Indesign CS2 export for HTML newsletter? 1

[rossmcd]

Hi folks

My business needs to start a newsletter.
I use Indesign CS2 for various design work and am curious to know if I could use it for a newsletter to be distributed via email.

I know there are many design&host HTML newsletter services...but I do not really need design nor hosting!

Can Indesign export files in HTML? Or must I use PDFs downloaded from my website?

Any clever ideas or experiences welcomed

Ross

 

[Eggles]

>>Can Indesign export files in HTML? <<

AFAIK, no. If you are hoping to retain the layout, then you export as a PDF. Otherwise you will need to reassemble the text and images in something like Dreamweaver, but it is unlikely you would get the look of the original.

 

[Ekwoman]

If you're willing to delve into XML, you can repurpose the content from the InDesign file for use on the web. You could use that in conjunction with a mail program that let's you send HTML emails. I use Mailings, which lets me send an HTML email by entering a web location for it to grab the info from.

If you use GoLive, you can package an InDesign file for GoLive. It's not really all that pretty, but it's doable. Depends on how graphically intense the file is. You used to be able to export to HTML and use any HTML software, but they changed it to GoLive only (I think in CS). You would then take the resulting code from GoLive and do whatever you need to to send the HTML email.

So, it is possible, but setting up the workflow will take a while. If it's something you're going to do on a regular basis, it would be worth the time since it would be a set-up one time and use many times kind of thing. Hope that helps some.

 

[jmgalvin]

You have to be careful with any sort of html mail because, for security purposes, many people and corporations have the email set to text only, since it cannot hold any nasties. With text only your html becomes worthless.

You could consider exporting a screen quality pdf and attaching it

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[Ekwoman]

I really like the program I use (Mailings) since it gives me everything I need in an HTML delivery program:

It gives me the option to include a plain text preamble (such as go here: www. websitename .com if you can't read the HTML) so my beautifully designed piece is still viewable and I can still get the message out.

It works with OS X's Address Book program and I can pick and choose who gets the email.

It allows me to throttle back the list, since my host only allows a limited amount of messages per hour.

It was relatively inexpensive...like $25US I think.

I guess this is probably for another forum, but just my two cents' worth...and working InDesign into the flow is definitely doable, too!

 

[rossmcd]

thanks guys, comments are very helpful.

i was not aware of the mailings application. i'll trial it. and comments about security are certainly noted. if poss, i'd be delighted to design my newsletters in Indesign as, well, i'm completely comfortable with its functionality.

seems that is does a great job, so i must reflect on:
- delivery rates. the html newsletter services claim a materially higher delivery rate than my server at 1and1
- subscriptions/unsubcriptions. doable manually, but automated far preferable.

cheers again.
ross

 

[Ekwoman]

Good luck! Let us know how it all turns out.

 

[rossmcd]

Ekwoman

Wonder if I could borrow your brain for a moment.
It's been a month or so since your counsel but I've now decided to give your approach a shot (being Indesign -> XML -> HTML? -> Mailings).

It is the XML -> Mailings piece on which I seek guidance.
I'm getting the basic idea of placing text within Structure/Tags in Indesign. Hardly intuitive but getting there. But I'm baffled as to:
(a) how this translates into html for use in mailings
(b) how this approach maintains the nice design per Indesign

does the workflow need to involve golive?
presumably any images in the hmtl email are stored directly in the email (rather than loading from my server)?
do you also use the iform tool?
if relevant, i'm using cs2 mac.

if this is off-topic then simply let me know.

i had no idea this would be tricky. nor did i realise that the email services had, well, very basic designs or expensive custom design options. remind me never ever to even consider delving into the world of web design!

cheers, ross

p.s. if anyone tries demo'ing Mailings, I'd firmly encourage backing up your Apple Address Book first...Mailings somehow deleted my entire address book. second install worked ok. thank goodness for idisk backup.