Best Practices for Storing and Reusing QR Codes in InDesign

[Georgia32657040fad1]

Hi everyone,

I have a query regarding the storage of QR Codes generated in InDesign.

Is it possible to save the QR codes to a central place, such as in your CC Libraries, for ease of use across multiple documents (and to save the creation of new QR Codes each time for the same content- e.g. URLs); or should I set up another InDesign document that contains all my QR codes to copy and use across different publications?

Thanks.

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[Robert at ID-Tasker]

I would rather export QR codes after generating in InDesign - or generate online - as PDF files on your drive - and then link to them when needed. 

QR code stored on the INDD document is an embedded entity. 

And if you have them as files - you could place them in bulk with a script. 

[Georgia32657040fad1]

Thank you.
How would I place them in bulk with a script? I'm not too sure what that part means, thanks 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Thank you.
How would I place them in bulk with a script? I'm not too sure what that part means, thanks 

By @Georgia32657040fad1

It depends on how you prepare your document - if it's a simple catalogue - you could use DataMerge - then you could load them or generate on the fly. 

Or you could have FileName as text and script can find those FileNames and replace with links. 

[Georgia32657040fad1 · Accepted solution]

Ok thanks 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

QR codes, once generated, are just graphics. You can manage them in any way you might, say, a library of catalog item photos.

Ideally, you'd probably want to use Data Merge to generate any large number of them (as for catalog items), and you'd want to use an optimized document to create and export PDF or PNG code images at a "finished," placeable size. (For example, a document with 4x4 inch pages and a text frame set up to create a full-page, centered code so the export is of manageable size, adequate resolution and is pre-cropped for placement.)

If you want to maintain them in editable format, they will have to stay in an InDesign document, as RT notes. There is no intermediate format or editable version that will let you update a generated code.

[Georgia32657040fad1]

Ok thanks

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You might find this useful, although it's a bit more about content than creation/management.

• http://www.nitrosyncretic.com/DPR/dpr_qrcodes.php