1. Getting Started with InDesign CS4

Introduction

Adobe InDesign CS4 is a desktop publishing and page layout program that runs seamlessly on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. Adobe InDesign CS4 is a stand-alone program, but it’s also part of Adobe’s Creative Suite of professional programs that work together to help you create designs in print, on the Web, or on mobile devices. All Creative Suite 4 programs also include additional Adobe programs—Bridge, Version Cue, Device Central, and Extension Manager—to help you manage and work with files.

With InDesign, you can create books, brochures, catalogs, manuals, CD-DVD labels, certificates, newsletters, flyers, forms, label sheets, and even interactive presentations. As a page layout program, you can create a one page flyer, a 500 or more page book, or something in between. InDesign provides all the tools you need to create a page layout design, import or enter text, insert images, add drawings, create tables, and finalize the document. When you’re done, you can print the document to a local desktop or commercial printer, create a template, so you can reuse the document again later for a new project, or export the document as an Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) or Digital Edition for use online or over a network, or for use in other programs, such as Adobe Flash (XFL or SWF) or Adobe Dreamweaver.

Installing InDesign

To perform a standard program install, insert the InDesign CS4 DVD into the DVD player on your computer or download the software online and start the setup program, following the onscreen instructions. Make sure to have your serial number handy because you’ll be asked to enter it during the installation process. If you’re updating from a previous version of InDesign, you’ll be required to verify the older version by instructing InDesign where to find the previous version on your hard drive, or by inserting the previous version’s install disk. Adobe, in an attempt to thwart software piracy, now requires online or phone activation of the program. The process can be postponed for 30 days. However, at the end of 30 days, the InDesign program will shut down if it has not been properly activated. You can’t blame Adobe for attempting to protect their products, since some surveys suggest there are more pirated than purchased versions of InDesign in use.

Install InDesign CS4 in Windows

Insert the InDesign CS4 DVD into your DVD ROM drive, or download the software online to your hard disk.

If necessary, double-click the DVD icon or open the folder with the downloaded software, and then double-click the setup icon.

Follow the onscreen instructions.

Install InDesign CS4 in Macintosh

Insert the InDesign CS4 DVD into your DVD ROM drive, or download the software online to your hard disk.

If necessary, double-click the DVD icon or open the folder with the downloaded software, and then double-click the setup icon.

Follow the onscreen instructions.

Getting Started

You can start InDesign in several ways, depending on the platform you are using. When you start InDesign, the software displays a Welcome screen and then the InDesign window. When you start a new InDesign session or close all documents, a Welcome screen appears in the InDesign window, providing easy access links to open a file, open a recent file, create a new file, and create a new file from a template. You can also use links to access help information, such as Getting Started, New Features, and online Community resources, such as the InDesign Exchange web site, where you can download additional applications and information, the Adobe Bridge Home web site, and Adobe TV, where you can view video tutorials.

Start InDesign CS4 in Windows

Click Start on the taskbar.

Point to All Programs (which changes to Back).

Point to an Adobe Collection CS4 menu, if needed.

Click Adobe InDesign CS4.

If you’re starting InDesign CS4 for the first time, perform the following:

• Enter your serial number, and then click OK to continue.

• Click OK to complete the activation process.

• Fill in the registration form, click Register Now.

The InDesign window appears, displaying the Welcome screen.

Start InDesign CS4 in Macintosh

Open the Applications folder (located on the main hard drive).

Double-click the Adobe InDesign CS4 folder.

Double-click the Adobe InDesign CS4 program icon.

If you’re starting InDesign CS4 for the first time, perform the following:

• Enter your serial number, and then click OK to continue.

• Click OK to complete the activation process.

• Fill in the registration form, click Register Now.

The InDesign window appears, displaying the Welcome screen.

Viewing the InDesign Window

When you start InDesign, the program window displays several windows of varying types you can use to work with documents. In InDesign, windows appear in the workspace in panels. A panel is a window you can collapse, expand, and group with other panels, known as a panel group, to improve accessibility and workflow. A panel group consists of either individual panels stacked one on top of the other or related panels organized together with tabs to navigate from one panel to another.

