Tips for Managing Large Documents in InDesign?

[anderson_5345]

I'm working on a large catalog with over 200 pages. What are the best practices to keep the file manageable and avoid crashes? Any tips on splitting the document or optimizing performance?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yes, create your catalog from smaller parts - then use Book feature to link everything together. 

Do not embed anything - only link - so Place - not copy&paste. 

Do backup of your INDD files every day. 

Try to do Save As with a new name at least every other day. 

If you already have your 200 pages document in one piece - just save it as a smaller pieces and delete unnecessary pages from each piece. If you have one long Story - or you need to delete pages in the middle of the Story - it will require extra attention. 

[AlanGilbertson]

I've written a couple of relevant articles in InDesign Magazine #123 and CreativePro Magazine #4 (subscription) that lay out many of the things you would need to know. Without knowing the specifics of your project it's hard to give concrete recommendations, but here are a few best practices for longer documents:

• Use the InDesign book feature if your catalog divides neatly into sections. This will make updates and catalog maintenance easier in the long term.
• Use a plug-in such as InData or InCatalog (emsoftware.com), especially if the catalog entries are complex or have images or illustrations.
• Style everything: paragraphs, character formats, objects, tables, tables cells. If you opt to make a Book, use the Book panel's synchronization options to keep styles, swatches, and parent pages synchronized.
• If you're using the Book feature, put all of your front matter, including the Table of Contents, into a separate document called something like "Front Matter.indd" so that you can rearrange, add to, or remove content sections independently. If you have back matter, like a company history page, or similar, make that its own document for the same reason.
• While working on the catalog, open all book documents at once. This makes for a quicker workflow in general and much better performance when updating or synchronizing swatches, styles, cross-references, etc.

You shouldn't have problems with crashes. Optimize performance by using SSDs and keeping all linked assets on SSD drives. Don't work across a slow network. Be sure you have at least 32GB RAM and a fast system drive for paging.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I specialize in production and consultation for long documentation in InDesign and FrameMaker (Adobe's other pagelayout program) and I would agree with the previous posts with just a few alterations...

Back up your files on a regular basis as mentioned by Zipping your project folder. Date it and move it to another hard drive and perferably cloud sotrage. 

Don't do a Save As as it can break the link with the book. Use the Zip method or do a Save A Copy instead.

You can link to Excel files into tables and update the link if necessary.

Don't forget about running headers/footers with variables. Here is a list of topics you may need to know:
https://www.ideastraining.com/classOutlines/InDesign_LongDocs.html

To repeat a couple of critical tips:

Use based-on parent pages as much as possible.

Use styles, styles, styles...

Never paste graphics--always place. 

Couple of tips:

You can open all files/chapters by selecting them in the Book file and double-clicking one.

You can save the open documents all at once by using Cntl-Alt-Shift-S (Win) or Cmd-Opt-Shift-S (Mac).

You can close the open documents all at once by using Cntl-Alt-Shift-W (Win) or Cmd-Opt-Shift-W (Mac).

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Save As with a new name is to refresh/rewrite file - not sure how it can break the link with the book? 

It's rather obvious, that if newly saved copy needs to be used with the original Book - it either needs to be relinked or renamed. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

If you do a Save As with a new name, such as today's date--it won't replace the one in the book. So then, you would have to remove the old one from the book, replace it with the new one, and then update the numbering (to be safe). 

Of course, if you are doing a Save As to a new location, that could work, However, it's safer to do a Save As Copy (or zip the project folder) for a backup and a keep the original files in the book as the "always current" versions. 

[Willi Adelberger]

Another way would be to package the INDB book file regulary. Here you can exchange the "Folder" with the current date. This is time saving and secure.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

The main reason I zip the project folder instead of packaging is that I keep client-supplied Word and Excel files. Also, I may have supplied graphics that I made a copy and modified, or graphics I have used yet. 

[Peter Spier]

One way around losing the link to the book file is to do TWO Save As actions, first with a new name for backup, then again immediately to the original name to overwrite the file and remove the crud.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I double-checked a Save As just to be sure and it worked as expected: the Save As file (with a new name) did not appear in the book while the original was still there. If one is doing a Save As as a backup, there is not reason for a second Save As unless one suspects file bloat. I still recommend doing a zip backup of the project folder or a Save A Copy (for a single file) are the best options.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

I double-checked a Save As just to be sure and it worked as expected: the Save As file (with a new name) did not appear in the book while the original was still there. If one is doing a Save As as a backup, there is not reason for a second Save As unless one suspects file bloat. I still recommend doing a zip backup of the project folder or a Save A Copy (for a single file) are the best options.

By @Dave Creamer of IDEAS

@Peter Spier's suggestion is to first make a backup - 1st Save As - then overwrite original file - 2nd Save As from the just created backup - this way you've a backup and are not overwriting your only copy by itself - something might go wrong and you'll lose your original file. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

@Peter Spier's suggestion is to first make a backup - 1st Save As - then overwrite original file - 2nd Save As from the just created backup - this way you've a backup and are not overwriting your only copy by itself - something might go wrong and you'll lose your original file. 

By @Robert at ID-Tasker

I know. That doesn't change anything I posted. Doing a Save As swaps out the onscreen file for the new file. Doing a Save A Copy keeps you in the original file. This situation is exactly what Save A Copy was made for. There is no need to overwrite the original file unless one suspect file bloat. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Dave Creamer of IDEAS

But if you do Save A Copy - and then keep working on your original file - you are still working on a potentially corrupted/bloated file?

So there is no real immediate benefit - other than having a clean backup. 

Or am I missing something? 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

But if you do Save A Copy - and then keep working on your original file - you are still working on a potentially corrupted/bloated file?

So there is no real immediate benefit - other than having a clean backup. 

Or am I missing something? 

By @Robert at ID-Tasker

There was not mention by the OP of file bloat but I did mention that a Save As "on top of itself" should solve that. If I suspected corruption, I would be doing an IDML wash. 

[Peter Spier]

I think it's just good practice to Save As at the end of any editing session to eliminate the possibility of creeping crud buildup. Doing a Save a Copy and then a Save As (or vice versa) would accomplish the same thing as my earlier suggestioin of two Save As.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Just for others reading this post in the future, the main difference between Save As and Save A Copy is:

• Save As will switch you to the new, saved document. If you want to keep editing your original, you will need to open it again.
• Save A Copy will keep you in your original document.

[Willi Adelberger]

1. Don't embed images, link them.
2. Never copy images and paste them, use the place command.
3. Divide the book into chapters, separate indd files and combine them in an INDB InDesign book file.
4. Avoid EPS, use PDF/X.4 instead.
5. Work with styles (paragraph, character, objrct, table and cell styles)!