Thanks for the much awaited description. It is very helpful in my decision to buy or not to buy. I only work in print design, so a lot of the InD CS4 is stuff I don't need (or need to pay for). Still, can you expand on "the ability to refine the way strokes are created"? Thanks very much for an excellent article and for taking the questino.
-Jeremy
Submitted by jcousin60 on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 07:06.
Thanks for the much awaited description. It is very helpful in my decision to buy or not to buy. I only work in print design, so a lot of the InD CS4 is stuff I don't need (or need to pay for). Still, can you expand on "the ability to refine the way strokes are created"? Thanks very much for an excellent article and for taking the questino.
-Jeremy
Submitted by jcousin60 on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 07:06.
Actually, you can use it on a G4, but you need a G5 to install it. I run my computer on an external FireWire drive. I installed CS4 on it with a G5 and it runs pretty good on the G4. needless to say, it is a little slow here.
Thanks for the question. In InDesign CS4, you can control several stroke characteristics in the stroke panel. This includes being able to choose if strokes occur on the inside or outside of a text character, and how the strokes are joined. So, if you choose a larger stroke weight, you can, by varying some of these parameters, get better results than before. These options have been in Illustrator previously, but now can be applied in ID.
Submitted by GeneGable on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 19:36.
Thanks David, for the suggestion. I was referencing the "official" specs from Adobe, and didn't think to try it your way. But you're absolutely right that the first obstacle is that the installer won't let you run it on a G4 -- your workaround certainly is a clever one (though of course it requires at least one machine that meets the specs, or a willing co-worker or neighbor!).
Submitted by GeneGable on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 19:39.
Thanks for the review Gene. I can't see any reason to upgrade from CS2 to 4. It sounds like web based flim flam for something to do. I wish it weren't so.
It would be nice if Adobe would publish WHO these upgrades are for: Hot shot big magazine publishers, web based database catalogs, print publishers, design mavens, etc. To say that THIS edition is for everyone is disingenuous.
Photoshop seems to be like this too.
I'm sure Illustrator could go through a LOT more changes with possibilities.
Handling normal functions such as (IMO) Adobe's weak "dictionary" limitations and the ability to handle large translation tables (instead of one at a time or writing scripts until kingdom come). Doing a college catalog with lots of reference numbers, etc. is important--the ability to suppress checks of those numbers, or including them is important. The current limitations are very low and useless. I also work in biographical areas and foreign names are important for inclusion and this fills up the dictionary quickly. How about a method to break a file in two pieces without leaving a trailing back half or vice versa. These are very important tools in the publishing area.
So WHO is CS4 for? It isn't the $200, it's that it doesn't seem useful to me for what I do and I do chess books and they can be very complicated.
Submitted by bobbyfozz on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 19:59.
Not sure if this would help at all for the chess books, but I didn't mention that when you add a custom word, name or phrase to a user dictionary all languages will then treat the term as correctly spelled. A small bit of progress, but could be important for those working in multiple languages! Thanks for the comments--I think it's safe to say Adobe may be depending on third parties to supply some of the functionality you are looking for.
Submitted by GeneGable on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 21:35.
I'm running the last beta build of InDesign CS4 on my G4 PowerBook...I had no issues or workarounds with the installer and it's running great in Leopard. WAY better than CS3 ever did. Now, unless something changed from the beta to the final copy (which I'm eagerly awaiting), I don't foresee any issues. Running: PowerBook G4 1.5GB RAM with 1.67 GHz processor, 10.5.
Well, thanks again for the great comments. As it turns out, my beta version would not install on my Powerbook G4 (1.5 GHz), but I just tried to install the shipping version and sure enough, although it warned me that my system did not meet Adobe's "suggested" minimum system requirements, it seems to be installing the CS4 Master Collection.
So unofficially, that's three of us who have been able, one way or another, to install CS4 on a G4 Mac. But beware of ignoring the installation requirements, and we'll see how much speed penalty there is. I'll report back later!
The good news is, thanks to having to do the review, I found the excuse to get a new Macbook, so all is not lost!
Submitted by GeneGable on Fri, 10/31/2008 - 11:05.
