InDesign Limitations & Pluses When Exporting To SWF
Categorized under: InDesign-How-To
Some notes on limitations on InDesign’s usage of the word “SWF” (pronounced swiff). SWF’s are Flash files when exported or used online for audience members to view. .FLA are flash files, .SWF are exported flash files .indd are InDesign files. .XFL are Flash files exported from InDesign that contain all the pages converted to frames for use within Flash.
See The Files Used
The latest versions of InDesign since CS3 have allowed users to be more interactive by letting them export their files as Flash SWF or Flash XFL files. I am currently using CS3 and CS4.
Here’s some of limitations I’ve encountered when exporting an InDesign file as a Flash SWF for use online:
1. You can’t import another SWF into the exported InDesign SWF. Meaning, let’s say you want to import some navigation elements you created before in InDesign into your current InDesign file. You can import the file into InDesign, but any Interactive actions will not be loaded in nor will the actions be exported when you produce the SWF -which sucks.
2. You can’t import movie or sound files into the exported InDesign SWF. InDesign DOES let you import MOV files, but only for PDF usage. BUT if you use loaders, then you can import your final SWF file into a ‘main’ Flash file and add music that way.
3. You can’t make ‘calls’ to the Actionscript at all or reference any Actionscript.
4. Rollovers have to be done for each and every button independently.
Some pluses using InDesign to export a Flash SWF:
1. You can add master navigation items to the master template pages so each page uses one set of navigation. This is great for a simple website layout.
2. Rollovers can be done fairly easily especially if you use Object Styles!
3. You can allow InDesign to manage how image quality is exported.
4. You can easily mimic “On” pages, such as when you click “About” and you want it to be highlighted.
5. By Using many Master Pages you get the chance to design an abundance of layouts.
6. Page Transitions work within InDesign when exporting to SWF! So you can use a Fade or Wipe Effect between pages.
Check out issuu.com for some layout ideas and for possible uses, check out ceros.com
— Zeus ::)
May 10, 2010
