CreativeTechs » QuickTips #181

CreativeTechs QuickTips #181

Week of January 7, 2008

Creative Tip: Hit ESC to exit a text frame in InDesign CS3.

Here is one of those great small details that makes Adobe's InDesign CS3 upgrade such a pleasure to work with. Eventually, most designers want a shortcut to switch to the Selection tool while you're working inside a text frame. You can't tap the V shortcut because you'll just end up adding the letter "v" to your text.

Now with InDesign CS3, when you are finished editing your text, just hit the ESC key on your keyboard. This is the quick-and-easy way to jump out of an active text box and switch directly to the Selection tool.

I've come to love this simple little keystroke. Pass it along to another friend in your life who uses InDesign.

Source: This tip comes from graphic designer David Cole at Phinney Bischoff Design House in Seattle's Capital Hill neighborhood. Back in 2005, we wrote a more circuitous tip in QuickTips #90 for accomplishing a similar shortcut in InDesign CS2.

Tech Tip: Easily Burn QuickTime Movies to a DVD.

Every now and again clients will ask how to burn QuickTime movies to a DVD they can show on TV using a standard DVD player. That's where Burn, a free lightweight CD/DVD burning utility comes in so handy:

Download Burn at SourceForge.net

Burn is certainly not the fanciest disc burner available. But it is free, simple, and it burns a wide variety of formats. This full version of this tip includes a quick tutorial on how to burn movies to DVD:

Full Tip: Easily Burn Movies to a DVD without Apple's iDVD.

Source: This tip comes from a recent question from graphic designer Nicola Leonard with the in-house creative department of fundraising agency Merkle Inc. located in Downtown Seattle. This tip is also inspired by requests sparked by our holiday tip downloading the holiday yule log.

Seattle Events: Leopard Server Workshops.

Mac OS X Leopard Server was released in October 2007. CreativeTechs' Enterprise Consultant, Jordan Bojar, has developed a special series of hands-on workshops that dig into the most important new features, and covers in detail how they impact larger creative teams in the Seattle area.

January 23 — Shared Calendaring with iCal. With Leopard server, OS X now has a full-fledged solution for shared calendars and scheduling. But is iCal Server the best option for your creative team? We'll explore multiple methods to get the most out of iCal in your work environment, then discuss calendar integration options for Mac-based departments within larger Windows-based organizations. [Fee: $200 — Register Here]

February 20 — Backup Strategies. How can you protect your company's essential data when your files and your organization keep growing? We've all heard about Leopard's new Time Machine, but is it the best option for businesses? First, we'll talk about the unique challenges of backing up graphics and video. Then, we'll take a hard look at Retrospect -- What's happening with this tool we've relied on so heavily in the past? Finally, we'll dig into Leopard Server's built-in backup mechanisms, offering a clear plan for keeping your data safe in the future. [Fee: $200 — Register Here]

March 19 — Streamlined Deployment. Preparing computers and installing software can be a time-consuming and disruptive process. Leopard Server includes features to streamline the setup and upkeep of all your Mac systems, but what about rolling out new software suites like Adobe CS3 and Office 2008? We'll present strategies to reduce your per-machine support costs, and work with several tools to put those plans into action. [Fee: $200 — Register Here]

Your referrals wanted! Referrals from our clients and readers are what keeps CreativeTechs healthy and in business. As a small thank-you, every week we send iTunes gift cards to new Seattle-area subscribers, plus the friend or colleague who referred them:

Designer Patty Finnigan at Morning Sun Inc.
Referred through CreativeTechs Adobe Trainer Jason Hoppe.

David Horsfall of Horsfall Creative.
Referred by Terri Nakamura of Nakamura Design.

Graphic designer Daisy Fry at Windermere.
Referred by Katelyn Black.

Copywriter Teresa Bruffey at Outdoor Research.
Referred by Samantha Kilgore.

Charlie Choo at Studio 216.
Referred by business lead Will Hyman at the U-Village Apple Store.

Network administrator Brandon Price at SanMar Corp.
Referred through CreativeTechs hardware expert Jasson Lewellen.

We are proud to mention that as of this week, over 6,000 designers and creative professionals subscribe to this weekly email tips newsletter. We'd like to thank everyone who continues to pass our name along to friends. We love producing this weekly resource, and your continued support makes that possible.

CreativeTechs QuickTips is a free weekly newsletter for creative professionals who use Macs. Each week we publish a fresh mix of left-brain and right-brain tips based on our real world experience supporting hundreds of creative teams in the greater Seattle area. For a complete archive of previous tips, visit www.creativetechs.com/tips

For IT Professionals supporting Mac users, visit Make Mac Work. This weekly technical blog focuses on IT issues facing Macs in Enterprise environments. It is written by CreativeTechs' lead enterprise engineer, Jordan Bojar. For an archive of previous topics, visit www.makemacwork.com

Your referrals wanted! CreativeTechs relies on word-of-mouth introductions. If you know a Seattle-area creative team who might benefit from our unique expertise providing computer support for creative professionals, please introduce us. We are never too busy for your referrals. Email help@creativetechs.com, or call us at 206-682-4315.