How to Index Multiple Documents in InDesign?

[IHeartKeming]

I'm need to index over 1,000 proper names in a book file that has 200 InDesign documents, and I'm trying to figure out how to do this as quickly/efficiently as possible.

I've been able to add all my index item as Topics through a list in my non-printing style document. What I'm having trouble with now is adding all page references.

This older thread had some suggestions, which I've tried, but either I haven't understood it properly or it hasn't worked. So far, only manual reference entry for every name on every page has given me a result. Is there a faster way?

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[James Gifford—NitroPress]

The first thing I want to say is that this sounds like a project that needs restructuring right from the start. Two hundred component files is... so problematic in so many ways. But let's just assume it's that way for a reason.

The only way to index that collection is using the Book feature, which I gather you understand and are using. So on a technical level, you're where you need to be.

As for adding all those names to an index list, and then generating that index... there are script solutions for some indexing tasks, and you can work from a list of index topics, but as far as I know these have to be set up and established (and even executed) on a file by file basis. That is, some 200 times. (Just one of the many reasons not to multiply components to this scale...) And 1,000 items in an index list is... a lot.

I think you're going to need some custom scripts, which may be outside what anyone, even here, is inclined to write and adapt for free. Or, I dunno, there are some wizards here who seem to have all such things already developed for sharing. But the short answer is that there is no simple, one-shot way to accomplish this task — there is no InDesign feature or other function you are overlooking, that is.

If it were possible, I'd start by consolidating these files into no more than about ten "chapters," and go from there. But you may not have that option, for functional or time reasons.

[IHeartKeming]

This is for a yearbook (hence the massive index list of names), and the publishing company requires every spread to be its own .INDD file. I can try and consolidate the documents we've already sent off to the printer into chapters. That might help make things more manageable.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

One spread per INDD file ?!?! Are you sure? 

If it's a real requirement - it's plain stupid?!?!

If you are on a PC and have some time to finish your project - I could help you with my tool. 

[IHeartKeming]

Yes, I thought it was a very strange requirement, too.

Is ID Tasker a script or a program? We're using the publisher's remote desktop portal for ID, so we're unable to install any software. Scripts work, though.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

It's an external program - kind of overlay on top of the InDesign - let you automate a lot of things that otherwise would have to be done manually.

[Peter Kahrel]

Marking up the InDesign documents to add all those names is in itself easy (with a script, as James mentioned). But the problem is that you won't be able to generate that index: InDesign can't open more than about 115 documents, and InDesign's index needs all documents open to create the index.

However, there are tools to create an index not using InDesign's index feature. The best one is 

https://indiscripts.com/post/2023/01/indexmatic3-what-s-new

Look into that script, it's probably the only way for you to create the index.

[IHeartKeming]

Thank you for the info. I wasn't aware that 115 is the maximum.

I'll see if my supervisor will let us buy that script. Otherwise, I suppose I'm just going to be at this awhile.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Just as a general suggestion, projects of this scope and complexity really need to be mapped out in early development, both to avoid difficult/impossible stages later on, and to be sure to use an app's capabilities to their best strengths. Any time the numbers reach these levels, it's wise to check things out and (if necessary) get experienced advice before committing the effort.

Not saying you or your employer didn't, or that there were or are any alternatives (legacy stuff can be a real PITA), but it's worth keeping in mind.

[FRIdNGE]

No need to use the Index feature!

Just a Script playing on each document the entire list of names (extracting for each of them the corresponding page number), at the end sorting the data and playing a simplistic Grep F/R to consolidate them and finally adding the index groups.

Finally just 1 click!

(^/)  The Jedi

[IHeartKeming]

This is my first year on this project, and it's definitely kind of a mess, structurally. We're also currently using a remote desktop/managed version of ID from the publisher.

So I definitely appreciate everyone's recommendations. As soon as we send in our final batch of pages, we're going to take a serious look at how we can run things more effectively for the next year. (Ditching the publisher's software setup is the first step.)

[IHeartKeming]

Could you explain a little further? I'm not very familiar with greps, yet.

[Peter Kahrel]

Don't bother too much with GREP for the moment, it's really only an efficient way of looking for things.You'll need to work out a general approach, of which GREP is probably some part. A script to handle those 1,000 names to create an index without not using InDesign's index feature is very much doable. See this page

https://creativepro.com/files/kahrel/indesign/lists_indexes.html

for various index scripts. None of the scripts there is suitable for your purposes, but this one

https://creativepro.com/files/kahrel/indesign/index_independent.html

can be adapted easily for your purposes.