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Question

Automating Shortening of Long Foreign URLs in InDesign

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
November 6, 2024
3 replies
566 views

Hello All,

Need help in finding a way to set a GRIP, extension, or something for LONG URLs. ----

Word file placed in a 40-page journal or other pubs, that contain exceptionally long URLs. Many are from foreign sites which get translated into English as noted in the sample screenshot.
Is there some way to set up a style, GRIP to shorten these long translated URLs into shorter lines of code, or non at all without me having to rename them or figure out where to "cut the code"? We can have over 50 URLs in one pub so converting them one-by-one is not an option.

Also, I'm not a GRIP composer, so if someone provides support/recommendation, please be willing to illustrate the GRIP code.

Thank you for any support provided.

How to

This topic has been closed for replies.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@SusanL

Are your links like that in WORD? Or something happened to them when you imported text?

Finding them won't be a problem - how about converting them to QR codes?

I'm working on an automated way of converting long URLs to short versions - using TinyURL or similar - but my ID-Tasker tool is not free and Windows only - but can do a lot more at the same time.

Can you share sample INDD or DOC(X) file?

James Gifford—NitroPress

Legend

Journals have incredibly rigid standards that are at least 20 years behind general technical practice. There are several good solutions, including shortURLs, redirection at the source archive/repository and QR codes. Good luck getting any established journal to consider any within five years of discussion. 🙂

That does apply to "real," quantified journals. There are ten times as many that are... of lesser stature. But those tend to be even more rigid in their formatting requirements in their quest to be taken seriously alongside the respected ones.

S

SusanLAuthor

Known Participant

You're to funny James.
Yes, you are correct, and the organization I'm with fits that "behind the times" but I do thank you for the time you provided. I'll get there and will get them up to the times as well in due time.

James Gifford—NitroPress

Legend

I won't say there isn't an automated solution for this, but with significant experience formatting journals and the like — I am doing a major psych textbook at the moment — I'll say that the intersection of (1) how poorly URLs for specific documents fit into printed form; (2) that in spades for academic sites/materials; and (3) the need for absolute accuracy while (4) meeting meticulous content standards leads to only one solution: the author/s must edit the URLs to acceptable, functional, permanent forms. And verify that the modified URLs are all three.

The journal and editor should not do it. And the layout/design team should definitely not be doing it. Do I need to add that the layout staff using an automated tool should abso-fraggin-lutely not be doing it?

S

SusanLAuthor

Known Participant

LOL. Agree, and to some degree it was my fault. But yes, it will likely be I have to go back and tell them to use the Short, working URLs. I'm a one-woman show and before I had to work with someone who wasn't an InDesign savvy so I had to make things as simplistic as possible. But now, I can work production as it should be. Our pubs are for all forms of distro and unfortunately, they have been a bit behind the times. But I and other like-minded are finally bringing the organization into the 21st century. 🙂 I'll suffer through a few more issues, but our NEXT revamp of the journal will be difference. Just have to go slow with this audience when it comes to change. Thanks for the support.

James Gifford—NitroPress

Legend

It's no more your job to fix those than it is to edit the content of the papers. Journal publication is the last bastion of the old Linotype operator dictum "Follow the copy even if it flies out the window."

kglad

Community Expert

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

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