User Guide

Create accessible glossaries

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InDesign

InDesign

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  1. InDesign User Guide
  2. Get to know InDesign
    1. Introduction to InDesign
      1. What's New in InDesign
      2. What's New in InDesign (Beta)
      3. Adobe InDesign desktop release notes
      4. System requirements
      5. Common questions
      6. Use Creative Cloud libraries
      7. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Contextual Task Bar
      3. Templates
      4. Projects
      5. Customize your workspace in InDesign
      6. Toolbox
      7. Set preferences
      8. Properties panel
      9. Touch workspace
      10. Default keyboard shortcuts
      11. Undo edits and manage History panel
      12. Document recovery and undo
    3. Generative AI (Not available in mainland China)
      1. Text to Image
      2. Generative Expand
      3. Generative Fill (beta)
      4. Generate alt text for images
      5. Generate Text in InDesign (Beta)
      6. Generative AI FAQ
  3. Create and layout documents
    1. Documents and pages
      1. Create documents
      2. Work with parent pages
      3. Work with document pages
      4. Set page size, margins, and bleed
      5. Work with files and templates
      6. Convert PDFs to InDesign Documents
      7. Create book files
      8. Add basic page numbering
      9. Number pages, chapters, and sections
      10. Convert QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents
      11. Share content
      12. Understand a basic managed-file workflow
      13. Save documents
    2. Grids
      1. Grids
      2. Format grids
    3. Flex Layout
      1. Work with Flex Layout
      2. Flex Layout panel overview
      3. Create a team page using Flex Layout
      4. Apply Flex Layout properties using object style
      5. Apply Flex Layout in an existing document
      6. Auto-detect Flex Layout in InDesign
      7. Manage Flex Layout conflicts
    4. Layout aids
      1. Layers
      2. Locate objects in Layers panel
      3. Rulers
      4. Align and distribute objects using rulers
      5. Measure objects using the Measure tool
  4. Add content
    1. Text
      1. Add text to frames
      2. Threading text
      3. South-East Asian Scripts
      4. Arabic and Hebrew features in InDesign
      5. Create type on a path
      6. Bullets and numbering
      7. Create math expressions
      8. Glyphs and special characters
      9. Text composition
      10. Composing CJK characters
      11. Text variables
      12. Generate QR codes
      13. Edit text
      14. Align text
      15. Wrap text around objects
      16. Anchored objects
      17. Linked content
      18. Format paragraphs
      19. Format characters
    2. Typography
      1. Using fonts in InDesign
      2. Kerning and tracking
      3. Scale and skew type
      4. Apply color effects to type
    3. Format text
      1. Format text
      2. Auto Style text
      3. Work with Style Packs
      4. Tabs and indents
    4. Review text
      1. Track and review changes
      2. Add editorial notes in InDesign
      3. Import PDF comments
    5. Spell check and language dictionaries
      1. Check spelling, autocorrect, and dynamic spelling
      2. Create, add, and manage dictionaries and words
      3. Change dictionary preferences
      4. Duden dictionary
    6. Add references
      1. Create a table of contents
      2. Footnotes
      3. Create an index
      4. Endnotes
      5. Captions
    7. Styles
      1. Paragraph and character styles
      2. Map, export, and manage styles
      3. Object styles
      4. Drop caps and nested styles
      5. Work with styles
      6. Leading
    8. Tables
      1. Format tables
      2. Create tables
      3. Table and Cell styles
      4. Select and edit tables
      5. Table strokes and fills
    9. Interactivity
      1. Hyperlinks
      2. Dynamic PDF documents
      3. Bookmarks
      4. Buttons
      5. Forms
      6. Animation
      7. Cross-references
      8. Structure PDFs
      9. Page transitions
      10. Movies and sounds
    10. Graphics
      1. Edit images
      2. Understand paths and shapes
      3. Draw with the Pencil tool
      4. Draw with the Pen tool
      5. Apply line (stroke) settings 
      6. Compound paths and shapes
      7. Edit paths
      8. Clipping paths
      9. Change corner appearance
      10. Frames and objects
      11. Align and distribute objects
      12. Linked and embedded graphics
      13. Integrate AEM assets
    11. Color and transparency
      1. Apply color
      2. Use colors from imported graphics
      3. Work with swatches
      4. Mix inks
      5. Tints
      6. Understand spot and process colors
      7. Blend colors
      8. Gradients
      9. Flatten transparent artwork
      10. Add transparency effects
  5. Find and replace
    1. Find and replace text
    2. Find and replace fonts
    3. Find and replace glyphs
    4. Find and replace using GREP expressions and queries
    5. Find and replace objects
    6. Find and replace colors
    7. Search options to find and replace
  6. Share
    1. Save and access cloud documents
    2. Organize, manage, and share cloud documents
    3. View and manage versions in cloud documents
    4. Common questions about InDesign cloud documents
    5. InCopy on the web (beta)
    6. Share and collaborate        
    7. Share for Review
    8. Review a shared InDesign document
    9. Manage feedback
    10. Invite to edit
  7. Export, import, and publish
    1. Place, export, and publish
      1. Publish online
      2. Publish online dashboard
      3. Place Firefly assets
      4. Copy, insert graphics
      5. Export to Adobe Express
      6. Export content for EPUB
      7. Accessibility enhancements for Indexes
      8. Adjust text resizing options
      9. Create accessible glossaries
      10. ARIA role and label support
      11. Adobe PDF options
      12. Export to HTML5
      13. Export content to HTML (Legacy)
      14. Export to Adobe PDF
      15. Export to JPEG or PNG format
      16. Import SVG files
      17. Supported File Formats
      18. Export and import User Settings
    2. Printing
      1. Print booklets
      2. Printer's marks and bleeds
      3. Print documents
      4. Inks, separation, and screen frequency
      5. Overprinting
      6. Create PostScript and EPS files
      7. Preflight files before handoff
      8. Print thumbnails and oversized documents
      9. Prepare PDFs for service providers
      10. Prepare to print separations
  8. Extend InDesign
    1. Automation
      1. Data merge
      2. Plug-ins
      3. Capture extension in InDesign
      4. Scripting
  9. Troubleshooting
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash on launch
    4. Improve InDesign performance
    5. Preference folder read-only issue
    6. Troubleshoot file issues
    7. Unable to export InDesign file to PDF
    8. InDesign document recovery

