Adobe InDesign Classroom in a Book

InDesign is Adobe's powerful layout application that it hopes will be used in place of current industry favorite Quark Express. One of the main selling points of InDesign is its commonality and integration with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

The book begins with a Quick Tour, which is actually a lesson in itself since it covers many of the basic text, page, and image-handling features of InDesign. Each subsequent lesson goes deeper into these topics. The files for each lesson are provided on the cross-platform CD-ROM. The lessons range from working with text and typography to working with graphics, using advanced frame techniques (frames hold text or images), and prepress document preparation. There is a color section with illustrations that clarify many steps, especially those that use color, and show the finished projects.

Each lesson begins with an overview of what's covered and ends with review questions. Don't worry: answers are provided on the same page. Reading the overviews and review questions first is a good way to decide whether that chapter can be skipped or should be read in depth. This makes Adobe InDesign CIB useful for both beginners and intermediates. For example, it is easy to jump ahead to the fairly advanced section on filling one block of text with a different block of text to which a gradient has been applied. The fact that executing this involved graphic becomes a simple process is a credit both to the InDesign application as well as to this book.

It should be noted that Adobe InDesign CIB does not come with a demonstration copy of the application, nor is a demo available on the Adobe Web site. Interestingly, you can follow along without actually using the application at the same time. However, the book is clearly meant for those who have already purchased InDesign and are convinced it will be the Quark killer the design world has been hearing about for months. --Angelynn Grant

Topics covered: Features of Adobe InDesign, including lessons on the work area and interface; creating and setting up a document; working with frames; applying color; importing and editing text; working with typography; placing and drawing images; color management issues; and preparing a document for high-resolution printing.

Product Description
Adobe is launching their new professional page-layout application, InDesign 1.0, in the summer of 1999 in both Windows and Macintosh versions. Eagerly awaited by the design community, InDesign 1.0 features next-generation page layout tools, advanced palette-based interface, seamless integration with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and full support for PDF files. Adobe InDesign Classroom in a Book guides users through short lessons in desktop publishing, using the exciting new techniques and tools available in Adobe InDesign. Introductory lessons cover the basics of the interface, and contribute to familiarity with the tools, views, and frames of the InDesign environment. Using the building-block approach, each lesson increases skill and mastery of the application. Files on the CD-ROM, constructed by the Adobe Development Team, accompany each lesson and add a rich, visual content to the learning package. Readers new to page layout, as well as experienced users of QuarkXPress and Adobe PageMaker, can benefit from these self-paced lessons, and enhance their publishing skills using the newest professional publishing application Adobe InDesign 1.0.

Self-paced lessons teach users how to master Adobe InDesign 1.0, the hot new page-layout application from Adobe Systems Includes hands-on training materials from the experts at Adobe Systems in the popular Classroom in a Book format

Teaches useful techniques in professional desktop publishing to the beginner and intermediate user of Adobe InDesign 1.0

Looks likeý If you want to really teach yourself this program, step by stepý

If you want to really gain a feeling of solidity that you know the programý

This is the book. Seems to cover everything. Chapters on typography (crucial to my design work), on Bézier curves, on color management, seem especially stimulating. And you need not go in sequence, they say, though I prefer to.

Type is big so no page feels overwhelming. Images are clear. Words are easy to grasp.

Two caveats / quibbles:

(1) The index sucks. I looked up simple words and ideas and did not find them. [Shame on you, Adobe.] (2) Do not throw out the original manual that comes when you buy the application, which provides a depth of details beyond the scope of this book. I do wish this book provided page number referrrals to that manual .


It's a classroom alright.   November 21, 2000
Nicholas Lin (Singapore)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Adobe InDesign 1.5: Classroom in a Book, gives you real lessons and basically covers all you need to know about Indesign 1.5. It gets you all geared up for the next lesson in the book and really promotes the passion for Indesign and all other adobe products. One thing it does not teach is how to portray your creative self in the pages you create with this powerful tool. It is a great resource book. However, when it comes to getting ideas this book is not the best to look at. Overall, this indesign 1.5 classroom in a book is a great resource book, one where you can take it out any day refer to it and still learn something from it.


Just the Facts...   July 28, 2000
Jo R. Jordan (Las Vegas, NM)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

After using (and loving) Classrooms for Acrobat 4.0 and PhotoShop, I expected more from the one on InDesign. It has done the basic job of introducing the power of ID, but I don't feel as competent to use it as I did after the courses in Acrobat and PS. I will probably try the upcoming Real World ID, hoping I get what I need from it.

The best parts of the course were on the graphic effects you can achieve within ID; as a PageMaker user, I'd like to see more on manipulating text.

But it covers the basics, and my enthusiasm for the new product grows as I learn.


Don't waste your money   February 22, 2000
32 out of 34 found this review helpful

At over thirty dollars, I expected more from this book. Like a better index. Some organization. And honesty about what the problem can and can't do.

This book is little more than a sales demo of what the product can do. However, even then they haven't done a very good job.

I suppose this book would be OK if I were taking a class and had a teacher there. But on its own there's not enough explanation of why you want to do things.

The visual quickstart book is half the price, but contains much better instructions, is laid out better, and has a good index.