The Tools panel contains a set of tools you can use to create shapes, such as lines, rectangles, and ellipses. You can fill and stroke shapes and text with different colors and stroke widths. When you select a tool, additional options appear on the Control panel.

A menu is a list of commands that you use to accomplish specific tasks. A command is a directive that accesses a feature of a program. InDesign has its own set of menus. The Application bar (New!) provides easy access to commonly used features, such as choosing zoom levels, view options, screen mode, document arrangment, workspaces, and InDesign’s community online Help.

The Document window displays open InDesign documents. InDesign includes tabs to make it easier to switch back and forth between documents and a close button to quickly close a document (New!).

Showing and Hiding Panels

Panels give you easy access to many task-specific commands and operations from color control to vector path information. By default, the main panel display is located along the right side of your window. You can use the Window menu or click a panel tab within a group to display it, and then select options on the panel or choose panel-specific commands from the Panel Options menu to perform actions. Instead of continually moving, resizing, or opening and closing windows, you can use the header bar with the panel tabs to collapse or expand individual panels within a window to save space.

Open and Close a Panel

Click the Window menu.

Point to a submenu (if needed), such as Automation, Extensions, Object & Layout, or Type & Tables.

Click a panel name, such as Color, Layers, or Swatches.

Collapse or Expand a Panel

To collapse or expand an open panel, click the dark gray area or double-click a title tab on the header bar of the panel.

If the panel is in icon mode, click on the icon to expand or collapse it. To reduce the panel back to icon mode, click on the double right-facing arrows in the dark gray area. To expand from icons to panels, click on the double left facing arrows.

Working with Panels

The movable panels are organized into groups, such as Stroke/Color and Pages/Links, to save screen space and help with workflow. You can also dock (add) or undock (subtract) specific panels within a group to customize your workspace. A panel appears with a header, which includes the tab titles and three options: the Collapse to Icons or Expand Panels button, the Close button, and an Options menu. The Options menu provides you with panel commands. The entire set of panels includes a double arrow at the top you can use to collapse and expand the entire panel back and forth between icons and full panels.

Dock a Panel

Select a panel; click on a named panel, or click the Window menu, and then click a panel name.

Drag the panel away from the group to another panel.

• Add to Panel Group. Drag to a panel group until a blue rectangle appears around the panel.

• Append to Panel. Drag to a panel until a blue line appears along the side of the panel.

Undock a Panel

Select a panel; click on a named panel, or click the Window menu, and then click a panel name.

Drag the panel out of the group.

Drop it onto the InDesign window.

Collapse and Expand the Panel Set Between Icons and Panels

• To collapse the panel set to icons with text, click the double arrow pointing right (Collapse to Icons) at the top of the panels.

• To expand the panel set from icons with text to full panels, click the double arrow pointing left (Expand Panels) at the top of the panels.

• To have an expanded panel icon automatically collapse or hide when you click away, right-click (Win) or Control-click (Mac) a panel, and then click Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels or Auto-Show Hidden Panels (New!).

Use the Panel Options Menu

Open or expand a panel.

Click the Options button on the right side of the panel header bar.

Click a command from the list (commands vary).

Using the Tools and Control Panel

InDesign has an abundance of tools that give an InDesign designer tremendous control over any creative designing problems that may crop up. For example, the InDesign toolbox contains a variety of different tools: selection tools (you can never have enough selection tools), drawing or shape tools, type tools, and other tools dedicated to creating documents, transforming objects, and working with pages. Add viewing tools and you have everything you need to do any job.

When you work on a document, it’s important to know what tools are available, and how they can help in achieving your design goals. InDesign likes to save space, so it consolidates similar tools under one button. To access multiple tools, click and hold on any Tools panel button that contains a small black triangle, located in the lower right corner of the tool button. Take a moment to explore the InDesign toolbox and get to know the tools.

The InDesign Tools panel contains the tools needed to work through any InDesign job, but it’s not necessary to click on a tool to access it. Simply using a letter of the alphabet can access all of InDesign’s tools. For example, pressing the P key switches to the Pen tool, and pressing the T key switches to the Type tool. You can refer to Adobe InDesign CS4 Keyboard Shortcuts (available for download on the Web at www.perspection.com) for more information on all the letter assignments for the various tools. To really get efficient in InDesign, you need to learn to use both hands. Use one hand for your mouse or drawing tablet, and the other on the keyboard to make quick changes of tools and options. Think of using InDesign like playing a piano—you need to use both hands.

