Export all stories to single RTF file

Report · Nov 12, 2009

Hello,

Firstly I'm aware that there is already a script to export all stories as RTF, but this exports them to single RTF files.

I have a magazine, all the articles are separated into different documents, and the magazine is compiled using the Book feature.

Due to the layout of the magazine not all text frames are threaded, single column heading, tripple column body text etc.

So I'm looking for a way to extract all the text frames on the pages (not master page text frames) to a single RTF file.

Some pages also have footnotes, but due the text spanning 3 columns the footnotes have to be inserted in separate text frames, so they're no longer linked to text frames.

Also, there are tables with coloured headings etc. all formatting would have to be stripped prior to the conversion to RTF, and the text set to black.

I know this is a huge script. And I'm just looking for some sort of script.

Even if the script an extract all the stories on a page to a single RTF, I can edit the tables and arrange the footnotes myself in the RTF.

It would also be handy if the script could work on a Book, but it's not necessary.

If anyone knows of such a script it would be great.

Thanks

Report · Nov 12, 2009

hi Eugene,

if you work on PC - you can test my script Export-Import InDesign Texts:

http://www.adobescripts.com/search.php?query=export-import&action=results

if you want I can modify it to fit your needs

robin

www.adobescripts.co.uk

Report · Nov 12, 2009

That does most of what I was talking about - WOW. Thanks

But there is a small problem

In the Test Document I did the stories go like this

HEADING

BODY

HEADING

BODY

HEADING

BODY

But it seemed to only extract the First Heading into the RTF, and the BODY all ran into itself.

All the other HEADINGs were placed at the end of the RTF

I need them to go in order, from Page 1 from Story 1 to Story 2, to Story 3 to Story 4 for that particular document.

I may be asking way too much. It might be that you'd have to tweak the script for each document, which isn't practical.

A little bit difficult to use the Trial as I don't get to see the true finished RTF and how quickly it does it because I have to keep clicking to continue.

But nonetheless, it's a fine script. Thanks for sharing the link.

Report · Nov 12, 2009

That does most of what I was talking about - WOW. Thanks

you are welcome

I may be asking way too much. It might be that you'd have to tweak the script for each document, which isn't practical.

I need to modify UI - so you can sort Stories by order on page - by columns+rows or rows+columns

I can do this if you are interested in using my script

if you click ENTER KEY and send me HardwareFingerPrint on priv - I can send you temporary key so you don't need to click "continue"

robin

www.adobescripts.co.uk

Report · Nov 12, 2009

Check out this free scripted plug-in: http://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/indesign-downloads/text-exporter/

Kasyan

Report · Nov 12, 2009

Check out Rorohiko's TextExporter as well.

Harbs

Report · Nov 12, 2009

I think I know why it's not working, it's the way the file is set up. The Headings are stand alone text frames. The body frames are all threaded.

I guess for this to work I'll have to rearrange the document so that the heading is threaded into the body frames.

Rohiriko works, inside InDesign, and the other one pointed out works on Books, which is really what I was after.I'll have to think about which one works best and how to flow the content for each issue.

I will only have to do this 6 times a year for roughly 100 pages. So hopefully I can rework my documents without too much hassle.

Sorry Harbs, I have no stars left to hand out.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful linkage to scripts.

Report · Nov 12, 2009

Hi Eugene,

We've recently updated TextExporter - it now also allows export in 'frame-by-frame' mode instead of the default 'story-by-story'. However, the 'frame-by-frame' mode is not free for all: it's an optional feature that only gets enabled for users with a licensed copy of APID ToolAssistant.

frame-by-frame should allow you to get the result you want - i.e. it would automatically 'intermingle' the header frames with the content from the threaded text frames.

http://www.rorohiko.com/textexporter

Cheers,

Kris

Report · Nov 13, 2009

Cool, I've tried the trial version and done it text frame by text frame, I just think the order that which the frames are in is causing problems, so I'll have to think of a better way to relink them. I also have pull quotes out in the middle of the pages in separate frames, so I'll probably move them to another layer and turn that layer off when exporting, it will ignore layers right?

Also I'm getting this error message when exporting to RTF and choosing the option to make all text black. I changed all the colour swatches to CMYK, there were some hangover colours from Word that were inadvertently imported, but they're all gone now, no styles etc. using RGB. But I keep getting this error.

Other than that it does everything I need, I'm probably better off not doing it within a book, as each document would need to be carefully exported and fixed up, so document by document would be better for me.

Report · Nov 13, 2009

That looks like an 'oops' (a bug) - I'll fix that in the next release. Thanks for reporting that!

Quite unsure if this will help - I have not seen your layout, but this freebie of ours could maybe help you to do the necessary relinking:

http://www.rorohiko.com/textstitch

What I think you could try is to first 'auto-unstitch' all text throughout the document so it consists of nothing but 'detached' text frames, yet retains the same 'look and feel'. Then you use the 'auto-stitch' function to re-link the text frames in reading order (make sure 'Auto-stitch only empty text frames' is off).

Cheers,

Kris

Report · Nov 13, 2009

P.S. I assume you've already tried it, but with TextExporter, changing the reading order to 'Vertical, then horizontal' vs. 'Horizontal, then vertical' often makes a significant difference for some layouts. 'Vertical, then horizontal' is for multi-column, news-paper-like layouts. 'Horizontal, then vertical', the default, is better for single column layouts.

Report · Nov 16, 2009

Thanks very much for the links and the tips on using the plugin, I'll try them later on today and report back.

TextStitcher looks promissing.

Report · Nov 22, 2009

Hi Eugene,

I've got a 'fixed up' version of TextExporter - if you're interested in trying it out, you can e-mail me on support at rorohiko.com and I'll send you a pre-release. Should fix the issue with the 'convert to black'.

Cheers,

Kris

Report · Nov 24, 2009

Thank you very much. I might not be in contact for a week or two. I have not forgotten this and I thank you for your help.

Be in touch soon.

Report · Nov 26, 2009

Hi Eugene,

Got version 2.1.2 of TextExporter available for download - this should give you a better 'layout-preservation' when using the frame-by-frame export, and the 'convert text to black' is hopefully fixed...

http://www.rorohiko.com/textexporter

If you have time, try it out and let me know how it behaves for you! Thanks!

Cheers,

Kris

Report · Nov 27, 2009

Thanks Kris, I have you bookmarked. Got a few other projects on at the moment, be coming back to this problem very shortly I'd imagine.

Thanks for all your help.

Report · Nov 12, 2009

Eugene Tyson wrote:

Sorry Harbs, I have no stars left to hand out.

Yeah. That's what happens when I respond in transit without an internet connection...

Harbs