indesign - Introduction to Adobe Indesign
InDesign(tm), released by Adobe on September 1, 1999, is an innovative typesetting and design software and a new platform for the company's professional publishing solutions. .
InDesign software is based on a new open object-oriented system and can achieve a high degree of scalability, thus greatly optimizing the development cycle and enabling Adobe to quickly launch the platform. The open architecture creates a core from which third-party developers and system integrators can provide custom magazine, advertising design, catalog, retailer design studio and newspaper publishing solutions. In fact, through communication with InDesign today, some third-party manufacturers and services have released some important plug-ins that can immediately expand the functions of version 1.0. Nine such solutions are sold today, including FR-MZ PS for InDesign from Shade Tree, PowrTable from PowrTools and Sonar Bookends(r) InDex(tm) from Virginia Systems.
New publishing and graphic features
Adobe InDesign is a brand new, announced program for artistic typesetting, available to graphic designers, product packagers and pre-press specialists. InDesign contains hundreds of features that take it to a new level, covering creativity, precision, and control that are not available in many of today's layout software. For example
Optical edge alignment
High-resolution EPS and PDF display
Layered main page
Multi-level Redo and Undo
p>
Scalable multi-page support
Zoom can go from 5% to 4000%
In addition to this, InDesign comes bundled with Adobe’s other popular products such as Adobe Illustrator( r), Adobe Photoshop(r), Adobe Acrobat(r) and Adobe PressReady(tm). Users familiar with Photoshop or Illustrator will quickly learn InDesign because they have different shortcut keys. Designers can also use built-in converters to import QuarkXPress(r) and Adobe PageMaker(r) files to convert existing templates and master pages.
The foundation of professional publishing
Adobe InDesign integrates a variety of key technologies, including images, fonts, printing, and color management technologies that are currently owned by all Adobe professional software. Through these programs Adobe provides the industry's first ability to achieve consistent screen and print capabilities. In addition, Adobe InDesign includes support for Adobe PDF, allowing PDF-based digital works.
The second terminator of PageMaker - the typesetting genius InDesign
1. Overview
For ordinary domestic MAC and PC users, in the prepress design profession The most widely used typesetting software in the field is Adobe's PageMaker, but this does not mean that PageMaker is the best. QuarkXPress of Quark Company (used in most European and American countries) and Feiteng (FIT) of Peking University Founder Group (FOUNDER) are better than PageMaker in terms of professional performance. However, due to various factors, these two softwares are not widely used. . For example, Quark has not been focusing on China, so the simplified Chinese MAC version is slow to upgrade, and the PC version is even rarer; while Founder Feiteng (FIT) is mainly used in conjunction with other software developed by Peking University Founder Group, specializing in newspapers, publishing houses, etc. Large objects that are coherent and systematic. In addition, FIT's back-end phototypesetting output also has limitations, that is, FIT's PS files can only be output on the expensive Founder RIP, etc., so ordinary users have to use fast upgrade and convenient output. But the functionality of PageMaker cannot satisfy professionals.
Since PageMaker was originally inherited by Adobe from Aldus, its core technology is relatively old and has many shortcomings. It is obviously impossible for PageMaker alone to defeat QuarkXPress and occupy a place in the professional field of prepress design for a long time. , so Adobe took a different approach and released a more powerful typesetting software on September 1, 1999. As a counterattack against its 10-year suppression by Quark in the typesetting field and to fully realize its position as the leader of desktop publishing systems, this innovative The typesetting software is InDesign.
2. Introduction to InDesign
Adobe’s InDesign is a brand new software positioned in the field of professional typesetting. Although it debuted late, it is more perfect and mature in terms of functions.
InDesign draws its essence from a variety of desktop publishing technologies, such as combining highly structured programming methods such as QuarkXPress and Corel-Ventura (a typesetting software from the famous Corel company) with more natural Combined with the modern PageMaker method, it provides a series of more complete typesetting functions for flexible and complex design work such as magazines, books, and advertisements. In particular, the software is based on an innovative, object-oriented open system (allowing third parties to Secondary development (expanded and added functions) has greatly increased the ability of professional designers to express ideas and opinions using typesetting software. Its functions are not inferior to QuarkXPress, and its performance is even better than PageMaker; in addition, Adobe has cooperated with Gaoshu Group, Qixuan The scientific and technological cooperation jointly developed Chinese InDesign, which comprehensively expanded InDesign to adapt to the requirements of Chinese typesetting habits. Its functions are close to those of Peking University Founder Group's (FOUNDER) integrated typesetting software Feiteng (FIT). It can be seen that InDesign is indeed extraordinary.
3. Advantages of InDesign
The so-called layout design is to arrange the processed text, images and graphics in a pleasing way to achieve the purpose of highlighting the theme. Therefore, during the layout period, word processing is an important link that affects creative performance and work efficiency. It is very critical to be able to flexibly process text. InDesign's superiority in this aspect is fully demonstrated. Here are some typical tips during layout design Explain with examples.
1． Text blocks have a flexible column dividing function. Generally, when arranging newspapers, magazines, etc., the placement of text blocks is very flexible. Columns often need to be broken (that is, text does not necessarily have to be arranged according to the auxiliary lines of the layout column). At this time, if this independent text Blocks cannot be divided into columns, which will affect the arrangement ideas and efficiency. However, PageMaker does not have this simple and practical function. Instead, it relies on a series of very cumbersome steps to achieve it: the text blocks are first divided into columns according to the auxiliary lines of the layout column, and then they are aligned using the "Balanced Columns" in the plug-in tool. Flat, and finally grouped so that changing the size of the text block does not affect the same column width, etc. InDesign has a flexible column function, which alone puts it on the same level as QuarkXPress and FIT, which have always been stronger than PageMaker.
