Like a ring binder, a DPS multi-folio app is empty until the user downloads the content.
Despite the best efforts of Adobe to educate their customers one of the questions I see posted quite often in the User to User forums revolves around the difference between Digital Publishing Suite (DPS) Single Edition and the multi-folio apps like those found on Apple’s Newsstand.
The best analogy I can offer is to compare a hard cover book with a ring binder where Single Edition is the hardcover book and the multi-folio app is the ring binder. How so?
The Single Edition apps are self contained. There’s the viewer that is akin to the cover and the folio which is the content of the book. These are permanently bound together while a multi-folio app is actually empty and has the ability to download issues which will appear in the app library. Like a binder, it can contain whatever it is that you put in it. If you’ve used the Adobe Content Viewer, you should be very familiar with the library view.
Let’s compare a couple of apps on the iTunes app store to see examples, and a bit of evidence of this difference. First we’ll look at a single edition app that I worked on last year, The March of Dimes, My 9 Months app. Check out the size of this app; it’s 105 megabytes. This is a dead giveaway that it’s Single Edition app.
Now let’s check out Bob Bringhurst’s DPS Tips app; it’s only 11 megabytes and unlike the Single Edition apps, when you launch it, you’ll see a library of folios available to be downloaded as shown in this screenshot:
This is the library view of Bob Bringhurst’s DPS Tips app; an example of a multi-folio app (click for a larger view).
Which one is right for you? That depends on two primary factors; your content and your budget but for InDesign production purposes both have the same functionality. Two key points to keep in mind:
- Single Edition is iPad only. If you want to target Android devices or iPhone, you will need to do so with a multi-folio app.
- You cannot sell or give away subscriptions with a Single Edition app nor can you have in app purchases. If you have a series of apps, they’ll all be treated individually by Apple just as multiple books by the same author would sit side by side in a book store.
As for cost, you can create an unlimited number of Single Edition apps as part of a Creative Cloud membership. They are $395 each otherwise (a big selling point for Creative Cloud). Multi-folio apps require a professional or enterprise level account from Adobe at prices that start at $500/month and you’ll have to pay for each issue that is downloaded after using up the allotment of folio downloads included with your plan.
Finally, you cannot distribute any app, whether Single Edition or multi-folio, privately unless you have enterprise level accounts with Adobe AND Apple. All other apps require submission to the iTunes App Store.
Thank you, I am from India and what if, I want to publish as many apps for the private company for android apps, Apple store and Blackberry mobiles and tablets and what if they want to update their data like images, content, interactivity and videos once in a week and what would be the price of the Adobe if I want to purchase an Enterprise Suite for me.
To publish privately you’ll need an Enterprise account. These accounts are negotiated directly with Adobe so you’ll need to contact them.
There is no support in DPS for Blackberry.
I have a few questions (not sure if this is the correct spot for it).
We are in the process of proposing costs for rolling out ipad and android tablet versions of our internal staff magazine. I have to get costs in place as part of the presentation.
I am just trying to work out what all the costs will entail.
• The DPS subscriptions (is it per edition per platform for the single edition or per edition, unlimited platforms)
• What other costs would be involved.
Thank you!
If you plan on distributing privately you will need an enterprise account with Adobe and Apple. You would need to contact Adobe to negotiate the contract. Enterprise accounts are very expensive so be prepared.
Single edition is iPad only and must be distributed publicly.
Thanx! We are kind of an internal studio to a large corporate insurance company.
They are looking at cutting printing and distribution costs for their printed magazine by 50% end this year and expanding into digital versions.
I will contact Adobe for more pricing options and details.
So Single edition can only be used for ipad not androids and other mobile devices? If so that’s a big wow!
that was also my question Antonio. I fricked out when i realized that single edition is only for ipad.
Say for example I want to create a monthly ipad magazine for free. Does that mean that if I am using the single edition I’ll have to have 10 separate apps for 10 separate months?
That’s exactly what it means and I wouldn’t count on something like that getting continual approval from Apple. That is not what Single Edition apps are intended for.
