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I have several hundred InDesign files containing an address that I must change. (We are moving our office to a new location.) Can this task be automated with a script?
I would classify myself as a mid-level InDesign user, but I have never done any scripting with it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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I just posted the link in a neighbouring thread: Batch Find-Change by list script for batch processor
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Kasyan, I thank you for this. This looks like it would work, but it gets slightly beyond the edge of my knowledge envelope.
I think I understand the basics of the script and where to put my search and replace terms, but I don't understand how or where I run this script to process a lot of documents at once.
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Peter Kahrel made a script called batch convert some time ago, and it's available from his website Free InDesign scripts | Peter Kahrel
This script points to a folder (and can include sub-folders) where the ID files are and then saves as PDF/ID/IDML etc, a full write-up of the script can be found here: https://indesignsecrets.com/creating-batch-pdfs.php
The bit that will interest you is half-way through that article, where you can run a script DURING that script. So what you would need to do is code the find/change portion, save it as a javascript, and then run the batch convert script, and make sure that you use the feature to run a script during the conversions (you can convert an ID file to an ID file, so it literally saves over the top of the file). I recently used this at work to change a website address and suburb name on 200+ business cards I had on file.
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... but I don't understand how or where I run this script to process a lot of documents at once.
Download and install the scripts
Put all your files into one folder, or into the 'root' folder with subfolders (the script supports any levels of nested folders).
Run the batch processor and choose the settings
The final report
The processed files and original files (backups)
Is that so difficult to do?
— Kas
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"...Is that so difficult to do?..." I'm sure it is very easy, if you know how to do it and have done it before.
I have never done any scripting in InDesign. It's all new to me. And I am finding it to be a little over my head. However, I will dig into it and try to learn how to do this.
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I have never done any scripting in InDesign. It's all new to me. And I am finding it to be a little over my head.
You don't have to do any scripting: I've done it for you. Just use scripts: that's easy. The FindChangeByList.jsx script is installed with every copy of InDesign. Open it, or the FindChangeList.txt file, in a text editor and read the detailed instructions at top. My version works in the same way but with many files.
To make it easier for you, I recommend you to use the Record Find Change script written by Martin Fisher. It writes the current find/change preferences to a text file so that you can copy and /paste them into a find-change list file.
Hope this helps.
— Kas
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Thanks again Kasyan.
When I said I had never done any scripting, I meant that I have never even USED a script when using InDesign. That's what I have to learn how to do with multiple documents.
I am going to be out of the office for the next couple of days. I will get back into this on Friday. I genuinely appreciate all the help you have given me. I'll figure it out somehow.
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The link is not working can you repost? tyvm
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The link is not working can you repost? tyvm
By @Lev5FFB
Here are the working links mentioned above: