Sharing file from photoshop to indesign

[CathalMcCarthy]

Finding Creative Cloud really very frustrating to use. In fact it seems hardly worth the effort. I want to open a file I have made in Ps2022 in Indesign. Creative Cloud only gives the option to open it in Photoshop!!!!   Why is it not possible to link indesign to Creative Cloud. When I open CC Libraries in Indesign the file is not in my libraries. I can only put the file in my Files section from Photoshop. I cannot drag and drop the files from one folder to another so it seems. I wonder when ADOBE will embrace drag and drop more like APple do....So frustrating to use this Cloud.....!!! (Rant Over).....

[BobLevine]

None of that rant makes any sense at all. Of course, you can't open a Photoshop file in InDesign, but you can certainly place it. It sounds to me like you could use some training.

If you give us an idea of the kind of work you're trying to do, we might be able to help.

[CathalMcCarthy]

Thanks, I mainly manipulate photos in photoshop, increase canvas size, make collages, kind of artistic stuff for presenations. Indesign is easier for applying text boxes and logos. I find photoshop more difficult with the text options. Be nice if I could drag and drop from Creative Cloud make stuff accessible to each program. 

[SJRiegel · Accepted solution]

Photoshop and InDesign are programs with entirely different purposes and tool sets. It's not surprising or even distressing that they don't open each other's files. They are meant to work in concert; you create your raster-based art in Photoshop, and then place it into InDesign to complete the layout. 

[CathalMcCarthy]

Yes I understand. Was just hoping that I might be able to use creative cloud to download from one to the other....

[SJRiegel]

I'm not sure what you mean by "download."  You can use File > Place to insert Photoshop files into an InDesign document. The files are linked, and any text, logos, ect. can be added and/or linked.

[CathalMcCarthy]

Yes but I have to export from photoshop to the desktop first?

I had hoped creative cloud would make files available to indesign. Photoshop works better with creative cloud than Indesign. Place embedded links back to photoshop. 

It is a pity that Creative Cloud was not more user friendly, with drag and drop files, I still cant upload to my Library from photoshop directly which is a pity.....

[Willi Adelberger · Accepted solution]

Any image has to be save first before it can be imported to InDesign. And it should always be imported as linked file. InDesign works well with the Creative Cloud if used properly. InDesign is a layout application, not an imageprocessor, it is an object orientated application, not a pixel orientated program. There is a huge difference between Photoshop and InDesign as the purpose is different. You can drag and drop files, even open files from Photoshop to InDesign. On the Mac you need only to drag the file icon on top of a saved file window (not in the application frame) to the desired place in InDesign and it will become a linked file. 

[CathalMcCarthy]

Thanks I understand yes. I cannot drag from pshop to Indesign with an open file from one to the other. I can drop a psd file onto the open Indesign page. It is crazy how they are not more compatible seeing as they are both adobe products. I am not impressed overall with adobe products the software is clunky. Say compared to a software program like Rhino where one program integrates with another seamlessly, and commands are searchable. If each UI interface was kept the same it would make life easier I feel. -Just my 2 cents!

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Hi @CathalMcCarthy , Photoshop and Illustrator have special cloud formats—.psdc and .aic–which let you save files directly to your cloud account without saving a local copy. those formats are useful for sharing files with the mobile versions of those applications.

I think you can do what you are requesting by saving a Photoshop file as a .psdc to the cloud, adding that file to your CCLibrary, and dragging it on to your InDesign file:

A .psdc file dragged into my CC Library

The file dragged on to an InDesign page has a cloud icon and a CCLibrary path:

[CathalMcCarthy]

Hi Rob, thanks for the information. For some strange reason pshop puts my pics into my files folder in CCloud not into the libraries. I cannot access these from Indesign and I cannot move them from the files to the libraries in CCloud. How crazy is that. Perhaps Creative Cloud is a bit of a gimmick. I have spent the day trying to figure it out and I am a seasoned computer user believe me....For paid software it should be a lot more user friendly, this day in age. Overall I am super dissappointed and think it is not worth the effort, just export and go to the desk top. I will send a major complaint to Adobe about it not that it will make much difference. 

[CathalMcCarthy]

You are correct Rob! I finally figured it a whole day! Sure Adobe could make this a bit easier for everyone even dumbos like me!!.......In order for images to be available in Indesign you must drag from the layers panel to the CC library panel. Then it works perfectly.  Thanks! 

Will Adobe respond with Correct Answer?????

[rob day]

Keep in mind that Placed Links in InDesign must be local—you can’t Place a remote asset. So in my example the Link‘s Path appears to be to the CC Library, but the real path is actually to a local temp folder. Here I’m editing the original and you can see the path to the temp folder:

So .psdc files can be useful if you want to edit files on both a mobile device (where there is no Finder or Explorer) and a desktop computer.

An alternate approach is to save your placed assets to your local Creative Cloud Files folder where they will automatically sync to your Cloud account. In that case you can bypass the Library panel and place the local CCF files, which are also being backed up to the cloud and can be sync’d and shared with othe CC users via invitations.

[Test Screen Name]

Also if you just want to use a photo from Photoshop in InDesign, just save it as PSD and PLACE it in ID. The apps work well together.