I spoke to someone at adobe who said that I can create a single edition app and update monthly with each new edition. Is this incorrect as per your reply above?
Hi Ross, In theory, yes, you can do that but but I wouldn’t count on Apple not putting a stop to it after a few months.
I’m not sure why I am still lost on this but I think that I am. I have a client that only wants to distribute their product catalog through iPad, which would be great for Single Edition. My question is, would we be able to update that catalog throughout the year using single edition?
You could but you’d have to resubmit it every time. Apple will catch on that eventually and they may not even approve it unless it has a great deal of interactivity and content which could stand on its own.
Single Edition apps are judged differently from subscription apps so go to the app store and download other apps that are similar to the ones you’re thinking of doing. But make sure they’re single apps, not multi issue apps.
I’d rather not take that “chance”, but when you refer to multi-issue apps, is that Pro version or enterprise? Is there a quick answer to what the difference is in those two options?
Pro or enterprise will give you the option to publish multi-folio apps. Enterprise adds features such as customizable store fronts and private distribution.
They both carry monthly price tags and download fees.
Hi Bob,
People are confused because the documentation is fragmented and confusing for DPS with Apple. Now, for my question: I have a SE license with Creative Cloud subscription. If I create a folio for a company as a freelancer on my own computer, do I then submit the app to their Developer account? The app should be under their name as owner not mine. It says in the Apple blurbs that SE was created for freelancers and small design firms” so I assume that means that we can submit the folio to a company’s developer account?
Darn..kept typing Apple when I meant Adobe!
There are any number of ways to handle it but your client really should have their own Apple Developer Account. Have them send you their certificates and you can create the app. Provide the files to them to submit to Apple.
Of course, there’s nothing to stop you from providing the creation of the certs and submission to Apple as part of the service.
Bob, need your brains and help. I have a client that was in a rush so we created a single app but now they want that app in multiple languages. So I called Adobe and they recommended the professional account to my client so we can do a multi-folio. It’s a catalog and it’s free. So I need some help with the steps to get this done. Can you give me a numbered steps on how this would work? This is my guess. Create a folio for each language and upload. Then when I go through the app building process I need to tie all the language folios (6 of them) to the multi-folio. I just don’t know how to do that. Is that all done with the same adobe ID?
Help. Thanks
Yes, you create the app and then tie the 6 folios to that app by publishing them with the same ID. But you need to be aware of the costs involved even for a free app. You will have to pay Adobe $500/month plus a fee for every downloaded folio (after the freebies). A pro account comes with a support plan and it sounds like you’re going to need it.
BTW, when you log into DigitalPublishing.Acrobat.com there will be links to PDF getting started guides.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for this article, it helps clarify a lot more than any of Adobe’s documentation so far. We’re looking to publish cookbooks using DPS Creative Cloud, and our client wants to charge people to download these. Is that possible? Also, they are meant to be separate books rather than a magazine, do you think this would still cause problems with getting Apple to approve them? Our client wants to publish 3 or 4 a year, all under the same brand. We’re too small to be able to afford the Professional version, or to be able to get in a developer to create an app from scratch.
Thanks for your help. :)
I’ve seen cookbooks on the app store so my advice would be to take a look at the best of them, even if you have to pay and make note of the interactivity used in them. Make sure you CYA by putting in writing that Apple is the sole decider as to what goes on the app store. If you get rejected you can point to the books that are there already and speaking of which, do not refer to them as books in any correspondence with Apple. Good luck!
Thanks for the info Bob. What is the download allotment for the Creative Suite route? Freebies? Could you explain that portion of the process?
Hi Chris, For Single Edition apps there is no download fee at all since there is no hosting being done by Adobe. If you elect to charge for your app, Apple will take 30% of the fee as a commission.
Where is the hosting being done? Also, has that model changed in the last year? I seem to remember a huge overhead for my client wanting to sell their emag. Thanks again. There seems to be something unnecessarily difficult about this whole process…
A single edition app as explained in the post is self contained. There’s nothing to download once you have the app. For a multi folio app, the app itself is empty and the individual folios are hosted by Adobe. That’s where the charges come in for hosting and downloads.
