Saving your interactive pdf from indesign

[andrewg77776989]

After exporting your finished indesign file to pdf interactive will most people be able to open it? Is there another way to save it so almost everyone can open the pdf? Also I know you can publish it online but if I end my indesign subscription I will loose all my published work.

[BobLevine]

Open it? Sure...anyone can open a PDF. Have the interactivity function? That's a crapshoot and since you've given us no information what you want to include we can't help.

[andrewg77776989]

I was just using simple buttons that I created to take people to particular pages I bookmarked using Indesign. Some roll over functions and Hide/Show functions, Pretty simple stuff. I heard I can use Flipsnack or Heyzine to upload my interactive PDF and then it will be much easier to share.

Its for a client she was asking for a interactive PDF booklet.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

As @BobLevine said, it depends upon what "interactivity" you've built into the PDF.

It also depends on which program/app the user has that opens the PDF.

Nearly all programs can at least open the PDF and let the user view it. But few can actually process the interactivity, such as buttons, animations, accessibility, and form fields.

What kind of interactivity did you use in the PDF?

And you're right about possibly losing your work: all cloud services I know of, not just Adobe's, prevent you from accessing your online data once you stop paying them.

[andrewg77776989]

I was utilizing simple buttons that show/ hide images or text, buttons that take you to pages that I bookmarked. Thats about it.

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Just to be clear...animations will not work in any interactive PDF!

[Test Screen Name]

It doesn't matter how simple your interactivity is - some PDF viewers don't do it properly and some don't do it at all. If someone is using a PDF viewer that doesn't handle buttons or links then there is nothing you (in InDesign) can do to make it work.

[andrewg77776989]

what's your opinion about uploading it to a site like Heyzine or Flipbook that turn the interactive file into html that can be shared via link? I have no idea if the interactivity will still be there though.

[Test Screen Name]

Flipbooks are one of the things I hate most on the web, and I have abandoned companies I was intending to buy from rather than put up with them. Just so you know. I can't recommend them for anyone who wants to do business...

If you want an interactive design on the web, then design it in HTML. But use an HTML/web design solution; don't try to bring a print design tool like InDesign to the table, it will satisfy nobody...  Adobe do have a reasonable solution but for reasons (good reasons) you've decided not to use Publish Online.