Rebranding 1600 docs- Fastest way to update cover and back page

[Gandalf_87]

I have 1600+ assets in my library that currently need rebranding, varying from facts sheets to long winded financial services application forms. Looking for the quickest solution to the problem. New fonts to be replacing old across all docs. Also, new cover and back pages needed throughout. Are there any scripts that can help batch update this? 

[Peter Kahrel]

It's unlikely that you'll find one or more scripts that do/does all that you want. Sounds like a custom script to me. 

[Gandalf_87]

Hi Peter. Happy to use multiple scritps if possible. Do you know of any scripts that allow you to add in another indesign file cover and back page across a batch file location? 

[Peter Kahrel]

No, I don't, sorry.

[Mike Witherell]

Hi Gandalf,

This is not a script, but some features of InDesign lend itself to your needs.

For example, Edit > Place and Link is a feature that allows you to edit the original, and the links all update.

Another approach would be to make back pages as a separate InDesign document, and thereafter File > Place the .indd file as an image page on the back cover of many publications.

[Kasyan Servetsky]

Here's my Batch processor script and here are examples of scripts that can be run from it.
I also wrote a few scripts for changing fonts, but this feature is buggy in InDesign: with some fonts it works, with others — doesn't. 

For fast replacement of fonts, I recommend that you open several files (as many as your computer allows) and use the Edit > Find/Change Text dialog box (not Type > Find/Replace Font) with empty Find what and Change to text fields to replace fonts in all open documents.

[Gandalf_87]

Hi, thanks for your help. Save me spending ages trying to figure this out. How do I target a particular font in the Find/Change dialog? Can you locate them by font size, weight etc? Can you redefine para styles through this as well?

[Kasyan Servetsky]

How do I target a particular font in the Find/Change dialog?

You can record the settings in the find/change dialog box using this script.
Here's my Change fonts CSV script with detailed instructions.

Important note
In my practice, I encountered a problem when replacing fonts with a script in old (converted) documents: the fonts failed to change for some reason. The solution was simple: export files to IDML and import them back to INDD format. That’s why I added support for IDML files in my Batch processor script's new version — 5.
Also, font names can be inconsistent in the font itself which prevents the script from working.

Can you locate them by font size, weight etc?

As far as I remember, targeting the exact font size by script is a tricky business.

For example, if you target, say, look for Arial-Bold 10 pt, it won't find it . I guess this happens because of some rounding error. Probably under the hood Indy thinks it's 9,999999999999999 pt.

The solution isn't on the surface!

My workaround was as follows:

1. Find Arial-Bold (no text size is defined at the moment)
2. Loop thru all find text items sorting them out by size: e.g. if (txt.pointSize <= 10.1 && txt.pointSize >= 9.9) doSomething()

Can you redefine para styles through this as well?

Yes. it's possible. See examples in the Styles section here.