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Charlotte MrzygodParticipantThey are threaded, and this was not a Word document. I think I have it figured out going forward, and this particular document I’ll have to adjust numbering or convert to text to get it done on time. There aren’t any modifications or character styles applied, so I’m not sure what I did here …
At least I have the new styles set up correctly for the next one!
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantI am not sure what is going on, because I created a new document and started over defining the styles and the numbering is working correctly. There must be something in the paragraph settings that’s causing issues with this manual. I will have to fix my templates.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantThanks. I already have two, actually. (well more, but two that are relevant here)
I read that article a while back but didn’t quite see how it would help me here. Totally possible I’m missing something though.
The problem is that the style for steps 1, 2, 3, … etc. will affect the paragraph header numbering, and vice versa. I am fiddling with the “start at” for both of them once I apply the styles I am using.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantOn the subject of books …
I create service & operating manuals for heavy equipment. Some sections are universal to ALL machines, some are universal to a class of machinery, and some are custom.
Would a book make sense in this application? I could have the safety sections ready to pop into every manual, the controls instructions ready to add to every water truck, the precommissioning information, maintenance schedules, etc …
Even the safety section isn’t 100% universal. There’s one page I remove for anything that doesn’t have a tank (water, fuel, whatever) on it.
Would y’all recommend the book feature here, or continue working with my templates as they are?
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantI’m the only one here who does what I do (technical writer), so I don’t get calls when I leave because I can’t delegate. I just come back to an even bigger backlog.
It’s job security though.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipant“hopefully the folks doing the corrections will use it and figure it out, instead of relying on me to hold their hands.”
Good luck …
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantYou may want to look at your settings regarding hyphenation, justification, keep options, and more … adjust them until you are happy, then create a paragraph style to capture it and apply it where you need it.
May 30, 2017 at 5:02 pm in reply to: How to create downloadable files that will print correctly and more #94917Charlotte MrzygodParticipantYou’re welcome. As I said, there are lots of folks on here who know a whole lot more than I do.
I think the “booklet” printing / exporting information will help you the most. It’s a feature I haven’t used a lot, just a couple of times for a >10 page service bulletin.
May 30, 2017 at 1:21 pm in reply to: How to create downloadable files that will print correctly and more #94912Charlotte MrzygodParticipantHow did they “not turn out right”? What sort of issues were you running into?
By “thumbnails” I was referring to the small pictures you said you wanted of the pages.
I am not sure about sending messages via the site. I haven’t tried it. you’re welcome to email me at firecrackerktm @ gmail.com (remove spaces of course)
I’m not the most knowledgeable one on this site though so I’m sure others will chime in with better, more specific/clear advice!
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantIn order to attach a screen shot, I upload the jpg to imgur (or whatever image hosting site you choose) and copy the link.
If the number is too high in relation to the size of the box, INDD won’t be able to generate the curvature
May 30, 2017 at 8:39 am in reply to: How to create downloadable files that will print correctly and more #94899Charlotte MrzygodParticipantWill you be storing the PDFs on your own site or using InDesign’s “Publish Online” feature?
Do some reading on this site about PDF export options. That will help you learn the best way to export the INDD file to a PDF that will work for you and your customers. There are some export settings to pay attention to, especially if you have any interactive elements (hyperlinks, bookmarks, etc). You can also specify compatibility and file size (which will affect how any images in your booklet will display & print). As far as printing, the customer will be able to print using their own print settings, unless you add document security, which it doesn’t sound like you will want to for this application. They can choose to print single- or double-sided, color, etc.
PDF articles:
https://creativepro.com/creating-pdf-indesigns-print-booklet-feature.php
https://creativepro.com/choosing-the-right-pdf-preset.php
https://creativepro.com/make-it-look-like-a-book-in-the-acrobat-pdf.php
Many more … if you do a search you will find many many articles & forum posts.As far as your thumbnails, what I would do is export just the pages you want as .jpg or .png image files and upload that to your site. No need to do a screenshot. You can specify the size and quality of the image in the export settings.
I hope this helps! Let us know if you have more questions.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantAre you planning to write your text in InDesign, or are you using it to format text you’ve already written?
The answer to your question is yes, in my opinion – although I haven’t used Quark (formerly a big player in the desktop publishing world, still available, but not as widely used as it once was)in 15 years or more. INDD will do all of those things you mentioned and more, and if you utilize all of the resources available, your learning curve with the software doesn’t have to be painful.
MS Word gives me headaches to try to lay out pages in (and unfortunately I have had to use it for that purpose a few times based on requests from management).
Good luck and I hope you enjoy learning the program. This site is a gold mine for tips and how-tos, and Adobe’s site has very good step-by-step instructions as well.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantYou’re most welcome. Don’t hesitate to ask whenever you have a question. I learned by the seat of my pants at a daily newspaper years ago, and there are many gaps in my own working knowledge, which is why I come here.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantIt looks like you’ve got the leading figured out, but if you had a return at the end of each line (making each line a paragraph), you could also set the space between each paragraph by going to TYPE > PARAGRAPH and changing the “space after” value. But if changing the leading is working for you, that may be easier.
Charlotte MrzygodParticipantIs there a return at the end of each line? If so you could use “space before” or “space after” in the paragraph menu.
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