We're happy to announce today our v4.2 update to the system. This update includes changes to the Plug-in, Production Tool, iOS app and Android app. We recommend downloading the new tools and upgrading your apps.
As always, the new tools will produce back versions, but a 4.1 app can't read a 4.2 MIB, so be sure not to publish a new 4.2 issue until your 4.2 app update is approved.
This update continues on the two themes we’re really focusing on for the product this year: more flexibility, faster and easier production. Click on the links below for the support article about the feature and check out out updated Design Examples issue in the Reviewer app under Library (you can download the source files for that issue here.)
iOS:
Overlay layer: This is an additional content layer that sits over the top of the other layers for the entire issue, and remains there as you swipe the content underneath. Unlike the A and B layers, this layer is not added in InDesign, but in the Production Tool. It is created like any other vertical using a standard template; a checkbox in the plug-in and a special place in the Prod Tool identify it as an Overlay. Any areas transparent in the overlay will show through to the issue behind it. This is a great way to make a persistent navigation layer, or a mask for your issue. See an example of it in action in the new WeSC app for iPad and iPhone. At the moment, Overlay is only supported as an auto-orientation vertical, dual layout feature for Overlay to come in a later release.
Slideshow in Plug-in: Last release, we brought panning and zoom directly into the plug-in. Now, we bring swiping slideshows. Using InDesign's Object States palette, you can add multiple images or text boxes to a single frame, then designate that frame a Slideshow in the Object pulldown menu in the plug-in. Slideshows can be user-controlled or auto-play with any delay from 100ms on up. They can have transitions of fade, slide or none, and can be looped. And you can add an indicator to show how many slides there are. You can also have multiple slideshows on a vertical and have a slideshow in a popup.
Disable Jump Link animation: Via a new checkbox in the Production Tool, you can disable the page-swipe animations when a user taps a jump link; the destination will instead load immediately so the user may not be aware they have jumped to a new page. Useful for taking users to hidden spaces in the app.
Disable subscriptions: You can now choose to disable in-app subscription purchases when a user is signed in via the API to prevent users from accidentally buying twice. This is under Build Options under Apps in Publish.
Disable Scrollbar: A new setting in the plug-in allows you to disable the scrollbar that appears in Panning objects.
Scrubber thumbnails for dual-orientation layouts are now fixed.
These features are all iOS only. If any of them are present in an Android MIB, they simply will not render.
Android
Scaling MIBs: You can now create one Android Tablet 1280x800 MIB (for all tablets) and one Android Phone 1280x720 MIB (for all smartphones), and it will cover all devices, bigger or smaller. Version 4.2 Android and Kindle FIre apps will now scale MIBs up or down, with no real visible loss in quality. The app will keep the aspect ratio of the MIB, so if you have a screen that’s a different size, you will still see letterboxing, but only on the sides or the top and bottom. See this article for an updated chart of issue compatibility.
Production Tool
Sorting: You can now sort your verticals in both the clipboard (via a pulldown menu) and in the main window by clicking a column header in List view. You can sort by Vertical ID or Name, so if you're able to give your verticals IDs like 001_Cover, 002_TOC, etc, you can order your entire issue in one click.
Multiple-device handling: If you use multi-device export in the plug-in, you can point the Production Tool to the parent issue folder, and it will recognize the device-specific issue folders inside it. That allow you to copy issue order from one device to another, so you only have to order the issue once, and to create multiple MIBs at once, and the Prod Tool will automatically version them correctly.
Manually change the GUID version: You can now double-click on the GUID field to edit the GUID version number manually. This is because iPad and Retina MIBs need the same GUID base but different version numbers. (No more clicking Create MIB over and over to get to the right version number!)
New Wall view: In addition to List and Preview, we’ve added a new tab for the main window we call Wall, after the old print days when you’d hang the whole book on a wall. This view shows you just a thumbnail of the first page of the vertical, but in multiple rows, so you can see more of your issue at once.
Issue folder manager: Fixed a bug with deleting previous issue folders. Also added an interface for deleting multiple issue folders at once.
Publish
Secure URLs: If you host your issues with Mag+, you now have the option to use secure URLs. That means the URL to the MIB file will expire after one hour and a new URL will be generated. This is an option that you need to request from your sales rep or by emailing sales@magplus.com.
0 Comments