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markp9652695
markp9652695
Inspiring
July 26, 2018
Answered

Long Documents (CS6)

  • July 26, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 800 views

I am designing several short books that will have multiple sections containing one or more

chapters. I would like to find out if I am uisng InDesign’s features correctly. Please tell me if I

am making any mistakes. Here is what I am doing:

(1) Each section will contain one or more chapters.

(2) Each document will contain a single section.

(3) Plan to use the chapter number variable for section numbering because CS6 only allows one

chapter per document.

(4) Plan to use sections for chapter numbering and chapter heads because a single document

can contain more than one section.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Randy Hagan

    I get your workflow, but I'd make a couple of suggestions:

    1) That's a fine strategy. We're talking book construction here, not InDesign document construction. But that leads to:

    2) Depending on the size of the chapters, you may want to consider making each chapter its own document. This gives you more flexibility dealing with folios, page/chapter numbering etc. It's just as easy for InDesign's Book functions to assemble 20 chapters as it is to put together, say 4 sections. But if we're talking lots of tiny chapters (I just laid out a set of book guts with five sections and 50 chapters between 2-4 pages, with a running page count of 180-odd pages) that may be more trouble than it's worth.

    3) It's not necessarily required to break down an InDesign document for each chapter, but it does make life much easier.

    Another way to do it is to break folios off the master page layout for "exceptions", like Command/Control+Shift+Double-Click with the mouse to convert the master page folio into a page element, and then copyedit the exception into the layout. This is what I did with the micro-chapter book I described previously. But then it puts things on you to maintain document consistency rather than InDesign's automatic book functions.

    Another option is to build unique master page layouts for each chapter to let InDesign maintain document consistency across the section, but you still have to apply the appropriate page masters to their respective pages. Lots of people like this workflow, but I find it easier to just release the master page folio item(s), make my exceptions, and maintain the document consistencies myself. Your mileage may vary.

    4) You can build your InDesign documents out of multiple sections, but I'd advise against it. For a number of reasons, I prefer to break a book layout into as many small, discrete and consistent chunks as I can, then use InDesign's Book functions to snap things together for your book guts. You can learn more about how InDesign's Book functions work here:

    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creating-book-files.html

    Hope this helps,

    Randy

    2 replies

    Randy Hagan
    Community Expert
    Randy HaganCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    July 27, 2018

    I get your workflow, but I'd make a couple of suggestions:

    1) That's a fine strategy. We're talking book construction here, not InDesign document construction. But that leads to:

    2) Depending on the size of the chapters, you may want to consider making each chapter its own document. This gives you more flexibility dealing with folios, page/chapter numbering etc. It's just as easy for InDesign's Book functions to assemble 20 chapters as it is to put together, say 4 sections. But if we're talking lots of tiny chapters (I just laid out a set of book guts with five sections and 50 chapters between 2-4 pages, with a running page count of 180-odd pages) that may be more trouble than it's worth.

    3) It's not necessarily required to break down an InDesign document for each chapter, but it does make life much easier.

    Another way to do it is to break folios off the master page layout for "exceptions", like Command/Control+Shift+Double-Click with the mouse to convert the master page folio into a page element, and then copyedit the exception into the layout. This is what I did with the micro-chapter book I described previously. But then it puts things on you to maintain document consistency rather than InDesign's automatic book functions.

    Another option is to build unique master page layouts for each chapter to let InDesign maintain document consistency across the section, but you still have to apply the appropriate page masters to their respective pages. Lots of people like this workflow, but I find it easier to just release the master page folio item(s), make my exceptions, and maintain the document consistencies myself. Your mileage may vary.

    4) You can build your InDesign documents out of multiple sections, but I'd advise against it. For a number of reasons, I prefer to break a book layout into as many small, discrete and consistent chunks as I can, then use InDesign's Book functions to snap things together for your book guts. You can learn more about how InDesign's Book functions work here:

    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creating-book-files.html

    Hope this helps,

    Randy

    markp9652695
    markp9652695Author
    Inspiring
    July 27, 2018

    Thank you for the suggestions, Randy. One thing I've learned is that sections containing chapters makes it much easier to understand the material. The upper left header contains the section number and name and the upper right header contains the chapter number and name.

    Randy Hagan
    Community Expert
    Randy HaganCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 27, 2018

    I don't know if I fully understand where you're coming from. In your response I don't know if you're referring to your readers understanding your material, or you're specifically talking about keeping track of your organization while you produce the book.

    In the first instance, InDesign's Book functions let you transparently create the structure you want for your readers without assembling a huge file that contains the entire book guts. You can assemble the book in little, easy to assign and track pieces to build, maintain and track production schedules, and get the results you want. In the second instance, I wouldn't presume to mess with whatever works for you. But I would suggest that you may find it easier to at least break down your InDesign documents into discrete files by individual section, then stitch the book together through the book functions.

    In general, I've found that the smaller the pieces of your final book are, the easier it is to track where you're at in the process and what needs to be done to meet production deadlines. Especially if you're in a busy shop with many hands stirring the pot, or you're the only one with the recipe and you're expected to track your progress as well as build the publication.

    With your additional information, though, I'd suggest then that you create book sections and then consider one of the other ways I outlined in the 3) response, as it best fits how you like to work.

    Good luck,

    Randy

    Scott Citron
    Scott Citron
    Legend
    July 26, 2018

    Slightly confused here. Why are you using the Book feature? Do you need a TOC or Index that encompasses all books in the series?

    Also, is page numbering continuous from the start of Book 1 and finishing at the end of Book 10?

    markp9652695
    markp9652695Author
    Inspiring
    July 27, 2018

    I use the books to track trust administration issues and supporting documents for tax preparation. I have reached the point where I need to use chapters, footnotes and cross-references. Both the trust administration and tax preparation books contain chapters consisting of imported PDFs.

    So far, the book page numbering starts and finishes in each book. There is no need so far for a TOC or Index that encompasses all books in the series. These requirements may change if there are more complex issues that need to be documented.

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