CEaP Adobe_Interactive guide

An interactive guide to support content editors and publishers to efficiently utilise Adobe to make text amends directly in master files and export them with the appropriate properties.

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself," - Henry Ford

Interactive guide

CEaP Adobe

Index

Locating the master files

Opening master files and relinking images if necessary

Making text amends

Saving master files

Exporting from the master files

Compressing PDFs through Adobe Illustrator (.ai)

Compressing images using Photoshop

Applying an editor's only PDF lock

Exporting images from Adobe Illustrator (coming soon)

Editing and exporting PDFs from Adobe InDesign (coming soon)

Locating the master files

All design master files can be found in the19] Design department Shared drive.

They are mostly contained in the 07_Content Design folder, in the current year of content.
They are organised by Subject> Year group> Unit> Lesson, unless they are a subject-wide resource.
Master files for Adobe are .ai (Illustrator), .indd (InDesign) or .psd (Photoshop) files.

Please flag any issues with locating the master files and/or their associated linked images or editing capabilities in our ceap-and-design-team Slack channel.

Design drive

Opening master files and relinking images if necessary

Images are often linked to master files, and need to be present at the point of opening them.
The images may be stored in the same folder as the master file, or in a separate folder called 'Linked images'.
To open a master file with linked images, ensure that the images are in the same folder with the master file on your computer.
Alternatively, click on 'Replace' and locate the image on your computer to relink it to the master file.

Please flag any issues with locating the master files and/or their associated linked images or editing capabilities in our ceap-and-design-team Slack channel.

Making text amends

Use the Type tool (or tap 'T' on your keyboard while in Adobe Illustrator) then click on the text you wish to edit.
By using the Type tool you will surpass text held together in clipping masks.
The alternative approach to editing text in clipping masks is to double click through the layers, but with this comes the risk of accidentally moving something.

Please flag any issues with locating the master files and/or their associated linked images or editing capabilities in our ceap-and-design-team Slack channel.

Saving master files

Warning: Please do not save a master file after exporting a PDF. The reason for this is because in the process of saving a PDF, the master file in Adobe will have converted to a PDF and may no longer be easily editable. Take note of the file type in the tab's filename.

The asterisk (*) next to the filename at the top indicates that a change has been made to the file since opening and it has not yet been saved.
To save click File > Save, or use the keyboard shortcut:- Cmd + S (Mac)- Ctrl + S (Windows)
The asterisk should disappear when the file has been saved and no further changes have been made.
Always save a master file before exporting files.

Exporting from the master files

Any images (.PNGs/.JPEGs/.JPGs) and PDFs are considered an export.
Exports should not be manipulated or edited directly, as this will cause the master file (with all the editable components) to become out of sync.
(Design notes; but good-to-know)All and any changes must be made to the original Adobe master file.
The master file must remain fully editable, in paths and text format with no outlined text or expanded vectors.

Compressing PDFs through Adobe Illustrator (.ai)

Compression is required to ensure the PDF is small enough to load and download quickly on our website.
The file must be below the 2 Mb maximum file limit for WordPress.
If the outcome looks poor, but it is proving difficult to export the file below 2 Mb, then please ask our Design team. This can be a delicate balancing act when PDFs have multiple pages and images. It may be that the PDF needs amending to contain fewer pages or images.

Illustrator PDF compression settings

Nb. This video is the same as on Page 5: Exporting files.

Compressing images using Photoshop

If the images look poor and present with significant pixel artefacting, go through the process above again and increase the quality up until 12 (maximum), but remember it needs to be under 2 Mb.

Photoshop has a built-in image processor which allows you to bulk edit images in a few clicks.
For classroom view, ideally use the following settings:

Width: 1920px
Height: 1080px
Quality: 8-10

The images must be below 2 Mb and in most cases, should easily fulfil this and be significantly lower than this for quick loading on our website (WordPress).

Coming soon

Applying an editor's only PDF lock

When saving or exporting a PDF file from an Adobe master file, please apply a password for editing only.
Please keep the lock safe and do not share this with others who are not part of the Design, Video or CeaP teams.
The password is an official step we take to protect our PDFs, and if customers remove them, it is a deliberate and illegal act to amend our resources without our consent.

Warning: Be mindful when applying the lock, that you do not lock it for opening, as customers will not be able to access the file to view or print it.

Nb. Watch from 3:30.

Exporting images from Adobe Illustrator (coming soon)

Editing and exporting PDFs from Adobe InDesign (coming soon)

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