Thanks for you patience Bob. So, for every initial single edition app download, there is no charge just a percentage of the sale price, right? What is the initial app download charge for a free app?
Free is exactly that…free. You pay Apple $99/year for your developer account. The Single Edition app is free to create with a Creative Cloud account. Otherwise, it’s $395.
Ok, so what did you mean earlier on when you referred to:
“But you need to be aware of the costs involved even for a free app. You will have to pay Adobe $500/month plus a fee for every downloaded folio (after the freebies).” What are the freebies? What is the fee for download?
Thanks
$500/month is for the professional account for hosting for multi folio apps. Each account includes a number of downloads. I don’t recall exactly how many. After that you pay for each one even if the app and each folio is free.
Great resource Bob – much easier to digest than the rather convoluted Adobe documentation. Still confused about something though – we have a client we’d like to create a single edition folio ‘app’ for out of an existing InDesign brochure we have done for them. We’d add some interaction, pinch-zoom, slideshows, etc. Our small design co has two full Creative Cloud accounts with the SE licenses. In the end the ‘app’ would go on our clients sales teams iPads (approx 10 in total) but because the final app will be of no use/interest to anyone other that our clients sales team our preference would be to bypass the App Store. Sounds like the only way to do this ‘privately’ (ie. bypass App Store) is to purchase their outrageously priced enterprise license?! Surely there is another way?
If all you have are 10 iPads then you can just use the free Adobe Content Viewer to distribute the folios. there’s no cost involved and only those that you share it with will have access. I’ve done this for several clients. You get all the same features but it’s not a branded app, which shouldn’t matter in this case.
I’m hoping to get something straight…
As far as I can see.. if I own a single edition adobe account I can publish to the app store using a clients developer account (So they have their name on it). And therefore, publish on behalf of multiple clients using the same Adobe license but alternate Apple dev creds?
Does this also apply to the Pro and Enterprise Adobe DPS accounts? I.e. If I sign up for that, can I then publish on behalf of multiple clients using their Apple dev IDs?
Cheers
LK
Yes, you can publish on behalf of clients though it’s recommended that the client have their own Apple account. You should really discuss this with Adobe when you buy the license for DPS.
Great resource Bob and I agree with the pother comments about this being unnecessarily difficult.
My question is around the upload process of the second folio in an app. So i have published a multi folio app on the app store for my client, and with that the first document (in this case an annual report). I cannot see any information on how to now publish a second report, unless I am over complicating the issue. Is it as simple as hitting “publish” in the folio producer or do I have to go through apple again?
thanks
Roger
Roger, I suggest downloading the Adobe’s guide to publishing iOS apps for pro and enterprise customers. It’s available on the DPS dashboard under the additional resources section. From that document:
Thanks Bob, found my rookie error. my product id was the same as the previously published folio.
Thank for your tons of answers!
I’m making a single app (I have CreativeCloud plan) for my Client for iPad and Android.
The app is not free.
My questions are:
1) My client need a Professional DPS acount?
2) I need upgrade my Single Edition acount to Professional or only my client must have it?
3) Can I publish a single app with Pro acount or only multi-folio are available. (My client need a brand icon on ipad).
4) The app must be available only for 20 weeks (its a app that support a offline Ad), so can I cancel my Pro Acount suscription after deadline?
5 and last) Wahy do yo prefer? Work with my Adobe ID and single edition Account or with Adobe ID of my client?
Thanks and sorry by so many questions.
1. DPS Single Edition is iPad only. For anything else you’ll need at least a professional account.
2. That’s up to you, but if you’re going to publish on behalf of your client be aware that if you end your account the folios will not be available to download any longer.
3. Single Edition is available to anyone but again, it’s iPad only. All other devices must use a multi-folio app.
4. I’m not sure what you’re getting at here but Pro accounts are available on a monthly basis. Be aware that just because the app or the folios are not available for download doesn’t mean they will be erased from anyone’s device.
