How to open a Microsoft Publisher file in InDesign

[Brooke_h]

Hi There,

Can I export from publisher into an editable Adobe InDesign document?

TIA

{Renamed by MOD}

[DavidMWE]

Via PDF and a PDF to InDesign converter, yes:

Affinity Publisher to InDesign - YouTube

[JonathanArias]

there is not direct path that will keep everything that was made on the file. As in all of the styles will be lost. it will give things genetic games in the styles panel, but you will have to rename and check.

the .pdf to indesign solution offered will bring on a lot of redo work since a .pdf does not retain any of the styles. so you will find yourself having to name things again, all of the graphics will be embedded and they will be at the resolution selected per the .pdf settings.

i have used the .pdf to indesign converter mentioned above. i myself found it good for a since page thing. if you have a layout with many pages i went with making the layout myself since there will be a lot fo fix and clean and might as well make a good clean file.

[DavidMWE]

Hi Jonathan, thanks for your feedback. Just to be clear and fair, the PDF2DTP conversion of multi-page PDFs into InDesign can vary from one PDF to another. Meaning, some PDFs, like those professionally created in InDesign or other layout tools, can convert very well. If there are tables with "illegal" or non-standard styling or functions, or custom plugins or the likes, yes, then the conversion can get trickier.

In general though, PDF2DTP has proven to be generally better than starting from scratch. Just check out some of the recent video reviews of PDF2DTP as a starter. And as always, we encourage those who own PDF2DTP to send us in any odd-ball PDFs that they feel should convert better to our Support Line.

One customer recently called PDF2DTP their, "secret weapon."

Friendly Regards,
David DillingMarkzware

[Srishti Bali]

Hi Brooke,

Thanks for reaching out. I understand you are trying to open a Publisher file in InDesign. In addition to the suggestions shared above, you can also refer to this similar discussion: Converting Publisher files to InDesign

Regards,

Srishti

[Colin Flashman]

@OP:

Do you mean Microsoft Publisher or Serif's Affinity Publisher? The two are different products that both perform page layout.

In short, it can't be done in ID off-the-shelf, but using a plug-in such as Markzware's Affnity to ID converter mentioned by David Dilling in his post. If this is a Microsoft Publisher file, then if you are able to obtain a PDF of the Publisher file, you could then use another of Markzware's plug-ins that is mentioned within this thread, or Recosoft's PDF2ID plug-in.

Strangely, back in the times of Adobe PageMaker, there was a Publisher to PageMaker converter. Markzware used to also make a plug-in that would convert Publisher to ID but it has been discontinued.

There is a wishlist item if you would like to see this as a feature: Option to open or otherwise import/place Microsoft Publisher files directly. – Adobe InDesign Feedba...

[BobLevine]

Another thought with MS Publisher. Open the file, save as Word and then place that in ID.

[göranp92033547]

Word format from Publisher is next to useless, it will only export text and on top of that in different orden that the text flow in PUB. Might be used for proof-reading the text, but barely...

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

As mentioned, there is no direct built-in way these days, but there are a few online services that can do that for you. I have used one for a recent file and it was completely effective and cost only $50 for the one conversion. That gave a workable ID file and all the graphics extracted and relinked. If you still need to do what you need to do, shoot me a message and I will let you where i had it done online. (I don't want to seem like I am endorsing any particular company by mentioning them here)

[le70182289]

interested in your link, thanks

[Susan26647278byy6]

interested in the link

please and thank you --

My .pub file is from 2006 Microsoft Publisher -- I want to extract some photos from it.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Unless someone pushed MS Publisher to its limits, it's probably faster, and cheaper even in terms of ROI, to just rebuild the document in InDesign. A Word export or the like for any content over a few hundred words as a starting point, and perhaps a day or two's work. It's very unlikely a conversion is going to be press- or release-ready... unless the PUB doc is quite simple, in which case you're back around to it being that much easier to rebuild.

My $0.02, anyway.

[Joel Cherney]

If you're a Mac user, I'm told that FileJuicer can extract images from MS Publisher files. Strictly hearsay, never used it myself.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

@Joel Cherney : Oooh.. I just tried out the watermarked demo... Not as good as it could be, but I was able to extract some images from an old Pub file, not to mention an old sample PageMaker file with embedded (not linked) images. Some of the images were corrupted, depending on their original format (TIFF seemed particularlly affected) or didn't export at all, but the ones that worked did come through in full resolution, albeit with generic file names. Still, for the price, might be worth looking at if the sole goal is to get the images from these files.

[Joel Cherney]

not to mention an old sample PageMaker file with embedded (not linked) images.

Well! Didn't expect to hear that. Absolutely worth remembering, though

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

DOCX file is in fact ZIPed package - maybe the same is with PUB files? 

Try to add ".zip" at the end - maybe it will work.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I don't think so. The history of Publisher and .PUB files is convoluted and I don't think it was ever given the XML/archive structure of the three main tools.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Re: XML

Nope, it did not, and certainly not in 2006

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Markzware has a file conversion service Publisher > InDesign. Check on their site under "Support > File Conversion" and scroll down the page... you will see the formats they support.

But, if you have the ability to make a high-res PDF from your Publisher file now, save yourself the trouble and make one and then extract the images from that in Acrobat.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

If the OP has Publisher, I'd opt for using it for any update, or as a dissection tool to get all the useful parts out for an ID rebuild.

Most conversions are a lot of work, not-negligible in cost, and need massaging to get to a useful final form in a new app.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

I agree. Although if it comes down to "Time = Money", I was able to save several hours over rebuilding a clients' massive Publisher project by spending $50 to have it converted which got me 75% there.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'll certainly bow to your experience on conversions and won't disagree. Not knowing much of anything of the background for the OP's requiest — size and complexity, schedule, budget, etc. — it's best to say there are a choice of workflows for a process like this, and simply "opening a PUB file in ID" may not cover all the bases.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"it's best to say there are a choice of workflows for a process like this"

Indeed!

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

@Susan26647278byy6 . Do you still have Publisher installed somewhere? You can use it's built in "Pack and Go" to export the embedded images.

Failing that, If it's just one file, I do have Publisher around, so I could try do it for you.