２． The text block and the text in the text block have magical filling and bordering functions. InDesign can fill the text in the text block with solid color or gradient color, and can outline the text with any thick solid color or gradient color. At the same time, the text block can also be given a solid color or gradient color background, and the text block border can have any thick solid color or gradient color border. InDesign can use its fast functions to complete such tedious steps in one go, while PageMaker simply It cannot be accomplished by relying on its "text background" function, and it even has to be achieved with the help of other software. Even QuarkX-Press can only fall behind. In particular, only FIT can compete with the function of gradient color outlining of text blocks and text in text blocks.
3. The size of the text within the text block can change flexibly. When we are arranging, we often encounter the situation where we want to put some special emphasis on certain words in a certain text block, such as changes in size, length, etc. InDesign provides you with this A convenient function. InDesign allows the text in the text block to change size in the XY axis direction and can be tilted arbitrarily, but the text in the PageMaker text block can only be changed in the X axis direction, let alone tilted. What's even more amazing is that the entire text block in InDesign can be enlarged and reduced with the "zoom key" (the text is also enlarged and reduced accordingly). This unique and excellent function of the drawing software was introduced by InDesign, thus greatly reducing the need to change the layout due to layout changes. workload and improve work efficiency. However, PageMaker can only fall behind and rearrange the layout by changing the font size, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
4. Text blocks have more freedom in spacing control. Generally, when arranging text, you often encounter problems such as the last line of the last column of the text block not being flush with the last line of the previous column. In this case, you may need to adjust the kerning ( Tracking) to achieve. InDesign's text kerning can be adjusted simply by setting any numerical value, which is very fast and convenient. I wonder if it is because of this flexible kerning function that InDesign does not include the unique "professional kerning editing" function in PageMaker? PageMaker, on the other hand, only has five levels of control, which makes it clumsy. In addition, InDesign also performs well in controlling aspects such as kerning, word spacing, and letter spacing, and has innovated the "single-line/multi-line composition" function to ensure beautiful text arrangement.
5. The regular rectangular frame of the text block can be changed freely. If we need a special shape of the text block when arranging, InDesign not only presets several rounded and chamfered rectangles for you, but also allows you to use the "Direct Selection Tool" " and "Bezier tool" make more creative shape changes based on the default rectangular text block, truly allowing you to "get what you want." This feature is unthinkable in PageMaker, and even QuarkXPress is not that convenient.
6. It has the artistic effect of text in drawing software - arranging text along the path. If you want to change the text to suit the layout needs, in InDesign, just use the "Bezier tool" to draw the curve you like, and then arrange it along the curve. Text can be easily realized in InDesign. PageMaker must be implemented in another software, and it is very troublesome to modify it, which really affects work efficiency.
7. The text in the text block can be converted to graphics. After the arrangement is completed and sent to the output center for output, if the output center does not have the corresponding TrueType words or PS words, then InDesign's text-to-graphics function can come in handy. This It's amazing that features unique to drawing software are once again being used in typesetting software. PageMaker can only use other software to complete this task. Through the above examples, it can be seen that in comparison with word processing, InDesign is mature and mature, while PageMaker is a bit senile.
8. Other functions of InDesgn: InDesign also has many features of painting and drawing software and its own unique functions, which greatly facilitates users. For example:
①InDesign can feather, shadow and make the image transparent, eliminating the steps that can only be achieved in Photoshop;
②InDesign borrows from Photoshop's "Eyedropper Tool", It provides a lot of convenience for quickly viewing and copying colors;
③InDesign’s “Bezier Tool” and “Free Pen” have drawing functions that are comparable to those of drawing software such as CorelDRAW, so that It saves you the trouble of drawing in another software;
④InDesign’s palette allows you to drag the CMYK control bar as you like to get the color you want, making the user’s choice of color matching more convenient when designing. Quick and so on.
⑤InDesign’s magical multiple UNDO and REDO functions improve users’ flexibility in designing products. But PageMaker only has one operation, and some operations don't even happen once.
⑥InDesign's "Restore" function allows you to automatically restore your last operation due to unexpected system failure, which greatly reduces the losses caused by accidents.
⑦InDesign integrates a variety of key technologies, including image, font, and color management technologies now owned by all Adobe professional software. Through these programs, Adobe provides the industry's first ability to achieve consistency between screen and printing;
⑧InDesign has extensive support for PDF and can directly store PDF formats without going through an intermediate program like Acrobat Distiller. This will have obvious advantages in the future when PDF completely becomes a standard. PageMaker is even more outdated in these aspects. The aging PageMaker can only be repositioned in the business typesetting market to compete with Microsoft's Publisher. There are many advantages similar to the above, so I won’t list them all here. To sum up, there is no doubt about InDesign’s outstanding advantages in typesetting software. In the professional field, it is an inevitable trend for InDesign to replace PageMaker and become the mainstream of professional software in the industry.
Three About Adobe Chinese InDesign
It has been two years since Adobe officially launched InDesign. The 1.5 updated version was released last year, and after it was upgraded to version 1.52 at the beginning of this year, InDesign can be said to be official. Enter a stable period.
Although everyone says that the computer industry is changing rapidly, it usually takes three to five years for a large-scale software to be designed and launched, and it takes one or two years to enter a period of stability and market development. InDesign has gradually become one of the mainstream products in Europe and the United States. Although it was not taken seriously in Asia in the early days, with the launch of the Japanese version a few months ago and Qixuan Technology being intensively preparing to launch the Chinese version, InDesign may have an important role in Asia. A brighter future.
Excerpted from Baidu Encyclopedia