5. Your call again especially for multi-folio apps. For Single Edition it doesn’t really matter but in any event the client should have their own Apple Developer account.
Hi Bob,
Maybe I missed this answer but I simply need to know if I create an interactive book in InDesign CC and published it with the CC Digital Publishing Suite, Would I then be able to charge people money (like $1.99) on the Apple App store to download? .. or does it have to be Free?
You can charge whatever you want for it. Apple will take 30% of the proceeds so plan accordingly.
Bob,
We love you. I have no question (as of now), but admiration with the way you handle them all.
Thanks so much, I’ve learned a ton.
Cheers,
Cat
Agreed! I am about ready to send out the first app for testing and super excited!
Thanx for the patience!
Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your project(s)
Hello Bob. I have a question about the DPS Professional Edition. Do you know If you have to pay the additional US$395 for each folio to Publish a Single Folio app to iPad or Is it included in the US$5,940 Annual Fee? Thank you in advance for your response.
Hi Asbed, my apologies for the late reply. No, you do not pay additional for single edition apps with a professional license for DPS, nor do you pay any download fees.
Hi Bob,
Is there a possibility to export dps folio’s to html5 files?
No. If you want HTML5 from InDesign check out in5 from Ajar Productions: http://www.ajarproductions.com/pages/products/in5/
Hi Bob, 1 more question, please.
I have made some pull-out tabs. In the text I have included some text hyperlinks (mainly to email URLs).
These do not seem to work when testing it.
Is it not supported in the scrollable frame?
Or what would be a simple workaround?
Thank you!
Honestly, I rarely use hyperlinks in text. It’s just way too wonky. I generally use no fill/no stroke buttons. These can be grouped or anchored to your scrolling text.
That said, yes, the hyperlinks should work. If you’re still having issues, you might want to post in the Adobe DPS user to user forum.
Thanx! I figured a button route might be the way to go, but was trying to avoid it…
I’m just saying: THANKS, BOB. I really mean it :)
Thanks for all of the great information above. Per one of the posts above, I have a client that wants to share out a single folio to 20-30 internal team members and they would prefer this app not to be in the iTunes store. To save the cost of having to do the Enterprise Adobe and Apple account I was thinking of using the Adobe Content Viewer for distribution. Do you know if there is a limit to how many people you can share folios to and the number of folios a Creative Cloud account can share out at one time?
Hi Martin, there is no limit that I am aware of and 20-30 should not present a big problem. I’ve shared folios with that many in the past.
Thanks Bob. Is there a limit to the number of different folios that can be shared using a Creative Cloud account and the Adobe Content Viewer?
This is a great article, and has answered many things I seemed to be going round in circles asking!
I have one further question though, as I’m looking to try something similar to Martin for testing and development purposes. I’m concerned that handing out my Creative Cloud credentials to the testers could lead to issues, is there any way to ‘share’ the folios with a separate Adobe ID do you know? (that way I can ensure the security of the main CC account).
From the folio builder panel in InDesign, select the folio, open the panel menu and your answer will be staring right at you! :)
If there’s a limit I haven’t hit it yet. :)
Thanks again. Not sure if this is the right thread to ask, so let me know if this needs to be moved to another topic. I have a client who has purchased the Professional platform, our firm is responsible for populating the folios. The library in the multi-folio app is now empty. I have logged into the DPS site and all folios are there, they just are not populating in the app like before. With that said, their subscription did expire and during the course of renewal Adobe said they would keep content available. However, since this process dragged on it seems that Adobe might have removed available content within the app. The renewal is complete, but the folios are not showing up. Not sure if this is tied to the renewal process or if the app itself needs to be updated. Any thoughts?
You’d really need to contact Adobe for that. A pro customer should have gold support contact information available to them. The only thing I would check is to make sure that the Adobe ID tied to the app is the same as the ID that created the folios.
Yes, both ID’s were the same. Will contact Adobe. Thanks again for all of your help.
