Basic, ACE Edition, Revised
Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
Note for Adobe Creative Cloud users
This course as originally written and published was designed for the release version of InDesign CS6. Adobe’s new InDesign CC, while based on CS6, is a constantly evolving product, and software updates may frequently add or change features.
This book has been tested with InDesign CC version 9.1 x32, current as of November 2013. Most features and activities will be identical in behavior to InDesign CS6, though not all screenshots and commands will be exactly the same. Changes are detailed in the following Course Notes topic, and instructors using InDesign CC should review the course against their own software before class.
Topic A: Classroom setup
All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires that they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course.
Hardware requirements
Each student’s personal computer should have:
· A keyboard and a mouse
· Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 Processor (or faster)
· 1 GB RAM (or higher)
· At least 2 GB of hard-disk space
· A DVD-ROM drive for installation
· A monitor with at least 1280 × 960 resolution at 24-bit color or better
Software requirements
You will need the following software:
· Microsoft Windows 7
· Adobe InDesign CS6
· Adobe Reader (If this is not installed, students will not be able to complete Activity C-1 in the unit titled “Preflighting and preparing documents for final output.”)
· The HP LaserJet 5200 Series PCL 5 printer driver (An actual printer is not required, but without this printer driver, students will not be able to complete Activity B-1, in the unit titled “Preflighting and preparing documents for final output.” as written.)
Network requirements
The following network components and connectivity are also required for this course:
· Internet access, for the following purposes:
– Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs
– Downloading the Student Data files from www.axzopress.com (if necessary)
· Activating InDesign CS6
Classroom setup instructions
Before you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Install Windows on an NTFS partition according to the software publisher’s instructions. After installation is complete, if the student machines have Internet access, use Windows Update to install any critical updates and service packs.
Note: You can also use Windows Vista or Windows XP, but the screenshots in this course were taken in Windows 7, so students’ screens might look somewhat different.
2 With flat-panel displays, we recommend using the panel’s native resolution for best results. Color depth/quality should be set to High (24 bit) or higher.
3 Install InDesign CS6 with the default settings according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If you have Creative Suite 6, you need to install only InDesign CS6.
4 Set up Internet access for the students. Internet access is required; an e-mail account is not.
5 Start InDesign.
a Activate the software.
b Close InDesign.
6 Install the HP LaserJet 5200 Series PCL 5 printer driver. These steps might vary depending on which version of the Windows operating system you’re using.
a Click Start and choose Control Panel.
b Click Printers and Other Hardware.
c Click “Add a printer.” In the Add Printer Wizard, click Next.
d Verify that “Local printer attached to this computer” is selected.
e Clear “Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer,” and click Next.
f From the “Use the following port” list, select “LPT1: (Recommended Printer Port).” Click Next.
g From the Manufacturer list, select HP.
h From the Printers list, select HP LaserJet 5200 Series PCL 5. Click Next.
i If prompted, select “Keep existing driver (recommended).” Click Next.
j Verify that the name in the Printer name box is HP LaserJet 5200 Series PCL 5 and click Next.
k Click Finish.
l Close the Printers and Faxes folder.
7 Install the latest version of Adobe Reader.
a Download the latest version of Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com.
b Accept all defaults during the installation.
c Start Adobe Reader and activate the software.
d Close Adobe Reader.
8 If you have the data disc that came with this manual, locate the Student Data folder on it and copy it to the desktop of each student computer.
If you don’t have the data disc, you can download the Student Data files for the course:
a Connect to www.axzopress.com.
b Under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training.
c Browse the subject categories to locate your course. Then click the course title to display a list of available downloads. (You can also access these downloads through our Catalog listings.)
d Click the link(s) for downloading the Student Data files. You can download the files directly to student machines or to a central location on your own network.
e Create a folder named Student Data on the desktop of each student computer.
f Double-click the downloaded zip file(s) and drag the contents into the Student Data folder.
Topic B: Frequently asked questions
1 In the “Multi-page documents” unit, are steps 9 and 10 in the Independent practice activity (after the Unit summary) correct?
The problem is step 9 does not clearly express what students are being asked to do. The step should be: Insert 2 pages that use the 2-col master. Select page 2, and add 2 more pages that use the 3-col master. Now, step 10 will work as intended.
Topic C: Course notes
InDesign CC changes
When using InDesign CC, there will be several changes to activities, as detailed below:
Activities
In general, many panels and dialog boxes have been changed in layout. When a dialog box or panel differs from a screenshot, use ToolTips if necessary to verify the correct option.
InDesign CC uses a new selection of workspaces. In particular, the New in CS6 workspace no longer exists. The Advanced workspace should be used instead. This affects activities beginning in Unit 1, Topic A.
The New Document dialog box is different in layout. While it contains the same option, Save Preset is now an icon button rather than words. This affects activities beginning in Unit 2, Topic A.
In the New Document Preset dialog box, Bleed and Slug Options are now in their own category, rather than under More Options. This affects activities beginning in Unit 2, Topic A.
Topic D: Additional information
There is no additional information for this course at this time.