Re: InDesign -opinions and long document template?

[Peter Gold <peter -at- knowhowpro -dot- com>]

Hi, Victoria:

Yes, I know that sinking feeling, and it's not fun.

If your version of ID doesn't include the PageMaker plugins, you can 
purchase the kit separately. There's information here

http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/pm_pack.html

It's $50 from Adobe; perhaps your vendor has it for less.

The features that might help you are:

InBooklet Special Edition plug-in
 Automatically rearrange a document's pages into printer spreads for 
professional printing with complete control over margins, gaps, bleeds, 
creep, and crossover traps — a process known as imposition.

* As you probably have discovered, standard ID has a book tool, but 
this plug-in offers more sophisticated tools for production.

Bullets and numbering
 Automatically create numbered and bulleted lists that update 
dynamically when changes are made.

* Not as strong as FM's numbering. You can't interrupt a list with an 
unnumbered paragraph style, then continue numbering automatically - you 
need to restart at a number you enter manually. No multiple-counter 
numbers like 1.1.1.1.

Data merge
 Create customized publications such as direct mail pieces and catalogs 
from database information merged into your InDesign layouts.

* I haven't tried to use this for something like importing content 
similar to insets in FM, rather than mail-merge, but it might be 
possible.

 Template Browser and professional template sets
 Jumpstart your projects with more than 80 templates created by leading 
designers. Use the Template Browser to browse, add, delete, and 
reorganize template

* You might find some help and suggestions in these templates.

There's also some training material that I think isn't in standard ID.

Regarding conditional text, you might look into using text frames on 
layers. You can turn layers on and off, like conditions. Text frames 
can have text runaround, so showing a frame that's longer or shorter 
can displace preceding and following text without leaving extra white 
space.

As I mentioned today, in another thread on this list, you could 
consider staying with Word for authoring, especially if you have good 
discipline on the documentation team, to be consistent with styles, 
then import the content into ID for final formatting. Word's numbering, 
if done right, should hold up. I haven't looked into how 
cross-references or footnotes are managed, though.

If you purchased a lot of copies of the CS package, then cost would be 
a major issue. But if only have one right now, while working out the 
kinks, it's not too late to move to FM. As many on this list (as well 
as on the Adobe FM user-to-user forum, and the mailing list at 
FrameUsers.com) have said, even if FM stopped being produced today, 
it's still going to produce what you need for many years ahead. FM's 
efficiency will quickly repay itself; compare the time you need to 
invest in wrangling ID into shape for your needs, and especially if you 
have to give up essential features like cross-references.

Virginia systems makes some useful-looking plugins for ID:

http://virginiasystems.com/ Click the link for products by application, 
and scroll to InDesign. (I have no connection to them, and I haven't 
used the products, yet.) If you've tried any of these, posting your 
experience might be useful to others thinking of following this path.

Don't think of it as dressing-up a pig (unless your name is Charlotte 
and you really like pigs), but rather as completing a tool set to meet 
your needs.

If you have the Creative Suite (Standard or Premium) you'll have 
Version Cue, a tool that helps manage versions of documents. It's not a 
complete documentation control system, but may be useful, especially if 
your team collaborates on authoring.

HTH

Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices