How to Create Layer Comps in Illustrator

[Wil]

Hi,

I hope I'm not showing my newbie status too much, but I'm having
difficulty creating layer comps in Adobe Illustrator. I have an
illustration what I want to show in multiple colors depending on the
page number it appears on. I've created layers in Illustrator
containing the various background colors but don't know how to create
the Layer Comps to use when I place the graphics in Indesign. Any help
would be greatly appreciated?

Wil

[cmisak]

I'm a little confused as to what you want... but from what i think
you're wanting.
assuming you only need (odd/evens) or something simple i would make a
new master in Indesign. A simple cut paste would do if they are
vector. If not then save the illustration to a tiff (works the best,
low compression and in design will appreciate it. ) and paste to the
masters as needed, then assign the masters to the appropriate pages.
you can use indesign to add page numbers on top of the illustration
and it will automatically update. (indesigns own help will help you
here)

Hope that helps if you're talking about changing it for every page or
sections you can do something similar with masters for (section 1,
section 2 ect.) but that will give you alot of masters.

you can also setup the master as described above assign this to all
pages then for each "section" you would "over ride all masters
settings" and assigning a color from the color palette. If you decide
you want to change that color later you can simply change the swatch
and it will change the entire documents color that had previously
match that swatch. (THIS COULD GET DANGEROUS, because changes made to
the master would no long take place unless re-assigned. Causeing you
to go back and fix the color you'd just got done correcting.

There is character styles and paragraph setting you could use if
you're just using type.

I gave you alot to think about let me know if you need anymore
clearing up.

-Craig

[cmisak]

PS it's awesome you're starting out and giving Indesign a chance.

[Wil]

I need more of an automated method for managing many views of the
graphics. In photoshop I can create Layer Comps wihch define the
different views and the single graphic can be placed in multiple files
and updated automatically.

[cmisak]

I'll be honest I've never messed with that feature... Never knew it
was there.... *sad* anywho,

indesign links files so if "placed " (ctrl+d) a graphic/image and then
go back into photoshop or anything and change and resave. Indesign
will see the change and ask if you want to update the link (or in your
links pallatee a small yellow caution sign will appear) so you could
use file (x.tiff) in 15 different files appearing any number of times
on different pages and spreads but if you change (x.tiff) it ALL will
update. Part of the reason indeisgn images quality is poor when you're
working with it because you're not seeing the actual file you're
seeing a thumbnail of a linked file. Does that help?

[inez]

That sounds more like auto update.

If it's the same image you want to use but as a different color in
different places, you might make it a B&W 1-bit bitmap TIFF file if it's
a single solid color, then apply the color you want to it in Illy,
different color for each placement. Would that work for you? If the
image is in different shades/tints of a single color you might try
saving as a grayscale and coloring it in Illy.

--
inez

[Wil]

> inez- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

These are great sugestions. I'll have to do a little research to be
sure I understand some of the methods, but thank you all very much.
Its unfortunet that the Layer Comp feature in Photoshop is not
availabe in Illustrator because it is exactly what I need.

Thanks again
Wil