Database to InDesign Document

Hi,
Im a newbie to InDesign. I would really appreciate you guys to help me out of this technical problem. Scenario -> I have the page layout / images / text / frames,etc details in database. This skeletal view which are stored in database needs to be converted to an InDesign document. I have read from ID documentation that we can create ID documents using SDK / JavaScript / CORBA. What I really wanted to know is this. Can I convert the database details into InDesign document automatically by some parsers, etc ?

"control EasyCatalog through the power of cross-platform Javascript, AppleScript on the Macintosh or Visual Basic on Windows." says to me you would update the links for the InDesign file if necessary through a script, and then through that same script you would export that InDesign file as a PDF to a network location.
From that point there's many ways to make sure your sales guys have it. I think a network drive is probably the simplest. In any case by putting the InDesign into PDF you can't maintain visual fidelity and content integirty without having to juggle licenses. The added bonus is cell phones and tablets will support PDF, where with InDesign it's not going to look so great.
Ultimately your solution is going to depend on your budget. If you don't mind something with a few interim steps you can do it for essentially labour. The drawback of that type of workflow is that it can quickly become esoteric.

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Database that will update multiple InDesign documents

I have multiple documents with several different numbers within the paragraphs. I need to update these numbers quarterly. I want to keep one database (whether a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, etc...) where I store and update the numbers and have them flow across these other documents. Is this possible?

Ah OK. Here's some more detail.
I have five documents. Each document has a paragraph that contains different stats. For example:
We have X number of locations and are an $X million dollar company. We currently have over X customers.
Let's say, for simplicity's sake, that the above paragraph exists in each of the 5 documents. Currently, as those numbers change monthly, I have to open all 5 documents and update the 3 different numbers in each one.
What I would like to do is have one document that holds those numbers. Then I could open that one document, update all three numbers, and have the change cascade to my 5 InDesign documents.
Let me know if that helps! And thanks in advance!

How to embed data into an InDesign Document

Hello everybody,
I'm porting a QuarkXTension to InDesign CS3 on PC but, maybe, I've found a showstopper...
The current xtension writes some collected data into a document slug that is retrieved by an external application simply scanning the content of the file.
I need to maintain the same way with InDesign but I've discovered that the persistent data added to a document workspace doesn't stay all together when is more than few KBytes (everything seems to be ok until 2 KBytes but that's too little) inside the InDesign document but is scattered on many locations. Of course this makes the work of the external application impossible.
Is there any way to command/force inDesign to write the persistent data insidde the file in one single chunk?
I understand this is something unusual but that's the way that complex publishing workflow works and can't be changed in that part.
Thanks a lot in advance for any help.
Best regards,
Luca Severini

I think I have found a possible solution to embed my data in a way readable by an external application. To use the XMP toolkit.
Very interesting the fact XMP Toolkit includes the source of a simple command line tool that parses the xmp embedded into InDesign file.
The same source can be easily modified to get all the objects contained in the document aka database.
Bye
Luca

CS3:How to link a file to a InDesign document?

Hello all, I looked at in the LinkWatcher sample code to get an idea how to link a file to a document, I came up with the code below, the last line of code needs pageitemUID instead of pageUID which I used it here: IDFile outFile = Utils<ImyUtils>()->getMyFile(); // it reads the file InterfacePtr<IDataLinkHelper> dataLinkHelper(::CreateObject2<IDataLinkHelper>(kDataLinkHelperBoss)); InterfacePtr<IDataLink> dataLinkNew(dataLinkHelper->CreateDataLink(outFile)); IDocument* theFrontDoc = Utils<ILayoutUIUtils>()->GetFrontDocument(); IDataBase* database = ::GetDataBase(theFrontDoc); InterfacePtr<IDocument> piDoc(theFrontDoc, UseDefaultIID()); InterfacePtr<IPageList> pageList(piDoc, UseDefaultIID()); UID pageUID(kInvalidUID); if (pageList->GetPageCount() > 0) { pageUID = pageList->GetNthPageUID(0); } // I try to link the file to the front document, although it say pageitemUID, as a second //parameter, but I don't want to link the file to a particular page item. is this a right thing to do? int32 result = dataLinkHelper->AddDataLink(database,pageUID, dataLinkNew); as I execute the code it doesn't add the file in Link palette in CS3, but when I pass a UID of one page item such as text frame, it will add the name of file to link palette with a "1" comes to end of row that shows how many times this file was included in the frame. but in case I have not a page item can I use the pageUID instead ? Thanks In Advance, Mor

