Chris,
I would keep this as a single document with the articles at the back of the annual report. There are several reasons for this:
#1 The PDF of the annual report would then contain all the information, including the articles. I would imagine you would like the readers to be able to keep everything they’ve read in a single file.
#2 Publish Online isn’t going to let you jump to an outside document unless it’s a HTML page. Then you’ve got the difficulty of getting back to the original annual report which PubOnline won’t let you go to a specific page.
#3 It’ll be much easier to test the links.

How to do it:

#1 There’s a question as to whether you want single pages or spreads for the document. Spreads work better for the landscape view of a computer monitor. But that is going to confuse readers. In the PDF the page you think is page 4, will be page 3 in the PDF. Same confusion with PubOnline.
I would choose single pages.

#2 Put buttons on the masters for all the pages in the annual report. The first button should send the reader back one page. The second button should send the reader ahead one page. But you’ve got a little stumbling block to have the third button send the reader to jump to the landing page. If the landing page is the first or last page of the document, then you’re OK because there is an action for PDF buttons to go to the first or last page of a document.

#3 But if the landing page isn’t the first or last page, you’re going to have to define the landing page as a Hyperlink destination. Then the third button can be set to go to the Hyperlink Destination.

#4 Define the start of each article as a Hyperlink Destination. Then put a button on the annual report page that would send the reader to the article.

#5 Define the page that has the button created in step #4 as another Hyperlink Destination. Then put a button on the end of the article that would send the reader back to the page where they left off. Or a button on the article page that sends the reader back to the landing page.

#6 If you want two different landing pages, you’re going to HAVE to use Hyperlink Destination. Remember, you define the destination first, then create a button to go to it.

#7 One thing I’m wondering about. Why did you mention “hidden” pages. These article pages are going to be visible for anyone who just barrels through the PDF. Is it important that they are hidden? If so, let me think about how I would handle that.

Andreas,

I’d like to help you. First, what program are you using to test the ePub on the iPad mini and iPhone 6 plus?

Also, what program will the ePubs be running on the Surface Touch Pro 2?

Next, would it be possible for you to post the book (just a few pages that are showing the problems) in a dropbox folder for me to look at.

I also have a thought that the larger size of the pages for the Surface Touch Pro 2 might be triggering On Page Load when opening on the smaller dimensions of the two iOS devices.

Bear with me. We’ll figure this out.

True, if you link all three circles together they would begin their animation at the same time. But try this. Select the yellow circles in the Timing panel and then set a delay. That way they will start at a different time than the blue.

I hope that helps

There’s a setting in the Export SWF for Paper Color. Make sure it is transparent.

If that doesn’t work, let me know. I have another suggestion.

OK, now we’re cooking with gas. You don’t need to investigate the other formats.

The settings are pretty easy. I’m going to send you an ID document that contains all the objects that would create the animation you need. But in case someone else is reading this, here is what you’re going to have to do. (BTW, David and Anne-Marie, it would be great if I could embed GIF or JPG images into a message here on the forum.)

CIRCLES:
Each circle is going to be set in the Animation panel using the “Fade In” preset. Set the slower-moving colors to longer durations and the faster-moving ones to shorter durations. The ones I created for you were 6 seconds for the blue, 3 seconds for the yellow. And 1.5 for the red. Use the Animation panel to name the circles. (Red circle, yellow circle, blue circle, etc.)

Click the option to Loop

Open the Properties area of the panel (the little triangle) and set the Opacity to Fade Out. Also check the settings for Hide Until Animated and Hide After Animated.

RECTANGLES:
Position your rectangles so they are off the document on the right. Choose the animation preset Move Left. Most likely the green line (motion path) will be too short. Double click on that path so you get the control squares and extend it off the page all the way on the left. Name the rectangles.

Set each color rectangle with the same timing as the duration for the circles. And set them to loop.

TIMING PANEL:
Now open the Timing panel and select all the names of the animated objects. Click the little link icon at the bottom of the panel. A line should bracket the objects. This makes them all animate together instead of one at a time.

TWO OPTIONS:
1. Use the Pen tool on the motion path to add points to the motion paths. Then use the Direct Selection tool to move those points up and down. This will simulate the look of the movement of water.

2. Also increase the number of rectangles for the faster colors and stagger them on the outside on the right. This help indicates that faster water has more volume than slower water.

If it was me, I’d use smaller rectangles for the faster water. It just makes sense to me.

EXPORT TO SWF:
I think you understand how to export to SWF and then import back into ID. My suggestion is to put the background art on one layer, the animations on their own layer and the SWF on another layer. That will make it easier to make changes later.

Use the SWF panel to test what you’re doing.

Here’s the link to the ID file so you can select each object and see its settings.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mstdqmw9bs4mwge/River%20animation.indd.zip?dl=0

Hi Twm Harris-Davies,

David Blatner saw your post and asked me to help. Animations are right up my alley.

I may not understand all your requirements, so let’s start one thing at a time.

Watch the mp4 movie at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9eazv19c0d2ai3/river_movie.mp4?dl=0

And then tell me what is right or wrong with the animation. And tell me if you want the whole thing to start over. That may need to be triggered by a button