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Ed_Eubanks
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Multiple Footnote/Endnote Threads

Jul 16, 2010 5:29 PM

I’m totally new to InDesign, having done all of my recent layout in Apple’s Pages. (I did use PageMaker back in the early 90s, when it was still and Aldus product!) I’m using InDesign CS5.

 

I’m working on a layout for a book that will use three different types of notes: two sets of footnotes (one references, and a different set for annotations) and one set of endnotes for each chapter (for editorial comments). I can create drafts in Mellel that offer this sort of flexibility, but I’m at a loss for how to lay it out in InDesign.

 

Could anyone help me learn/figure out how to tackle this kind of layout complexity? Thanks in advance.

1080 Views   9 Replies   Latest reply: Ed_Eubanks, Aug 24, 2010 6:58 PM
 
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  • [Jongware]
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    1. [Jongware],
    Jul 16, 2010 5:36 PM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    Sorry to disappoint you this soon, but InDesign's note features lack about everything one would expect from an otherwise advanced page layout program ... If you read Improve Footnotes Please (in the Feature Request Forum) you can see how many people ask for improvements -- the footnote function, crippled as it may be, has not changed at all since its introduction in CS2. Worse still, in that version it already had various bugs that seem to have gotten worse with the introduction of other features.

     

    File an official Feature Request with Adobe -- the link to the Feature Request Form is in that forum discussion.

     

    (For the record: neither separate footnote threads, nor endnotes, nor re-start numbering -- other than at '1' again -- are possible.)

     
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  • Ed_Eubanks
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    2. Ed_Eubanks,
    Jul 16, 2010 5:45 PM   in reply to [Jongware]
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    Thanks for the prompt response! At very least, I’m grateful that the forums are so active. (I’m sure I’ll make use of them again.)

     

    What I’m gathering (from my own poking around and intuiting, as well as from your response) is that I would do best to lay it out the way I want it in Mellel— using the three types of notes— then export each chapter as a PDF before laying it out in InDesign. Does that sound right?

     

    If so, here’s my next question: how does placing PDFs as the primary content affect things like indexing?

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    3. Peter Spier,
    Jul 17, 2010 3:30 AM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    If you place a PDF, for all intents and purposes youare placing an image. You cannot use the built-in index features, or even find text inside a placed PDF.

     
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  • Ed_Eubanks
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    4. Ed_Eubanks,
    Jul 17, 2010 6:54 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Is that true even if the PDF has a text layer? (As in, “PDF+text” as it shows up in my document type?)

     

    Thanks very much.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    5. Peter Spier,
    Jul 17, 2010 8:47 AM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    As far as I know, yes, but why not place one as a test and see what you can do.

     
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  • Ed_Eubanks
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    6. Ed_Eubanks,
    Jul 17, 2010 9:23 AM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    Good call— thanks, Peter.

     

    One more follow-up: anyone using Sonar InFnote or Cross References Pro (from DTP Tools) as plugins to solve these issues? If so, two questions:

     

    1) do both work well/easily with CS5?

    2) do either or both support the robust levels of notes that I’m talking about?

     

    Thank you, again.

     
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  • Harbs.
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    7. Harbs.,
    Jul 20, 2010 2:39 PM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    One more follow-up: anyone using Sonar InFnote or Cross References Pro (from DTP Tools) as plugins to solve these issues? If so, two questions:

     

    1) do both work well/easily with CS5?

    2) do either or both support the robust levels of notes that I’m talking about?

     

    1) I don't know.

    2) I believe the answer is "no" to both...

     

    Harbs

     
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  • Peter Kahrel
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    8. Peter Kahrel,
    Jul 20, 2010 8:42 PM   in reply to Ed_Eubanks
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    You coulkd use Indesign's footnotes for one of your note threads, then use cross-references to do the other two threads, as described here:

     

    http://forums.adobe.com/message/1318957#1318957

    http://blogs.adobe.com/indesigndocs/2009/03/endnotes_in_indesign_cs4.h tml

    http://indesignsecrets.com/bringhurst-on-building-endnotes-in-cs4.php

     

    Peter

     
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  • Ed_Eubanks
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    9. Ed_Eubanks,
    Aug 24, 2010 6:58 PM   in reply to Peter Kahrel
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    For all who are interested: I’ve found my solution.

     

    I’ll use InDesign’s native footnotes for one set of my footnotes.

     

    I’ll also use Virginia Systems’s Sonar Bookends InFnote plugin to accomplish the other two sets of notes— one additional set of footnotes, and one set of endnotes.

     

    I’ve tested this, and I’m 95% sure it will satisfy my needs. (However, it will cost me another $200 for the plugin…)

     

    Thanks to all who offered suggestions, especially Peter who suggested this “hack”.

     
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