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Book Layout & Word files

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trippin13

Technical User
Oct 18, 2004
9
AU
Hi ,

I am trying to do a basic book layout in InDesign, small book upto 50 pages ... I am trying to work out what is the easiest way to setup a book template and simply import the text
from a supplied word file.

Is this possible , just setup page size? and to pull through the text so it automatically creates appropriate number of pages to hold all the text and in right order for print ?
(double sided pages and all that)

Is there a basic tutorial on this ? I am familiar with Illustrator but InDesign is another story it would be great if someone could help me.

Thanks
 
Here is what you do!

Create a new files with the right dimensions you want to use. In the document setup make sure Facing Pages is checked (it is always checked by default).

Now you should have a one page document.

Go to file-place-(find the word file you want to place) and click place.
Now you should be able to see a text-loaded-cursor.

Go to the top left corner of your document shift click to autoflow text and have yourself some good fun.
 
Oh great , thanks for that ... I am getting hang of it ..

Ok I pasted in some text from word ... it worked ... I started formating the text ...but I just realized I have some hyperlinks which showup in blue. Is there an easy way to remove these hyperlinks and make them look like normal text inside InDesign?

Also what do you normally use to create the actual cover of the book (2 sides + spine) ... is there a specific way of doing it (indesign or illustrator?) or do I just created document that has a width of the whole cover (2sides+spine)
and that's it no matter what program I use?

thank you
 
Hyperlinks: Go to window menu/Interactive/hyperlinks and delete the links.

Cover/Spine: If you're talking about something like perfect bound, you should have some idea of the total size of the covers + spine and set up a document of that size. If you're something like a jacket you have to know the above dimensions + the 2 foldovers. If you're taliking about saddle stitch like a magazine or catalog, you can usually doe the covers as part of the Indesign document.

It's usually better to use an app that retains vector data for all your printed work, including any covers. That would menat something like Indesign or Illustrator. Since you're using Indesign, it's easiest to stick with that.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
 
Ok I kind of have all that worked out now :)

I was going to ask also would you normally always require word file to do the auto-flow? I got some documents in pdf format and auto flow option doesn't work with them ... and if I convert pdf to word file text is all messed up ... so should insist on getting word files rather than pdfs or is there a trick ?

thanks
 
ok great :)

I was playing with this autoflow and word documents ... so it works if you have a single document ?
So if I am importing 4-5 documents and I put them all as autoflow document one after other .. eg 4 wont affect placement of document 5 below it... you can only adjust each document separately? So for example I change to larger font on document 4 and it expands extra 3 pages it wont push out imported document 5 below. The extra text gets hidden right ?
so i should put all text in one file then autoflow right ?

thanks
 
ok I didn't know how to edit the previous post...anyway I ended up putting it all in one word file ... I've done all the adjustments , chapters etc and just then I realized my margins should be bigger... I tried adjusting margins which I did in the layout option for the Master pages ...hm but now the current content does not align to those margins it is still aligned to old ones. Is there way to adjust the content to new margin sizes without having to re-import the word document as I have already done changes to text, added images etc ...?
If I manually resize the text field on first page it doesn't adjust throughout the document...

thanks
 
Go to Layout>Layout Adjustment make sure it is ticked on.

Then double click on your master page (in your Pages Pallet) making sure you have bot pages selected, then goto Layout>Margins and Columns .
Make your adjustments there, this will adjust all the Page that the master page has been applied to.

Marcus
 
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