Exporting interactive PDF with embedded swf and InDesign animation

[jordanh75304064]

Morning all,

I've got a one page document I'm trying to export to an interactive PDF (which can be viewed by someone who's only using Adobe Reader).

Currently the document is setup with a number of buttons, animations and object states. All of which work correctly if I export the document as a SWF and then open the SWF within Acrobat, before saving as a PDF.

What I'd now like to do is include a swf animation media item within the document - this item would be included as part of an object state and will be hidden until it's selected - that will display correctly when viewed within Adobe Reader.

Currently, it won't play at all using the above method. I've only been able to make this work by extracting as a SWF and viewing within a browser.

Is there a way of making this work?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[JR Boulay]

You need to finalize this interactive PDF using Acrobat Pro

[jordanh75304064]

thanks for the help - but you would mind elaborating a little for me please?

[Jeffrey_Smith]

Do you need to use PDF as the method to distribute this document?

If yes, please realize that interactivity, object states, animation within PDF will not work together.

If no, are you familiar with Indesign Publish Online feature?

[JR Boulay]

Do you need to use PDF as the method to distribute this document?

Yes, this is the first question since this king of PDFs requires the SWF player: this excludes corporate computers and mobile devices from the outset.

[jordanh75304064]

Unfortunately yes, I'm limited to using PDF only.

I've managed to get the interactive elements and the object states working fine - it was just this last hurdle with the swf animation I was trying to get over.

[Jeffrey_Smith]

Object States work in HTML5 or SWF only. A button can have appearances for rollover and click, and this will work for PDF.

As long as your description of states is an appearance attribute, and not an object state, you can accomplish this, but not completely in Indesign. You will need to add the swf elements to the PDF in Acrobat. And if animations are linear, it might better to convert the animation to mp4 or quicktime, with either format placed in Acrobat, not ID.

[jordanh75304064]

OK - brilliant, thank you. will do this now.

[JR Boulay]

And if animations are linear, it might better to convert the animation to mp4 or quicktime, with either format placed in Acrobat,

Playing a video in a PDF requires the Flash Player too.

Or a legacy player, as QuickTime Player, but end-users must manage the yellow bar of death.

[Jeffrey_Smith]

Playing a video in a PDF requires the Flash Player too.

JR, can you provide a link to any Adobe help file or information that verifies this statement?

[JR Boulay · Accepted solution]

==> Add audio, video, and interactive objects to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat

Beware: this outdated page assumes that the SWF Player is embedded into Acrobat, as it was in Acrobat 9.0 to 9.4.

But, embedded or not, the Flash Player is required.

[JR Boulay]

Unfortunately yes, I'm limited to using PDF only.

This may be a workaround: export your file via Publish Online, then embed it in a PDF-Portfolio like this one: Fichiers partagés - Acrobat.com

You need Acrobat Pro DC for creating PDF-Portfolios, InDesign cannot.