13. Creating an Interactive Document
Introduction
In the past, desktop publishing was exclusively considered a print-based medium. However, with the introduction of the PDF (Portable Document Format) file format and the Adobe Reader, interactive documents are more popular than ever. Instead of creating a document just for printing, you can now create an interactive document with hyperlinks, bookmarks, and buttons for presentations. You can even add page transitions, such as a wipe or dissolve, when you turn a page and insert sounds and movies into an InDesign document in addition to graphics.
With the Hyperlinks panel, you can create hyperlinks that navigate to external URLs, link to files with supplemental information, launch an e-mail client, or jump to a page or section of a page within the same or even a different document. You can also verify your hyperlinks directly in InDesign with no need to export the document to a PDF or Flash (SWF) file for testing.
The Buttons panel is a centralized place to work with interactive buttons in InDesign. The Buttons panel makes it easy to create interactive buttons that perform actions when the document is exported to Flash (SWF file) or Acrobat (PDF). You can create a custom button from a selected object in an InDesign document or select a button from the built-in Samples button library. When you create an interactive button, you can add events and actions to enable navigation within a document, launch a movie, play a sound, or open a Web page.
Defining Hyperlink Destinations
ID 7.3A hyperlink is a text or graphic object that is linked to other parts of the document, other documents, or Web pages. A hyperlink consists of a source and a destination. The source is the text or graphic object that you click to jump to the hyperlink location while the destination is the place that InDesign sends you to. The destination can be in the same document, another document, an e-mail message, or a Web page on the Internet. You need to define a destination before you can define the source.
Create a Hyperlink Destination
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Click the Options menu, and then click New Hyperlink Destination.
Click the Type list arrow, and then select a hyperlink type:
• Page. Creates a link to a page in the same document.
• Text Anchor. Creates a link to a selected area of text.
• URL. Creates a link to a Web page on the Internet.
Specify the options related to the hyperlink type; options vary depending on the type.
• For a Page. Specify a page name, page number, and zoom setting.
• For a Text Anchor. Specify a name for the anchor.
• For an URL. Specify a name and address for the URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
Click OK.
Edit or Delete a Hyperlink Destination
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Click the Options menu, and then click Hyperlink Destination Options.
Click the Destination list arrow, and then select a destination.
Click Edit or Delete.
If editing, make the changes you want for the destination.
Click OK.
Creating Hyperlinks
Before you can create a hyperlink, you need to define a hyperlink destination. After you create one or more hyperlink destinations, you can create a hyperlink source, which is a text or graphic object that you click to jump to a hyperlink destination. You can link a hyperlink to several different destination types, including URL, File, Email, Page, Text Anchor, and Shared Destination. If you need a quick hyperlink to an URL, you can create one with the New Hyperlink From URL command.
Create a Hyperlink
Select the text or graphic you want to use as the hyperlink.
Select the Hyperlinks panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Click the Options menu, and then click New Hyperlink.
Click the Link To list arrow, and then select an option:
• URL. Creates a link to a web page on the Internet.
• File. Creates a link to a document.
• Email. Creates an e-mail message link, which opens your default e-mail program.
• Page. Creates a link to a page in the same document.
• Text Anchor. Creates a link to a selected area of text.
• Shared Destination. Creates a link to the same destination from multiple sources.
Specify the options related to the hyperlink type; options vary depending on the type.
• For an URL. Specify a name and address for the URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
• For a File. Use the Browse button to select a file to link.
• For an Email. Specify an e-mail address and message subject line.
• For a Page. Specify a page name, page number, and zoom setting.
• For a Text Anchor. Specify a name for the anchor.
• For a Shared Destination. Specify a document name, and hyperlink destination.
Specify a character style for the text and appearance options for the hyperlink.
Click OK.
Create a Hyperlink From an URL
Select the text that you want to use to create a URL.
Select the Hyperlinks panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Click the Options menu, and then click New Hyperlink From URL.
Using the Hyperlinks Panel
The Hyperlinks panel is a centralized place to work with hyperlinks and cross references in InDesign. The redesigned Hyperlinks panel (New!) makes it easy to create hyperlinks that navigate to external URLs, link to files with supplemental information, launch an e-mail client, or jump to a page or section of a page within the same or even a different document. You can also verify your hyperlinks directly in InDesign with no need to export the document to a PDF or Flash (SWF file) for testing. You can use buttons on the bottom of the panel to go to the hyperlink source or destination, create a new hyperlink, or delete hyperlinks. When you create or edit a hyperlink, you can change the style and appearance of the link.
Use the Hyperlinks Panel
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Use any of the following buttons or commands to perform an operation:
• Go to the Hyperlink Source. Select the hyperlink, and then click the Go to Source button.
• Go to the Hyperlink Destination. Select the hyperlink, and then click the Go to Destination button.
