Section 57. Working with Photoshop Graphics

#57. Working with Photoshop Graphics

While the InDesign interface has more in common with Illustrator than Photoshop, InDesign and Photoshop are also tightly integrated. You can import native Photoshop (.psd) files into InDesign layouts, as well as other Photoshop-generated bitmap graphics, such as TIFF, JPEG, and DCS. InDesign's support of native Photoshop files also includes several features that let you control how images are displayed and printed.

Show/Hide Layers and Layer Comps

When you import a Photoshop file that includes layers or layer comps, you can control the visibility of both within InDesign.

1.	Choose File > Place.
2.	Check Show Import Options in the Place dialog box, then click Open.
3.	Display the Layers panel and make sure Show Preview is checked.
4.	To achieve the result you want, do one of the following: Choose a layer comp from the Layer Comp menu (Figure 57a). Figure 57a. When you import a Photoshop file that includes layers or layer comps, you can use the controls in the Layers panel of the Image Import Options dialog to adjust the visibility of the layers and layer comps in the InDesign layout. Click the eye to the left of a layer name to alternately show or hide the layer

Mask Portions of a Graphic

If you import a Photoshop file that contains clipping paths or alpha channels into an InDesign layout, you can use them to mask parts of a graphic or wrap text around them. To apply a clipping path or an alpha channel to a graphic:

1.	Select the graphic or its frame, and then choose Object > Clipping Path.
2.	In the Clipping Path dialog box, choose Alpha Channel or Clipping Path from the Type menu (Figure 57b). (If these options are not available, the graphic doesn't include any alpha channels or clipping paths.) If you choose Detect Edges in the Type menu, InDesign will generate a clipping path based on the light and dark areas of the image.

Figure 57b. The original graphic, shown at the far right, has an opaque white background. Choosing an alpha channel and adjusting the settings in the Clipping Path dialog box produced the variation on the left. Notice how the circular shape is now visible through the background of the graphic.

Changing the Visibility of Layers and Layer Comps After Import

If you don't adjust the visibility of layers and layer comps when you import a native Photoshop file, you can do it later. Select the graphic or its frame, and then choose Object > Object Layer Options. Use the controls in the Object Layer Options dialog box to select a layer comp and show or hide individual layers within the selected layer comp.

Display and Print Transparency

If you import a Photoshop file that includes transparency effects, such as a transparent background (instead of a clipping path) or a feathered edge, InDesign accurately displays and prints the effects.