General InDesign CS5.5 EPub Issues/Thoughts

[guardaroba]

I've been playing with the EPub export feature of CS5.5 for the past day, and have a question as well as a few thoughts/feature requests. I wonder if it would be useful to have a general thread for the new EPub feature for a little while, since it will be new to most people?

In any case, my questions: 1) Is it possible to set an object to -not- be included in the export? I assumed this would be an option in the "Object Export Options" dialogue, but it doesn't seem to be. Is this option hidden somewhere else, or is there a workaround? I have a number of objects that are used to add visual interest on the printed layout but that don't make any sense to include in an EPub/HTML export.

2) When I get to the EPub export box there's nothing in the "Unique Identifier" field. I thought I should have the option of using one created by InDesign automatically?

My thoughts: although it's a very welcome upgrade, does it feel to anyone else as though it's a bit half-baked? For example, the new object export options don't seem to be included in the object styles, so they have to be changed object-by-object, which isn't very nice for longer layouts.

Similarly, you can't save different EPub/HTML export settings, which seems like a pretty basic feature to expect.

Finally, the fact that endnotes aren't supported has been a glaring issue for a while now, but it's causing new problems now that EPub/HTML exports are easier. In print endnotes that aren't 'live' are only an issue for the layout person; in HTML 'dead' notes with no hyperlinks are pretty embarrassing.

How have other people been finding the new EPub/HTML export features?

[BobLevine]

The problem is that so many users complained about the way it was it was changed. I think the answer is to have a user option.

Bob

[amy@phoenix]

A user option would be a great solution, I agree.

Do you know what users didn't like about the CS5.5 way, which is to say, converting them to basic list tags?

[BobLevine]

The problem, and a legitimate one, is the way HTML handles number lists.

They always start at 1. This is fine for most instances on the web but for complicated number lists in a document it requires quite a bit of manual work in the HTML and CSS.

Bob

[DavidBFox]

We were tired of waiting for an ePub method of getting our read-it-to-me iBook onto the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet so we created an Android app version instead... More work, but at least it's now on those devices.

Sent from my iPad

[MystiMac]

@Johnmacg: At least, do watch Anne-Marie Conception's Lynda.com training, "InDesign CS5 to EPUB, Kindle, and iPad" -- that got me most of the way there, but I'm now having to learn more CSS to be able to make the tweaks to the CSS stylesheet Anne-Marie makes look so simple... At least I've been able to publish my first ebook to amazon & B&N, basic, with the cover, TOC, text, proper chapter, para. spacing & line breaks.

[johnmacg]

Thanks MystiMac, but I want that video for my version of InDesign, not an older version. From what I've tread,

there are significant differences in 5.5 as far as epub is concerned.

Particularly I am not prepared to pay to get a tutorial for an older version. I don't know what the cost

is, but any cost is too much if the product is not up to date.

Given the high price of InDesign, Adobe themselves should be providing

comprehensive instructions for free.

[AnneMarie Concepcion]

My ears were burning. 😄

Thanks for the endsorsment of my Lynda.com InDesign CS5 > EPUB, Kindle, and iPad video tutorials. (There's a CS4 version I did for them too over there, btw).

I finished recording the CS5.5 version of the title a little while ago, so it should be coming out in the next couple weeks. (They need to go through editing, beta testing, etc.).

Follow my Twitter feed @amarie or our @InDesignSecrets one to hear about it as soon as it's out (or check the blog periodically).

It does *not* cover more advanced stuff like fixed layouts, javascript, etc. It's basics-to-intermediate, like the other titles.

Colin Fleming from Adobe did a great webinar last week on CS5.5 and EPUB (it went deeper than usual), you should check it out if you have 5.5:

http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/p9pj3kf54s9/

AM

[MystiMac]

Thanks for the update, AM,

Can you give another link for the Colin Fleming webinar? The link you gave opens up a window with the audio audible, but with gray survey boxes covering the page.

Mystimac

[Command_Q]

Anyone have any experience with Adobe's DPS professional suite? If so could

you mention the pricing?

[Steve Werner]

The DPS suite and EPUB have no connection at all, Command Q. I'd post your questions in the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite forum:

Digital Publishing Suite

[Command_Q]

Thank you Steve. As always you're incredibly helpful!

[MystiMac]

@Johnmacg: True enough, that Anne Marie Conception video is only for CS5, not CS5.5, but from comparing the two INDD versions (I now have both) as far as I can tell (and I'm no expert, let me be clear) most of what you need to understand is in CS5; it's mainly the "articles" panel in CS5.5 that's different. Apparently Lynda.com is working on getting out the video for Indd CS5.5, "soon." Plus, if you register your adobe software, you get a gift benefit, and one of the choices is 30 days of Lynda.com training for free. I've been using those for awhile! I do agree, Adobe should be providing comprehensive instructions for free, surely.

[johnmacg]

Interesting to hear that I can get 30 days of free training if you

register my CS5.5! I bought my upgrade via a download rather than a

physical disk, and that wasn't offered to me.

I must check it out and see if I can have the free training start after

Lynda's 5.5 training video is released. I'm certainly not prepared to

pay for initial training when Adobe should have provided either a free

training course or at least an epub production manual – as we'd say

down here in the South Pacific, Adobe have been bloody slack.

Like MistiMac, I'd like to see an alternative URL for the Colin Fleming

webinar. That link behaves the same strange way for me too: opening up

a window with the audio audible, but with gray survey boxes covering

the page.

Johnmacg

[Steve Werner]

I watched the Colin's video that Anne-Marie linked to yesterday.

You didn't watch the video long enough. I was an Acrobat Connect sessions which started with a layout which had a poll. After a minute or two, Colin switched into a demo mode where he showed his desktop and did his demonstration in InDesign, Adobe Digital Editions, and other applications. Look at it again.