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InDesign and HTML5

Contributor ,
Feb 05, 2018 Feb 05, 2018

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Interesting article on in5 written by Keith Gilbert in the latest copy of InDesign magazine. Does anyone believe it's just a matter of time before we see such a feature as a menu item rather than a plug-in?

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Community Expert ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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in5 doesn't belong to Adobe, it is a plug-in/add on for InDesign and is available for a monthly fee.

Export HTML5 from InDesign with in5 - Home

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Guru ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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Adobe would have to buy that company to bring it in.  It is a good product, i use it. it has limits and issues. so its not perfect but you can go from indesign to html fast with it.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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Hi Jonathan – what are in5's limits and issues, I'd be interested in learning.

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Guru ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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good question.

here is what i learned:

  1. You have options on how you can export. keep everything as images, keep the type selectable, svg the type. If you keep everything as images it all look like you made it in indesign, prefect. If you choose keep the text live ( staying in system fonts or google fonts is the thing you need have here) it has issues with bullets, it does not keep the indent. or text wrap issues
  2. You can't have links in an object that is inside a smooth scrolling frame. Unless you keep text live, but than you have the bullet indent issue i mentioned before. and text wrap issues.
  3. It has issues keeping big tables inside a smooth scrolling frame in place. its moves them sometimes.
  4. Animations all of the sudden don't work right. you might get it all set up. and after several rounds of editing other parts of the document you export and all of the sudden the animation blinks or its off.. just weird
  5. it forget button effects. i have done layouts of 90 plus pages with buttons all sharing state effects ( and running it in styles) and all of the sudden, you export and it forgets them or they are backwards.
  6. I have had numbered references at the end of an old document and i might have 4 pages with 100 plus references, in my layout the numbered bullets look fine. i export and the page number is off on one page.. again weird
  7. it has a limit of how much interactivity you can put on it. i had a popup, and inside of that popup i had an image with 19 buttons that would open other popups.  And it worked fine sometimes. other times one button would open the wrong graphic i had in the MSO..
  8. I have experience issues where the TOC worked fine till it just forgot the links.

overall, i say that it does not like when you revisit the document a lot. you keep editing and re-exporting and things just go bunkers here and there. but if work with Justin and you MacGyver your way you can resolve the issue.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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Many thanks, I'll keep a copy of that.

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Guru ,
Feb 15, 2018 Feb 15, 2018

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I make magazines and emodules. so i create frames and link them to a page and in that page i might have a quiz made in articulate or captivate. works great.

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Explorer ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for expanding on this topic.

 

What really are the benefits of using a plugin/add-on like in5 when it seems buggy like you've mentioned in your analysis and we can use something like Indesign's undocumented feature "Export to "Fixed-Layout HTML" https://indesignsecrets.com/undocumented-feature-export-fixed-layout-html.php 

 

Keith Gilbert expanded the script and I have tested it with simple functionality and it works. It may not have any bells and whistles but if the stuff in in5 is buggy then what's the benefit using the in5 add-on?

 

Should a business like the in5 developer be worried that Adobe will build the functionality they provide in to Indesign? I have to justify to my business partners the extra expense in signing up for a third party add ons.

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Guru ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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I like IN5 export options panel, i have not seen that level of options in other  products.

 

download it and take a look, 

 

 

I know Justin he made IN5. He would be better for answering some of your questions.

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Explorer ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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Hi Jonathan, yes I like their export options too, I purchased in5 last week but am still trying to justify it. My question really wasn't about those export options it's about the extra stuff (interactive widgets, build wizards and enhancements). And as Bob Levine pointed out your analysis was 2 years ago, maybe I am now looking for an update to that - have your points been addressed do you think?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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If you have questions about in5 then contact Justin. He supports the product very well. If you find a bug or have a feature request, I can assure you it will be addressed a lot faster than anything Adobe would do.

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Guru ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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he does, he listens. 

 

I have seen more additions on the eLearning side. I personally use indesign for eLearning modules. Yes, it can't connect to an LMS.. but many time people dont' want an LMS set up.. 

 

Indesign continues to evolve.

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Enthusiast ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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Hi all,

 

This is the aforementioned Justin from Ajar Productions, creator of in5. Just saying "hi."

 

If you need anything, you can always reach out to us directly:

https://ajarproductions.com/pages/contact.php

 

As Bob mentioned, in5 has evolved a great deal in the last two years (and will continue to do so).

 

For instance, I just released an update to in5 that is fully responsive (using InDesign's Alternate Layouts):
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/responsive-layouts-using-indesign-more-in5-v36-release-putney/

 

I also now have several great people helping me with support (versus two years ago when it was just me doing 100% of everything).

