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Participant
January 26, 2017
Question

How do I create two interchangeable layers of text?

  • January 26, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 401 views

Hello,

I am new to IndesignCC. I want to create an e-book which can be later converted for use with various e-readers. The book will be a dual-language book with one main language, and the other language hidden below the main (first) layer of text. The book would be for language learners.

1. What is the basic method for hiding the English translation below the original language, and how is it made visible?

2. Would one double-tap a word (or, even a sentence or a paragraph) in order to see the translation? Could I differentiate between translating by word, sentence, and by paragraph (if I wanted to)? I don't want to simply only translate the whole page because (with some words) I want to offer more than one possible translation for that word.

3. In addition to that, could a button be placed in a corner for translating the entire page (as opposed to only one word, sentence, or paragraph at a time)?

4. If I wanted also to create a layer where every sentence in a paragraph is separated into separate sentences with its corresponding English translation below it, how would I do that without interfering with the other uses I intend for the book?

5. What would be the best way to link a foreign word on the first layer to its glossary entry while maintaining the second layer's position and without creating a problem between linking to the second layer and linking to the glossary?

6. Will the final product be easily convertible to other file types for various e-readers (while maintaining the usage I intend for it)?

Thank you very much for any help you provide.

Have a great day.

- Jim

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Legend
January 26, 2017

Hi,

As well as the other commercial script, you might like to try our free beta plugin.

MacCC2015-2017.zip - Google Drive

Only for Mac 2015-17 at this moment.

P.

Edited to say:

Here is a link to the about web page where you can download the plugin.

hPubProducer - Kerntiff Publishing Systems

P.

Community Expert
January 26, 2017

Hi Jim,

initialy you posted in the common InDesign forum.
Someone—not me—with admin rights in the forum moved your question to a special subforum for InDesign that is dedicated to EPUB creation.


Hope, that's ok for you.

Now to your question:

Complex matter, I'd say.

All in all for EPUB creation I think you have to go with Fixed Layout EPUB, because you want to contain the integrity of content units that resemble "pages". But I'm not sure… That would affect the answer for # 6 on your list tremendously. Define "various e-readers" and maybe someone could give you a better answer than: "Hm. No. That's not easy at all…"

Is your product a commercial product?
Something you like to sell?

Answering this could make a huge difference to make suggestions for your workflow.

If no, try the "Publish Online" feature with InDesign CC 2017 or CC 2015.

If yes, I'd recommend a third-party plug-in for InDesign to shape your output to your desire.

I would look into In5 and its new capabilities for publishing:

Ajar Productions: in5 - Home

The new version is out since yesterday and compatible with CC 2017.

Regards,
Uwe

Participant
January 26, 2017

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

"Various e-readers" refers to things like the Nook and Kindle. I would certainly (of course) also like it to be readable on an iPad or desktop/laptop computer (using, I suppose, whatever software would be required on that device).

Yes, this is a commercial product which I intend to sell.

Thanks a lot.

- Jim

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 26, 2017

My $0.02 is to just do two versions. What you're proposing would be nearly impossible with reflowable and an absolute nightmare of work with MSOs in fixed layout.