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H
HHSDebbie
Inspiring
February 5, 2023
質問

How to import Word doc to InDesign & make urls live, then export to pdf have them stay live

  • February 5, 2023
  • 返信数 4.
  • 2589 ビュー

(I'm using InDesign CC 15.1.3) Windows 10)

This is about working with urls. I so appreciate some help.

-I'm given WORD format text files.

-I copy & paste them in InDesign to preserve their (complex character) formatting.

-The urls are not live links in the Word files. It's never been an issue because live urls weren't previously required, but the organization now wants this.

-How do I make them live in InDesign? I've tried to find this info, but it's just not clear to me-I've never had a project that needed live urls. AND:

-after making them live in InDesign, they will be exported in a high quality pdf file to the organization for them to use on their website starting with this current issue. So how do I save that file - do I use the 'web' save option?

-THEN ALSO, I upload a high quality pdf file of the issue to a professional printing company to print for members wanting a printed copy. Is there anything different I have to do for the print company?

Many, many thanks for your replies! Debbie

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返信数 4

Derek Cross
Community Expert
Derek CrossCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 5, 2023

For those following this thread who want to study the subject in depth, there's a useful recent Linked Learning tutorial called Smarter Workflows with InDesign and Word by Anne-Marie Concepción.  (New subscribers to Linkedin Learning can get 30-days free access.)

 

The description of the course states:
Importing a Word file into InDesign and then formatting it is a common yet often frustrating task for many designers. In this course, Anne-Marie Concepcion shows you how to avoid that frustration and use Word’s formatting to your advantage, streamlining the workflow. This fast-paced, comprehensive course covers best practices, tips, and workarounds for dealing with damaged or corrupt Word files, “crazy” text formatting, faux fonts, embedded images, Word “art,” and unwanted hyperlinks. Anne-Marie thoroughly covers the basics of importing text with and without styles, mapping styles, and common clean-up tasks. One full chapter highlights several must-have InDesign scripts designed to solve issues with Word files, and another chapter presents her favorite “Word-adjacent” workflows you may want to add, such as the WordsFlow and DocsFlow plugins and using Adobe InCopy. Anne-Marie finishes up with resources to help you keep up to date on changes to Word and InDesign workflows.

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    February 5, 2023

    Almost anyone who does any kind of "publishing" has to take Word docs and get them into ID as smoothly as possible. I have a couple of worklists and tip sheets, but quite a few users can probably benefit from a focused, up-to-date tutorial like this... and I am VERY sparing in thinking well of most tutorials. 🙂

     

      manal shanableh
      manal shanableh
      Legend
      February 5, 2023

      if you keep the formatting when you place the word file, by check show import options then preserve formtting you will get the url's live already.

        James Gifford—NitroPress
        James Gifford—NitroPress
        Legend
        February 5, 2023

        If the links are not live in Word, they won't be live in ID. There are no import options that change this, which is true for both 'bare' links (www google com) and ones with the prefix (http:// www  google com). [spaces to prevent link formation here.]

         

        But it should be the work of but a few minutes to enable all links in the Word doc before import.

         

        H
        HHSDebbie作成者
        Inspiring
        February 6, 2023

        Thank you James. I will have to research how to make them live in WORD as I really don't use many features of it, and usually only use it to cut & paste the text file to InDesign.

        Derek Cross
        Community Expert
        Derek CrossCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 5, 2023

        You can use the Hyperlinks dialogue box to create the hyperlink (or alternatively, Type > Hyperlinks & Cross-References). You can use a word or words or an image as the link in the InDesign document to an external website. The PDF needs to be exported for live links as an Interactive PDF. The version for print should be specified by your printers – normally a PDF/X-1 or PDF/X-4.
        There is this plugin that might be worth looking at (I'm not familiar with it):

        https://www.id-extras.com/products/hyperlinkpro/

         

          H
          HHSDebbie作成者
          Inspiring
          February 6, 2023

          Thank you so much Derek. I'm very hopeful for this!  Debbie

          H
          HHSDebbie作成者
          Inspiring
          February 5, 2023

          Note: I don't need help getting the WORD file in to InDesign - I need help with how to get the urls live once they are in ID, and then keep them live through 2 different pdf exports. Thanks! Deb

          James Gifford—NitroPress
          James Gifford—NitroPress
          Legend
          February 5, 2023

          For what it's worth, I have found that it's easiest to do as much document prep, editing etc. in Word as possible, before import to InDesign. In general, Word has more, and better, editing tools and more streamlined features and processes; ID as a "word processor" is a bit on the clunky and limited side.

