Participant

Question

Help! Can multiple people have the same InDesign book panel open?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
January 29, 2020
3 replies
2353 views

We are working on an InDesign book, where each chapter is a separate document. I understand that only one person can work on each file at a time, but what happens if multiple people have the book panel open? Can we both synchronize the files as we're working?

We have a document within the book that is specifically for all the styles that we're using (it is set to be the source). As we're working, we may find that we need to create a new style, so we add it to that source file. Then we synchronize all documents so the style will be available in all chapters. If multiple people have the book panel open, and one of them updates the style document and synchs all docs, will those changes update across everyone's computers automatically? Or will style updates be reflected once an indivdual book is closed and reopened?

Thanks so much!

This topic has been closed for replies.

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Hi Abigail,

you said:

I opened the chapter 1 document from the book panel,

made some changes,

saved the docuemnt, then

saved the book and

closed everything.

When I went to open the chapter 1 document directly from its file location,

the changes I had just made were not reflected.

I closed the document.

Opened chapter 1 again from the book panel,

and it was the updated version with changes.

Are you sure, that there is only one single document with that name?

And you opened the one outside the book file that is actually listed in your book file?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

dave c courtemanche

Inspiring

Book files (.indb) always retain their original linking. If you move a book file from one location to another, and open the book file in the new location, the ID docs in the book file will still be linked to the original location. That's my guess as to what is happening with your changes not being reflected. If you hover over the ID doc in the book file, it will give you the location it is linked to. (My add on to Uwe's reply)

Barb Binder

Community Expert

Interestingly, opening a book file does not create a protective .idlk file, and I was able to open the same book from my Mac InDesign and my Windows InDesign without a sharing violation.

I also tried syncing a change to both open and closed files, and that worked in both.

This was a small test on a single computer (that is running two operating systems). If you are going to do this, I would move forward with this workflow very cautiously—have back-ups firmly in place—and give it a trial run at your office.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

abigail_1217Author

Participant

I know, it seems like InDesign should bring up a warning box or something if users try to open a book file that is already open...

Thanks for the response!

JonathanArias

Legend

on the book panel, one file is selected as the parent. when the parent file has style changes made it to it. and you sync, all other files will have changes applied to it.

I have the same workflow. we have 4 editorial folks, i have the all work on the indesign files and do their edits, however, only one person will do the style changes and sync, and one person make a combined .pdf.

your workflow is a one way road to issues. not everybody needs to have the book panel open at the same time. they can each work on the indesign document individually. not everybody should make styles changes, only one document is the parent and that syncs to the rest.

abigail_1217Author

Participant

Got it. So only one person should have the book panel open.

Not sure if this is related, but I was testing things out with the book panel and noticed an issue. I opened the chapter 1 document from the book panel, made some changes, saved the docuemnt, then saved the book and closed everything. When I went to open the chapter 1 document directly from its file location, the changes I had just made were not reflected. I closed the document. Opened chapter 1 again from the book panel, and it was the updated version with changes.

Can you shed some light on this? Why there seems to be two versions of the same document?

This is our first time using the book feature in InDesign and we are still figuring out the best process...

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