Adobe InDesign Tutorials,
Tips, Techniques and Resources

An edited compendium of the best Adobe InDesign resources that I know of — and there's a ton!

You may also be interested in the Adobe InCopy Tips and Resources page!

InDesign Tips from DesignGeek e-zine

Anne-Marie's InDesign Handouts and Tutorials

InDesignSecrets Guide to OpenType Fractions (PDF, 450K)

I created this 5-page PDF to show what happens when you apply the OpenType: Fractions feature to different kinds of fractions set in each of the 30+ OpenType fonts that are bundled with the Creative Suite. Use it to help yourself troubleshoot fractions oddities in OT fonts and to identify the ones that will work best for your publications. They don't all work alike, surprise, surprise.

Introduction to an InCopy/InDesign Workflow (eSeminar)

The hour-long live webcast I did for Adobe in 2006 on InCopy and InDesign is now available for viewing online as a recorded presentation. It's pretty cool, from your browser you hear me speak and see my screen via the magic of Macromedia Breeze. I cover how the workflow differs from what you're using now, essential set-up steps, tips and "challenges," layout-based versus assignment-based workflows, and how it actually works with live InDesign and InCopy files.

Style Sheet Power in Adobe InDesign (PDF, <100K)

A one-page "cheat sheet" I created as a handout for a presentation to the Chicago InDesign User Group in March 2004. Covers pasting vs. placing Word files, nested styles, clearing local formatting, keyboard shortcuts and more.

 

Moving to InDesign: Favorite "Must-See" Tips from the Trenches (PDF, <100K)

One-page handout I created for my InDesign presentation to the Adobe Publishing Conference in Chicago, July 2004. Very brief listing of oft-overlooked features in InDesign that don't exist in other page layout programs.

Best Adobe White Papers and Tutorials about InDesign

Please note: You may need to register (registration is free) or log-in to the Adobe site to view some of these InDesign resources.

Getting Started in InDesign | In the Trenches | High-Geek (Scripting, XML, etc.)

GETTING STARTED IN INDESIGN

Adobe TV

Point your browser at Adobe's online TV channel and take a look at the content the folks who make InDesign have for you to get started with. You can catch videos on what's new in the latest release, learn about InDesign's new Flash compatibility, and watch beginner programs hosted by industry experts. You don't even need TIVO.

 

Adobe's Video Workshop

With the coming of Adobe TV, I don't know what will become of the Video Workshop page at Adobe's site, but for now, there are over a hundred free, online video tutorials covering every program in Creative Suite 3, produced by Adobe and Lynda.com. These video tutorials are FANTASTIC! There are 15-30 five-minute tutorials per program, and are presented by end users who are experts in their field (like, ahem, moi — I did about half of the InDesign CS3 ones) or by Adobe's most user-centric Creative Suite gurus. You can even download the source files and follow along with the lessons.

 

InDesign CS5.5 Tryout

Give it a whirl: Download the free, fully-enabled InDesign from Adobe's site. It's good for 30 days, but the clock doesn't start ticking until you install the file you downloaded. (Or, for $9.99 US you can purchase a trial version of the entire Suite on a set of DVDs. Much easier than downloading the huge installers.) Once you purchase the program or the Suite, you can convert the installed trial to a "real" one, just enter the serial number and activate it.

 

What's New in InDesign CS5.5

Adobe has assembled a one-stop, resource page for everything you wanted to know about InDesign CS5. If you'd prefer to take your learning offline, you may download the 691-page PDF here.

 

Adobe InCopy and InDesign Workflow CS5

Have you heard about InCopy? Are you wondering how you might use it? This paper explains how using InCopy and InDesign together reduces review-and-revision cycles between editors and designers, improves editorial control over copy, and gets publications to market faster. It also provides a step-by-step overview of how to set up an effective InCopy workflow that’s easily customized for your workgroup’s needs.

 

InDesign CS5.5 FAQ

What are the new features of InDesign CS5? What does InDesign provide for large publishing environments? Is InDesign extensible? Should QuarkXPress users convert to InDesign? How much does InDesign cost? Do I qualify for upgrade pricing? This informative web page answers a number of frequently asked questions as well as issues that you may not have thought about.