I noticed that Adobe has dropped support for iOS5 with v28. The build history page states to use v27. However the authoring tools only show an option of v28 or v29. Is the ability to publish to v27 no longer available and all iPad 1/iOS 5 obsolete from running a single or multi folio DPS app?
There was a very short window that allowed the creation of v27 and v28 apps. That window closed a while ago. There is no way to create an iOS5 compatible DPS app at this point.
I just found the v27 option in the folio properties menu. I got confused when looking at the App Builder and only seeing v28 and v29. Will an app created with v28 or v29 work with iOS 5?
Hindsight: You should have created a v27 app when Adobe alerted all customers to the EOL of iOS5 support. It’s too late now. Any app created will only be supported on iOS6 and later. Had you done that, you could have created v27 compatible folios which would have worked on all devices. IIRC you have a v25 app in the app store now. Any folio created with a later compatibility will prompt your readers to update the app and those on iOS5 will be unable to do so.
First, let me echo what others have said about how helpful this article has been. I have been trying for months to wrap my head around the differences between single and multiple edition. I’m not prepared to say I now completely understand it, but you’ve gotten me pretty darn close. Thanks for that.
I have a CC membership. I’m wanting to create iPad publications based on cruises that I take. I originally envisioned this as being a magazine with issues being published only after each cruise … thus requiring a multi-folio app. But now I’m thinking another option might be to have each one essentially be more like a book about that particular cruise … thus lending itself to a Single Edition app.
Thanks to you I now understand that as such each issue would have to be available to anyone for free. So here’s the kicker. As far as you know, would it be permissible to monetize the project by including advertising within the publication?
Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad you found the information helpful. Two points about single edition apps.
1. If you want to have it approved it must be highly interactive and engaging. A glorified PDF won’t cut it and Apple will likely reject it.
2. You can charge whatever you want for it. Apple will take 30% and you get the rest.
Thanks again.
I think I have point #1 covered. The plans for the pub include videos, slide shows, scrolling content, etc. I’ve been looking at lots of 3rd party digital publishing platforms and none of them offer all of the interactivity or the specific way I want it to work. InDesign and DPS meet virtually all of my needs exactly.
As far as point #2 goes I guess I still misunderstood that. Somehow I got the impression that while as a CC participant I can publish unlimited single editions, I couldn’t charge for them. You’re saying I can charge (assuming Apple approves the pub) and I’ve done a bit more research that seems to verify that.
Yes, you can charge for it. Stop worrying, create a killer app, and get rich! :)
Bob, thanks so much for sending me here from the adobe forum. This is exactly what the adobe documentation should make clear! You’ve done such a great job at helping people that I’m going to join lynda.com to watch your video :)
I do have 1 final question though. I design magazines and, while I’d love to get a pro account I just can’t realistically afford it at the moment. However, I could offer single edition apps for our special trade show editions. So would I be able to put adverts within the pages? I realise it has to be more than just a pdf of articles, I’d add as much interactivity as possible, but can you add adverts within it? If so, can you make them links to click through to an advertisers site?
Thanks for all the info :)
Ian
You can try it, but that type of Single Edition app is a crapshoot as far as Apple approval. It’s going to need a lot of interactivity and while there’s no rule against ads, make sure the app isn’t all ads.
Ok, once again many thanks for all your help :)
Bob, I hope you don’t mind me asking another question. Just trying to get this whole thing clear in my mind. It occurred to me that a newsstand app is what I’d ideally want to create. Would this be a ‘multi-folio’ app that I could create with the pro/enterprise edition? Am I right in thinking the only option for me (outwith learning Objective-c) would be to use the pro/ent edition then flag it in itunes connect as a newsstand app?
Also, I take it I’d be able to create android versions too then?
Sorry to be a pain!
Many thanks
Ian :)
Pretty much, Ian. And yes, a pro or enterprise account will allow publishing to iOS, Android, and Windows 8.1. Be aware that the licensing terms for pro accounts now only allows for one app.
