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export InDesign pages as animated gif

Explorer ,
Nov 23, 2020 Nov 23, 2020

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Can I export pages in an InDesign doc as an animated gif.

I would like the gif to automatically progress from beginning to end of the book.

 

Almost like an auto progression in a slide show.

 

Thanks

 

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How to , Import and export , Scripting

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Nov 24, 2020 Nov 24, 2020

Hi Patricia,

don't know how many pages you want to process.

You could export the whole book to PDF files. One PDF file per page.

 

Then you work on with PhotoShop.

 

There is a script that comes with PhotoShop that can load a folder of images or PDFs to layers. Each image to its own layer.

From that you can create key frames with PhotoShop's timeline feature and export the result to animated GIF. For every key frame you do, a different layer ( a different rendered PDF page ) is visible in the st

...

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Community Expert ,
Nov 23, 2020 Nov 23, 2020

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Nope. InDesign exports only the formats that you see in its export window. No (animated) GIF there, just PNG and JPG.

 

P.

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Explorer ,
Jun 22, 2022 Jun 22, 2022

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I believe the person asked a simple question, as Indesign has an animation function, and the 'go to' for many people would be a gif.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 22, 2022 Jun 22, 2022

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You would probably better using Photoshop to produce an animated GIF.

If you want animations in an InDesign document you can use the InDesign Publish Online feature.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 23, 2020 Nov 23, 2020

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There is a way using the InDesign plug-in, in5 (at extra cost):

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/in5-animated-gif-maker/dldadkjlkldanpbaicclkikgkgpgpflj

 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 24, 2020 Nov 24, 2020

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Hi Patricia,

don't know how many pages you want to process.

You could export the whole book to PDF files. One PDF file per page.

 

Then you work on with PhotoShop.

 

There is a script that comes with PhotoShop that can load a folder of images or PDFs to layers. Each image to its own layer.

From that you can create key frames with PhotoShop's timeline feature and export the result to animated GIF. For every key frame you do, a different layer ( a different rendered PDF page ) is visible in the stack of layers. Do that with the Alt key by clicking the Eye icon in PhotoShop's Layer panel. You can define the duration of every key frame in the timeline. You even could do tweens between single selected frames to do smooth blending.

 

Perhaps all the tasks in PhotoShop can be automated with a PhotoShop action. You could ask this in the PhotoShop forum:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/bd-p/photoshop?page=1&sort=latest_replies&filter=all

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Explorer ,
Nov 29, 2020 Nov 29, 2020

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Thanks, Uwe, I had tried uploading pdf pages to photoshop layers but ran into a problem with white backgrounds turning black in the final gif. After reading your message I tried it again after adding white to the background of all master pages in InDesign. This time it worked! Thank you, Patricia

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Community Expert ,
Aug 12, 2022 Aug 12, 2022

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 unless I am missing something in the original question, I would export to pdf, play that full screen while using ScreenToGif free tool to record as a animated gif the flicking of the book.

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New Here ,
Aug 24, 2022 Aug 24, 2022

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Just tried the ScreenToGif FREE app ... so easy and simple! Thanks for the lead. It is kind of crazy that InDesign doesn't include a way to export animations. This was such a huge time (and $$) saver.

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New Here ,
Apr 13, 2023 Apr 13, 2023

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Well, you have to remember that Indesign started as a layout tool, not a multimedia tool. It does cross over very well with both illustrator and photoshop, and even most of the other adobe programs all shake hands in one way or another. Let Indesign do what it was meant to do!

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Explorer ,
Apr 13, 2023 Apr 13, 2023

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That's all fine but the fact is, there is no easy way to create gifs and indesign remains the fastest layout program. The industry is moving on, Adobe has been a milestone of it and needs to keep up to remain so.

——— Mac Studio M1 Max • 13.6" MacBook Air M2 • with latest MacOS + Adobe software updates ———

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Explorer ,
Apr 13, 2023 Apr 13, 2023

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While yes it started as a layout tool that doesn't mean it shouldn't have animation, if we thought that way photoshop wouldn't have basic animation in it and illustrator wouldn't include any 3D.

