Choosing which PDF version to use with media files

When you export the InDesign document to Portable Document Format (PDF), you can determine which PDF version is used. The PDF version determines which interactive options are available. Before you export, note the following limitations:

If you export to PDF 1.3/1.4

  • Non-RGB movie or sound posters aren’t visible in the exported PDF document.

  • SWF and MPEG movies aren’t playable in the exported PDF document.

  • Clipping paths applied to movie or sound posters don’t appear in the exported PDF document. Posters are resized to match the movie page item.

  • Movies cannot be embedded.

  • Sounds cannot be linked.

If you export to PDF 1.5 or later

QuickTime is specified as the preferred player when exporting to PDF. To change the preferred player, you must edit the rendition in Acrobat 6.0 or later.

If you export to any PDF version

  • Non-rectangular media frames don’t appear in the exported PDF document.

  • Hyperlinks applied to movies, sounds, or buttons are not active in the exported PDF document. However, you can add those hyperlinks using Acrobat Professional.

  • Rotated or sheared movies and posters may not appear correctly in the exported PDF document.

  • Any masking applied to movie frames or posters is not supported.