Interactive PDF Video and Slideshow Issues

[mscrimgeour]

Good afternoon,

I've been tasked with creating an interactive PDF that includes a video and a slideshow. I'm using a multi-state object for the slideshow with 3 images and buttons to navigate through the images. I'm also using a short video (about 2 minutes). They both function as expected in the preview in InDesign, but once they're published they are merely static images. 

I converted my video to am MP4 format to try and solve the issue but that didn't work. I also tried publishing ONLY my video in a document by itself to see if perhaps other objects in the original file were the cause. Still, no luck.

I'm not an expert by any means but I have read through a ton of forums and sites and followed the instructions as best as I can and have been having no luck.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Meg

[JonathanArias]

multi-state objects don't work in interactive .pdf and the videos will not play if somebody is on an ipad and trying to view the .pdf.

[JonathanArias]

you are better off doing publish online. Bob Levine has a DPS video course you should watch on lynda.com. that course is a must watch if you want to understand MSO

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite Essential Training

[gutejuli8888]

Hi Meg,

i just read an intersting article about how to embed a video into an interactive PDF.

Its really easy and you don`t need any programming skills.

If you are still looking for asolution for this just let me know.

greetings ,

Julia

[BobLevine]

There are numerous articles floating around about how do this, but that doesn't change the fact that's horribly unreliable.

[gutejuli8888]

Hi Bob,

why you think it is unreliable?

If you find the right solution it is reliable.

All the best,

Julia

[Derek Cross]

If it doesn't work on many devices, I'd call that unreliable.

[JonathanArias]

its unreliable because the adobe acrobat team is not working on making acrobat support all of the interactive features you created from indesign correctly.

When i was a creative pro this year there was an acrobat engineer giving a talk and he was asked this question. His response what that this was not the direction the company sees taking. Working 3d graphic in acrobat was the focus of his talk and new features plus accessibility.

[BobLevine]

The PDF specification is not owned by Adobe (contrary to what some believe) and many of the features that used to work reliably did so with the use of Flash and other workarounds. Flash is not supported under any mobile device and on desktops requires the user to install Flash player separately.

Add to the fact that there are countless PDF readers and it is IMPOSSIBLE for Adobe, or anyone else, to guarantee that every interactive PDF will work.

That is why it’s unreliable.

[JonathanArias]

just relating what the engineer from adobe said.

[BobLevine]

I hit reply to your post but it was really for gutejuli8888​ who asked why I felt it was unreliable.

[JonathanArias]

yeah.  me too.

The adobe engineer had said  that interactive .pdf was not the direction the company was heading at this time.  The talked was given by Leaonard Rosenthol.

[BobLevine]

Then you got it right from the horse’s mouth.

It’s a direction nobody is going in right now. If and when PDF 2.0 ever sees the light of day that might change, but in the meantime, beyond forms, it’s a complete waste of time.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I would try exporting a fixed-layout EPUB rather than an interactive PDF. These will work on mobile devices and most computers.

The only issue is making sure the computer has an EPUB reader. Macs have iBooks installed and Windows computers need to install one, such as Adobe Digital Editions.

[BobLevine]

Most mobile devices? Only if you’re talking about iOS?

Most computers? Only if you’re talking about Macs.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that Readium 2.0 is coming along nicely and the next release of Windows 10 (1809 or 1810) will include a major update to Edge which is a fabulous reader for fixed layout epub out of InDesign. Handles everything—fonts, video, animations, MSOs, etc.

If you want an advanced look, join the Windows Insider program.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I can use them (EPUBs) on a Kindle Fire and iPad. Of course, it is impossible to test every device.

I use them on my Windows computer all the time.

[Derek Cross]

Kindles read mobi documents not ePubs (unless converted).

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Thank you--I do convert them, but the core functionality remains intact.