[Kelly Johnson]

I really despise suggesting this, but install the TT font via FontBook.

That seems to work everytime there is an issue like this. However, in my experience, it’s only the True Type fonts that this happens with.

Also, check the name of the font. Maybe turn off auto-activation, relaunch the program and reset it that way.

There might also be a script at the developer center that search and replaces fonts if the normal one isn’t working.

[Kelly Johnson]

So you would want to have both 3/100 and 3/15 on the page? Perhaps there is some plug-in that might help. But, you could do something like creating a text file with the numbers 1-100; one number each line:
1
2
3
etc.

Then, make a text frame only big enough for one line of type and import and link that box so that new pages would be added to display the entire contents. Just like linking a long story. Each page would show a different number.

Now, you can set the other text frame to auto-number and just section the different areas.

Somewhat automated but definitely a little herky-jerk to get that.

Maybe someone else has a more elegant solution?

XML tags might be a possibility as well.

[Kelly Johnson]

I should have added that I’m messing with an Atom Array but I can’t find a way to rotate the instances that appear. I suppose I could build half then use reflect but I feel I’m on the verge of the right thing but just don’t know!

[Kelly Johnson]

Thank you. I had that checked but with a light-gray line, didn’t even know that was onscreen!

You sure have helped me in the past, thanks.
kj

[Kelly Johnson]

Well, to address that specific ‘technique,’ you would have to create a new master page for each sample and then use that master.

However, what might be faster is to create a pdf file of the entire document.

Then, in Acrobat, enable thumbnails and you could scroll that way, remove, reorder etc all from within Acrobat.

Another thing you can try is to put a big yellow box with black type naming the sample on the page. This will probably show up enough to read it in the smaller thumbnail sizes.

Of course, instead of one master, she could also create three or four based on industry served or whatever criteria which would cut down on the time as well.

OR, save all pages out individually from the master pdf (Which Acrobat does automatically for you) and have a master list of what page 1 is, page 2 etc and that way you’re just assembling one document each time from all the separate files.

That’s all I have off the top of my head, maybe someone else has something.

[Kelly Johnson]

Ultimately, you’re referring to whats called imposition. When most layout pages for a book they are doing so in ‘reader spreads.’ Simply means you’re looking at spread as you want to see it in a book. When those files go to a printer, they use software (nowadays) that rearranges the material into ‘printer spreads.’ This is simply taking the information and making sure that when page two is printed, that (in an 8 page brochure lets say) on the right-hand side of that flat page, page 7 is printed so when it’s all folded together, you get ‘reader spreads.’

Since you’re doing many photos, your catch will be splitting up the images to ensure proper alignment.

If you’re doing this yourself, it will bode well to try a test. Take some paper and make a little dummy of how many pages you want. Just take however many pages you want the final to be and divide it by two. That’s how many pieces of paper you need. Fold those in half and put them together. Now, number each surface 1 through whatever. Take apart the pages and you’ll have the imposition worked out.

Now it’s a matter of splitting the photos wherever the fold will occur. If you design the book with all the photos aligned the same, it will cut down your Photoshop work immensly. Otherwise, just make notes with measurements where you will have to save an image as two and place those pieces on the appropriate pages.

Doing this can all be done in Photoshop but depending upon how large of a page size you use, and the # of pages, you could wind up with a lot of storage space needed!

In InDesign, you would just be importing the pictures into two separate boxes. If you really watch your numbers, you could even avoid having to split the images and instead just click on an image with the ‘hollow-arrow’ and use your arrow keys to reposition the picture within the picture frame.

[Kelly Johnson]

This really requires more specific steps with the specific printer. We used a Xerox7750 with duplex capabilities and after getting the orientation right, it worked great.

We were doing 11×17 sheets and printing 44 page booklets (comps) for a client who was willing to pay for them so we ‘beared down’ for fifteen minutes and figured it out.

The thing to do to conserve ink is to make a four page document with “1” on the first, “2” on the second and so on.

When you place a piece of paper in the machine, write with a pencil “This end is going in” and note the way you put it in, reading left to right or right to left.

Watch how the printer takes the sheets in. 9 times out of 10, it’s better to use a bypass tray rather than the normal tray because there is a slight pause when the paper is taken from the bypass and that pause might be what gives the printer time to align/readjust.

I’ve noticed this on various ink jets, color lasers in Xerox, Canon and HewlettPackard. Don’t now about other brands.

Also, if you have set the document up right, make sure it’s only printing 1 page per page. This can be set in the InDesign print settings as well as the system settings…I’m pretty sure (!) either way, one page per page always worked for us.

Try a print to see

[Kelly Johnson]

I tried this once with a little success. But, it was setting a style for a table, importing Excel as an unformatted table then applying the table style.

It’s been a while since I did that but I didn’t have any plug-ins that I remember.

However, it was basic colorings of cells and dotted rules.

I’ve also restyled the Excel file with the basic same styles (colors really) and then brought that in as a formatted table and cut down some rework.

[Kelly Johnson]

I still set up basic trappings in Illustrator for vector artwork which InDesign respects until the printer overrides the settings. 🙂

But, for anything actually done inside InDesign, I don’t even concern myself except for watching where ink totals might get past 220% because of various items overlapping.

I’ve never even bothered to try and override or find out how because most of the precise matters are taken care of by the RIP at the printers or pre-press department anyway.

Plus, the general choke and spread that is utilized today in the major programs normally provides ample trap.

I guess if you’re getting into mixing inks and a wide color palette, perhaps you can copy/paste the pieces into Illustrator and set it all there?

[Kelly Johnson]

Well, I suppose it comes down to money. InDesignCS2 is cheaper than Quark 7 and either are better than anything else for page layout at this juncture. Especially the versatility and broad acceptance among offset and digital printers.

However, IllustratorCS2 or even Freehand 8 aren’t bad choices either. Granted, for a multipage document in Illustrator you would need either a plug in or just simply create printer spreads in separate files. But, you have the advantage of pure vector and with the filters available in Illustrator, you can get many of the raster effects as in Photoshop.

For cards, envelops, broadsheets, sales sheets, four page newsletter/pamphlets, logos and even web pages, Illustrator is actually better than you might initially think. Especially for the money.

If money doesn’t matter, I’d opt for the CS2 suite. If you already have Photoshop, you’re probably a likely candidate for an upgrade price for the full suite.

It’s not easy to say which is actually easier as it depends upon ones learning ability, familiairity with the interfaces and such but I’ve always enjoyed when I can stay in Illustrator for projects.

That said, I’ve used Quark for about 11 years but am more happy with InDesignCS2 now that I’ve been in InDesign for about a year and a half.