Best practices for documents with boilerplate

[Nedlaw]

I apologize for the long post. This may be a how-to question as well as a best practices.

I have a project that includes several documents (more than the three in the illustration).

Three documents

 Each of the documents includes two different sets of boilerplate pages. They're boilerplate because they are identical. They go into each document at different places, but they are not simple block information. These boilerplate pages include images, several heads, and footers. Currently, especially the footers. By using boilerplate, I can maintain the pages in a single place so that they all read the same, but only until it's time to create the first Alpha draft. Then, I have to provide each book with its own copy of the boilerplate.

Because... The footers of each document include the product name. If they didn't, I'd just maintain the boilerplate in its own directory and insert the boilerplate doc using the book file where necessary. This is in fact what I do... but because of that changing footer, I have had to duplicate the boilerplate file for each book -- which multiplies the problem of maintaining all those "little changes" that crop up over time as the products mature and the docs go together. I use a text variable to maintain the name of the document... but even so, each book needs its own version of the boilerplate docs with the text variable set correctly in each component file of the book.

I'm looking for a way to maintain the boilerplate -- text&images or whole pages -- in one place and, when I cite them in the book file, they automatically adopt the correct product name for the book (presumably from the immediately preceding file) without me having to a) have a separate version for each product doc and b) adjust the content of a text variable.

Ideally -- I think -- this is the role of an INCLUDE command, where I could have a text-and-image object stored in a library somewhere and "insert it" into a regular page where I want the boilerplate to go (thus obviating the need to modify footers), but I don't believe ID offers that. And really, ID is WYSIWYG, so putting an INCLUDE in the middle of the text is probably not something that's going to happen. (However, I imagine it as something like linking to an external image. After all, the image appears, why not formatted text?)

Some kind of saved library object might work...

Have others run into this kind of issue? Is there an good way to resolve it? I'm coming up on another iteration of all these manuals, and I really would prefer not to try to maintain a version of the boilerplate for each product just so each product can have the product name in the footer (even if that product name is a text variable and I only have to change it in one place).

Thanks as always to the community.

-j

[Mike Witherell]

If you really are a 1-man show (a rennaissance man?) then most of what you want InCopy to do for you is already in InDesign already. Have a look at Edit > InCopy... where you can export textframe and graphics frame content for re-use.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

@Mike Witherell Correct--that's what I was referring to: "or InDesign (and export as InCopy)". I didn't go into detail however, i would be happy to if needed. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But InDesign can't open InCopy files? 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Nobody said you could.

One can EXPORT them as InCopy .icml files. 

This will be automatically linked in the InDesign file.

One can then PLACE it in another InDesign file and it will be linked.

One can use the InCopy that comes with the Creative Cloud or subscribe to it separately to edit the .icml file. (The edits can be made in InDesign too.)

Then one updates the links in the InDesign files and the edits magically appear.

Easy, peasy. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Dave Creamer of IDEAS

I know how InCopy workflow works 😉 

But from your reply and @Mike Witherell's reply it sounded like InCopy isn't needed - as InDesign can do it alone?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Technically, yes, InDesign can do it alone--although I never said that.

However, I don't think I would subscribe to the entire Creative Cloud if an editor only needs InCopy. 

[Nedlaw]

I still have bunches to learn about the ID/IC workflow, but what I'm seeing is that the examples I run into all involve "you have a single newspaper file, and you assign various articles to several writers..." Whereas I have a set of multiple documents and there is one boilerplate item that needs to find its way identically into every member of the document set.

If there are any pointers on that, I'd be happy to hear them. ID and IC follow a check-in/check-out process (that's not an issue; I've dealt with that kind of thing before). Again... still learning, causing crashes, not getting it right... mainly because examples are about multiple sources into a single file, whereas I need a single source into multiple files. We'll work it out.

Thanks again to the community for all the good ideas and help.

-j

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

@Nedlaw You don't really need to use assignments. They are just there for organization purposes. There is not stopping anyone from accessing files from anyone else's assignments. See my previous post for a simple workflow suggestion.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Nedlaw

How big would be your chunks of text?

And how formatted? 

[Nedlaw]

We're talking 2 formatted ID pages, including graphics. Some boilerplate items are smaller -- only one page.

