episode, I start by introducing you to the EPUB file format. Then I show you some best practices for setting up an InDesign file that can be accurately converted to an EPUB file.…

Posted in eBook Publishing, Layout, Video Podcasts

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InDesign and Acrobat Forms Workflow Video

May 15, 2009

I recently recorded this video tutorial for Adobe. It teaches you how to create interactive forms using Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat Pro. You'll learn how to start a form in Adobe InDesign, export that form as a static PDF file, and then use Adobe Acrobat Pro to automatically convert it into an interactive form. Along the way, you'll pick up a number of tips that can make the form creation process easier. …

Posted in News/Announcements, Layout

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Setup a Placeholder Graphics Frame with Automatic Scaling

May 06, 2009

I received this question several months ago. Since then I've been asked the same question a number of times, so I thought I should post the answer for everyone else who has ever wondered the same thing.

"I have many screen shots, all of which have to be placed at 50%. I see no provision for this in the options within an object style. Is there something that I am missing?"

– Carole, NY

Actually, you aren't missing a thing. Unfortunately, object styles don't provide an option for scaling an image to a given percentage. This is at the top of my list of highly requested features though. For now, if you want every image you import to be automatically placed at 50% (or any other percentage), follow this procedure.

Posted in Questions/Answers, Layout

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Episode 2: Automating a Catalog with
Data Merge

May 21, 2008

What do Data Merge, an Excel spreadsheet, the Running Header text variable, the section marker, and Layout Adjustment all have in common? They are just a handful of InDesign tools that can be combined together to create a powerful page production machine. Watch this episode to learn how you can use these five tools to design a template that automates the layout of a product catalog.…

Posted in Data Merge, Automation, Text Variables, Layout, Video Podcasts

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