Thanks Bob. Seems mad to me that they should only allow 1 app for a pro account. I mean I had hoped to offer newstand publications as a service to potential clients, but if I can only create one app then what would be the benefit of getting the DPS at all over going with a company that will do it all for you? I feel like I’m missing something. Adobe seem to be shooting themselves in the foot aren’t they?
Don’t confuse app with folio. You can have as many folios as you want but just one app. And that app can be in each store.
Ok colour me confused now :) Doesn’t this just mean that I could have my own app in which I could publish many different clients’ publications (folios)?
I work freelance so what I’d rather be able to do is to create a branded app for any client that wants one so they could have their own publication (folio) within their own branded app.
Am I right in thinking I’d need the enterprise edition for that? In which case it’s the reserve for large design companies?
Sorry again for being so confused by this!
Thanks
Ian :)
If the client wants an app, factor in the cost of the pro account. It’s $400/month plus download fees.
Hi,
We developed a folio using DPS single edition and was wondering how to put it in the newstand of apple? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Single Edition apps are not eligible for newsstand.
Hi Bob,
All very helpful info here, thanks. One question. If I have a client who wants a newsstand app (ie separate from the iPad newsstand) to publish many of it’s publications, some as subscription, some as freebies, is that possible under a pro license or would it have to be enterprise?
Hi James, Newsstand apps can be created with Enterprise or Pro accounts.
Hi Bob,
I created a Single Edition app with my Creative Cloud account and published it successfully (following Adobe’s DPS steps). But now I have cleaned up a few of the screens, larger icons, enlarged text for better readability and replaced some audio (something which I want to do again at 5x exactly. They’re stories that did not make it on the first roll out.). I am a bit confused if that is allowed with my account , I am not changing the title or the look of the app. so does this mean I need to do all of the certificates again?
To summarize:
1. I want to replace audio content, 5x (1 to each screen), but only have 1 at the moment.
2. Generating Certificates, do I need to do all of them again?
3. If only specific certificates are required, which ones and what steps are needed?
With single edition you create a new app and submit it to Apple as an update. On the assumption that the current certificates haven’t expired, you can use them again.
Bob,
Thank you for your speedy reply. So lets see if I understand you correctly; given that current certificates are active, I then do the following:
1. Submit each update as a new app not a new version of the existing app in the App store.
2. does not require new dev or dist mobile provisions to submit to Apple.
Thank you in advance for the support.
Oh, one more thing I forgot, once Apple approves the “new” app (update),
1. is the older one deleted by Apple?
2. Or do I need to delete it from the App store?
You need to create it as a new app using the app builder but you submit it to Apple as an update (assuming you have version 1.0 in the app store, submit this as 1.5 or 2.0). If you look at other apps that have been updated there’s usually a “what’s new in this version” section. That’s info you’ll need to supply as well.
Once they review it, the new version will replace the old.
Hi Bob,
Appreciate all the good advice you have dispensed here.
I have a query (apologies if something similar has already been answered) regarding a client that wants to create a one time app celebrating the tenth anniversary of their organization. They want the app to be available on both iPad and Android tablet devices.
My understanding is that I would need to get a Professional account which will allow me to upload the app to the App store where it will have unlimited downloads and remain there as long as I maintain my Apple iTunes developer account. For the Android version I would be able to upload it to the Google Play store where it would be available only as long as my Adobe Professional account is paid up and enough fulfillments available. Is this understanding correct?
Thanks
That’s it in a nutshell.
Great. Thanks Bob.
Hi Bob,
Just wondering if you have any experience with Quark’s ‘App Studio’ plugin for inDesign?
I’ve watched their own video and downloaded their example file and it looks a bit complicated, what with using different named layers etc. But if it works ok then the cost is significantly lower than any other provider I can find, and might be a good option to be able to offer clients with a smaller budget. I’m just wondering if that should be a red flag and that I’m missing something. There doesn’t seem to be much about it online so not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing :)
Thanks
Ian
I actually did some videos for them when it was PressRun before Quark bought them. Those videos are still on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWt9V6S3iKU).
