We’ve got some big new additions to in5 (InDesign to HTML5). These updates, like all version 1.x updates, are available at no charge to existing in5 users.
Take a gander.
Liquid Layout
InDesign CS6 added the Liquid Layout functionality that allows you to controls how and when your page items scale and re-position themselves. Now you can export that capability to HTML with in5!
in5 even allows older versions of InDesign to use Liquid Layout (it simply defaults to scale mode).
For more on using Liquid Layout in InDesign, check out:
The Baker Framework
The Baker Framework is a really fantastic open-source ebook framework to publish interactive books and magazines. Baker-built ebooks allow you to maintain complex and precise layouts—unlike EPUB, where the focus is on reflow—which fits in quite nicely with our mission of layout preservation with in5. A Baker Framework export has been a popular feature request since our initial Kickstarter project, so we’re thrilled to announce that it’s now available! The Baker-ready output from in5 can then be easily converted to a standalone app or published to Apple Newsstand using the tutorials available on the Baker Framework website.
Apple Newsstand is a built-in application the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. It is dedicated to downloading and displaying digital versions of newspapers and magazines. The Newsstand option is great, because it’s much easier to publish (and monetize) your content than would be with an app (no code-signing required, as far as I can tell).
Combine the Baker export with the Liquid Page Format and your ebook will automatically re-orient and scale itself in both portrait and landscape modes.
Other Additions/Fixes
And here are some items we updated in this version…
- Variable page sizes now supported in the Continuous Scroll page formats.
- Resolved missing thumbnail issue.
- Improved page item stacking in simple documents.
- Improved item layer stacking in multi-layered documents.
- Text now rendered in points rather than pixels (more accurate to InDesign doc).
- Improved Overset Text Handling.
- Added support for GotoPage button behavior.
- Improved image compression (e.g. smaller file sizes).
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FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!! 🙂
If we’re using cs5.5 then the page will just scale, correct? So for Baker export if we want both orientations, the plugin’s scaling feature will automatically handle that?
Thanks, Tablazines. Yes, and yes (if you choose Liquid as your Page Format).
Hi Justin,
Congratulations on v1.2 – I’m sure a lot of work went into that.
Could we get a little more clarification on what “Variable page sizes now supported in the Continuous Scroll page formats” means?
Have we yet got the ability to SWIPE horizontally BETWEEN “articles” but then SWIPE vertically WITHIN an “article”, where an “article” represents a page of differing height than the previous/next one?
This behaviour is rapidly becoming an “understood norm” for tablet users, and from comments on the answer exchange I think there is a level of demand for this for those who are focused on creating “iPad Magazines:
Cheers
Christian
Thanks, Christian.
If you have a document with varying page sizes (e.g. some pages at 1024×768, and some pages at 400×600), the Continuous Scroll format will maintain those specific page-level dimensions.
Do you have an example of the swipe-within-article functionality? I’d be happy to take a look.
“These updates, like all version 1.x updates, are available at no charge to existing in5 users.”
They are not available for everyone. You seem to forget that sometimes. At least give Kickstarter Edition owners a fair possibility to update.
You’re right, Mahony2k. The specific information that I’ve provided $25-40 backers of the Kickstarter project (who have the Kickstarter edition) supersedes the statement in this post. For the general public, the statement that I made above holds true.
Question, how do you update. Can I do it from within the plugin or do I download it from the site and renter my serial? I’m scared the downloading and reinstalling will erroneously use one of my “seats”
also…since I don’t have Indesign6 which allows me to embed html how do I do the following..
1. I want to build the cover in an html5 animation program like Hype. How.. where do I embed it the document.
2. Also I’m building the document with placeholders where my plan was to go through the code and replace the image placeholders with html5 animation and/or html5 video embeds. How do I go about doing that? I’ve checked the code but it’s organized a lot different than I expected..lol
@Tablaz,
The best way to check for updates is to use Info > Updates > Check Now… within the in5 dialog. Your activated license will remain intact after installing a new version (no need to re-enter your serial).
@Tablazines,
1. You can use an iframe to embed animation. Details and example: http://ajarproductions.com/pages/products/in5/answers/157/how-do-i-export-indesigns-folio-overlays-to-html5?show=186#a186
2. HTML5 video is supported (no need for a placeholder). Just import an MP4 into InDesign and in5 will export it. I would suggest using an iframe (as detailed in the link above) within an HTML embed in InDesign to place your animation.
Wait, so if I backed this on Kickstarter (which I did) because I saw promise for using it with Baker I don’t get the update that includes Baker support???
Andrew
Hi again Justin
There’s a simple JPEG mockup of the concept I think would be useful at the link below
http://i46.tinypic.com/2ptxfz5.jpg
Do take a look – I’m sure a lot of your users will find this useful.
Thx
Christian
Hi Andrew,
Please go back and read our Kickstarter updates. We didn’t promise Baker to anyone, just acknowledged that it sounded like a good idea. The backer levels of $50 and higher explicitly stated: All of the above. Plus, 1 year of free upgrades. This will give you access to all of the new features and functionality that we plan to add after version 1.0 is released.
Hi Christian,
That looks interesting. So to accomplish this in InDesign, you would indicate in your ID settings that the size of your doc matches the first pages dimensions, then scale up the height of subsequent pages?
Awesome! I can’t wait to demo in the IDUG meetings!
Kudos.
Cool. Thanks, Carlos!
Hello ! It’s been more than 4 months that am working on my magazine for iPad. And am still working on the design. I’ll use the Baker Framework. I just have a question : Can I use the HPUB file exported by InDesign to import into the Magrocket backend to build my magazine ? Is it possible ? I am asking myself if in5 is really flexible or if it’s more simple for me to do all my magazine in HTML5 (hand made) !
Choupie,
I believe you can use MagRocket and in5 together. It’s been my experience that working visually is faster, but some people prefer to hand-code.
Can it creates HTML5 video fullscreen, Audio background for Baker Framework?
You can create fullscreen video by scaling the video to the size of the page, or clicking the fullscreen button within the video controls. The current version of in5 automatically stops audio on inactive pages, but that could be disabled with some custom code.
Can you submit multiple “issues” with the standalone option on Baker Framework? I mean is there ability to have a “custom newsstand” when you open the app that displays multiple issues exported from In5 plugin?
Hi Shannon,
I think the Baker Shelf may allow you to do that, but the folks on the Baker forum could tell you for sure: https://github.com/bakerframework/baker/issues
Hi Shannon,
I’ve tested myself using Baker 4.2.1. If you have more than 1 subfolder in your books directory, the app will automatically launch in “Shelf” mode with cover images of each book. It works automatically and is quite nice.