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InDesign CS6 resolution for pixel documents not the same

Forum|Forum|13 years ago
May 7, 2012
13 replies
106596 views

I have just opened in InDesign CS6, a document made originaly in CS5.5. This document is in pixels. At 100%, the document should be pixel for pixel with my monitor (iMac 27" at about 104 ppi), but it seems it is more at 100% if you calculate at 72 ppi. So a document of 980 pixel wide measure 13 inches on my screen! This is different from the previous way of showing pixel documents. And I can't see any preference that could bring back the resolution to the old way of showing the scaling.

In Adobe Acrobat, you have preferences to control this.

This count as a bug for me.

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Correct answer John Hawkinson

I agree Peter, the screen design contingent does need more representation as Adobe clearly do not get it.

Yes I did read your first post regarding the ID 1:1 ratio. This is all well and good but my questions still remain. Why can I no longer specify text and strokes using pixels? and why can I no longer preview my files as they will appear in a browser. These features were available in CS5 they are now gone. Why?

I can only asume that Adobe are no longer focusing on InDesign as a UI design tool although they clearly state "InDesign gives you pixel-perfect control over design and typography". How they can say this and at the same time remove the ability to set type in pixels is beyond me.

I just wish Adobe would stop misleading customers by giving us incorrect and or incomplete product information.

At the end of the day it's my own fault for not downloading the trial.

Spen wrote:

Yes I did read your first post regarding the ID 1:1 ratio. This is all well and good but my questions still remain. Why can I no longer specify text and strokes using pixels? and why can I no longer preview my files as they will appear in a browser. These features were available in CS5 they are now gone. Why?

Your comment confuses me.

Did you mean to say that you can no longer configure ID to display the units of text and strokes as pixels?

This is not the same as you can no longer specify text and strokes as pixels.

So:

Ability to display fonts/strokes in pixels rather than points is a purely cosmetic feature. Internally, ID treats points and pixels precisely the same.
Since it is cosmetic, and the calculation from points to pixels is really easy (the same number!), could you help us understand what your actual concern is?
If you really want, you can still type in "12 px" in the field.
I was under the vague impression that when you created a document with Web or a Digital intent, then the displayed unit would be pixels instead of points. That doesn't seem to be the case -- my guess is it's a screwup.
If indeed it was supposed to be automatic, I suspect that's why the preference was removed.

(Incidently, in case anyone in the wings was wondering, while the scripting API did let you set this value in CS5.5, with app.viewPreferences.textSizeMeasurementUnits=MeasurementUnits.PIXELS; that doesn't seem to work in CS6, it generates an error: "Error: textSizeMeasurementUnits")...

To reiterate, I think this is probably a screwup in CS6 relating to a disconnect between what was actually implemented (removing the preference) and what was planned (automatic unit display), and not an intentional removal of the ability to show pixels. And yet, I don't understand why it really matters. Is it a warm-fuzzy feeling that you're seeking?

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jessebc

Participating Frequently

That worked for me. Thanks!

T

therealrgbk

Known Participant

This is truly, completely, insanely, incomprehensibly, and unfortunately, TYPICALLY Adobe. I wish with all my heart they didn't have a monopoly on creative tools the way they do. They are the Microsoft of Creative tools. Look at us, we have to do terminal style code changes to make a product look the way it should?! THIS IS CRAZY! Adobe is trying to enter the epublishing market with an app that give you the wrong pixel sizes on your screen? Ohhhhhhhhh/ Myyyyyyyyyyy. Woooooooooord! Adobe, ADOBE! Are you listening?! Stop it.

If you are still reading. Let me offer a word of advice: We want the power of In Designs grid and guide creation, BUT can we have the simple, pathetically-normal-to-expect ability to have new objects snap to pixels?!!? I know this looks like a teenager wrote it, with excalmation marks, un restrained exasperation and ALL CAPS, but i'm just finished. I draw a square, the edges are fuzzy. I have to go to the inspector and nudge the 0.5 px off the square. Even then, it soemtimes doesnt do it. Can you image the scenario that MAYBE UI AND UX designers would like to have, oh I dunno, WYSIWYG!? I'm trying to figure out what is going on through your heads when you're designing a program with UI UX designers i mind, technally, it's being made by, oh i dunno... UI/UX designers?!? But the funny thing is, the adobe interface is beautiful. How on earth did you design that with blurry lines all over the place?

Have you seen how type renders in Indesign at "Actual Pixels"?! Have you seen how the elegant forms of Helvetica Neue which we all know so well is output to look like it's done a bag of Ketamin? Shame on you. For reals, shame on you. These are things that your users NEEED. We need to see things as they will look. It's call attention to detail. It's like designing in the dark with you guys.

Please dont tell me what a true pixel is. That is the most retarded thing i have ever heard, you will lose users in droves. Oh wait, where will they go to?! Nowhere! You are all they have! Nice one Adobe! But watch out you have pixelmator nipping at your feet. Soon your super overpriced stinking business model and your dicatative havent-got-a-clue, disrespectful to common sense ways will get you.

ARE YOU LISTENING ADOBE? :-((((((((

Peter Spier

Community Expert

Feeling better?

For what it's worth, a large driver of the new behavior is the new Alternate Layout feature and the desire to be able to preview accurately how your layout will look on a variety of mobile devices (this is not part of my workflow, so I'm not really fluent in the finer points). Web users, like long document folks, didn't necessarily get a lot of love in this version.

Peter Spier

Community Expert

I'm not going to pretend to be able to explain why this is working the way it does, but it's the result of new code that queries your monitor for the ACTUAL resolution it is using and then displays a 100% view at a real 100% size, at least in theory. Apparently it doesn't work correctly in Windows 7, but it is supposed to be accurate on Mac, and there's a pretty good chance that if you spec a page in something other than pixels and hold up a ruler to the screen it will be pretty darn close.

ID uses a 1:1 correspondence between points and pixels on the ruler, however, and as there are 72 points/inch that means you are designing at 72 ppi when you spec pixels, even though ther probably isn't a monitor on the planet outside of a museum these days that actually uses 72 ppi internally. if you divide your pixel dimension by 72, and hold up a rule to the screen, does your page measure correctly in inches?

O

obsub

Participant

This is obviously an embarassing omission on Adobe’s part, especially given the recent push for InDesign to be used as a web design tool. The problem was successfully solved in Acrobat, where "actual" user resolution can be set as a user preference. Even better would be for it to be document type relevant (ie default CS6 behavior for Print, 72dpi for Web).

A quick and dirty trips from the smart minds at IDS allows us to keep working in the meantime:

http://indesignsecrets.com/custom-zoommagnification-settings-in-indesign.php

Peter Spier

Community Expert

OK, I found a two-line script that John Hawkinson wrote that will get you back the old display zoom factor at 100%:

app.generalPreferences.customMonitorPpi = 72; app.generalPreferences.useCustomMonitorResolution = true;

When you want to switch back again to accurate 100% view run this:

app.generalPreferences.useCustomMonitorResolution = false;

jessebc

Participating Frequently

Same issue here.

Just drew a 20px box at 100% in CS6, and it measures 31px on screen.... effectively making it useless for pixel-perfect screen design.

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