It seems that footnotes are still one of the major weaknesses of InDesign. Can you (easily) put footnotes in a single column at the bottom of a two-column page? Can you put all footnotes at the bottom of the right column in a two-column page? And of course import Word files with footnotes (the preferred format by authors) without any restriction. I don't think so. O.k. you say, buy a commercial plugin. And my answer is: Have you really found one that can do this easily (comfortable) and correctly? The only one I have seen is pricey, unusable, and has restrictions with importing word files ("Microsoft Word footnotes and endnotes can be imported in CS and endnotes in CS2"). Thus book publishing is still difficult. Or did I miss something?
selamThanks for the question. In InDesign CS4, you can control several stroke characteristics in the stroke panel.
This includes being able to choose if strokes occur on the inside or outside of a text character, and how the strokes are joined. So, if you choose a larger stroke weight, you can, by varying some of these parameters, get better results than before. These options have been in Illustrator previously, but now can be applied in ID. sohbet
chat
Is it possible in CS4 to print out the links list? I know that you can do it in CS3 via the preflight report but, as far as I know, it is not customizable and it includes much info that is extraneous to my needs. Also is there a way to see the percentage increase or reduction on the image?
It is frustrating as you go to place when using multiple paged pdf files the show options tick drops off, so when in a rush you end up placing page 1 of the document.
Has anyone got a solution to keeping the show options box checked.
1. In InDesign CS4, when packaging the document for the printer, where can you decide that maybe you just want the InDesign document, not the fonts, or maybe not the links, because the printer may already have the fonts. In CS2, you could deselect FONTS, LINKS, etc., but where is that option in CS4?
2. InBooklet allowed us to paginate a document (usually for a quick printer), and Save As another document. CS4 only lets you go straight to print. I just want to be able to PAGINATE.
Good job covering the essentials while keeping it fairly brief....I've been looking at CS4 for awhile and with the majority of my projects now involving interactive PDFs this looks like a smart move from CS3. Thanks! - Steven S.
Thanks for the much awaited
Thanks for the much awaited description. It is very helpful in my decision to buy or not to buy. I only work in print design, so a lot of the InD CS4 is stuff I don't need (or need to pay for). Still, can you expand on "the ability to refine the way strokes are created"? Thanks very much for an excellent article and for taking the questino.
-Jeremy
Strokes
Thanks for the much awaited description. It is very helpful in my decision to buy or not to buy. I only work in print design, so a lot of the InD CS4 is stuff I don't need (or need to pay for). Still, can you expand on "the ability to refine the way strokes are created"? Thanks very much for an excellent article and for taking the questino.
-Jeremy
Not on a G4
Actually, you can use it on a G4, but you need a G5 to install it. I run my computer on an external FireWire drive. I installed CS4 on it with a G5 and it runs pretty good on the G4. needless to say, it is a little slow here.
Text Strokes
Thanks for the question. In InDesign CS4, you can control several stroke characteristics in the stroke panel. This includes being able to choose if strokes occur on the inside or outside of a text character, and how the strokes are joined. So, if you choose a larger stroke weight, you can, by varying some of these parameters, get better results than before. These options have been in Illustrator previously, but now can be applied in ID.
Running on a G4
Thanks David, for the suggestion. I was referencing the "official" specs from Adobe, and didn't think to try it your way. But you're absolutely right that the first obstacle is that the installer won't let you run it on a G4 -- your workaround certainly is a clever one (though of course it requires at least one machine that meets the specs, or a willing co-worker or neighbor!).
Adobe's CS4 for InDesign
Thanks for the review Gene. I can't see any reason to upgrade from CS2 to 4. It sounds like web based flim flam for something to do. I wish it weren't so.
It would be nice if Adobe would publish WHO these upgrades are for: Hot shot big magazine publishers, web based database catalogs, print publishers, design mavens, etc. To say that THIS edition is for everyone is disingenuous.
Photoshop seems to be like this too.
I'm sure Illustrator could go through a LOT more changes with possibilities.
Handling normal functions such as (IMO) Adobe's weak "dictionary" limitations and the ability to handle large translation tables (instead of one at a time or writing scripts until kingdom come). Doing a college catalog with lots of reference numbers, etc. is important--the ability to suppress checks of those numbers, or including them is important. The current limitations are very low and useless. I also work in biographical areas and foreign names are important for inclusion and this fills up the dictionary quickly. How about a method to break a file in two pieces without leaving a trailing back half or vice versa. These are very important tools in the publishing area.