• Create a New Hyperlink. Create a destination, and then click the Create New Hyperlink button.
• Delete a Hyperlink. Select the hyperlink, click the Delete Selected Hyperlinks button, and then click Yes.
• Reset a Hyperlink. Select the hyperlink, click the Options menu, and then click Reset Hyperlink.
• Update a Hyperlink. Select the hyperlink, click the Options menu, and then click Update Hyperlink.
Edit a Hyperlink
Select the hyperlink you want to edit.
Click the Options menu, and then click Hyperlink Options.
• You can also double-click a hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel.
Make the changes you want for the chosen hyperlink.
Click OK.
Change the Appearance of a Hyperlink
Double-click the hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel.
For text, select the Style check box, and then select a character style.
Make the changes you want for the hyperlink appearance.
• Type. Specify a visibility setting for the hyperlink.
• Highlight. Specify a highlight setting for the hotspot.
• Color. Specify a color for the hyperlink.
• Width. Specify a thickness for the visible rectangle type.
• Style. Specify a line style for the visible rectangle type.
Click OK.
Creating Cross-References
A cross-reference refers a reader from one section of a document to another. For example, For more information, see “Using the Hyperlinks Panel” on page 324. The text being referred to is the destination text, while the text generated from the destination is the source cross-reference, which is editable. The Hyperlinks panel is a centralized place to create and work with hyperlinks and cross references (New!) in InDesign. You can use buttons on the bottom of the panel to go to the cross-reference source or destination, create a new cross-reference, or delete cross-references. When you create or edit a cross-reference, you can select format and appearance settings for the reference.
Create a Cross-Reference
Click to place the insertion point where you want the cross-reference.
Select the Hyperlinks panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Type & Tables, and then click Cross-References.
Click the New Cross-Reference button on the panel.
Click the Link To list arrow, and then select a link type.
Click the Document list arrow, and then select a document location.
Select a paragraph in the document or a hyperlink destination for the text anchor.
Click the Format list arrow, and then select a cross-reference format.
Make the changes you want for the cross-reference appearance.
• Type. Specify a visibility setting.
• Highlight. Specify a highlight setting for the hotspot.
• Color. Specify a color.
• Width. Specify a thickness for the visible rectangle type.
• Style. Specify a line style for the visible rectangle type.
Click OK.
Work with Cross-References
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Hyperlinks.
Use any of the following buttons or commands to perform an operation:
• Go to the Cross-Reference Source. Select the reference, and then click the Go to Source button.
• Go to the Cross-Reference Destination. Select the reference, and then click the Go to Destination button.
• Create a New Cross-Reference. Select the cross-reference text, and then click the Create New Cross-Reference button.
• Edit a Cross-Reference. Double-click the cross-reference in the panel.
• Delete a New Cross-Reference. Select the reference, click the Delete Selected Hyperlinks button, and then click Yes.
• Reset a New Cross-Reference. Select the reference, click the Options menu, and then click Reset Cross-Reference.
• Update a Cross-Reference. Select the reference, click the Options menu, and then click Update Cross-Reference.
• Relink a Cross-Reference. Select the reference, click the Options menu, click Relink Cross-Reference, select the reference, and then click OK.
Creating Bookmarks
Bookmarks provide another way to navigate through a document. You can create bookmarks that will point to a place in a text frame, any selected text, a frame, or a page. You can create and work with bookmarks in the Bookmarks panel. When you create a PDF of your document, readers can use the bookmarks to navigate from one location to another by using the Bookmarks panel.
Create and Rename a Bookmark
Do one of the following to select a bookmark location:
• Insertion Point. Click to place the insertion point where you want the bookmark.
• Text. Select any text to specify a location.
• Frame. Select a text or graphic frame to specify a location.
• Page. Double-click a page in the Pages panel to specify a page location.
Select the Bookmarks panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Bookmarks.
Click the New Bookmark button on the panel.
Click the bookmark to select it.
Click the bookmark again to make the name editable.
• You can also click the Options menu, click Rename Bookmark, enter a name, and then click OK.
Type a name for the bookmark, and then press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac).
Use the Bookmarks Panel
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Bookmarks.
Use any of the following buttons or commands to perform an operation:
• Create a New Bookmark. Select a location, and then click the Create New Bookmark button.
• Delete a Bookmark. Select the bookmark, click the Delete Selected Bookmarks button, and then click OK.
• Rename a Bookmark. Select the bookmark, click the Options menu, click Rename Bookmark, type a name, and then click OK.
• Go to a Selected Bookmark. Select the bookmark, click the Options menu, and then click Go to Selected Bookmark.
• Sort Bookmarks. Click the Options menu, and then click Sort Bookmarks.
