InDesign CS4 Getting Started Training

InDesign CS4 Getting Started is a blended learning course which combines 2 days of instructor led classroom based InDesign training with an additional 2 days of online learning content covering a wide range of InDesign topics suitable for beginners.

The classroom based modules can either be completed at our fully equipped London training centre or at your own facility, whilst the online modules combine high quality flash video presentations backed up with instructor led course discussion forums, exercises files, real world samples, and loads more.

Highlander's InDesign training courses are a great way to learn to make the most of this powerful product quickly and efficiently, whether you are a total beginner or an advanced user.

Summary of Topics Covered:

General Interface

How the panels work
Docking
Panel groups
Document tabbing
Creating/Saving workspaces
The Application bar
N-up display
Canvas Rotation
Basic shortcuts

Exploring InDesign

Explore the InDesign Environment
Using InDesign Workspaces
Explore Adobe Bridge
InDesign Preferences

InDesign Overview

Introduction to InDesign - what is InDesign for
Customize Your Workspace
Set General Preferences
Manage Document Presets
Managing your workspace

Designing Documents

Create a New Document
Alter a Document's Layout
Create the Structure of a Document
Developing Master Pages
Manage Text and Graphic Placement
Develop Layers
Wrapping text
Laying out columns
Smart guides and smart spacing

Managing text

Add Text - typing and placing

Editing Text with and without the story editor
Spell Check and dictionaries
Threading Text
Change Text Threads
Format Characters
Format Paragraphs
Manage Styles
Glyphs - where they are and how to use them
Text inside and on a shape

Style Sheets

Paragraph Styles
Character Styles
Managing Styles

Columns

Making a text box into columns
Column guides
Creating boxes as columns
Laying out a page/spread as columns

Placing Images

Placing images

Image file type - jpgs/gif/tiff/pdf/eps/etc
Linking vs Embedding
Placing psd and ai files
Place options

Placing text

Placing several pages of text
What text file formats can be placed
Place options
Missing font issues
Automatic flowing of placed text

Colours, Swatches, and Gradients

Colour and Kuler
Swatches
Apply Fills, Gradients, and Strokes to objects and text
Applying effects
Transparency

Tables

Create Tables
Modifying Tables
Formatting Tables

Masters

Creating masters
Multiple masters
Editing masters
Headers/Footers
Page numbering

Preparing a document for print

Checking Documents for Problems
Printing a Document
Preflighting a document
Packaging Files
Preview Output

Creating PDFs

Preparing PDF Files for web and for print
Managing PDF Presets
Export PDF Files - options
Creating Interactive PDFs

Basic object editing
Creating basic shapes
Editing shapes
Pathfinder
Applying effects to a shape
Object styles

Basic overview of using InDesign within CS4
How to use InDesign with Photoshop CS4
How to use InDesign with Illustrator CS4
How to use InDesign with Flash CS4

OpenType
What is an OpenType font
Why use OpenType fonts
OpenType fonts and their variations
Glyphs
Fractions, where are they and how to create them

More about Masters
Masters upon masters
Section breaks and numbering
Overriding master items

Keyboard shortcuts and Customisation

Customising Menus
Finding shortcuts
Editing shortcuts
Saving shortcuts

Dynamic documents
Bookmarks
Hyperlinks
Cross-references
Movies and sound
Buttons