Melbourne InDesign User Group

Meeting Summary: InDesign and eBooks

Wed, Mar 17th, 2010 at 6:30 PM

1000 POUND BEND

Thanks to Mike McHugh, we have finally our questions about eBooks, or ePub files (.epub), answered.

We learnt that the most fundamental aspect of ePubs, and a key difference to PDFs, is that they are static text in black and white (think basic HTML). It is crucial to bear in mind that while InDesign lets you place text frames and images anywhere on the page, when exported to an ePub file, this will convert as a single flow of text in the order the frames are threaded. Images will need to be manually styled in the ePub file.

As with all forms of communication, publishing to the correct device is important. As content creators, it is also important that we know how the end users may engage with the content, particularly so since we’re moving away from the traditional ink on paper to interactivity such as touch-screen and interactive browsing.

We learnt that ePub files require an eReader device such as Kindle. The portability of the eReader device is advantageous. In fact, there are several e-book models currently available.

Creating an ePub file that can be displayed on an eReader such as Kindle is a two-step process. First the InDesign file must be converted to ePub and later converted to MOBI.

ePubs like PDFs are just readable formats which require relevant software such as Calibre or Stanza. Calibre and Stanza can be used to export to different eReader device formats.

Links
Here are some useful links that were covered at the meeting:

Mike McHugh’s Creative Sweet TV
www.creativesweettv.com
You can download the presentation slides that Mike used at the meeting.

eBook devices
www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/
This lists a whole range of devices you can read eBooks on.

Thank you

Big shout out to our friends at Adobe, 1000 Pound Bend, Aquent and Copy Captain for their generous support. And to InDesign Magazine, Stock Layout, Neil Oliver, Cari Jansen, Layers Magazine, Peachpit Press for their wonderful prizes.

Not forgetting our wonderful volunteers who helped put the event together: Peter, Therese, Christine and Purvi. The meeting won't be such a success without them.

Comments from attendees

Very interesting for the future of design and communication.

An informative look at eBooks and the way they operate.

Interesting, especially as I work in publishing and this is such an alien topic for us, it has given me some ideas.

Interesting, not what I expected but valuable - showed new possibilities.

Cleared up a few unknowns for me.

Very informative and helpful to my needs.

Good insight into how eBook works.