Interactive InDesign document??

Started by youston, October 21, 2014, 12:36:19 PM

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youston

Ninja master is currently reading the 300+ pg. InDesign JavaScript reference. There's, like, a LOT of stuff in there that's nifty.

Ear

"... profile says he's a seven-foot tall ex-basketball pro, Hindu guru drag queen alien." ~Jet Black

David

Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

Joe

Quote from: youston on October 21, 2014, 02:25:47 PM
Quote from: Joe on October 21, 2014, 02:03:50 PM:confused:

Why does the ID doc need to be interactive then?

WTF are you asking rational questions like that, Joe?!? What has this place come to?!?

Basically, I'm trying to create a document that a trained monkey can produce, given a data file and two pieces of art. There's a lot of job-specific info at the top of the proof that's going to be populated via variable data. The art, and the placement of the human-readable elements on it, have to be done manually, as there are waaaayyyy too many variations in element placement on those things to automate it. That leaves me with the checkboxes in the middle section, which my boss wants to be "click to select" instead of click in this box and type a "4" (Zaph Dingbats checkmark).

The reason why we're trying to make it so "hands off" is because we're expecting a flux of data people coming in here any day now (anybody want a job in a cool city?), and we haven't had the best of luck finding someone with a good mix of prepress and data skills. So, we're planning on whoever has to use this document not having the best ID skills in the world.

Happy now?!? Geez, what's with all the pertinent questions?? Somebody better come in here to add a "doomed" or I'm afraid I might have to let my B4PGold membership lapse.

Well then buddy this document is for you. Although it was written specifically for CS5 I'm sure a lot of it still applies to later versions:

Creating rich interactive documents with Adobe® InDesign® CS5

Summation: With these tools and techniques, you can expand your visual storytelling or maximize the impact of your sales message by offering readers content that keeps them engaged on a deeper level.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

David

I want to expand my visual storytelling....

visualize this!!



Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

Joe

I think it would help if you would put that in an InDesign document.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

youston

You guys crack me up.

I'd actually seen that document that you linked to, Joe, but it doesn't really address my need as much as the JavaScript reference has.

Thinking I'm gonna hack something together as much as I can as quickly as I can, and then spend the next few months or so figuring out a way that I can super automate this using scripting. Neato stuff.

youston

Quote from: Possum on October 21, 2014, 12:52:38 PMNot me, I'm a Quark fan. Just had to hop on here to say HI, haven't seen you in a while.

Didn't see this until this morning. Hi, Possum!