Multiple InDesign Document Changes (Scripts?)

[MacUtopiaMojo]

I have over 250x + documents that need to be converted into US Letter size. I know how to do this with Alternate Layout, but this requires each and every file opening and saving.
Is there a script out there that allows me to make this one single change to every document without needing to open every file?

[Derek Cross]

Maybe this might help (not free): https://www.id-extras.com/products/quickresize/

[MacUtopiaMojo]

Thanks, ut from what I can see, that does a similar thing to the Alternate Layout function, but again, you need the file to be open. Ideally I want to take a folder of InDesign files and batch convert them in one go.
Thanks for the tr though.

[Peter Kahrel]

Get yourself a script that handles one document, then use this batch processor to run your script against a folderful of files:

https://creativepro.com/files/kahrel/indesign/batch_convert.html

[MacUtopiaMojo]

Cheers Peter, makes sense... Will try to give that a go - just have to find the first script!

[rob day]

I have over 250x + documents that need to be converted into US Letter size... just have to find the first script!

Hi @MacUtopiaMojo , Just to clarify, a script would have to open the files in order to change their document sizes. A script can hide the layout window on an open, so what you are asking for—a document size change—is fairly simple, try this:

var f = Folder.selectDialog("Select the folder containing InDesign Files"); 
if(f != null){ 
    var idf = f.getFiles(/\.(indd)$/i);
}
var of;
for (var i = 0; i < idf.length; i++){
    //false opens the ID file with the window hidden
    of = app.open(idf[i], false)
    of.documentPreferences.pageSize = "Letter"
    of.close(SaveOptions.YES)
};   
alert("Done")

Note that this changes the document size, but would not change pages with custom sizes.

Also, 250 docs will take some time, so maybe test on a small batch

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@MacUtopiaMojo

From your nickname I presume you work on a Mac, but if you have access to a PC - my ID-Tasker (not free) - can reposition each element differently, if needed.

Here is link to a video - single document but can be executed on 100s of files:

https://youtu.be/v_ygJzbrEtQ?si=uzJ6duMKdrkTEecD

[MacUtopiaMojo]

Wow, that is some serious automation. Sadly no access to a PC and this still requires me to open the file. I need to do this with a folder full of Indd files.

Thanks for the try tho.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Wow, that is some serious automation. Sadly no access to a PC and this still requires me to open the file. I need to do this with a folder full of Indd files.

Thanks for the try tho.

By @MacUtopiaMojo

Thanks. 

The video shows 3x separate Tasks - but can be easily made as one Task and then run on 100s of files - whole servers with multiple subfolders.

You could even filter files to be processed first - by name, date, location, number of pages, etc. 

And at the same time - you can export multiple PDFs - for print / preview, JPEG previews, create TOC / Index, relink images / graphics, add / replace contents, generate report, upload generated PDFs / JPEGs to an FTP server, etc. - from each processed file. 

Even extract data for a database...

Yesterday my friend asked me to help him replace contents of linked PDF files with their contents from INDD files - a big product catalogue split into smaller INDD files - generated with my older tool. 

Each product was generated from a database - 8x layers / languages + pics, etc. - saved as INDD file, exported as PDF and then this PDF placed in the Story as InLine objects so the products will flow between pages. 

It took me about an hour to prepare Task for this.

He executed this Task today - 1000 products, linked PDFs in one file - about 50 minutes of processing - ~3s/PDF - instead of day or two of mundane clicking... 

The result - one big INDD file with contents of each individual PDF, placed exactly in the same place with layers. 

Total number of products - 2300 - so few more files to process. 

There is only one drawback - initial indd file was less than 100MB...

Combined file with all TFs for titles, descriptions, tables, etc. - 1.5GB... 

Manual steps:

- open INDD file based on placed PDF file, 

- select all, 

- copy, 

- close opened INDD doc without saving, 

- paste - in the destination document that automatically becomes active, 

- group - to preserve layers and to make the next step easier, 

- move this group and bottom align with original PDF,

- ungroup. 

And all that 1000x times.