[Nedlaw]

@dAvE Creamer:

Let me see if I understand:

1. In InDesign, I select the existing text box holding what I want to use later as boilerplate. (no User naming, no assignments, nothing like that).
2. I SAVE AS, and choose InCopy file (and put it in my boilerplate folder).
3. In documents A, B, and C, I use PLACE, select the boilerplate file and in it comes.

So far, so good. I notice that this material comes in with the "world-download" icon from InCopy.

Questions: 

• In InDesign, I don't see the command to allow me to "check out" the file (in case I need to make local adjustments, which I don't want to have to do anyway). Is that done in the Assignments box? (No, I don't see it there, either.)
• In InCopy, when I try to open the file for editing the "central" boilerplate document, it tells me that I need to enter a user name... but I haven't provided any user names in ID, (When I make one up in IC, the file opens. Is this correct procedure?)

I'll note that in the local file, I make the page 2-col, but this 2-col look does not appear in IC-layout-view.

Am I correct is thinking that I need the IC program to edit the central boilerplate file? (this is not an issue; I have it.) I think I'm beginning to stray from the correct procedure, here.

-j

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

1. In InDesign, I select the existing text box holding what I want to use later as boilerplate.
   • (Must have User name; assignments are not necessary).
2. I Edit>InCopy>Export>Selection,and put it in my boilerplate folder.
3. In documents A, B, and C, I use PLACE, select the boilerplate file and in it comes.

Questions: 

• In InDesign, I don't see the command to allow me to "check out" the file (in case I need to make local adjustments, which I don't want to have to do anyway). 

Just try to edit the file (I usually type a space) and a dialog box will ask you if you want to check it out. 

• In InCopy, when I try to open the file for editing the "central" boilerplate document, it tells me that I need to enter a user name... 

Enter in generic user names--like "Designer" and "Editor".

I'll note that in the local file, I make the page 2-col, but this 2-col look does not appear in IC-layout-view.

It should copy the view of the of the exporting document but it won't affect any of the edits and is only necessary if worried about line endings.

Am I correct is thinking that I need the IC program to edit the central boilerplate file? (this is not an issue; I have it.) I think I'm beginning to stray from the correct procedure, here.

No, you can make the edits in an InDesign file that the .icml file is placed in also.

[Nedlaw]

Thanks!!

I think I got a little distracted, but I see the workflow, now.

I'm trying to avoid local editing. I have just tried editing in IC, and it came through in the ID file, so that's good. I had not set up a user in ID. I will do that in the next run through. Somewhere in the menu system in both ID and IC, there was a check-out/check-in/cancel (etc.) I recall this from one of the tutorials. Can't seem to find it right now, but I'm probably not looking in the right place.

This has been a tremendous help. Thanks again.

-j

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

The Check in/out is under the Edit>InCopy menu, but you can also right-click on the text frame or just try to edit it. 

This is the dialog box if you try to edit a placed .icml file in InDesign:

[Nedlaw]

Thanks. It's getting clearer to me. I can see that this approach should work. Running a few tests now!

-j

[Nedlaw · Accepted solution]

Summary time! (I may have forgotten some check-in/check-out/save steps.)

1. I set up a user id on InDesign.
2. I created two sample boilerplate text-and-graphic combos from existing sample docs using ID's Edit | InCopy | export | selection and put them in the boilerplate folder.
3. Using InCopy, I edited them (for versioning). Saved and checked in. (created a dummy user in IC.)
4. In InDesign, I created two book folders (01 and 02) and put files in them.
5. In ID, I PLACED the boilerplate examples into pages in book01. (And saved etc.)
6. In ID, I PLACED the boilerplate into pages in book02 (saved, etc.)
7. In IC, I changed one of the boilerplate files.
8. Back in ID, after updating content (easiest in the Assignments dialog) the samples in both books showed the altered text. Huzzah.

So. The issue appears to be resolved with MUCH help from Mike Witherell, Dave Creamer, and Robert. This will help the boilerplate-using process. (Small point... I still have to test updating of numbered figures and inclusion in TOC... but I'm going to declare victory for right now and get some dinner. )

Thanks again to all.

-j