 

Quark to InDesign Conversion Guide (PDF, 6.35 MB)

At 59 full-color pages, it's a large download, but worth it for any long-time Quark user or Quark-using department (v3.x to 8.x) switching to InDesign. It covers everything from handy "Top 10 Diferences You Need to Understand" tables to setting defaults, working with graphics, transparency, all the way to printing and making PDFs. Lost your reading glasses? Check out these videos on converting from QuarkXpress by my old pals David Blatner and Lynda.com posted on the Adobe Design Center pages.

 

 

 

Troubleshoot damaged InDesign documents

A helpful resource for anyone who has spent too much time try to help others troubleshoot InDesign and InCopy problems. Send your colleagues a link to this site.

 

PageMaker to InDesign CS5 Conversion Tech Note

This resource will help PageMaker users make a smooth transition to InDesign CS5. And here's the Switching from Pagemaker to InDesign Tech Note that shows a side-by-side comparison of which PM features are supported in ID and for the ones that aren't, what happens to them when you convert a PM doc to ID.

 

IN THE TRENCHES

A Designer's Guide to Transparency for Print Output (PDF, 5.5M) and
Getting Started with Transparency (PDF, 4.3M)

The designer's guide has been updated for CS3, and even though the getting started guide hasn't been, both are still "must" reading for any designer doing print work with any of the Adobe CS apps.

 

Printing Guide for Service Providers: CS4 | CS3 | CS2

Download a guide and give it to your printer if you think they need it. You might want to read it too, to see what they're going through and how you can make it easier. Over 100 pages of primo content.

 

HIGH GEEK

Adobe Introduction to Scripting (PDF 1M)

Attention scripting wannabes: Download this fantastic primer from Adobe first. You'll find out everything that you've ever wanted to know about basic scripting in this 52-page PDF. Then try your hand at the CS4 scripting tutorial.

 

Adobe InDesign CS4 Scripting Guide (PDF 1M)

Once you've mastered the basics of scripting, Adobe has this great 168-page PDF for you to get going writing scripts specifically for InDesign CS4.This is the dual platform JavaScript version of the guide. Guides for Applescript and Visual Basic are also available (But use Java so everyone can benefit from your genius scripts!).

Adobe InDesign CS3 Scripting Guide (PDF 3.2M)

Not to be left out, you CS3 user's can find basic InDesign CS3 Javascript info in this 145-page PDF. Guides for Applescript and Visual Basic are also available.

 

InDesign CS2 Scripting Reference (PDF, 20.3)

Adobe did away with the PDF Scripting References in CS3 because all scripting languages can now see the InDesign object model. (Whatever that means.) This link takes you to CS2's 1,900-page (no exaggeration) PDF that's on the InDesign installation CD. If your IT manager has the CD under lock and key, you can download the PDF here. If the Scripting Guide (above) is the "Visual Quickstart" approach to scripting InDesign, this Scripting Reference is the "Real World" reference tome.

 

Free InDesign Scripts

Not quite ready to roll your own? Search for and download some of the many scripts people have already written for InDesign (CS thru CS4) at the Adobe Studio Exchange.

 

InDesign Live Docs: GREP

Everyone is curious about GREP but few of us mere mortals seem to be able to master it. This well commented page can get you started. See the sidebar for a GREP resource from O'Reilly Press.

 

InDesign CS5 Read Me

This is a handy reference page on Adobe's knowledge base that includes installation notes, known issues, licensing information and other good stuff, like a list of additional OpenType fonts included with the install discs. And not to be forgotten- InDesign CS4 Read Me.

InDesign Server CS5 FAQ (PDF, 132k)

If you're a newspaper or magazine with detailed editorial workflows, catalog producer, or a customer who works with data-driven work, you may be interested in automated publishing workflows. This white paper will tell you almost everything you need to know about Adobe's automation solution.

 

Adobe InDesign CS3 Tagged Text (PDF)

One overlooked feature of InDesign CS3 & InCopy CS3 is tagged text. You can use it to import and export formatting attributes with your text-only files. This handy little 28 page user guide includes a large table of commonly used tags.

 

InDesign User Guide Chapter 19: XML (PDF)

Adobe made the XML chapter from the CS3 user guide available as a PDF document for your downloading convenience. Take a look.

