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Question

Convert design or lay-out from Photoshop to Indesign.

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
November 6, 2023
2 replies
1343 views

I usually start in Photoshop with a design so that more is possible with photos.

How do I convert this to InDesign in an easy way? It turns out that it takes an enormous amount of time to put a simple layout from Photoshop into InDesign, and it usually ends up having to recreate it completely.

Simply placing .psd-file makes text not editable, vectors do not become vectors in Indesign etc.

macOS

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Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

It's a while since I used InDesign regularly, but I am sure I could chose to input a .psd file as layers, and I would expect that to be interactive. (i.e. I could right click and chose Edit in Photoshop). Yes, there's a help page on how to do it

https://helpx.adobe.com/nz/photoshop/using/photoshop-assets-in-indesign.html.

If you are finding text to come in rasterized, then there is probably something wrong with your workflow, but more to the point, it is completely back to front to create text in Photoshop and move it to InDesign. It would be like creating a bunch of vector objects in Photoshop, and moving them to Illustrator.

D

desgnRuubAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks, the link is helpful.

Your last sentences describe what I mean. I think it should be possible to convert text formatted in Photoshop to InDesign without much hassle/effort.

It is indeed possible to create vectors in Photoshop, so why would it be so difficult to easily transfer them to InDesign? Luckily Photoshop and Illustrator are already somewhat more compatible.

The point is, usually you start in Photoshop and continue in InDesign. Having to recreate your entire design seems rather cumbersome/unnecessary.

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

@desgnRuub agree to disagree. Again, its semantics. "The point is usually you start in Photoshop and continue in InDesign" is not ususal.

I teach my college students to multitask their designs in all three applications simultaneously - image edits in PS, which are placed in InDesign. InDesign has all the text components and if there are complex vector graphics, use Illustrator. Going between all three is easy if you start off on the right foot.

Not forcing you to change your methods, you do you. But making points about a workflow that is disjointed is not practical.

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

Hi @desgnRuub there isn't a workflow from Photoshop to InDesign. You would have to recreate it to make it editable outside of placing the image and editing the original PSD when needed.

D

desgnRuubAuthor

Participating Frequently

I think it should be there (in the future). As it is now, the programs are barely compatible, and this has been the case since the existence of both programs.

I discovered that when placing a .psd file in Indesign it does allow you to turn layers on and off, that's already something.

S

SJRiegel

Legend

As it is now, the programs are barely compatible, and this has been the case since the existence of both programs.

By @desgnRuub

The programs are completely compatible - they don't work the same way, and they don't perform the same tasks. If they did, there would be no need for separate programs.

Layout shlould be done in InDesign, with placed pixel images from Photoshop, and placed vector images from Illustrator. This has been the case since the existence of [all three] programs.

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