I’m happy to announce the release of my new lynda.com course, Developing Multi-state Objects with InDesign. The idea for this course came about from the myriad questions I’ve received and read in the Adobe forums as well as the little quirks I’ve found while working on multi-state objects (MSOs) for both Digital Publishing Suite (DPS) and/or fixed layout EPUB.
While most of the movies in the course are applicable to both DPS and EPUB there are a few that only pertain to one or the other. I hope you’ll find it helpful and informative should you be working on a project for DPS or EPUB.
So, why the Almost in the title of this post? There are still a few bugs in in EPUB export (particularly with anchored buttons) that made it difficult to demo some of the neat little tricks you can do and I didn’t want to do anything that might be confusing but overall, I think it’s a fairly comprehensive look at MSOs and should get the wheels turning for your own DPS or EPUB projects. There is as with all courses, a feedback button and you can reach me that way or through comments on this post. Either way, I look forward to your feedback.
While I’m on the topic of lynda courses, while I was in California recording this course I recorded a few updated movies for my Adobe Digital Publishing Suite Essential Training course so be sure to check that out, as well.
If you don’t have a lynda.com subscription, you can get a 10-day trial by visiting lynda.com/trial/BobLevine.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am presently working on a sample FXL to use as a prototype for future projects… This couldn’t have come at a better time! :-)
Thanks, Maryse! Please let me know what you think after watching it.
Hi Bob, just took a look and did some wondering: using MSO’s to control the video and the anchored text frame. Why so complex? Make your Play, Pause and Resume objects and turn them into buttons. Then add this actions to the Play button: Play Video, Hide itself, Show Pause button. Make sure the buttons Pause and Resume are hidden untill triggered! Then let the Pause button hide itself, pause the video and show the Resume button etc. I’m doing this already a long time for audio. More simple.
Hi, Frans
The purpose of the course is to open up some possibilities that people don’t know about. Anchoring buttons works for other purposes and hiding/showing buttons does not work in DPS. Even it it did, those buttons would be rasterized and look horrible on hiDPI devices.
Ah yes, DPS. I stopped caring about DPS ;-) Rasterizing never been a problem however, simple icons (big ones) never gave me a problem. But I see your point, I understand why you do it they way you do, I just felt that the alternative was worth mentioning ;-)
I appreciate you taking the time the watch and comment.
Hi Bob, this title appears to be no longer on LinkedIn Learning. Is there another place I can get to it? Or can you recommend another training on MSOs that’s equivalent? Thanks!
Unfortunately, I think they archived it. I disagree with that decision because nothing’s really changed, but honestly, I don’t have time to track down who to contact about it. If you do contact them, perhaps they’ll change their minds.