Indesign for quarkxpress users

Overview
Our aim is to train industry professionals migrating from Quark Xpress to what is fast becoming the industry standard software. Trained by professionals who understand the intricacies and pressures of real-world issues. Learn to access features previously only available in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop without leaving InDesign.

Prerequisites
Delegates should have good working knowledge of QuarkXPress. Designers, production staff or print professionals working in publishing or design should attend.

Course Content The InDesign Environment

• Setting Preferences, Defaults and Presets
• Using the tools and panels
• Control panel
• Using contextual menus
• Opening and closing documents
• Navigating a document

Document Layout

• Setting up pages and basic layout options
• Using rulers, guides, grids and layers
• Targeting and Selecting pages
• Working with pages and spreads
• Automatic page numbering and sections
• Using master pages including "parent/child" masters
• Using the all new powerful find & change.

Laying out pages with frames

• Creating and using Frames
• Using the frame tools
• Creating text and graphic frames
• Setting frame properties

Working with Text

• Linking text frames
• Importing and exporting text
• Placing text in frames
• Threading text through frames
• Setting text frame properties
• Smart text handling
• Editing text
• Finding and changing text
• Checking spelling
• Baseline Grid

Formatting Type

• Formatting characters
• Formatting paragraphs
• Working with tabs
• Controlling hyphenation and justification
• Optical kerning and alignment

Working with Styles

• Creating and applying paragraph styles
• Nested & next paragraph styles
• Overriding local formatting
• Copying & loading styles from other documents
• Object styles
• Redefining Paragraph, Character & Object styles

Importing Graphics

• Placing multiple images
• Fitting content to frames
• Fitting frames to content
• Managing links and embedded images
• Introduction to working with clipping paths
• Importing native Photoshop files
• Full resolution preview

Combining Text and Graphics

• Drawing Shapes
• Drawing basic shapes
• Drawing basic freeform shapes

Effects & Transparency

• Creating transparency
• Using effects - Drop Shadows, Feathering and Gradient.
• Flattener Preview
• Importing files with transparency
• Photoshop effects - within InDesign - Bevel & Embossing, Inner & Outer Glows etc.

Selecting and Transforming Objects

• Moving objects
• Using the Transform panel
• Grouping and ungrouping objects
• Anchored Objects
• Alignment tools (greatly expanded even from CS2!)
• Pathfinder

Using Colours

• Defining and applying colours
• Importing colours from colour libraries
• Mixed Inks
• Loading colours from other applications
• Creating and applying gradients

Tables

• Creating tables
• Merge/Unmerge Cells
• Table headers and footers
• Viewing cell frame edges
• Saving Table and Cell styles

Exporting InDesign Documents

• PDF
• PDF/X
• JPEG
• EPS

Printing

• Preparing for commercial printing
• Installing and selecting a PPD
• Separation Preview
• Printing a document
• Performing a preflight check before printing
• Packaging files for hand off

File Management with Adobe Bridge