Adding Sounds or Movies
You can add sounds and movies to an InDesign document just as you would add graphics. With the Place command, you can import the sound or movie clips that you want to play in your interactive document. If you’re not sure what to play, you can create an empty sound or movie frame (with diagonal lines) and then import the clip later. After you import a sound or movie, you can use the Sound Options or Movie Options dialog box to set playback and other properties. When you import a sound, a poster image appears of a sound icon (named StandardSound Poster.jpg), which you can change or remove later. You can work with sound or movie frames like any other frame in InDesign.
Insert a Sound or Movie
Click the File menu, and then click Place.
Navigate to the location with the file you want to import.
Select the sound or movie file you want to place.
Click Open.
The imported sound or movie is placed in a loaded preview cursor.
Click or drag a rectangle frame with the loaded cursor to place the clip in a new sound or movie frame, or click in an empty sound or movie frame (designated by diagonal lines) to place it in an empty frame.
Did You Know?
You can create an empty sound or movie clip frame. If you want to create a placeholder for a sound or movie clip, you can create an empty frame and fill it later. Draw a new frame, click the Object menu, point to Interactive, and then click Sound Options or Movie Options. Enter a name, and then click OK. The frame is converted to an empty sound or movie clip frame.
Set Sound Options
Enter a name for the sound clip, and then enter a description.
Click Browse (Win) or Choose (Mac) to add or change the sound.
Click the Poster list arrow, and then select a poster image for the sound: None, Standard, or Choose Image as Poster.
Select any of the following check boxes to enable the option:
• Play on Page Turn.
• Do Not Print Poster.
• Embed Sound in PDF.
Click OK.
Set Movie Options
Enter a name for the movie clip, and then enter a description.
Click the Choose a File option, and then click Browse (Win) or Choose (Mac) to add or change the movie, or click the Specify a URL option, and then enter an URL and click Verify URL and Movie Size.
Click the Poster list arrow, and then select a poster movie image.
Click the Mode list arrow, and then select a play option.
Select any of the following check boxes to enable the option:
• Play on Page Turn.
• Show Controller During Play.
• Floating Window. Specify a size and position.
Click OK.
Adding Page Transitions
A page transition displays a visual effect, such as a wipe or dissolve, when you turn the page in an interactive document. You can apply page transitions directly in InDesign to individual pages or to all spreads at once with a single click (New!). See previews of available transition types in the Page Transitions dialog box, and control the direction and speed of your transitions for export to Flash (SWF file) or PDF. When you export your document to a PDF, select the Interactive Elements option in the Export PDF dialog box to include page transitions. You can view the page transitions in Full Screen Mode in the PDF.
Apply a Page Transition
Select the Pages panel, and then select the spread to which you want to apply a page transition.
Select the Page Transitions panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Page Transitions.
Click the Transition list arrow, and then select a transition.
• To select a page transition from the Page Transitions dialog box, click the Options menu, click Choose, select a transition, and then click OK.
Click the Direction list arrow, and then select a transition direction.
Click the Speed list arrow, and then select a transition speed.
To apply the current transition to all spreads, click the Apply To All Spreads button on the panel.
To clear all page transitions, do either of the following:
• Click the Transition list arrow, and then click None.
• Click the Options menu, and then click Clear All.
Using the Buttons Panel
The Buttons panel is a centralized place to work with interactive buttons in InDesign. The Buttons panel makes it easy to create interactive buttons that perform actions when the document is exported to Flash (SWF file) or PDF. You can use buttons on the bottom of the panel to convert an object to a button and to delete buttons. You can also use the Options menu to view sample buttons, set options to show (make visible) or hide buttons in PDFs, as well as set panel options.
Use the Buttons Panel
Select the Selection tool on the tools panel, and then select a button to view or change.
Select the Buttons panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the Options menu, and then select one of the following PDF options (a check mark appears next to the selected item):
• Visible in PDF. Select to show and print buttons in a PDF.
• Visible in PDF but Doesn’t Print. Select to show but not print buttons in a PDF.
• Hidden in PDF. Select to hide and not print buttons in a PDF.
• Hidden in PDF but Printable. Select to hide but print buttons in a PDF.
Click the Options menu, and then click Panel Options.
Select a thumbnail size.
Click OK.
Did You Know?
You can delete a button. Select the Buttons panel, select the button, and then click the Delete button on the panel.
Creating Buttons
You can build interactive buttons to perform an action using the Buttons panel (New!). For example, you can create a button to navigate within a dynamic document, launch a movie, play a sound, or open a Web page. You can create a custom button from a selected object in an InDesign document or select a button from the built-in Samples button library (New!). The sample buttons include effects, such as adding gradient feathers and drop shadows. There are also assigned actions. For example, the arrow buttons are assigned the Go To Next Page or Go To Previous Page action.
Create a Button from a Sample
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the Options menu, and then click Sample Buttons.