Using the Control Panel

The Control panel displays the options for the currently selected tool. For most tools, your options include X and Y Location, W and H dimensions, Scale X and Y, Rotation and Shear Angle, Rotate and Flip, Apply Effect, Opacity, Drop Shadow, Align and Distribute, Quick Apply, and the Options menu. When working with the Type tool, additional options include Font Family, Font Type, Font Size, Alignment, Tracking and Indents. The important thing to remember is that the Control panel is customized based on the tool you have selected.

Opening a Document

InDesign lets you open document files created in different formats, such as InDesign (INDD), InDesign CS3 Interchange (INX), InDesign Markup (IDML), PageMaker (6.0-7.0), and QuarkXPress (3.3-4.1x). If you want to simply open an InDesign document, the Welcome Screen or Open dialog box are the most efficient ways. However, if you need to manage, organize, or process files, Adobe Bridge is the way to go. You open an existing InDesign document file the same way you open documents in other programs. In Windows Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac), you can double-click an InDesign document to open the InDesign program and the document. When you open a document, a tab appears across the top of the Document window, with the document title. You can click the tab at any time to display that particular document.

Open an Existing Document

Click the File menu, and then click Open to display all file types in the file list of the Open dialog box.

Click the Files of Type (Win) or Enable (Mac) list arrow, and then select a format.

Select All Readable Files to display all files that can be opened in InDesign.

Navigate to the drive or folder location with the document you want to open.

Click the file you want to open.

Click the Normal (original document or copy of a template), Original (original document or template), or Copy (copy of a document or template) option.

Click Open.

If an alert appears for missing fonts or links, select an option, and then click OK or another button.

Open a Recently Opened Document

Click the File menu, and then point to Open Recent.

Click the document you want to open.

Open a Document from the Welcome Screen

Start Adobe InDesign or click the Help menu, and then click Welcome Screen.

Click a document from the Open a Recent Item list.

To open a document not in the list, click Open, select a document, and then click Open.

Opening a Document with Adobe Bridge

With Adobe Bridge, you can drag assets into your layouts as needed, preview them, and add metadata to them. Bridge allows you to search, sort, filter, manage, and process files one at a time or in batches. You can also use Bridge to create new folders; rename, move, delete and group files (known as stacking); edit metadata; rotate images; and run batch commands. You can also view information about files and data imported from your digital camera.

Browse and Open Documents with Adobe Bridge

Click the Go to Bridge button on the Application bar or click the File menu, and then click Browse in Bridge.

In Bridge, select a specific workspace to view your files the way you want.

Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located.

To open an image in InDesign, use any of the following:

• Double-click on a thumbnail to open it in the default program.

• Drag the thumbnail from the Bridge into an open Adobe application.

• Select a thumbnail, click the File menu, point to Open With, and then click Adobe InDesign CS4.

• Select a thumbnail, click the File menu, point to Place, and then click In InDesign.

To return to InDesign, click the File menu, and then click Return to Adobe InDesign.

Work with Files Using Bridge

Click the Go to Bridge button on the Application bar or click the File menu, and then click Browse in Bridge.

Click the Folders tab and choose a folder from the scrolling list.

Click the Favorites tab to choose from a listing of user-defined items, such as Pictures.

To narrow down the list of images using a filter, click the criteria you want to use in the Filter panel.

Click an image within the preview window to select it.

Click the Preview tab to view a larger thumbnail of the selected image. Multiple images appear when you select them.

Drag the Zoom slider to increase or decrease the thumbnail views.

Use the file management buttons to rotate or delete images, or create a new folder.

Double-click on a thumbnail to open it in the default program, or drag the thumbnail from the Bridge into an open Adobe application.

Inserting Images or Text in a Document

You can use InDesign’s Place command to insert artwork into an open document. To increase your control of the new image information, InDesign places the new image into a separate layer. InDesign lets you place files saved in InDesign, Media Files, Images, Adobe PDF, EPS, Excel XLS, Word DOC, and TXT or RTF formats to name a few. When you place a vector-based image into InDesign, you have the ability to modify the width, height, and rotation while retaining the vector format of the file.