Depending on your needs it may be worth looking at. Quark has done a pretty good job of allowing them to develop for InDesign as well as XPress.
The output is different in that they use an HTML5 export. This is good and bad. Good in that you have live text but there are various limitations that you might run into. I can’t really give you any advice beyond that.
Ah that’s cool, thanks for the link. I didn’t realise it was previously called PressRun so that’s perhaps why I had some problems searching for resources. I’ll definitely go through these. As always, thanks for the info :)
Bob, I’m creating an app for a company that has a large inventory with new products every year, plus training videos and brochures etc. The app won’t change but the content will, like a new product will be added to the app dynamically. Also I would like to have push notifications etc. A lot of dynamic content but the app itself will not change. Am I looking at the enterprise edition to be able to do this?
I’m not sure what you mean by “the app won’t change.” Do you want the folio itself to constantly update?
Say I have an app that has buttons that have links to a media streaming service like YouTube or Brightcove. There are several videos… in upwards to 40 videos to choose from with more added every month. The video would be listed in text format on a scroll wheel, I was thinking the best way to go about this is to have that list access an xml file that has the title of the video (the portion that you see in the scroll wheel) and also link information. That way I can update the xml page with new videos links and the app would pick up those new listing without having to update or redownload the app every time. (Possible?)
I think the easiest way to accomplish that would be via a web content overlay with a link to an actual web page. Anything more complicated would be out my area of expertise.
Awesome, thanks for the quick reply and all the valuable help! :)
Hi Bob,
I’m new to app developing. I have a degree in graphic design, but it’s a few years since I graduated. I have a question for you. I am trying to get back into graphic design, I want to play around with designing apps. I am using InDesign CS5. I have downloaded FolioPanel and FolioProducer from adobe.com. Is there a cost for me to make apps using these extensions? I’m not planning on publishing anything online or in the app store, it’s just so I can play around with it and maybe learn a few new tricks.
Thanks!
Paal.
The use of CS5 with DPS is going to be discontinued within weeks. In the mean time you can use the Adobe Content Viewer to view folios. There is no way to create an actual app (big difference between a folio and an app) without paying for it.
If you want to learn more, check out my lynda.com course but note that there will be differences in CS5 workflows that did not cover.
Thanks for the quick response! I’m not planning on publishing anything, I was just planning on playing around with it, can I use the extensions (Folio Builder and Overlay Creator) from Adobe without a charge, the same as Kuler?
Yes, but as I said, only for the next few weeks. When the next version of DPS is released, you will no longer be able to build folios with CS5.
That’s fine. Thank you so much for all your help, I really appreciate it!
Have a great day!
Hi i have a question, if i want to put a price on my app, can i do it with single edition?
Hi Bob, if I create a number of single edition apps (at say 99cents each) one I have paid the $500 dollars for the cc membership, then decide not today for a second year of cc membership at the end of the 12 months, do my apps remain available in the App Store so that I can continue to collect the fee, or are they removed from the App Store if I do not pay for a second year of CC membership?
Single Edition apps, once created and submitted to Apple have no connection to your Adobe accounts.
Ok, so if you pay for a single edition app, it stays on the App Store making money for you for years, even if you do not have an Adobe membership. There is no 12 month validity or anything like that?
Think of a DPS SE app the same way as something you would have printed. Adobe has nothing to do with the final product once its completed.
Bob,
I apologize if you covered this. I read the first dozen or so questions to you then skipped down here.
Do you have any other recommendations for multi-folio app creation? I’m very new to app development, have an Apple Dev Account, as well as a Creative Cloud subscriber with Adobe. I have played around with DPS App Builder SE and like it, but i’m creating ‘magazines’. I may only produce three or four per year (sports related), but I may expand that to smaller and more frequent offerings.
The thought of giving Users free and paid content via a multi-folio is appealing as a means to push content to them that is separate from my site.
I have tons of server space, so self hosting is very much an option, and I have some coding experience (PHP).
Thank you for your time.