 

My (admittedly biased) opinion is that this an area where 3rd-parties are likely to outpace Adobe. There's no money in this type of functionality for Adobe (and there's a big risk in looking bad if they get it wrong, even in small ways). They're not going to get new InDesign users this way (because it's not the core purpose of InDesign), so it just becomes a cost and a support burden to them (similar to how Publish Online appeared, but has been in a holding pattern for 6 or so years).

 

I have a lot more flexiblity, and I don't require 8-digit returns on investment, so I can offer more.

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Guru ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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I will say the tech support has improved.  before it would take a long time to get an answer form them but it was just Justin doing it i think. 

 

I researched 50 different vendors (4-5 years ago). my criteria (fprovided by my  job) was:

  • Solution to go from indesign to HTML has to be cost effective - IN5 had that when you compare what you get for your money compare to others. see my link below.
  • Need to be able to host the files anywhere
  • has to work with freelancers workflow.. I only work with adobe DPS certified folks. so i can't have them use somethign that has a big learnign curve, thats not good for bussiness, it will drive you crazy.  if you know the work panels in indesign for interactive .pdf and DPS, you can work with IN5

 

Here. this is the reasearch i did:

https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/425cee93-4023-4e9d-5158-4275d4658d34

 

From the 50 i called, emailed and interviewed i narrow it down to 11. Aquafadas was a strong contender too... 

 

It really has to do with cost, workflow and capabilites.  You have to find what works for you.

 

I dont' want web base stuff to load a flat .pdf.... thats not good for edits and moving things around.  

 

If a company buys this product..... is in my opinion that is irrelevant. you and i can't control that. Adobe does have somethign similar, its the publish online. but i personally think that should be used for commercial used since if adobe decides to stop that product/service or charge you extra for it.. what than? again, you and i can't control that. 

 

Test products and find what works for you. 🙂

 

 

I am happy with the product. does what i need it to do. it has improve over time. that is good. 

hope this helps 🙂

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Community Expert ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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Adobe couldn't come close to what Justin has accomplished with in5.

BTW, in the future, perhaps you should check the dates of posts before making comments. This thread is over two years old. The additions to the feature set in in5 are very extensive.

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Explorer ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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Yes, I saw the date but didn't realise there was a restriction to commenting directly to someones analysis no matter how old. Sorry for that.

I bought in5 last week and after having a test drive I am still unsure whether it's the bee's knees. 

When you say Adobe couldn't come close the what Justin has accomplished, that's a bold statement.

As a user who has respect for the Adobe developers no matter the shortcomings of specific software, surely if we push for specific functionalities then they maybe just might get included (specifically if soemone else is doing it). 

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LEGEND ,
Apr 21, 2020 Apr 21, 2020

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So, are you saying that if a plugin developer has a good idea, then Adobe should copy those ideas and put the plugin developer out of business? That’s a great reward for innovation. 

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Explorer ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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It seems to be the other way round - In5 has copied Indesign ideas and made a few wizards and some export functionality.

 

And, are you saying that Adobe should never consider implementing a functionality that has previously been identified as needed by the users? 

 

From what I've tested, In5 seems to be filling in the gaps that are currently lacking in Indesign - plus a few wizards to make it simpler to implement functionality that exists anyway. But what happens when Adobe actually adds the export to HTML5 properly? In5 would become irrelevant wouldn't it?

 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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You are quite the cynic. You also have no idea what you're talking about.

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!

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Explorer ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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I though this was supposed to be the support forum for Indesign?

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Enthusiast ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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Hi TheGalaxy,

 

I think this functionality that is useful for a subset of InDesign users. Remember it's fundamentally a print layout application.

 

Adobe has taken shots at this: DPS, Fixed Layout EPUB, Publish Online.

 

in5 existed before FXL EPUB and before Publish Online (and concurrent with DPS, if not before).

 

So it would have been impossible to "copy" ideas that didn't exist yet.

 

If you don't find it useful. No problem. Stick with the free script.

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Explorer ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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Hi Alma, I've heard back from Adobe and they are working on the export to HTML5 as we speak. Hopefully we will not have to really on a third party plugin for this too much longer. 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 22, 2020 Apr 22, 2020

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You're obviously new to this. Good luck.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020

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So, TheGalaxy, you really do want to push the third party developers out of business. Let me ask you this, I assume you are a creative person trying to make your mark with your designs. How would you feel if your clients refused to pay you, and instead insisted their big shot designers copy your ideas? Because that's exactly what you are saying when you say you want Adobe to take plug-in ideas and put it in the product.

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Explorer ,
Apr 28, 2020 Apr 28, 2020

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Not at all. Export to HTML5 is not really an exclusive In5 idea. 

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