Best way to get started with InDesign?

[bootedbear]

I'm finally getting started on writing the tech book that I've been putting off, and I've got a copy of InDesign 2.

What's the best way to get boot-strapped in using it effectively? I can poke around and starting writing stuff I'm sure, but I'd like to use the tool to its full advantages.

I'm somewhat familiar with a few DTP programs from way back, like some VAX-specific programs and M$ Publisher (gasp), but am unsure how well the concepts map to InDesign.

Any suggestions?

[Randman]

If you're going to write, you're better off with Office, or even TextEdit, than InDesign. And are you talking about diagrams and such? I'd suggest Illustrator for that. InDesign is best as a graphic design program.

[bootedbear]

How then is it different from Illustrator?

Being a developer who spends most of his time with his head buried in Java code, the Adobe suite outside of Photoshop is somewhat baffling to me.

[RacerX]

Well, the best way to get started with InDesign is to find a way to get their video help series. I have it for InDesign 2.0 and it came from a conference on InDesign and digital publishing that Adobe put on. There is nothing quite like watching someone work in it.

The difference between InDesign and Illustrator is that InDesign is designed for page layout while Illustrator is primarily for drawing and illustration (though for single pages it works great for page layout also).

That having been said, I don't use either Illustrator or InDesign (though I have version 8.0 of Illustrator on one of my older Macs, I have no need for upgrading it). I have used Stone Design's Create for all of my page layout needs (which, like you, are of a technical nature), illustration needs and a lot of my web design needs (though I still use GoLive 6.0 for my larger sites).

Further, after Adobe didn't make Distiller Mac OS X native in Acrobat 5, I started using Stone Design's PStill for all my distilling needs. I've had a few cases where Create with PStill handled an EPS better than Photoshop 7 on my system.

The demo mode of Create lets you create web pages, and you can get a 30 day trial to give it a good try. Also, Stone Design has a forum for asking questions about the software if you get stuck.

[Natobasso]

InDesign and Illustrator are designed to go together, but the two programs draw the line at a certain point to remain distinct:

1. InDesign can place and import Illustrator files but you can only import as a complete graphic and cannot edit the Illustrator file in InDesign.
2. Illustrator does not have multipage functionality.

The great thing about InDesign that kicks major BUTT over anything Microsoft has, in my opinion, is style sheets and PARAGRAPH styles. Not only can you set styles (the way text looks) for words or lines of type, you can set styles for entire paragraphs that repeat. So instead of repeating all the style commands for each part, you get a quick way to format entire sections of text. Pretty neat!

Go to www.adobe.com and watch the video on InDesign. You can even export your docs directly to web pages! It's great…

Start here: http://www.adobe.com/print/main.html

[Natobasso]

Originally Posted by RacerX

Further, after Adobe didn't make Distiller Mac OS X native in Acrobat 5, I started using Stone Design's PStill for all my distilling needs. I've had a few cases where Create with PStill handled an EPS better than Photoshop 7 on my system.

Of course you have to shell out for Adobe CS, but when you do you no longer need distiller; you simply save or export to pdf or you can also "save as pdf" in your print dialogue box.

I used Quark for 9 years and InDesign for the past 2 months, and I have to say sayonara to Quark; I don't need you anymore! Their service sucks major butt too.

[Natobasso]

Originally Posted by Randman

If you're going to write, you're better off with Office, or even TextEdit, than InDesign. And are you talking about diagrams and such? I'd suggest Illustrator for that. InDesign is best as a graphic design program.

Those programs are great for raw text, but you're stuck between a rock and a hard place when you want it to actually LOOK produced. Any printer I have ever talked to, once your manuscript is ready for print, would rather drink acid than print from a Microsoft page layout program.

[chabig]

I used Adobe's InDesign Classroom in a Book and found it to be EXCELLENT!

Chris