So WHO is CS4 for? It isn't the $200, it's that it doesn't seem useful to me for what I do and I do chess books and they can be very complicated.
All-Language User Dictionaries
Not sure if this would help at all for the chess books, but I didn't mention that when you add a custom word, name or phrase to a user dictionary all languages will then treat the term as correctly spelled. A small bit of progress, but could be important for those working in multiple languages! Thanks for the comments--I think it's safe to say Adobe may be depending on third parties to supply some of the functionality you are looking for.
G4
I'm running the last beta build of InDesign CS4 on my G4 PowerBook...I had no issues or workarounds with the installer and it's running great in Leopard. WAY better than CS3 ever did. Now, unless something changed from the beta to the final copy (which I'm eagerly awaiting), I don't foresee any issues. Running: PowerBook G4 1.5GB RAM with 1.67 GHz processor, 10.5.
G4 or not G4?
Well, thanks again for the great comments. As it turns out, my beta version would not install on my Powerbook G4 (1.5 GHz), but I just tried to install the shipping version and sure enough, although it warned me that my system did not meet Adobe's "suggested" minimum system requirements, it seems to be installing the CS4 Master Collection.
So unofficially, that's three of us who have been able, one way or another, to install CS4 on a G4 Mac. But beware of ignoring the installation requirements, and we'll see how much speed penalty there is. I'll report back later!
The good news is, thanks to having to do the review, I found the excuse to get a new Macbook, so all is not lost!
Footnotes still not usable
It seems that footnotes are still one of the major weaknesses of InDesign. Can you (easily) put footnotes in a single column at the bottom of a two-column page? Can you put all footnotes at the bottom of the right column in a two-column page? And of course import Word files with footnotes (the preferred format by authors) without any restriction. I don't think so. O.k. you say, buy a commercial plugin. And my answer is: Have you really found one that can do this easily (comfortable) and correctly? The only one I have seen is pricey, unusable, and has restrictions with importing word files ("Microsoft Word footnotes and endnotes can be imported in CS and endnotes in CS2"). Thus book publishing is still difficult. Or did I miss something?
Strokes
selamThanks for the question. In InDesign CS4, you can control several stroke characteristics in the stroke panel.
This includes being able to choose if strokes occur on the inside or outside of a text character, and how the strokes are joined. So, if you choose a larger stroke weight, you can, by varying some of these parameters, get better results than before. These options have been in Illustrator previously, but now can be applied in ID. sohbet
chat
Links
Is it possible in CS4 to print out the links list? I know that you can do it in CS3 via the preflight report but, as far as I know, it is not customizable and it includes much info that is extraneous to my needs. Also is there a way to see the percentage increase or reduction on the image?
Thanks!
Gradients
Will CS4 cope with gradients output to pdf. The function doesn't work in CS3.
placing multiple objects
It is frustrating as you go to place when using multiple paged pdf files the show options tick drops off, so when in a rush you end up placing page 1 of the document.
Has anyone got a solution to keeping the show options box checked.
links - reply to
If you use the hollow arrow head, not the solid one, click on the image and it shows the bounding area of the photo/image & also the percentage
CS4
I've used Pagemaker 7 for a long time, but can't make any sense out of Indesign. Why can't they use plain language?
CS4 InDesign
1. In InDesign CS4, when packaging the document for the printer, where can you decide that maybe you just want the InDesign document, not the fonts, or maybe not the links, because the printer may already have the fonts. In CS2, you could deselect FONTS, LINKS, etc., but where is that option in CS4?
2. InBooklet allowed us to paginate a document (usually for a quick printer), and Save As another document. CS4 only lets you go straight to print. I just want to be able to PAGINATE.
Great Review!
Good job covering the essentials while keeping it fairly brief....I've been looking at CS4 for awhile and with the majority of my projects now involving interactive PDFs this looks like a smart move from CS3. Thanks! - Steven S.
CS4 conflicts with Helvetica Neue Light
My "bread and butter" typeface: Helvetica Neue Light is no longer available to me.
Why and what can be done about this?
Jim Anderson