 

Adobe InDesign CS3 and XML (PDF)

XML is a text file format that lets you repurpose your InDesign text, table data and graphics in a variety of applications. This paper provides a solid introduction to XML and XML in InDesign.

 

Getting XML from Adobe InDesign Layouts (PDF, 1.4M)

Less theory, more practice. This PDF provides two real-world case studies of publishers who are using XML to produce content for their web sites.

 

Adobe XMP for Creative Professionals: Metadata and the Adobe Creative Suite (PDF, 1M)

XMP allows you to embed data about a file into the file itself. This metadata can provide essential information to designers, production staff, pre-press staff or anyone who will access your CS files. This paper provides more information about working with metadata between multiple CS applications.

Best Ways to Get Help from Other InDesign Users

OmniPilot's "InDesign Talk" listserv

This independent e-mail list is a great place to post your questions and get answers in minutes. Lots of InDesign users from around the globe hang out here at all different skill levels. Adobe staff, writers and trainers also chime in once in a while. Traffic is about 50 messages/day, so set up a dedicated mailbox and rule in your email program to filter incoming listserv messages to it.

 

Adobe's Forums:
Mac InDesign | Windows InDesign | Scripting InDesign (Mac/Win)

Adobe's best-kept secret is the incredible support users offer other users on their forums. More traffic, more answers than on the OmniPilot InDesign listserv. Reading is painless (click "login as guest" button), posting/replying requires free registration.

 

Your Local InDesign User Group

Wow! InDesign User Groups have exploded all over the map! Interest in groups has really grown since CS3 was released. Chances are good that there's a chapter near you—but even if you're far from a little purple square there are some good resources on this site. Check out the meeting notes and photos from various chapters, they're all pretty interesting. Or better yet, start a group in your area.

Best InDesign Online/Video Training

Lynda.com's Adobe InDesign Lessons:
InDesign CS5 |InDesign CS4 | InDesign CS3 | InDesign CS2

Lynda is upgrading its library to include new titles for CS5. You'll find hours of tutorials on InDesign CS5, including a series by yours truely. The CS4 collection includes over 18 hours of video. You can buy individual DVD collections of the training and watch them on your TV at home or subscribe for online viewing and get access to every title they produce. Hmm... guess which one I recommend. The trainers are top-notch, especially that gal who does their InCopy-InDesign Integration title...what's her name again...?

 

InDesign CS5 New Features

Anne-Marie takes you on a 2.5-hour tour of the need-to-know features in InDesign CS5. There are too many goodies to mention in this brief description, but be sure to check out her demons. of creating and controling animation, mixing page sizes and tracking changes in a document. Still using ID CS4? Check our her InDesign CS4 New Features tutorial.

 

InDesign CS4: 10 Tips for Troubleshooting Files

Have you ever wanted to bring in an expert to help you troubleshoot a problem with an InDesign file? Anne-Marie's 10 short tutorial videos for Lynda.com will help you troubleshoot some common and not-so-common problems.

 

InDesign CS4: 10 Habits of Highly Effective Pros

What are the habits that separate the newbies from the pros? During this 1-hour series of tutorials for Lynda.com Anne-Marie gives you the smart, time-saving techniques used by the pros.

 

Virtual Training Company's InDesign Lessons:
InDesign CS4 | InDesign CS3 | InDesign CS2

You can learn InDesign online in the privacy of your web browser as short, optimized-for-the-web online Quicktime movies (over 200 lessons), or order all of them on a CD for $99 to get the highest quality Quicktime files. Either way, all sample files used in the lessons are included.

I love VTC's training movies. The presenters are well-spoken and the content is highly applicable to real-world work.

What I recommend is that you just sign up for VTC on a subscription basis. For $30 a month you can access all of their web classes, not just InDesign's, and you can cancel at any time.

 

Total Training for Adobe InDesign:
InDesign CS4 | InDesign CS3 |InDesign CS2

Six DVDs totaling a couple day's worth of InDesign training that is top-flight and fun to watch. Each of Total Training's training products comes with a CD containing project files so you can follow along with the instructor. I used this myself to help bone up for Adobe's InDesign certification exams.