           

          Make the links live in Word. Macros (which ID lacks) could greatly speed the process, especially if it's a repeated need, as you imply.

           

          Using Place and the Import Options might help as well. Cut and paste... has its limitations.

           

          Import to ID and export to PDF should then be pretty seamless, especially if you note Derek's suggestions. (Not all PDF export is the same, and some designers go through a lot of frustration before learning that. 🙂 )

           

            H
            HHSDebbie作成者
            Inspiring
            February 9, 2023

            Hi Derek Cross and James Gifford,

            I’ve decided that for now I’m going to just work within InDesign to turn the urls into hyperlinks because I’ve experience how WORD likes to try to hold onto formatting.

            The text will come from WORD, but there could be possibly be additional formatting people may have applied with other software prior to turning articles in to the editor of the publication, who then saves everything as a WORD file and sends them to me.

            Are there any steps I should do in InDesign to strip any formatting previously done to each url prior to formatting it for use in ID?

            I've become a little comfortable with the hyperlinks panel and jumping from there to the options available in the top right hand corner of that panel. But, I’m not having success achieving the results using the various help files in InDesign.

            To experiment, I’ve copied and pasted some text that includes some non-live urls from a previous issue I put together. All text I work with comes to me the way I described above. So, one thing that is happening, I don’t understand at all is when I try to make a couple of the urls live, it is opening the file of the issue where I got the text copy to paste in my sample doc (to experiment). Why is it linked to that other file? How can I “detach” it? I have to fix these issues so the printing company doesn’t have to deal with them.

            Continuing; I can’t figure out what is going wrong with these steps: My “traffic lights” are all gray BUT when I click the name in the Hyperlinks panel, they do open up the correct website.

            I set up a Character Style to add an underline, but there are none.

            I don’t know if this is relevant, and I don’t understand it: if you want the source text to be generated from the destination text, insert a cross-reference instead of adding a hyperlink. See Cross-references.

             

            This is the info I’ve been following from the ID online instructions:

            Open the Hyperlinks panel

            • Choose Window > Interactive > Hyperlinks.

            Sort hyperlinks in the Hyperlinks panel

            1. Choose Sort from the Hyperlinks panel menu, and then choose any of the following:

             Manually

            Displays the hyperlinks in the order in which they were added to the document.

             

            By Name

            Displays the hyperlinks in alphabetical order.

             

            By Type

            Displays the hyperlinks in groups of similar type.

            Create hyperlinks

            You can create hyperlinks to pages, URLs, text anchors, email addresses, and files. If you create a hyperlink to a page or text anchor in a different document, make sure that the exported files appear in the same folder.

            Note:

            To show or hide hyperlinks, choose View > Extras > Show Hyperlinks or Hide Hyperlinks.

            Note:

            Hyperlinks are included in exported Adobe PDF files if Hyperlinks is selected in the Export Adobe PDF dialog box in InDesign. Hyperlinks are included in the exported SWF file if Include Hyperlinks is selected in the Export SWF dialog box.

             

            Create a hyperlink to a web page (URL)

            You can use several different methods to create hyperlinks to URLs. When you specify a URL, you can use any valid Internet resource protocol: http://, file://, ftp://, or mailto://.

            You can also use the Buttons feature to link to web pages. (See Buttons.)

            Note:

            In InDesign, hyperlinks are automatically formatted with the Hyperlink style - underline blue text.

            1. SELECT THE HTTPS://INFORMATION.COM (EXAMPLE)

             

            1. Right-click the selected text,-URL frame, or graphic, and then choose 

             

            1. Hyperlinks > Edit Hyperlinks. The New Hyperlink dialog box is displayed.

             

             

             

            1. Specify an appropriate URL destination:

             

              • In the URL text box, type or paste the URL name (such as http://www.adobe.com). Ensure that the URL option is selected in the Link To drop-down.
                -OR-
              • Select a previously added URL from the URL drop-down. The hyperlink appearance is the same as that used in the previous URL.
            1. Set or change the appearance settings in the Appearance tab.
              Provide the alternate text in the Accessibility tab. This will appear when the image is not displayed.
            2. Click OK.

            Note:

            If a URL hyperlink isn’t working in the exported PDF, there may be a problem with the hyperlink being a “Shared Destination”. Deselect the Shared Hyperlink Destination checkbox, and then click OK.

             

            You have no idea how much I appreciate your help  -Debbie

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