export InDesign style list

[maryr34816705]

Is there a way to capture the style list from an InDesign document? I woul like a list of the formatting for each style I created in a particular document. My boss wants me to recreate the look of an InDesign document in Word (yes i know and feel free to roll your eyes). I'm the only one with InDesign in my office, everyone else has MS Office. So he wants a template that Word users can use that will still have the look and feel of our marketing materials.

[defaultf42gmrcabvj9]

hi,

Not sure why this would get an eye roll. I do this all the time and its actually easier on word than indesign. At least i think so. I make the templates in word from scratch. what exactly are you not confortable doing from word?

this course helped me:

https://www.linkedin.com/learning/word-2019-essential-training/get-acquainted-with-the-power-of-word...

cheers

jonathan

[JonathanArias]

another thing you can do is take your indesign layout. export to .pdf. From acrobat you can save as a word document. Now, acrobat does not keep the styles data from indesign. So, you would need to open the document from word and name styles as you work your way down the document.

[maryr34816705]

The issue is not re-creating the styles in Word, I can do that. I'm looking for a way to print or capture a list of the formatting for each style. I know in Word that you can print list of styles used in the document, such as the one pictured below. I would like to do this same thing in InDesign.

[JonathanArias]

have you looked at this?:

http://www.kasyan.ho.ua/indesign/export/export_styles_description_settings_to_csv.html

[maryr34816705]

Yes I saw that, but its 7 years old. Has anyone tried this with CC 2021?

[JonathanArias]

I have not, but if you post the issue(s) you experienced when you used it someone may be able to help your get it working.

jonathan

[moderator]

[Peter Kahrel]

> Has anyone tried this with CC 2021?

Go on, be the first! You're not going to break anything. Be adventurous!

[JonathanArias]

so........ did you get it to work?

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Worked for me in 2020—I exported a tab delimited text file and opened it in Numbers. 111 columns.

[RGO_MAKER Lab]

RE: JonathanArias's response: "have you looked at this?:

http://www.kasyan.ho.ua/indesign/export/export_styles_description_settings_to_csv.html"

This worked for me and I'm a total scripting noob!  Thank you for this link. It was posted in another thread, but the link was broken.

Hints for other scripting noobs like me...

1. I used the following information to understand how (and where) to install the script using Creative Cloud InDesign version 17.0: https://creativepro.com/how-to-install-scripts-in-indesign/
2. After extracting the zip file, I saved the file in the following file path...  C:\Users\My.Name\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version 17.0\en_US\Scripts\Scripts Panel\Export paragraph styles descriptions - 4.0.jsx
3.  I changed the setting to "comma" rather than "semicolon" as decribed in the instructions, and it turned out great!

[AdDesigner]

have you looked at this?:

http://www.kasyan.ho.ua/indesign/export/export_styles_description_settings_to_csv.html

By @JonathanArias

^dead link^  does anyone have this / or rather one that works with indesign cc (ID 2022 & up?). i can't believe ID does not include this already. what is the deal adobe? 

[Robert Tkaczyk]

You can always export your INDD file as IDML - change extension to ZIP and examine XML files inside. 

Or if you work on a PC - or are able to connect a PC to your Mac network - in the next few days I'll finish adding full access to all Styles - Para / Char / Object / Table / Cell - and their properties.

Plus comparison, import, export and direct manipulation of all properties - including support for multiple documents - so much more than a simple Book synchronisation. 

[Lori5FC3]

did you end up adding full access to all styles for PC users, Robert? I'm on a PC and wondering how to export style properties for import to MS Word, just saw your post here.

thanks!

[Robert Tkaczyk]

@Lori5FC3, ParaStyles and CharStyles almost done - just need to finish importing.

Do you also need Cell / Table / Object Styles? 

[Lori5FC3]

@Robert Tkaczyk, Mostly I'm working with para + char styles on this current project but if cell/table styles are available that would also be welcomed!

[Robert Tkaczyk]

One more thing - what with Tab Stops and GREP / Nested / Line Styles? 

[Robert Tkaczyk]

Just to clarify - what do you mean by "style properties for import to MS Word"?

RTF isn't enough? 

Or there is a bit of misunderstanding?? 

"My" way of exporting would be similar to what has been done by Kasyan - mentioned by RGO_MAKER Lab - CSV file with all the info - spreadsheet style.

So maybe it's not what you are looking for? 

But if you just need SAMPLES of all Styles - then it's not a problem. 

So - could you please clarify what exactly do you need? 

[Lori5FC3]

Similar to how InDesign can map word styles, but the other way around. I'm building word templates based on a designer's InDesign file and rather than doing a manual inventory of all the parastyles and their properties (font, size, line spacing, etc) I wondered if there was an export or easier way. I haven't tried exporting to csv file but will try that now. thanks!

[Robert Tkaczyk]

Yes, you should try - maybe the info that's there - will be enough for you? 

[Lori5FC3]

Ah, I see Kasyan's resource is a script - I don't trust downloading a script and would rather find another way, so...

I did follow your suggestion above to export to IDML, changed the extension to zip and found exactly what I need in the Resources/Styles.xml file. Thanks, @Robert Tkaczyk !

[Peter Kahrel]

> Ah, I see Kasyan's resource is a script - I don't trust downloading a script and would rather find another way, so...

Downloading a script won't do any harm. Running it may. But you could ask whether Kasyan's scripts can be trusted, and a loud chorus would exclaim Yes, he can! He's a good guy!

[Robert Tkaczyk]

You are welcome. 

And like @Peter Kahrel said - Kasyan's script is OK. Mine is an EXE, so you would trust me even less... 

[Nick Passmore]

I wonder if you couldn't just create a list in the InDesign document that has an example of each paragraph style applied to a paragraph containing that style's name (there are definitely scripts around to help do that) then copy and paste that text into a Word document.

I'm no Word expert, I take great pains to avoid it, but it seems to create a style with the same name and properties as the InDesign one for each paragraph when pasted.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

@Nick Passmore, here is link to the thread with this kind of a script solution - you've posted there your version of the script as well? 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/script-utility-to-build-a-list-of-styles-in-docu...