Lee,
Sorry I think I didn't use the right terminology, somehow I want to include/link the file (not with menu item 'place') programmatically in my current open Indesign document, then I expect to see the filename in Link palette. I can do this with linking to a page item in doc but I don't want to assign it to a particular page item, rather I want to assign it to doc. Is any approach to do it?
Thanks again,
Mor

Finding folios in the indesign document

i want to find the folios in the indesign document and i want to write in csv file. filename.foliosexistpage.
could anyone tell me

Hi,
There is no folio in InDesign, You can get a pagenumber with section prefix. by using the following code:
app.activeDocument.pages.everyItem().name;
Regards,
Ramkumar .P

Is there any way to get the height/width of an image before importing it in the indesign document.

Hi All,
I need to obtain an image's attributes such as dimensions (height, width in pixels) without placing image in indesign document.
I have full path of the image (say abc.jpg is stored at c:\my pic\abc.jpg).
I have obtained the IDFile for this image, tried getting size using GetFileSize() which correctly return size in bytes.
Is there any way to get the height/width of image without importing it in the indesign document.
Please, give me some hints. I have spent quite a lot time digging in CHM. I have searched in FileUtils, IDFile API's but found no method which serves this purpose.
At this point I am clueless where to search next.
Any help will be appriciated.
Just a point to mention, I am able to get image height and width for an image in indesign doc though Its not my requirement.
Thnx,
D.

You might be able to examine the contents of the PlaceGun after calling kImportAndLoadPlaceGunCmdBoss without actually placing the image in a document. Not sure, but would be worth looking at.
Otherwise you will probably have to write platform specific code, ideally with a generic platform-independant wrapper (see SDKSamples/paneltreeview/PlatformFileSystemIterator).
For the Mac, look at CGImageGetWidth() etc., not sure what the best option is for windows.
Perhaps Quicktime could provide you with a platform independant solution.

I Try to open an Indesign document. The message: it is made in a newer version. Go tot CC: Help/Give your Adobe id/Start Indesign again and try to open the document. This doesn't work. How to solve this problem?

I Try to open an Indesign document. The message: it is made in a newer version. Go tot CC: Help/Give your Adobe id/Start Indesign again and try to open the document. This doesn’t work. How to solve this problem?

What version are you running?
What version was it made with?

On Windows Platform, encounters error when trying to open an Indesign document created from MAC

Hi all,
On Windows Platform, encounters error when trying to open an Indesign document in INDD format created from Mac. Error received "Either the file does not exist, you do not have permission, or the file may be in use by other application". I am currently using Adobe Indesign CC 9.2 Trial version.
Kindly advise how can i open this document on windows platform and allows me to edit the document.
Thanks!
With Rgds,
Fiona Choy

Normally there is no problem to open any INDD opening on Windows, when created on the Mac.
But Mac user are often not aware on the naming limitations. A file name must not contain /, \, |, :
It should not contain any extended character, it is not a primary problem but will be, if something links to that file, so avoid also: ÄÖÜäöüß+&
You can use all other non A-Z a-z, 0-9 and - and _
I personally would also recommend to avoid spaces.
This is valid for the INDD file itself but also for all linked content.

How to import multiple XML files into one inDesign document without copy/paste ?

