Liquid Layouts vs Adjust Layout for Large Document

[LDesign-X]

Hi. We have to convert a very long workbook (100+ pages) from portrait-oriented letter-sized facing pages to  landscape-oriented 4:3 non-facing pages for PowerPoint. Just want some input on best worflow for something this large so we don't waste effort/time. 

The document is relatively straight-forward with 'mostly' single text frames per page that were setup on master pages. One master page with margins set (larger inside/gutter than outside) and text frame aligned with these page margins. Then sub-masters that just change folio info. All pages are based on these sub-masters. Then pages have unique images & objects as needed, but some of these are anchored. So 'should' flow with text.

I've tried to check a couple tutorials on using Liquid Layout functionality, but most/all that I'm finding tend to focus on just single-page documents, and adjusting elements on these single pages individually. With 100+ pages, we obviously can't do that. 

I did try using the Adjust Layout feature, and that did an OK job of rearranging & aligning things. Not sure if we can expect anything better. But obviously now we will have 2 unique documents to keep in-sync with any edits that come in.

- Any tips or recommendations on how to handle a long, master page-driven document like this?

THANKS!

[Eugene Tyson]

100+ pages is not much - in my opinion but depends on the complexity.

I think the Liquid Layout would have been best when designing the publication rather than doing after.

And Adjust Layout I think is better after the fact. 

Here's an article about it 

https://creativepro.com/indesign-how-using-liquid-layout/

Advantage of Liquid Layout would be that you'd only update the same file once and it should reflect in both laouts.

With another document you're going to have to implement the same change twice. 

Liquid Layout was kinda setup for ePubs and maybe some use it for digital presentations. 

Maybe @James Gifford—NitroPress  has a better idea on how to work this across a multipage document.

But I haven't had much experience or success with Liquid Layout. I really haven't touched the feature.

And I tend to create duplicate documents and redo them to the orientation required - which for me is faster.

------------------

One thing

If it's for powerpoint - I've had huge success by simply copying and pasting from InDesign directly to PowerPoint.

Designing in Powerpoint is far better - and means you can hand off the final design and the person using it can tweak text and images. 

Plus you can control the image quality/compression individually in the Powerpoint presentation to keep file size down. Adjust text, change out images etc. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Not much to add to Eugene's suggestions. I've never had much use for or good results from either feature; they are functions that work well within a very narrow range of document and layout types, typically simple or at least "not complex" ones. Their ability to move things around suitably quickly breaks as the layout complexity increases... especially if there are any hacks or shortcuts or poor practices involved.

(Had never thought of liquid layout as being something EPUB related... I vaguely recall it being tied to liquid reading of PDFs or something like that.)

If this were a permanent conversion — that is, if you were going to publish and maintain a print version in this new format — I'd suggest just manually reflowing and fixing the layout, without trying to use these half-working features.

But it seems there must be several relatively straightforward ways to get them into a PowerPoint slide. Can you expand/expound on exactly what you're trying to accomplish, with a little of the "why"? That might lead to some answers that fit your needs even if they're inappropriate for any other purpose. (Flat out hacks, in other words, but a short road to your destination.)

[BobLevine]

Liquid layouts / alternate layouts were introduced back in the day primarily for DPS. I never found much use for them.

[LDesign-X]

Hi. Thanks for the responses & insight here. I wasn't able to really figure out the Liquid Layouts functionality and get it to work in conjunction with just master page elements that 'should' trickle down.

So the Adjust Layout feature did a better job at getting everything 'more or less' in the right general places to get a bit head start on this. I did discover that it was important, at least for the way I was doing it, to know what the final margins should be so that things would adjust to those margins as much as possible on the primary conversion. Then there was just a little bit of clean up on master pages for shifing from facing pages to single, and removing all the unnecessary right-facing masters. Then, just general clean-up & reflowing for the different dimensions, column widths, etc.

Now we'll just try to come up with a good workflow to make sure any edits that come in get applied to both documents without anything slipping. Maybe a master edits document that we can refer to or something. We'll see. Not 100% ideal, but the Liquid Layout thing just wasn't working for me on this. Seems like more of a feature for individual page setting up & finessing, but could be wrong.