Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is a part of the Adobe Creative Suite and is an upgrade from Aldus PageMaker, a widely used Desktop Publishing (DTP) software which was subsequently purchased by Adobe. Adobe InDesign is available on Windows and Mac and can be purchased as a standalone product or as part of the Adobe Creative Suite. The functions and capabilities of InDesign are much more than what is possible with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. It is the de facto program used by large publishing houses and big websites. This tutorial aims to give a comprehensive tour of the program enabling you to leverage its full potential.

Desktop Publishing (DTP) is the creation of electronic forms of information such as documents, presentations, brochures, books, or even website content using computer programs. DTP has evolved to be an important component of creating and disseminating information as it allows an amalgamation of various tasks that are generally performed independently at printing presses such as layouts, typesetting, graphic design, etc.

Evolution of DTP Software

Earlier, DTP was specifically meant to cater to printed matter but modern DTP allows for even more forms of electronic content. A modern DTP software can be your word processor, graphic design tool and publishing tool, all rolled into one package. With the explosive growth of smartphones and mobile PCs, the way people consume information has changed dramatically over the last decade. Modern DTP software enables content output that caters dynamically to all screen sizes, without the need to republish the same for each device or form factor.

Types of DTP Content

The content created by DTP software can be broadly classified into two categories −

• Electronic Pages
• Virtual Pages

Electronic pages commonly refer to websites, manuals, eBooks, digital archives, presentations, etc. which are normally not printed but are shared digitally. This tutorial is an example of an electronic page which can be opened in a browser.

Virtual pages on the other hand are electronic pages created in the DTP software which are eventually published as printed pages. Virtual pages allow the author to visualize exactly how the printed page will look and can help in easy editing. The process is called WYSIWYG which stands for, ‘What You See Is What You Get’. This means all the changes and formatting that are made will be exactly replicated in print.

Popular DTP Software

DTP software comes in all shapes and sizes. There are software to cater to every need right from free software to professional grade subscription based software. Although InDesign has now taken over the DTP market, in this section, we will take a look at some of the popular DTP software other than InDesign that are also quite popular with the publishers.

Adobe PageMaker

PageMaker was first originally developed by Aldus and was later acquired by Adobe in the 90s. PageMaker is one of the most popular DTP software even today but its development has been stopped after version 7 although it is still being marketed to a select set of users. PageMaker’s features are now integrated with InDesign, which Adobe actively promotes.

PageMaker has tools for almost all DTP applications except book publishing. It can import files from PDFs, HTML, and convert QuarkXpress and Microsoft Publisher formats. It has support for plugins and runs on both Mac and Windows.

QuarkXpress

QuarkXpress was the de facto publishing standard before the advent of InDesign. It is still under active development on both Mac and Windows and the latest version is more or less feature similar to InDesign.

QuarkXpress supports converting Illustrator, PDF, EPS or even InDesign files into native QuarkXpress objects and runs on a perpetual license instead of a subscription model. The latest update also includes the ability to export HTML5 interactive publications. It also supports plugins called, XTensions for additional capabilities.

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Publisher is part of the Office 365 suite and is distributed as a standalone application. It is extremely simple to create flyers, brochures or cover art with this program as the interface is similar to other Office programs such as Word or Excel. It is more of an entry level software targeted at home and small businesses and does not directly compete with QuarkXpress or InDesign.

Microsoft Publisher is very easy to use and supports professional effects for text and pictures along with the ability to natively import albums from Facebook, Flickr, and other cloud services.

Serif PagePlus

PagePlus has now become a legacy software with the reins passing on to Affinity Publisher. Serif PagePlus continues to be a delight to anyone who is at an intermediate level with respect to DTP.

It is a step up from Microsoft Publisher and supports the CMYK color space, which is commonly used by printers and also OpenType fonts. It also has advanced features such as font kerning and dynamic text flow along with a host of templates on the Serif website. An icing on the cake is the presence of an integrated photo editor called PhotoLab, which gives easy access to picture correction tools. The latest version also supports creation of PDF files and eBooks suitable for Amazon Kindle. There’s also a free Starter Edition available if you want to try out the software.

Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is the industry leading DTP software for designing and layout of professional documents for the web, print, as well as for mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones.

InDesign has evolved from being a successor to PageMaker in version 1.0 to becoming a powerhouse software, which can seamlessly work with other Adobe Creative Suite applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator in the Creative Cloud suite.

The workflow in InDesign also comprises of word processing, which is usually done in a standalone word processing program such as Microsoft Word, although InDesign is also a capable word processor in itself. However, a lot of Microsoft Word styles are not carried into InDesign when the users switch between these programs. Adobe released a complimentary word processing program to InDesign called InCopy, which can read and export the various text formatting styles that InDesign uses.

InDesign uses the .indd file format for storing InDesign content. Newer versions have backward compatibility with files created in older versions of the program. Newer versions can save the InDesign document as a .idml file, which can be read by versions till CS4. For even more backward compatibility, the newer version can also export in the .inx format.

InDesign can either be purchased individually or as a part of the Creative Suite under a Creative Cloud subscription. The subscription enables the user to receive ongoing product updates without purchasing new versions every time a major version number update is released.

Workspace Basics

It is important to properly understand the user interface to get the most out of InDesign. Let us take a quick tour of the user interface.