I use InDesign CS6, and I have several XML files with the same structure. Only the data are different.
I created an Indesign layout with some tagged placeholder frames on merge mode, for automated layout.
Today for each XML file I have to create a new InDesign document to import the XML. Everything works fine. Then in order to have all Indesign layouts one after the other into a single Indesign layout, I have to use the copy/paste function.
I mean for example, copy the contents of all documents to the first one. Or add pages of other documents to the first one, then delete spaces between each page.
So my question is the following:
How to repeat this process without copy/paste function, knowing that the
number of XML files could be unknown.
Thank you very much for your answer.

Yes, effectively I would like to catalogue the files into one collection so i can save as one PDF and Print as one.:)
I know I could save each AI as a pdf them then merge the pdf's together in acrobat, but I have nearly 100 files so would feel more comfortable seeing them all together before print / saving.
My concern is that if I insert them in Ai, will the file resolution reduce? and will the ai still be editable and would it update the indesign file?
Thanks for the quick reply

How do I print multiple copies of the same InDesign document on 1 page?

I made a sign that is 7"w x 3"h and I would like to print 3 on a page. Can I do in InDesign? Adobe Acrobat. I found a feed from 2008, but was hoping that something had changed.
Thank you.

If you're looking for automated "n-Up" functionality, I don't think you'll find it in InDesign or Acrobat.
All I can suggest is start a new InDesign document and place 3 copies of your sign on the page. Print.

How Do I combine 2 InDesign Documents into 1 (in a very particular way)

How do I combine two InDesign Documents into one in a very specific way.
Here's my problem: I have two separate InDesign CS5 files for playing cards. File one is the front. File two is the back.
The company that does my final print production needs the the cards sent as two separate PDFs. One for the card fronts, one for the card backs. Both of these InDesign (and the PDF export) files are arranged in the same way: page 1 is card #1, page 2 is card #2, etc. Nice and simple.
However, I use a different company for producing prototype versions of the decks (the production printer can't do this economically). My prototype producer needs me to send a single PDF where page 1 is Card #1 Back, page 2 is Card #1 Front, Page 3 is Card #2 back, Page 4 is Card #2 front, etc.
The decks I am building usually run 56 cards, but can be as large as 180 cards.
So, what's the easiest way to automate this process? is there a way to combine two separate indesign files by "interleaving" the pages from the two original documents into a new larger document (where I could do a new PDF export)? Or, is there a better way to do this in Acrobat Pro? At the moment I have to resort to drag and dropping each card from one PDF thumbnail pallet to the other. It's really time consuming and mind-numbingly boring. Any Ideas?

This script is actually pretty straightforward, so it's a good first
challenge I think.
I would script this in InDesign -- probably because I'm more familiar
with InDesign scripting.
To start learning the InDesign scripting basics, open the ExtendScript
Toolkit (ESTK) which is almost certainly installed on your computer
already. Go to the Help menu, and you'll find an entry there called
Adobe Intro to Scripting. Read that. I think that's the best place to start.
For the script in question, you would want to:
1. make sure both InDesign documents are open. They would both have the
same number of pages. (No scripting involved here, just make sure
they're open before running the script.)
2. loop backwards through the collection of document pages of one of the
documents. (document.pages is the collection you're looking for)
3. use the move() method of a document page to move it. (myPage.move())
4. Learn about the LocationOptions enumerator so that when you move the
page you can tell InDesign if you want to move it before, or after
another page. (LocationOptions.AFTER or LocationOptions.BEFORE)
5. Get a reference to the page in the second document before (or after)
which you want to move the page in the first document.
5. that's basically it
I suggest that as you work your way through this (if you decide to take
up the challenge), you post any questions you may have on the InDesign
Scripting forum here.

Is there a way to trace back an indesign document from which a certain jpeg was exported?

I have a jpeg image that was exported from indesign a long time ago. I no longer know where the indesign file is located or it's name, but I need to edit the text of the jpeg and the only way to do that is by editing the original indesign document and reexporting it. Is there a way to trace back an indesign document from which a certain jpeg was exported?

boshalosh wrote:
I have a jpeg image that was exported from indesign a long time ago. I no longer know where the indesign file is located or it's name, but I need to edit the text of the jpeg and the only way to do that is by editing the original indesign document and reexporting it. Is there a way to trace back an indesign document from which a certain jpeg was exported?
Depending on how the text interacts visually with the image, it might be possible to use the fill property of the content-aware deletion feature of recent Photoshop versions to remove the text with little or no evidence of the deletion, then apply text over the graphic however you like.
HTH
Regards,
Peter
Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices

Packaging an InDesign document with Placed Illustrator Files which contain PLACED GRAPHICS!