The Sample Buttons panel appears.
Drag a button from the Sample Buttons panel to the document.
Click the Close button on the Sample Buttons panel.
Select the button using the Selection tool on the Tools panel.
• You can drag a resize handle to change the size of the button, and then move it to where you want.
Enter a name and make changes to the button settings in the Buttons panel.
Convert an Object to a Button
Create and select an object that you want to convert to a button.
Important
You can convert any object to a button except a sound, movie, or poster.
Select the Buttons panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the Convert Object to Button button on the panel.
Type a name for the button.
Click the Event list arrow, and then select an event type.
• The options include On Release, On Click, On Roll Over, On Roll Off, On Focus, and On Blur.
Click the Add New Action button, and then select an action to perform for the button.
• The options include Close, Exit, Go To First Page, Go To URL, Movie, Sound, and Open File, among others.
Specify the various options for the selected action type (options vary).
Did You Know?
You can convert a button to an object. Select the button, select the Buttons panel, click the Convert Button To An Object button, and then click OK.
Working with Events and Actions
An event determines when to trigger an action that will execute a button operation. For example, the On Release event triggers an action when the mouse button is released after a button click. An action is associated with an event. You can assign an action type to a button to perform an action. For example, the Go To URL action type opens a web page in your default browser from the PDF document with the interactive button. You can create actions to navigate to anchor text or bookmarks, document pages and views, to launch a movie, play a sound, or open a web page (New!). You can work with events and actions for a selected button in the Buttons panel (New!).
Select Events for a Button
Select the Selection tool on the tools panel, and then select a button to change.
Select the Buttons panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the Event list arrow, and then select an event type.
• On Release. Event occurs when the mouse button is released after a click.
• On Click. Event occurs when the mouse button is clicked.
• On Roll Over. Event occurs when the mouse pointer enters the button.
• On Roll Off. Event occurs when the mouse pointer moves off the button.
• On Focus. Event occurs when the button gets the focus using the Tab key.
• On Blur. Event occurs when the focus moves to another button or form field using the Tab key or mouse click.
Add or Edit Actions for a Button
Select the Selection tool on the tools panel, and then select a button to change.
Select the Buttons panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the Event list arrow, and then select an event type.
Click the Add New Action button, and then select an action to perform for the button.
• Close (PDF).
• Exit (PDF).
• Go To Anchor.
• Go To First/Last/Next/Previous Page.
• Go To Previous/Next View (PDF).
• Go To Page (SWF Only).
• Go To URL.
• Movie (PDF).
• Open File (PDF).
• Show/Hide Buttons.
• Sound (PDF).
• View Zoom (PDF).
Specify the various options for the selected action type (options vary).
To enable or disable an action, select or deselect the check box next to the action name.
To delete an action, select the action, click the Delete Selected Action button, and then click OK.
To change an action order, drag an action to a new position.
Working with Button States
A button consists of a group of individual objects. When you view a button, an object appears. When you point to or click on a button, another object appears. Each object represents a button state. Each button can have up to three states: Normal, Rollover, and Click. The button is in Normal state when you don’t point to or click on the button, Rollover occurs when you point to the button, and Click occurs when you click the button. You can work with button states for a selected button in the Buttons panel (New!). When you activate a state in the Buttons panel, the Normal state (default) is copied to it. After it’s copied, you can change the appearance of the button using InDesign color, text, and image tools.
Work with Button States
Use the Selection tool to select a button or use the Direct Selection tool to select a button as an individual object (state).
Select the Buttons panel.
• Click the Window menu, point to Interactive, and then click Buttons.
Click the [Rollover] or [Click] state to activate it.
Use any of the following to change the state appearance in the layout view.
• Change Color. Use the Color and Swatches panel to select a color.
• Add Text. Select the Type tool, click a button, and then type.
• Insert Graphic. Click the File menu, click Place, and then double-click a graphic file.
To disable/enable a state, click the Eye icon next to the state. Disabled states (no Eye icon) are not exported to the SWF or PDF.
To delete a state, select the [Rollover] or [Click] state, and then click the Delete button on the panel (you can’t delete Normal).
Setting Button Tab Order
The tab order determines when a button receives focus as you press the Tab key in a SWF or PDF document. When a button receives focus, you can press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac) to execute the button. You can also use the On Focus event to trigger an action when a button gets the focus. In the Tab Order dialog box, you can change the tab order for optimal use. The tab order includes buttons on hidden layers, but not buttons on master pages.
Set the Button Tab Order
Select the Pages panel, and then double-click the page containing the buttons you want to set the tab order for.
Click the Object menu, point to Interactive, and then click Set Tab Order.
• The tab order includes buttons on hidden layers, but not buttons on master pages.
Select the button you want to move.
Click the Move Up or Move Down buttons to adjust the order.
Click OK.
