Adobe Community: Cannot Get Sound Added to PDF from InDesign Export

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1. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 7:25 AM in reply to macguy5

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This is an incredibly bad workflow. I'm not surprised that it does not work. Placing SWF files into InDesign can work for single small graphics, but is not intended to work the way you're doing it.

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2. Phillip Jones,

Mar 18, 2013 8:47 AM in reply to Steve Werner

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Instead of Critiquing only why not suggest a method to do what he wants or suggest to him why it won't or can't happen.

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3. Dave Merchant,

Mar 18, 2013 9:07 AM in reply to Phillip Jones

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Without knowing what type of content is involved it's not possible to make any detailed suggestions. Some things you can place InDesign (such as an embedded video) will export to native PDF annotations just fine, but a lot of the 'interactivity' in a layout in CS6 is designed with Web and SWF output in mind, and doesn't have an equivalent in the world of PDF (added to that, InDesign cannot embed the JavaScript code that's often essential to make a PDF file react to the user's input).

By far the most sensible workflow is to create the basic document in InDesign, export to Interactive PDF, then finish the job in Acrobat - but if what you're trying to achieve simply isn't possible in a PDF file, there's no point in trying.

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4. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 9:23 AM in reply to Dave Merchant

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Phillip,

As Dave says, without knowing exactly what the poster wants, it's impossible to make recommendations.

I'm probably a little flippant only because I see a lot of these postings on the InDesign forum. What people want are the "cool" animations found in SWF but they want them in a PDF file. It's usually impossible, or it looks very crude because PDF really doesn't handle embedded SWF files very well. Then there's the issue that SWF files won't actually play on many systems, and won't play on mobile.

If the poster is aiming for tablet distribution, then they should consider the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, or another third-party solution for creating tablet apps. Those apps can very successfully create animation but there is a bit of a learning curve learning how to do it. It requires getting as a minimum a Creative Cloud membership so you create and publish the apps through Adobe on an iPad, and a $100 per year Apple developer license.

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5. Phillip Jones,

Mar 18, 2013 9:36 AM in reply to Steve Werner

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Now that sounds like much better answer. You explained why it don't work. I'm not trying to dis you or anything. I know everyone jaded because they keep seeing repeats. But we have to remember WE are here to answer questions "if we can" even if they have been asked over and over. Remember, 20 years ago you were probably at the same level the OP was.

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6. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 9:49 AM in reply to Phillip Jones

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I appreciate the criticism! Sometimes, I'm sitting down with my coffee when I wake up and going through the forums I regularly cover, and I don't properly think out a proper answer. I need to be reminded of that. Thanks again, Phillip.

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7. Phillip Jones,

Mar 18, 2013 10:15 AM in reply to Dave Merchant

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I've given Steve an answer and kodo's for explaining. Yours now is a Good answer. You don't necessarily have to give a detailed answer. Just an explaination of why the method (work Flow) doesn't work.

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8. macguy5,

Mar 18, 2013 2:39 PM in reply to Phillip Jones

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i am attempting to make a document - pdf at this point - that will be interactive, interactive meaning the following:

1. animated buttons (animated effects as those found in indesign cs6) that when clicked or given a command will go to a different page;

2. animated buttons (animated effects as those found in indesign cs6) that when properly stacked, will start then stop a music clip; and,

3. animated buttons (animated effects as those found in indesign cs6) that will link to an external webpage.

really that's it.

i chose the pdf format because of it's widespread acceptance and use.

i understand the criticism about the incredibly bad workflow. i have researched most of the day in an attempt to understand why it's a bad workflow and haven't come to any conclusions as to why. adobe espouses that workflow as the proper workflow. see: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/csinsider-design/indesign-creating-interacti ve-pdfs-with-page-turn-and-flash-animations/.

i am open to more criticisms/suggestions that may propel me in the correct direction in terms of workflow or completely re-thinking how i may accomplish my goal.

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9. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 3:10 PM in reply to macguy5

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If I had any way to do it, I would have that Adobe TV clip taken off. It gives people unrealistic expectations. Yes, it is possible to include a SWF file in a PDF, but as I outlined above, it doesn't really work well except for an occasional, isolated effect. And it won't look very professional because the display can be very ragged.

If you want to click a button and have it take you to another page; if you want to play a sound clip; and if you want a button to take you to a URL; and if your final out put is a PDF, there is no reason to use SWF at all.

And you can create the great majority of it in InDesign CS6. Here are the choices of actions for a button you can designate in InDesign. The ones at the top of the list apply to both PDF and SWF; the ones at the bottom are PDF only. It's the ones in the middle you want to avoid because they are not supported in PDF:

Be careful using the words "animated effects". If you mean an animation found on InDesign's Animation panel, you can't do that in PDF (except with the SWF workaround).

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10. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 3:25 PM in reply to Steve Werner

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Now back to your original question: What audio format did you place in InDesign? Did you try to preview it in the SWF Preview panel (Window > Interactive > SWF Preview).

BTW, the SWF Preview panel only shows the effects which only work in SWF. It doesn't show PDF only features (like forms). And while it previews animations from the Animations panel, they won't work in PDF, as I said above.

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11. macguy5,

Mar 18, 2013 5:32 PM in reply to Steve Werner

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Everything works perfectly in the swf file I create in indesign cs6 includiing audio. Then, through my workflow, the PDF I create works beautifully with all animations from cs6 except audio. The PDF (without audio) looks very professional by the way.

So, for me, if I could get the audio added to the animated PDF that'd be great and that is my current hang up.

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12. Steve Werner,

Mar 18, 2013 5:38 PM in reply to macguy5

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Does the sound play if you don't include it in the SWF but place it directly in InDesign and export to PDF?

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13. macguy5,

Mar 18, 2013 6:27 PM in reply to Steve Werner

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The only way I can get audio to play is a direct export from indesign cs6 as an Interactive PDF. however, the only audio that will play is the audio I have told to play on page load. None of buttons I used to trigger audio work nor do the buttons I animated in indesign cs6 show their animations.

Essentially, between the two methods, I have to choose between animated buttons with no sound or no animated buttons with limited audio. Not appealing either way.

I also just tried to add audio in acrobat x after export of swf file into PDF process. Acrobat x on't even allow me to add audio after swf turned into PDF.

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14. Dave Merchant,

Mar 19, 2013 2:57 AM in reply to macguy5

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That will never work, as in your INDD > SWF > PDF workflow there really isn't a PDF version of your document at all. It's a one-page blank document with a massive Flash animation playing on it. There is no page content for Acrobat to attach anything to, which is why the page numbers in your Acrobat toolbar will say "1 of 1".

macguy5 wrote:

I also just tried to add audio in acrobat x after export of swf file into PDF process. Acrobat x on't even allow me to add audio after swf turned into PDF.

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15. macguy5,

Mar 19, 2013 1:31 PM in reply to Dave Merchant

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Thanks all for your responses. At this point, I remain in the same position I started in. Currently, this issue is at Adboe Tier 2 level support. They stated they would respond to me within 24 - 48 hours. It has been longer than that time and no answer yet. I will keep this thread informed as to any news/developments on this issue.

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Creating, Editing & Exporting PDFs

Cannot Get Sound Added to PDF from InDesign Export

Mar 18, 2013 6:56 AM

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