You could go with a Pro account that would cost you about $400/month. There are no “cheap” alternatives I know of. You can check out Mag+, Twixl, App Studio, or Aquafadas.
I wasn’t looking for “cheap”, as that is relative. The cost of the Pro account is crazy. I talked to Adobe about it and nearly lost my lid. It would be good if there was a measured option, even $500 a year would be worth my while. I will look at your other suggestions.
Thank you.
Hi Bob,
The company I work for currently create reports, fact sheets and newsletters as PDFs made available on the website but would like to make these available as more engaging and interactive DPS publications.
These publications vary across brands, some are one offs and some are repeated monthly/quarterly – Therefore creating them as Single Edition apps doesn’t seem like the best route based on your comments above regarding continual approval from Apple. I also know that the cost of a multi folio app for each company brand would be far too expensive.
Would you suggest one pro licence, creating one multi folio app as an overall company library and then all the various publications/folios sit within this?
Thanks
That would seem to be the most cost effective way.
I have a couple quick questions… Speaking of multi-folio apps and adding second or third folios, do you need to have each folio approved by Apple before publishing it? Also, do you know how it works if you have multiple users (multiple computers) working on the same folio as far as how many licenses you need to purchase?
Just hit publish. You don’t have to submit the folios to Apple. It doesn’t matter how many designers are working on the project, it’s still going to be published under one license.
Hi Bob,
On DPS pro what’s the rule on the “folio issues”? Can I create multiple apps inside a multi folio even if it is not a news/related product? Example when I’m on the real estate business and I want to create a separate app for each project and brand, can I do it inside a multifolio? Also, is it possible to set this in newsstand even if the app is focused on promoting a project/product? Thanks
You are confusing apps and folios. The folios are the content for the app. A multi folio app is capable, as its name implies, of containing multiple folios. These types of apps can be on the newsstand or just the app store but do require that you offer a subscription.
Sorry for the confusion.
My question is if I can create multiple (folio) inside an app using a Pro subscription, can we do it in a form of brochures(purely sales/marketing content)? If so, assuming that the folios are not that interactive can it pass Apple if it is inside the multifolio? Or do we have to create a highly engaging folio on the first submission to get an approval from Apple?
In short the objective is to create a multi folio app with brochures/catalogs on it.
Thanks for your patience.
You should be fine but Apple does what Apple wants to do.
Hi Bob, this has doubtless been answered – I’m sorry, i have read all of the above, but my brain can’t cope! My situation is I have an interactive children’s book (with music) which I have designed in DPS. I would now like to publish – to the iPad alone is fine at this stage. I have a CC membership, but it’s single-product (InDesign). How do I proceed from here? Thanks very much.
You can try to submit it as a Single Edition but you’ll have to pay for the license which is $395. I don’t have a link for that handy.
You also need an Apple Developer account which is $99/year.
Many thanks for that.
How do you share your single edition app?
You don’t share an app, you share a folio (select it in the folio builder panel, open the panel menu and choose share). The only way to distribute the app is through the app store and you’ll need an Apple Developer account for that.
Hi Bob
Thanks for your reply, perhaps i didn’t word my question very well. When the app is available to be downloaded from the app store is there any way of alerting people that it is there and inviting them to download it? For instance, I imagined that I would email a link to the app in the app store? Or perhaps a QR code link to it?
Thanks
Kate
Either of those methods would work just fine. It’s really no different than alerting people to any other product.
Brilliant, thank you.
Hi Bob great blog!!! can you help me please ??? I did a multi folio app, but apple reject it, because my multifolio app shell appears empty, without the first folio inside, i thought that apple after the app review process ,i wiil be available to upload the different folios, and at first the app it will be appear empty, but then i can upload the folios and therefore appears inside the app !!! Is this correct ? i don’t understand why, when i tested the app in my ipad, appears the app the shell (the interface) perfectly but without the folios inside…. i mean like a nutshell without the folio inside…in fact the app appears empty. Can anyone help me please to understand this ??? so i can resubmit my app for review again to apple!!!! thanks a lot !!!