Insert an Image or Text in a Document

Open an InDesign document.

Click the File menu, and then click Place.

Navigate to the drive or folder location with the image, and then select the image you want to place into the active document.

Select any of the following options:

• Show Import Options. Select to specify import options for the imported item.

• Replace Selected Item. Select to replace the currently selected item on the page.

Click Open.

If you selected the Show Import Options check box, specify the Import options that you want, and then click OK.

InDesign places the image in the active layer, and then encloses it within a frame.

Adjust the Scale X and Scale Y values on the Control panel to resize the placed image.

Using the Status Bar

To work efficiently in InDesign you need information about the active document. Details about the document’s preflight profile can help in the design and preparation of the final document. You can quickly enable the current or all open documents as preflight documents. In addition, you can open the Preflight panel or Preflight Profile dialog box to view and set preflight options. From the Status Bar, you can also switch between pages.

Use the Status Bar

Click the triangle (Preflight menu) near the Status bar info box, and then select from the following options:

• Preflight Panel. Opens the Preflight panel.

• Define Profiles. Opens the Preflight Profiles dialog box.

• Preflight Document. Enables or disables the current document as a preflight document.

• Enable Preflight for All Documents. Enables or disables all open documents as preflight documents.

To locate the current document in Explorer, Finder, or Bridge, click the Open menu, and then click Reveal in Explorer (Win) or Reveal in Finder (Mac), or Reveal in Bridge.

To switch between pages, use any of the following:

• First or Last. Displays the first or last page.

• Previous or Next. Displays the previous or next page.

• Page Navigation. Displays the specified page.

Working with Document Windows

   ID 1.11

When you open multiple documents, you can use the Arrange Documents (New!) or Window menu or tabs at the top of the Document window to switch between them. You can click a tab name to switch to and activate the document. By default, tabs are displayed in the order in which you open or create documents. When you want to move or copy information between documents, it’s easier to display several document windows on the screen at the same time and move them around. However, you must make the window active to work in it. Each tab also includes a Close button (New!) to quickly close a document. If the document view is too small or large, you can change it to suit your needs.

Work with Multiple Documents

Open more than one document.

Click a tab name to switch to the document.

• You can also click the Window menu, and then click a document name at the bottom of the menu.

To move a document window around, do any of the following:

• To rearrange the order of tabbed documents (New!), drag a window’s tab to a new location.

• To switch to another document when dragging a selection (New!), drag the selection over the document’s tab.

• To remove a document from the tabbed documents group, drag a window’s tab away from the tabbed group.

Arrange Multiple Documents

Open more than one document.

Click the Arrange Documents menu (New!) on the Application bar.

On the menu, select an arrangement button icon:

• Consolidate All. Displays all active documents as tabs.

• Tile All In Grid. Displays all open documents in a grid pattern on the screen.

• Tile All Vertically. Displays all open documents vertically on the screen.

• Tile All Horizontally. Displays all open documents horizontally on the screen.

• 2-Up, 3-Up, 4-Up, 5-Up, or 6-Up. Displays the number of documents in the selected pattern (in the menu icon) on the screen.

• Float All in Windows. Displays all open windows in separate undocked floating windows.

• New Window. Creates a new window with the contents of the active window.

To dock or undock a document window (New!), drag the window’s tab out of the group or into the group.

Checking for Updates Online

As time passes, InDesign—like any other program—will change. There are two types of changes to a program: updates and patches. Updates are improvements to a program such as a new feature, option, or command. Patches are software fixes for problems discovered after the public release of the program. The good news is that both updates and patches are free, and once downloaded, are self-installing. Adobe gives you two ways to check for changes. You can check manually by going to the Adobe web site, or automatically through the Adobe Updater. The Adobe Updater Preferences dialog box allows you to set update options for InDesign and other installed Adobe products, such as Bridge. You can set the update preferences to check for updates monthly or weekly and automatically download them, or have Adobe Updater ask before performing the download.

Check for Updates Directly from the Internet

Open your Internet browser.

Go to the following Web address: www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/

Click the list arrow, and then click InDesign - Macintosh or InDesign - Windows.

Click Go.