Indesign is the natural place that this sort of animation belongs. Here's why

  1. Animation already exists in there
  2.  Social media is being created within indesign due to... 
  3.  It has mail merge and easy to update links to both local storage and cc library.
  4. There is a HUGE proven market for it (hello canva)

 

I feel like Adobe totally missed the boat on this one and lost millions of dollars by doing so, but I feel they could absolutely recoup those by catching back up with the current market needs. I tried using Adobe Express but It literally just grabs the cc file and places it down, if you update the cc file it doesn't update in express. So basically you're uploading creating a new file each time so there's no time efficiencies that you get through mail merge and links. By the time I do this I may as well use canva which has way more options and functionality. I would rather keep it on my computer locally and be able to create multiple pieces quickly and efficiently something which none of the other adobe software can do.

 

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Enthusiast ,
Nov 15, 2021 Nov 15, 2021

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This option exports InDesign pages as animated GIFs:

https://ajarproductions.com/blog/2019/10/11/how-to-create-an-animated-gif-with-indesign-in5/

 

(Disclosure: I'm the creator of this product)

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New Here ,
Feb 10, 2022 Feb 10, 2022

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Quite expesive, sadly 😞

 

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Explorer ,
Feb 23, 2022 Feb 23, 2022

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There is another Adobe program for that, too...Creative Cloud Express. formerly Adobe Spark. Create in that software. It is not included in the CC bundle, however.

 

I believe we are being stretched too thin...

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New Here ,
Jul 12, 2022 Jul 12, 2022

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the entire adobe creative cloud suite is $600/yr and ya'll want $240/yr for the most basic export function that InDesign should already provide in order to make their product usable for this one...small...project. 

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Community Expert ,
Jul 12, 2022 Jul 12, 2022

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The Photography Plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom and cloud storage for around $10 a month.

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Enthusiast ,
Feb 07, 2023 Feb 07, 2023

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A quick update on the in5 GIF Maker extension. We've just released version 3, which will let you turn InDesign animation into an MP4 video, which would allow you to create a finely-tuned animated GIF in Photoshop. We'll be uploading videos to our YouTube channel soon.

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Explorer ,
Feb 08, 2023 Feb 08, 2023

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It's really awesome that you guys are picking up where Adobe has dropped the ball, I wish you all the best and will be checking that out on YouTube.  Unfortunately the price of IN5 is way too high for me personally, in Aus it's the same price as all the programs in the entire Adobe suite, monthly. 

——— Mac Studio M1 Max • 13.6" MacBook Air M2 • with latest MacOS + Adobe software updates ———

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Explorer ,
Feb 08, 2023 Feb 08, 2023

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Hey Justin, this is great. I've been following in5 for a while but hesitant to push the button as transparent gifs aren't posible. Any chance of this being included in the near future? 

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Enthusiast ,
Feb 09, 2023 Feb 09, 2023

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Yes, great question! By adding this video option, you'll be able to take a specific color and make it transparent in Photoshop when you finalize your GIF there. I'll create a video to show how to do this. 🙂

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New Here ,
Aug 10, 2022 Aug 10, 2022

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Such a bummer that InDesign does not allow you to export as a GIF. This would be an easy export function for InDesign to include. The In5 add-on is great but way too pricey. 

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Community Expert ,
Aug 12, 2022 Aug 12, 2022

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Why not use Photoshop to create an animated GIF?

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Explorer ,
Aug 15, 2022 Aug 15, 2022

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I'd say that's what most of us do, it's just bizarre they have an animation pane in indesign now but no ability to export the animation as anything other than epub or pdf, both useless for web. Extra steps in photoshop are tedious and it would be such an easy inclusion. 

——— Mac Studio M1 Max • 13.6" MacBook Air M2 • with latest MacOS + Adobe software updates ———

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Explorer ,
Jan 11, 2023 Jan 11, 2023

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well photoshop doesn't have the same mail merge preview / file relinking /layout features that indesign has. I honestly think it's more useful than adobe thinks. This is the whole reason I have a Canva subscription that I would happily remove as I hate uploading images that I could just relink to on my computer and save a significant amount of time.

 

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