What we see above is the default interface for most installations. Remember that the interface is fully customizable. The interface is grouped into many panels as follows.

Application Bar

First up, is the Application Bar on the top of the window beside the Help menu which allows us to set the document zoom level or allow turning the rulers and guides on and off. It also allows us to tile multiple windows vertically or horizontally. The Br and St icons stand for Adobe Bridge and Adobe Stock respectively and you may or may not see them depending on your installation.

Control Panel

Below the application bar is the long strip called the Control Panel which is a quintessential component of the UI. The Control Panel basically allows you to change properties such as text formatting, color fill, and a host of contextually dependent functions. It is freely movable and you can float or dock it. Make sure you dock it in a place, which is convenient as you’ll be using this very often.

Document Layout

Next, we will take a look at the blank document. This blank document was created using the default options in the New dialog box. We will be learning more about the New dialog box in the next chapter. If you observe closely, the blank document is surrounded by black borders. That is the limit of the printed page. The pink guides on the top and bottom define the margins. The purple guides on the left and right are column guides.

If you have multiple columns, you will find that the purple guides define each column. Neither the pink nor the purple guides print out or will be seen in the exported PDF.

Toolbar

The Toolbar which is usually to the left of the main workspace contains all the tools required to work with the document. It has the selection tools, the text tools, eyedropper tools, etc. Clicking on these tools will open up further functions relevant to that tool in the Control Panel described above. Some tools like the Type tool for example have a small arrow underneath them which can reveal a similar tool with a different function.

Panels Bar

To the right of the workspace is the Panels bar which has some additional fucntions. What you see on the Panels bar can vary based on the workspace. Similar to the other window components described above, the Panels bar can be moved around freely or docked to a suitable position.

Clicking a button in the Panels bar will open up additional options. For example, clicking the Stroke option will open a pop-out window allowing us to change the properties of the stroke. You can add more functions to the Panel bar by going to the Window menu and choosing the desired function.

Ruler Measurements

It is important to be able to set the ruler measurements as desired. There are two ways of doing this. One of the ways, is to right-click on the point where the horizontal and vertical rulers intersect and select the desired measurement units. You can also hide the rulers, if you don’t need them.

The other way, if you want to use a different measurement from now on for all new documents, is to use the Units and Increments option in the Preferences dialog box in the Edit menu or simply press Ctrl + K on Windows or Command + K on the Mac to open the Preferences dialog box. This is detailed in the subsequent chapters.

Adobe InDesign 2024 Tutorial Blog

Welcome to the comprehensive tutorial blog for Adobe InDesign 2024! This guide is designed to help you master the latest version of InDesign, whether you're a beginner or an experienced user looking to enhance your skills. We'll cover everything from the basics to advanced features, arranged chapter-wise for easy navigation.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Adobe InDesign 2024

• Overview of InDesign 2024: Learn about the new features and improvements in the 2024 version.
• System Requirements: Ensure your computer meets the necessary specifications to run InDesign smoothly.
• Installation and Setup: Step-by-step guide to installing and setting up InDesign 2024.

Chapter 2: Getting Started with InDesign

• Workspace Overview: Familiarize yourself with the InDesign interface, including panels, tools, and menus.
• Creating a New Document: Learn how to create a new document from scratch or using templates.
• Navigating the Workspace: Tips on customizing the workspace, zooming, and panning.

Chapter 3: Working with Pages and Master Pages

• Creating and Editing Pages: How to add, delete, and rearrange pages in your document.
• Master Pages: Learn the importance of master pages and how to create and apply them.
• Setting Up Columns and Guides: Tips for setting up columns, margins, and guides for precise layouts.

Chapter 4: Text and Typography

• Adding and Formatting Text: How to add text frames, format text, and apply styles.
• Advanced Typography: Explore advanced typography features like kerning, tracking, and leading.
• Working with Fonts: Tips for managing and using fonts effectively in your designs.

Chapter 5: Working with Images and Graphics

• Importing and Placing Images: How to import and place images in your document.
• Editing Images: Basic image editing techniques within InDesign.
• Working with Graphics: Learn how to create and edit graphic elements, including shapes and lines.

Chapter 6: Color and Effects

• Applying Colors: How to use the color panel, swatches, and gradients.
• Effects and Transparency: Explore various effects like drop shadows, glows, and transparency settings.
• Color Management: Tips for managing colors and ensuring consistency across different media.

Chapter 7: Advanced Layout Techniques

• Working with Layers: How to use layers to organize and manage complex layouts.
• Tables and Grids: Learn how to create and format tables and grids.
• Interactive Documents: Tips for creating interactive PDFs and digital publications.

Chapter 8: Exporting and Publishing

• Exporting for Print: How to export your document for print, including setting up bleeds and crop marks.
• Exporting for Digital: Tips for exporting digital publications, including eBooks and interactive PDFs.
• Publishing Online: Learn how to publish your documents online and track analytics.

Chapter 9: Tips and Tricks

• Keyboard Shortcuts: Essential keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow.
• Troubleshooting: Common issues and how to resolve them.
• Best Practices: Tips for maintaining a clean and efficient workflow.

Chapter 10: Resources and Further Learning

• Online Tutorials: Links to helpful online tutorials and video guides.
• Community and Support: How to join the InDesign community and get support.
• Books and Courses: Recommended books and courses for further learning.