Step by Step InDesign

  1. mark styles for half title, title page, copyright an dedication. (To avoid style issues with Pagestaker script)
    • delete title page logos (script will put them back in)
    • remove printer and print history from bottom of copyright
  2. run Pagestaker script
  3. run LiveIndex script (If non-fiction) [deprecated: use python script]
  4. anchor heads to first paragraph (if necessary) and check pagestaker marks
  5. map/create export styles
    • import character, paragraph and object styles as necessary CC LIbrary: Orca Styles. See Indesign export styles.xlsx (master) or indd-styles.md (this is copy that may not be updated)
    • map/create paragraph and character export styles
    • map/create object export styles (asides)
    • add object style: sidebars etc. --> aside (for non-fiction)
    • map/create object export styles (figure)
  6. skim text for context breaks and add BREAK to blank space
    • if the break uses an image, export as break.png
  7. delete extra character styles / paragraph styles
  8. style images (see Images below)
    • anchor image to caption then...
    • anchor caption to text
  9. style asides,
    • anchor aside to text
    • if asides are flowed inline they must now be split out of the text flow for proper export.
  10. search for italics font style and replace with style: <i> or <em>
  11. search for ALL CAPS font style and replace with style: <strong> or <span class="upper">
  12. search for Small Caps font style and replace with style: <small>
  13. add Table of Contents style based on heads
    • uncheck Create PDF Bookmarks
    • check Remove Forced Line Break
  14. style backmatter (index, biblio, glossary etc.)
    • ensure that the style of first entry in each index letter is index-first
  15. Turn on conditional text
  16. Run BX api and download cover .jpg file

  17. export reflowable epub:

    • add cover .jpg file
    • set toc style
    • uncheck Page Navigation
    • check Text: Remove Forced Line Breaks
    • uncheck HTML & CSS: Preserve Local Overrides

  18. Run run_clean_indesign.py (see Note below)

Go to epub Steps

Note: about Non Fiction images

Before moving on to editing a non-fiction epub it is usually helpful to crack open the epub file (eCanCrusher) and look at the images folder in Bridge:

  • Sort by file type
  • check to see why some images (photos) might have been exported as .png rather than .jpg
  • this us generally because the image frame is not tight to the image and leaving some space between the frame and the image which is translated as transparency upon export
  • go back to the InDesign file, crop the images and re-export

InDesign Checklist

Apple illegal filenames

do not use: ( ) , . & ' space [ ] +

Images

  • crop out white space/transparency or else they will export as .png
  • export grouped images as separate .jpg (and reimport)
  • consider exporting Full Resolution i.e. 300 dpi and sizing after export
  • Generally reformat image frames to eliminate borders, rounded corners or non-square frames
  • you can change the figure object style to force jpg if there are too many large pngs

Command to make image frames square

  • Object > Convert Shape > rectangle
    • added ctrl-opt-x to keyboard shortcuts

inline images

Consider moving smaller images inline with style - set leading to auto

Stray index markers

  • search for <FEFF> and replace with nothing

Best Practices

https://www.accessiblepublishing.ca/working-with-indesign/

PDFs

  • use article panel to convey reading order