Adding Sounds


Despite the mind-bending concept of adding sound to a page layout, it's actually very simple to add sounds to an InDesign document. Just remember, you won't actually play the sound in InDesign. The sound is played as part of a PDF, when repurposed as part of an XML document, or when packaged for a GoLive Web site.

To add a sound to a document:

1.

Choose File > Place and then choose the sound file you want to import. The cursor changes into the Sound Clip cursor .

The Sound Clip cursor indicates you are importing a sound file.

2.

Click the Sound Clip cursor on the document. This adds a sound clip object to the document .

A Sound Clip object created by clicking the Sound Clip cursor.

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The sound clip is displayed with an image that Adobe provides as the sound poster. This file is called StandardSoundPoster.jpg and can be swapped for any other image you want to use.

You can also add an empty sound clip that can be filled with a sound at some other time.

To add an empty sound clip:

1.

Draw a frame.

2.

Choose Object > Interactive > Sound Options. This opens the Sound Options dialog box .

A Sound Options dialog box for an empty sound clip. Notice there is no file specified under Options.

3.

Enter a name in the Name field and click OK. The frame has been converted to an empty sound clip.

Sound and Video Requirements

InDesign supports the same media file types as Adobe Acrobat. This means that you can import any sound or video file that can be played by Apple QuickTime, Flash Player, Windows Built-in Player, and Windows Media Player.

On the Mac, QuickTime plays all the media files. So all you need is QuickTime 6 or later. On Windows, you need QuickTime as well as the other players.


If you have an empty sound clip, you use the Sound Options dialog box to fill it with a sound and set the other sound properties.

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You can also edit a filled sound clip by modifying the settings in the Sound Options dialog box.


To set the sound options:

1.

Open the Sound Options dialog box by double-clicking the sound clip.

or

Select the sound clip and choose Object > Interactive > Sound Options.

2.

Enter a name for the sound clip in the Name field . This name is just to help you identify which sounds have been added to the document.

You can set a name and description for a sound in the Sound Options dialog box.

3.

If desired, enter a description that can be read by hearing-impaired users.

4.

Use the Choose button to add a sound to the sound clip or to change the sound in the clip.

5.

Use the Poster menu to choose an image that will be used to show where the sound is in the document :

The Sound Options Poster menu lets you choose the image that is displayed in a sound clip.

  • None leaves the sound clip frame empty.

  • Standard uses the standard icon .

  • Choose Image as Poster lets you import a custom image to use as the sound poster.

6.

Use the Choose button to choose the custom image .

The Options controls for a sound in the Sound Options dialog box.

7.

Check Play on Page Turn to have the sound automatically play when the page is opened .

8.

Check Do Not Print Poster to prevent the poster image from printing .

9.

Check Embed Sound in PDF to add the sound file to the PDF. If this is unchecked, you will have to make sure the sound file is kept with the PDF document . (See the sidebar on the next page.)



InDesign CS2 for Macintosh and Windows(c) Visual QuickStart Guide
InDesign CS4 for Macintosh and Windows: Visual QuickStart Guide
ISBN: 0321573579
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 309
Authors: Sandee Cohen

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