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brian.sipsy
Known Participant
January 31, 2025
Question

PDF Export Location Changed When Creating Template

  • January 31, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 365 views

Our previous indesign template was set up in such a way that the defaul PDF export location was the same folder where the indesign file was saved. That was perfect and exactly the way I want it to be. However, when I was creating a new version of the template, I created and exported a test PDF. Now, no matter where I save the indesign file when using the new template, exporting a PDF always defaults to the folder that I exported the test PDF to.

How can I fix this? I could swear I remember seeing an option somewhere in some settings dialog that allowed you to set the default export location to the same directory where the indd file is saved, but I haven't been able to find it.

I know there have been older threads that have talked about this, but the answers were all basically that it's not possible because that's just how indesign works. However, like I mentioned, our old template that was created by someone else functioned that way. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    1 reply

    Mike Witherell
    Community Expert
    Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 31, 2025

    Based on my experience, new documents saved to their own folders always export a PDF to that same folder.

    Many recommend this helper software for macOS:

    https://stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/

    Are you making a template INDT file or an IDML file, or an INDD file for your template? Which filetype was the former template? Bear in mind that an INDD file defaults to the same folder unless you change it, and this choice is *sticky*.

    Mike Witherell
    B
    brian.sipsyAuthor
    Known Participant
    January 31, 2025

    Thanks for the quick reply!

    I am creating an indt file for the template. The old one was an indt file as well. I'll give you a quick rundown of my process:

    1. Open the indt file from an "assets" folder, where all our templates are stored, ensuring all designers are working from the same template.

    2. Create the document for the current job, and save as an indd file on the server in the folder created for that specific job.

    3. Export a PDF into the folder one level above the folder in which the indd file was saved.

     

    This worked out very well, since I could just press Cmd + Up to get to the folder I want during export. However, with it defaulting to a specific job folder now, it's very tedious to always have to navigate to the folder, as our folder structure is a bit of a behemoth due to the nature of our work and the amount of jobs we have.

    I've seen people recommend DefaultFolderX before, but I think I will be hard-pressed to get management to approve purchasing any software for every single designer just to do something that was done natively with our old template.

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