Friday, May 15, 2009
- 9:00 am - 5:00 pm - Feature Development for InDesign using Extendscript
- 9:00 am - 5:00 pm - Extensibility of Selected InDesign CS4 Features
Class Descriptions
Feature Development for InDesign Using ExtendScript
Please note that this class is offered by a third-party. Adobe is not collecting fees for this class, nor is Adobe handling registration. If you are interested in attending this class, please use the registration information below.
By Kris Coppieters
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $1149.00 (includes lunch)
Register: To check availability and/or to register, e-mail us at training@rorohiko.com .
Make sure you book early - space is limited, we only have 12 seats available. WARNING:
Enrollment closes on Friday, 1st of May - make sure you don't delay. No new enrollments
will be accepted after Friday.
Remote Access: This class will not be broadcast
Description: How to achieve a ten-fold cost-reduction
for feature development for InDesign CS3 and CS4.
Target audience
Check if your profile fits one or more of the following:
- you are or are planning to interface with, or develop enhancements for InDesign CS3 or higher
- you have developed software before, using languages like Java, C++, ActionScript
- you might have some experience with scripting in JavaScript or ExtendScript
- you might have some experience in C or C++ development
- you might have some experience with the InDesign SDK
If you fit the above description, you really should enroll in our one- day ExtendScript Feature Development workshop.
What is it about?
When it comes to enhancing Adobe InDesign or Adobe InDesign Server, there
are multiple viable avenues. The two most common of these avenues are to
use C++ and the SDK, or to use ExtendScript. Sometimes ExtendScript is not
an option, and a new feature can only be added by using a C++ plug-in.
In some rare cases, the reverse is true. However, in most cases, a new feature
could be added to InDesign using either C++ or ExtendScript. A common misconception
is that the main deciding factor to choose C++ over ExtendScript is execution
speed. In practice, speed is rarely is an issue with ExtendScript development.
Except in specific cases, the execution speed of an ExtendScript solution
and the equivalent C++ plug-in will only differ by a few percentage points.
The real deciding factor in choosing C++ over ExtendScript is related to
the much richer API available to a C++ plug-in - some InDesign APIs are
simply not accessible from ExtendScript. The trick to achieve more efficient
use of a developer's time is to use ExtendScript as much as possible, and
only fall back onto using C+
+ to resolve any roadblocks that cannot be more effiently resolved in
ExtendScript. One of the big advantages of ExtendScript over C++ is how fast
one can switch between editing code and debugging code. Edit/debug cycles
for ExtendScript take seconds, edit/debug cycles for a C++ plug-in take tens
of minutes.
This course is about how to use ExtendScript efficiently for creating plug-ins and scripts of commercial quality.
Things we'll cover:
- Protecting your intellectual property: adding licensing and copy- protection to your scripts.
- 'Thin' C++ plug-ins: how to use minimal amounts of C++ to add new ExtendScript-callable functions to the InDesign Object Model.
- Hybrid plug-ins: how to build plug-ins that use both C++ and ExtendScript.
- Footprint reduction: the ExtendScript environment has a number of 'shared' aspects. When embedding a script, care must be taken not to accidentally disturb those shared aspects, as to avoid breaking other scripts.
- Script optimization: there are scripts, and there are scripts. Badly written scripts often run like dogs, whereas an equivalent well written script can run like greased lightning.
- External UI development: how to use third party tools like Flex and REALbasic to develop a user interface external to InDesign, and how to integrate that user interface into your script for a close-to-seamless user experience.
- Techniques for data transfer between C++ and ExtendScript realms
- PatchPanel and SwitchBoard
- Using Active Page Items: with the information in this course, you can either roll your own plug-ins, or you can instead opt to use freely available functions Rorohiko plug-in to open up selected lower- level InDesign APIs for you, at no cost.
Logistics
- The US$1149.00 price of the training includes lunch on Friday, the 15th.
- During the course there will be very little or no time for hands-on; you also need to bring your own laptop if so desired.
- You also need to arrange your own lodging and travel - Kris will be staying at the Courtyard Marriott on Union Bay during the summit. There are no hotels within walking distance of the campus - this is one of the closest.
Selected InDesign CS4 Features in Depth: FlexUI, Preflight Extensibility
Please note that this class is offered by a third-party. Adobe is not collecting fees for this class, nor is Adobe handling registration. If you are interested in attending this class, please use the registration information below.
Offered by Movemen
Schedule: four 90min blocks with coffee breaks and a lunch break
Cost: USD $990 per day per attendee; prepaid; lunch included.
Target audience: The workshop targets developers with experience with the InDesign SDKs. You should have skills in C++, ActionScript, XML, JavaScript and the corresponding development environments.
Registration: info@movemen.com
Remote Access: This class will not be broadcast
The workshop aims to give you a jump start to build your UI in Flash/Flex in InDesign. We focus on how to integrate InDesign Plug-Ins with Flash/Flex.
The second major topic will be the new preflight extensibility and how to add your own checks into it.
