Adobe InDesign/Indesign CS3: buttons

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Expert: James Fritz - 12/2/2009


Question

button settings
Hello - i'm making an interactive PDF in Indesign.  I'm wondering if there is any way, on a single button, to use the event "Mouse Down" to show and hide an object?  Right now, when i add the "hide" behavior after the "show" behavior they are canceling each other out.

I'm trying to avoid have two separate buttons that say "on" and "off"

I attached a screen shot of my current settings that are canceling each other out.


thanks!

Answer
Liz,

In order to achieve what you are looking for, you will have to create 3 buttons but the user will only notice 1 button.

The item that you want to appear/disappear is the first button (named “hidden”)
The second button is called “button 1”
The third button is called “button 2”

By default make sure that both hidden and button 2 are hidden by default.
The properties for button 1 should be to show “hidden” and “button 2” and hide “button 1” (hiding itself).
The properties for button 2 should be hide “hidden” and “button 2” (itself) and show button 1.

Make sure that button 1 and button 2 have the exact same appearance and are placed directly on top of each other.

To the user, they will be clicking the same button to turn the other button on/off, but in reality they are clicking to turn one on and a duplicate of the button to turn the other one off.

I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

PS - I would look into upgrading to CS4 since they have redesigned how you interact with buttons via a button panel, and it is a lot easier to deal with.
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentPerfect! i had them stacked at first, but they were still canceling each other -- having the button hide itself is very clever!! thanks so much!


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James Fritz

Expertise

I am an Adobe Certified Instructor in InDesign and many other applications. I look forward to your question.

Experience

I have been using InDesign since 2001. I use it as a designer and teach it daily as an Instructor. I am also Lynda.com video training author. www.lynda.com/jamesfritz

Organizations
InDesign User Group, Milwaukee and Madison Chapters; United Adworkers

Education/Credentials
BFA Graphic Design - University of Wisconsin Milwaukee; Adobe Certified Instructor, Print Specialist; Adobe Certified Instructor, InDesign; Adobe Certified Instructor, Acrobat; Adobe Certified Instructor, Photoshop; Adobe Certified Instructor, InCopy; Adobe Certified Instructor, Fireworks; Quark Recognized Instructor;

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