Learn how to create accessible glossaries in Adobe InDesign that preserve structure and improve navigation in EPUB (Reflowable) readers.

Create a flat glossary (single-level list)

Create paragraph styles

  1. Create a new Paragraph Style for the description term and set the Tag to dt under Export Tagging.
  2. Create a new Paragraph Style for the description definition and set the Tag to dd under Export Tagging.

Create the glossary list

  1. Type the description term followed by its description details.

  2. Apply the corresponding Paragraph Style to each term and definition.

Tip

You can link multiple definition terms (<dt>) to a single definition (<dd>), or provide multiple definitions (<dd>) for one term (<dt>).

Create a multilevel glossary

Create paragraph styles

  1. Create separate Paragraph Styles for terms at each level and set the Tag to dt under Export Tagging.
    Use Left Indent option under Indent and Spacing to define the hierarchy level. The indent value determines the Term node's hierarchy level.
  2. Create separate Paragraph Styles for definitions and set the Tag to dd under Export Tagging.
    Use Left Indent only for visual alignment. The indent value does not affect the hierarchy level when applied to a <dd>.

Create the glossary list

  1. Type the description term followed by its description details.

  2. Apply the corresponding Paragraph Style to each term and definition.

The InDesign document shows a glossary list beside exported EPUB HTML with definition list tags highlighted.
Create a glossary list and apply paragraph styles to terms and definitions.

Create a glossary using dfn tags

  1. Create the glossary content with the definitions and apply the Character Style to the definitions.

  2. Create a Character Style for the definition and enter dfn in the Tag field under Export Tagging.

  3. Export to EPUB (Reflowable) format so e-readers recognize the dfn tags within the list.

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