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Peminator
Participant
March 16, 2022
Answered

InDesign viewer - free or one-time low price

  • March 16, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 13872 views

Few times per year i get some designs from graphics in indesign .indd files. I dont use it full time, so paying full price is a massive overkill for me. Is there any option, to view locally stored indd files? Not some online viewers, i have packed zip with Links folder etc, i need to view it locally, to achieve this:

1) View contents

2) Get object properties - size, color

 

I need no editing, commenting, printing, exporting,...

 

I know there was some basic ID Util utility for OSX which allowed only very basic viewing, and so far found nothing usable for Windows - please could you provide some universal viewer maybe? (psd,ai, indd) or at least for the indd files? 

 

Using trial is a no go - one time only.

Paying for use of inDesign in CC too expenisve, considering the use i need

 

    Correct answer Peter Spier

    Youo should be asking for PDF instead.

    2 replies

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 16, 2022

    Peminator said: "ok, so in say Acrobat Reader DC i can measure object positions, gaps, dimensions, and see exact colors in rgb or hex codes? doubt. pdf i sok for final product, not for technical reference to original"

     

    Hm. For judging a print-ready PDF file you'd need Acrobat Pro DC.

    Or a specialized tool for prepress operators like the pdfToolbox from Callas (the Desktop version would be sufficient) that is available as a stand-alone product or as a plug-in for Acrobat Pro DC:

    https://www.callassoftware.com/en/products/pdftoolbox?__geom=%E2%9C%AA

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender

    ( ACP )

      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      March 16, 2022

      Youo should be asking for PDF instead.

        P
        PeminatorAuthor
        Participant
        March 16, 2022

        that i do, and usually they then resend so, but would be nice to view original to be sure its ok, see any side notes outside of printable layers, etc...    i just wondered, bc all sourcecode is there, so making a "viewer only" free for all source formats would sure be handy for every semi-technical ppl who dont directly design, but need inside view to source files to easier comment on things like "layer named X need adjustment Y" etc, which in final pdf is not exactly well possible.

         

        As said, if i were used often, then sure the cc cloud is ok, but for peaopple using it ocassionally and not to full capacity of what it can do, paying for cc cloud is not a suitable option. It needs a free viewer for source files. View only - no save, no export, just pure review all source layers, objects etc.

        Willi Adelberger
        Community Expert
        Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 16, 2022

        The PDF shows how it is, no need to look into an INDD file.

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