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jérôme_renault
Participant
January 30, 2020
Answered

Responsive PDF Indesign


Hello,

I would like to know how we make a pdf that adapts to all media on all screens.

I do my document and the layout.

I am waiting for your answer


Jerome

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    Test Screen NameCorrect answer
    Legend
    January 30, 2020

    PDF is not the right thing to work in.  It is a page layout based medium, and options to reflow are basic and depend on the viewer. Sounds like you need to design in HTML (and not InDesign).

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    18 replies

    Lesje
    Participating Frequently
    April 15, 2020

    I know and I do that already. But this was not my issue initially. I just googled it because I seem to bump into this issue not wanting to edit the same thing all over again but then in Code (an annual report, restaurant menu etc).

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    Derek Cross
    Community Expert
    Derek CrossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 13, 2020

    It might be worth having a look at in5, the new version has the facility of producing responsive layouts (HTML not PDF).

    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/responsive-layouts-using-indesign-more-in5-v36-release-putney/?ck_subscriber_id=5684254

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      Lesje
      Participating Frequently
      April 14, 2020

      The thing is... I want people to see it in Acrobat or another reader... not a browser.

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      Frans v.d. Geest
      Community Expert
      Frans v.d. GeestCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 14, 2020

      You want the impossible, you are confusing PDF and HTML. What you want, PDF and also responsive is not, I repeat, not possible (as others already pointed out here).

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        Colin Flashman
        Community Expert
        Colin FlashmanCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 30, 2020

        I have to concur with my peers here - I don't think you can. PDF is fixed width and not responsive, and that's largely by design so that a PDF I see on my screen will be the same as a PDF someone else sees on their screen so that issues experienced with native files such as reflow, font substitutions, things moving etc don't happen.

        You can dictate whether you want a PDF to open to a certain size or view and this is done in Adobe Acrobat itself under the file/properties menu, and then adjusting the initial view settings.

        However, this will only affect anyone opening PDFs using Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, and nowadays there are many more applications that open PDFs that non-publishing personnel will tend to use first, such as their internet browser or default viewer in their operating system such as Mac's Preview. Acrobat Reader also has a way of bypassing the settings used in initial view if a user changes their preferences in one of several places. For example, a user can change their accessibility preferences to override page display, as well as other viewing features here.

        My opinion would be to consider an HTML solution for publishing to screens. If using InDesign, perhaps consider the In5 plug-in from Ajar Productions.

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        If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
          Community Expert
          LaubenderCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 30, 2020

          Colin says: …However, this will only affect anyone opening PDFs using Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, …

           

          Hi Colin,

          FWIW: Seems that the PDF viewer of Firefox for Windows 10 is now supporting some initial view settings in PDFs as well. Recently I opened a PDF from a web site and was astonished to see that it opened in Two-Up (Cover Page) also showing thumbnails in the sidebar.

           

          But of course this is just one browser out of many and no solution to the OP's issues.

           

          Regards,
          Uwe Laubender

          ( ACP )

           

           

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          Derek Cross
          Community Expert
          Derek CrossCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 30, 2020

          Have a look at Reflowable ePub.

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          rob day
          Community Expert
          rob dayCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 30, 2020

          Browsers display the initial view of a PDF so that the width fills the available browser space—it’s similar to an image. Most browsers also provide additional navigation tools for zooming and downloading, but you can’t force text relows the way you can with media calls in HTML/CSS.

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          Test Screen NameCorrect answer
          Legend
          January 30, 2020

          PDF is not the right thing to work in.  It is a page layout based medium, and options to reflow are basic and depend on the viewer. Sounds like you need to design in HTML (and not InDesign).

          Translate
            Lesje
            Participating Frequently
            April 13, 2020

            You would think it would be right do to in HTML. I can do both but a lot of end users only want to read in Acrobat or another reading app and get is via through e-mail, (we)tranfers, download on website etc. You can already adapt a design responsively within Indesign bu changing the size of the document (and adapt layout).

             

            I understand all the issues you get with building responsive websites and the device you are opening it with. It used to be a lot more easy to build sites when we only viewed it on desktop haha. But it would be cool if we could assign certain elements to be responsive in PDF readers or something like that. Maybe a font-size that adapts for easy reading on tablet and mobile. etc.

             

            It's also pain in the a$$ that when I make a menu for a restaurant it would be so easy if I could just upload and replace the old PDF of the menu, in stead of typing it all over in HTML (UGH). And I would be even more awesome that this menu could be responsive.

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            BobLevine
            Community Expert
            BobLevineCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            April 13, 2020

            Responsive websites are incredibly easy especially with Wordpress.

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