Any updates or patches appear in a list.

Based on your operating system, follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the software.

Check for Updates from the InDesign Help Menu

Start Adobe InDesign, if necessary.

Click the Help menu, and then click Updates.

InDesign automatically connects you to the Internet, and checks for updates.

If there are any updates available, click Download and Install Updates.

When the check or download is complete, the Adobe Updater dialog box opens.

To change Adobe Updater preferences, click Preferences, select the Automatically Check For Adobe Updates check box, select the update and program options you want, and then click OK.

Click Quit.

Getting Help While You Work

At some time, everyone has a question or two about the program they are using. InDesign Help uses a Community Help site (New!) on the web at adobe.com (which is updated regularly) to help you find the information you need. When you start InDesign Help, your browser opens, displaying a web site with InDesign help categories and topics. You can search the InDesign Help site by using keywords or phrases or browsing through a list of categories and topics to locate specific information. When you perform a search using keywords or phrases, a list of possible answers is shown to you from adobe.com, with the most likely answer to your question at the top of the list. Along with help text, some help topics include links to text and video tutorials. In addition, comments and ratings from users are available to help guide you to an answer.

Get Help Information

Click the Help menu, and then click InDesign Help.

Your browser opens, displaying InDesign Help from the Web. An Internet connection is required.

Click the InDesign Help (web) link to access online help.

Click Help categories (plus sign icons) until the topic you want is displayed.

Click the topic you want.

Read the topic, and if necessary, click any hyperlinks to get information on related topics or definitions.

When you’re done, close your browser.

Search for Help Information

In InDesign, on the Application bar, type one or more keywords in the Search box, and then press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac).

• You can also click the Help menu, and then click InDesign Help to open Help and use the Search box.

Your browser displays an Adobe web site with a list of topics that match the keywords you entered in the Search box.

Click the link to the topic you want from the search list of results.

Read the topic, and then if you want, click any hyperlinks to get information on related topics or definitions.

When you’re done, close your browser.

Saving a Document

When you finish working on your InDesign document, you need to save it before you close the document or exit InDesign. While this may seem like a simple task, there are questions that must be asked before saving a file, like What is the intended final output of the image? Each output device, whether monitor or paper-based, requires a specific format, and it’s best to know this information at the beginning of the creation process. Knowing the eventual destination of an image helps you create the design with the output in mind. A file type specifies the document format (for example, a template) as well as the program in which the file was created (for example, InDesign). You might want to change the type if you’re creating a custom template or sharing files with someone who doesn’t have the Adobe InDesign program.

Save an InDesign Document

Click the File menu, and then click Save.

Enter a name for the file.

Click the Save as Type list arrow (Win) or Format popup (Mac), and then click InDesign CS4 document.

Navigate to the drive or folder location where you want to save the document.

Select the Always Save Preview Images with Documents check box to save a preview image with the document for use in dialog boxes and other thumbnails as a preview.

Click Save.

Save a Copy of an InDesign Document

Click the File menu, and then click Save As.

Enter a name for the file or use the default original name with the word “copy” at the end.

Click the Save as Type list arrow (Win) or Format popup (Mac), and then click InDesign CS4 document.

Navigate to the drive or folder location where you want to save the document.

Select the Always Save Preview Images with Documents check box to save a preview image with the document for use in dialog boxes and other thumbnails as a preview.

Click Save.

Finishing Up

After you work on a document, you can finish up by closing the document or by exiting InDesign. You should save the document before closing it. Exiting InDesign closes the current document and the InDesign program and returns you to the desktop. You can use the Exit command on the File menu (Win) or Quit InDesign command on the InDesign menu (Mac) to close a document and exit InDesign, or you can use the Close button on the InDesign Document tab (New!). If you try to close a document without saving your final changes, a dialog box opens, asking if you want to do so.

Close a Document

Click the Close button on the Document tab, or click the File menu, and then click Close.

If necessary, click Yes to save any changes you made to your open documents before the program quits.

Exit InDesign

Choose one of the following:

• Click the Close button, or click the File menu, and then click Exit (Win).

• Click the InDesign menu, and then click Quit InDesign (Mac).

If necessary, click Yes to save any changes you made to your open documents before the program quits.