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matthewdee
Inspiring
February 15, 2019
Answered

Breaking up an .indd to a book file

  • February 15, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 2326 views

I have an .indd file with multiple chapters, I need to break the chapters up inside an .indb file. What is the quickest way to do this?

R

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Randy Hagan

    You can do this easily. It will probably take you about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to make it happen, but with attention and care, this will be a snap.

    Before you start, make a copy of your entire book .indd file using the File>Save As menu command and put it into a new work folder. This protects your current .indd file in its old file location, creating a (hopefully unnecessary) backup file if things go awry.

         1) Using your entire book .indd file in your new work folder, and immediately use the File>Save As menu command to rename it

              Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.

    ​          a) Confirm visually that the file before you is named Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.​ If it is not, go back to Step 1.

             b) Open your Pages panel and delete all the pages for Chapters 2-35. The only pages should be the ones for Chapter 1.

              c) Visually Reconfirm​ that the file before you is named Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.​

                  i) If it is not, use the File>Revert menu command and go back to Step 1.

                   ii) If it is, use the File>Save menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+S, keyboard shortcut for Mac or Windows systems, respectively)

                        then the File>Close menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+W keyboard shortcut) to close the file.

         2) Use the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+O to again open your entire book .indd file in your new work folder, then immediately use           the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+S keyboard shortcut to save a new copy, renaming it Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.

    ​          a) Confirm visually that the file before you is named Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.​ If it is not, go back to Step 2.

             b) Open your Pages panel and delete all the pages for Chapter 1, then Chapters 3-35. Only pages for Chapter 2 should be left.

              c) Visually Reconfirm​ that the file before you is named Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.​

                  i) If it is not, use the File>Revert menu command and go back to Step 2.

                   ii) If it is, use the File>Save menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+S, keyboard shortcut for Mac or Windows systems, respectively)

                        then the File>Close menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+W keyboard shortcut) to close the file.

         3-35) Repeat for each chapter, as appropriate, using the procedures in Step 2. Lather, rinse and repeat. The pace will pick up rapidly.

    NOTE: If things go hopelessly wrong, remember you have your handy emergency backup. Just be sure to again make a copy of the original .indd file and place the copy in the new work folder. Work from the copy, never the original.

    Hope this helps,

    Randy

    3 replies

    J
    jimr11380267
    Participant
    May 24, 2024

    You can export the document to epub format:

     - make a copy of your indd - because - it's nice to have a fallback
    1. On export: set the doc to break on a paragraph style (i.e. chapter headings)
    2. change the exported file extension from .epub to .zip
    3. The extracted chapters will be in xhtml or html format
      3.1 convert the html to your preferred text/rtf format using any number of applications
      3.2 or manually copy paste into inCopy, note pad or other.
    4. in your copy:
     4.1 delete all of the existing text from the parent story
     4.2 place your newly created txt file - with import options enabled
     4.3 Map the imported styles to your existing paragraph styles
    5. save as chapter one of your new book
    6. rinse and repeat
    If your indesign file was correctly formatted to begin with - everything will slide into place. i.e you have correctly tagged your paragraph and object meta data etc

    BobLevine
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 24, 2024

    All of which has been covered in this more than five year old post. I'm locking this to avoid any further confusion.

    S
    SJRiegel
    Legend
    February 15, 2019

    There are several ways to accomplish this.

    What I would do is create appropriately named blank documents for all of your chapters, and then use Move Pages to transfer each chapter to its own document.

    Then go back and delete the blank page from each document before connecting the files with an InDesign Book.

    BobLevine
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 15, 2019

    Yeah, but everything is threaded and there are master overrides, I’d be kinda worried about fixing that which is not broken.

    I’d love to hear back from the OP on why this is being done. Typically, a book is planned out a bit better than this.

    BobLevine
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 15, 2019

    That’s not exactly a simple task.

    Why do you feel the need to do this?

    M
    matthewdeeAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 15, 2019

    I need to add images and text to certain chapters, I also recently finished a large catalogue which was given to me using a book file as there were 45 chapter. In this project there are 35 chapters.

    Not an emergency to do this way but looking at the reply I got on how to do doesn't seem to bad.

    R

    Randy Hagan
    Community Expert
    Randy HaganCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    February 16, 2019

    You can do this easily. It will probably take you about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to make it happen, but with attention and care, this will be a snap.

    Before you start, make a copy of your entire book .indd file using the File>Save As menu command and put it into a new work folder. This protects your current .indd file in its old file location, creating a (hopefully unnecessary) backup file if things go awry.

         1) Using your entire book .indd file in your new work folder, and immediately use the File>Save As menu command to rename it

              Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.

    ​          a) Confirm visually that the file before you is named Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.​ If it is not, go back to Step 1.

             b) Open your Pages panel and delete all the pages for Chapters 2-35. The only pages should be the ones for Chapter 1.

              c) Visually Reconfirm​ that the file before you is named Chapter 1 - [your book name].indd.​

                  i) If it is not, use the File>Revert menu command and go back to Step 1.

                   ii) If it is, use the File>Save menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+S, keyboard shortcut for Mac or Windows systems, respectively)

                        then the File>Close menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+W keyboard shortcut) to close the file.

         2) Use the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+O to again open your entire book .indd file in your new work folder, then immediately use           the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+S keyboard shortcut to save a new copy, renaming it Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.

    ​          a) Confirm visually that the file before you is named Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.​ If it is not, go back to Step 2.

             b) Open your Pages panel and delete all the pages for Chapter 1, then Chapters 3-35. Only pages for Chapter 2 should be left.

              c) Visually Reconfirm​ that the file before you is named Chapter 2 - [your book name].indd.​

                  i) If it is not, use the File>Revert menu command and go back to Step 2.

                   ii) If it is, use the File>Save menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+S, keyboard shortcut for Mac or Windows systems, respectively)

                        then the File>Close menu command (Cmd/Ctrl+W keyboard shortcut) to close the file.

         3-35) Repeat for each chapter, as appropriate, using the procedures in Step 2. Lather, rinse and repeat. The pace will pick up rapidly.

    NOTE: If things go hopelessly wrong, remember you have your handy emergency backup. Just be sure to again make a copy of the original .indd file and place the copy in the new work folder. Work from the copy, never the original.

    Hope this helps,

    Randy

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