Using Indesign CS5 for websites

Sometime last year Adobe released Create Suite 5. All the software had been updated with new handy tools and features which are very useful to those who make the best of the package. To the average person, the update might look exactly like CS4, and run in the same way, but the hardcore web designers or digital artists take note of the new mind blowing features.

The update comes with new features such as; Content-Aware fill (Photoshop), Perspective Drawing Tool (Illustrator), the Bone Tool (Flash), just to name a few. Of course these are all features that are useful to every designer, and you could say that the average user wouldn’t understand these properly.

However, that brings me to InDesign CS5. Like its “siblings”, it has useful features for the professional graphic designer, but there is one particular feature that stands out. This feature allows the user to literally make a whole website with preset animations and links, without having to use any HTML coding or CMS of any sort. Take a look yourself, (skip to 4:20 for you impatient guys).

This feature was available in Adobe CS4, but Adobe decided to make improvements on it, much to the joy of many fans. There are pros and cons to this, however amazing it may seem.

Pros

• Useful not only for websites, but can also be used for PDF portfolios and slides. It can easily replace the likes of Microsoft Powerpoint, as long as the Adobe Acrobat is installed of course
• The text wrapping and cropping tools make the layout of the website easier to control than with HTML coding.
• Exports as a flash SWF file
• Contains many transition animations for the page and objects, including a page corner drag
• Easily add/edit hyperlinks to pages or external addresses

Cons

• Limited overall, it’s best to use HTML, CSS, and PHP for the best results
• Because the file exports as SWF, only those who have up to date plug-ins in their browser will be able to view the site
• Overall best for mini sites, not great for businesses which aim to show more text than flashy transitions
• Not good for search engine optimisation

This new feature is useful for businesses and clients that require a dynamic outcome. Amateur web designers might even be able to compete with professionals now. Would be interesting to see what Adobe can develop for website designers, with e-commerce tools and others.