I've got an InDesign document 215 pages long. Each page contains a placed Illustrator document... and each Illustrator document contains a placed TIFF.
When I package the InDesign Document the Illustrator files are gathered into the new location, but InDesign does not gather the TIFFs. I need to get this material to the book designer, but relinking 215 pages is going to be a very risky and time consuming process--one that will have to be done OVER and OVER again as the project moves from one location to another. Can anyone recommend a solution? Why doesn't InDesign look for nested files?
Does anybody understand what I'm talking about?
--Jay

The reason behind link (.psd in layers) means in the future it can be edited.
If the person receiving to package needs to edit the layers of a PSD placed in an Illustrator file, then yes you would have to manually include the layered PSDs. But if it's just a matter of ensuring full res and color managed output downstream then saving as PDF does that and preserves the links to layered files locally. So if I save as PDF trash a link and reopen the PDF in Illustrator it will look for the link:
If you save as .ai with the links embedded, the users downstream would be able to unembed and edit a flattened version of the placed art.

Embedding SWF file into an Indesign document and later export as PDF

Hi to everybody,
I am searching now since 3 days for good solution of my problem. First I wanna tell you that the problem is not just to convert a swf-file into a pdf. I did this many times with all animations, page flip and stuff.My situation is the following:
I have varios catalogues with more or less 12 pages each in an indesign format. Now I created an animated scroll down menu, which appears on an "index-page". On the menu I created buttons. One button for each catalogue. So the idea of the whole thing is to open a document and an index page appears where you have the animated menu and you choose the catalogue you wanna see. Until here it is quite easy. I created a swf file of each catalogue with my animations (as the special page turnover e.g.). So that I just need von Object in with I can load the different swf-files of these catalogues. I already did the process. I linked the buttons to the different swf files and so. So the problem is now when it comes to convert the whole thing into a PDF. Of course I convert it first to swf and then to PDF. After converting it to swf it works 100% fine, but in PDF not, suddenly the swf-files of the catalogues disappear.
So the summary is, that I don't know how to embed swf files into an indesign document, creat buttons and interactions next to swf file, then save it to another swf, and then to a pdf without losing the first swf files within the pdf.
Hope I made my self clear would be too nice if someone could help me or if someone may have a better idea of realizing the whole project.

Jeffrey,
Thank you for the answer. As you have written:
I will also add that the ID's play mode contol [plays once] [repeat play] does not always control the file once in Acrobat.
I presume you mean version of ID older than CS4 or version of Acrobat Reader older than 9.1
It that is the case I will strongly recommend my visitors to upgrade to this version.
I hope that would work.
Thanks again.
Peter

Is it possible to link and update external files in a Indesign document when sharing the Indesign file in Creative Cloud with multiple users?

I am new to Creative Cloud, but have been using Adobe software for many years.
Now we are considering sharing an Indesign file with my project group using CC.
The Indesign file contains links to external files (one Illustrator and multiple .txt files); and we export the approved version to an Hi-Res PDF.
These .txt files are currently hosted on our internal server but have not been linked directly: we first copy them over to local desktop and update the links in Indesign before creating a new PDF.
Since these file can be update by different people we would like to keep them outside the Indesign and Illustrator files.
Is it still possible with CC to link directly to the files on our server in Indesign and see if there have been updated?
Or can they also be stored in the CC cloud? Or is there another method?
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions
Ronald

This will work if you all use the file syncing of the Creative Cloud desktop application and then you use the Collaborate option for the folder containing all the files. Then it will work on each of your desktops.
Links to files will not work in the browser when viewing the InDesign document from https://creative.adobe.com/files.

Database to InDesign Document

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