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Anonymous
June 5, 2017
Answered

Updating index with new text

  • June 5, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 3776 views

Hello,

I have generated an index for an indesign book with chapter documents. The book will still need some edits. I have created references with the "Add All" feature which shows all instances of the word(s), in all documents, in the index. After adding a paragraph of new text, when I generate a new index, it does not include "All" instances of the word in the book; it ignores the new text.

How can I update the index to include new text? What am I missing?

So far I am unable to find the answer to this question. It cannot be true that this is not a possibility.. otherwise the text would have to be PERFECT before generating an index..

Thank you.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Barb Binder

    Unfortunately, that's a limitation of the Add All command in InDesign. It's adding all occurrences of the selected text present in the document or book at that time. As you add more content, you will need to go ahead and index that yourself because if you choose Add All again, InDesign adds index markers to all text that matches the selected text—regardless of whether the text has been indexed—so you will end up with multiple entries that you then have to edit. Alternatively, you can wait until the content is finalized before using it in the first place.

    I know this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but you can always put in a feature request here: Wishform - Adobe InDesign​.

    1 reply

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 5, 2017

    Unfortunately, that's a limitation of the Add All command in InDesign. It's adding all occurrences of the selected text present in the document or book at that time. As you add more content, you will need to go ahead and index that yourself because if you choose Add All again, InDesign adds index markers to all text that matches the selected text—regardless of whether the text has been indexed—so you will end up with multiple entries that you then have to edit. Alternatively, you can wait until the content is finalized before using it in the first place.

    I know this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but you can always put in a feature request here: Wishform - Adobe InDesign​.

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    Jongware
    Community Expert
    JongwareCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 5, 2017

    While Barb's answer correct, I don't think it's a worthwhile addition to add it the way she proposes.

    "Add all" is not a "live function", it's a single one-time 'find' instead. It is equivalent to the Find/Change Text function: it'll find and change only once, not all the time.

    Imagine you are adding index markers for a name index, and you find a certain "Doctor Who" in your list. You press "Add All" to add all "Who"s, only to find out that most of these are duds. Currently, you'd simply remove the wrong whose, either by deleting the entry in the index panel, or the physical marker where you come across it. But with a "live" Add All that would not be possible anymore!

    > ... otherwise the text would have to be PERFECT before generating an index...

    Ideally, it should! (Where "ideally" = "cause the least amount of work).

    What use is a partially correct index? Not only plain text edits may invalidate it, but even moving a single figure to a next page invalidates the entries on the affected pages. Very few things bother me more than receiving text edits -- sometimes pretty major ones that cause whole chapters of text to re-flow -- right after I generated an index. In practice, I always have to throw it away and start a-new.

    Also, remember that indexing is a profession. Just as there are editors that need to check facts, spelling, and grammar of text, there are also professional indexers. A flat generated index is not as useful and rich in content as a professionally reviewed and edited one. InDesign can generate a helpful lookup list, but an indexer will look for context (to avoid "mere mentions"; an example is "I'm a doctor, not a carpenter!" with a reference to "carpenter"), cross-links, and see and see also references.

    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Legend
    June 5, 2017

    I understand that indexing is a profession. Nowhere did I say anything to

    the contrary, nor did I ask for anything complicated to be done, or imply

    that indexing itself should be simple, or even mention cross-references or

    anything besides a basic index of topics and page numbers. I guess you

    assumed that I'm doing something very complicated and want a lazy quick fix

    for a rich, helpful index? In fact I only need something very simple, which

    is why my question was simple.

    I also understand that "Add All" is a one-time funciton; I am suggesting

    that this function should be able to be repeated with the generating of a

    new index. To me, this is pretty basic, and I assumed I had missed some

    magical button somewhere. Guess Adobe just hasn't bothered to add this

    feature after at least 10 years of people complaining about it on this

    forum.

    I'm not sure why you are talking about adding or deleting improper entries

    from "Add All" - this has nothing to do with my question.

    "What use is a partially correct index?"

    Where did I say anything about a partially correct index being useful? You

    thought I wanted to leave it partially incorrect? Again, I don't understand

    where you are coming from.. obviously I would like my index to be correct,

    that is kind of the point of my question..

    I am simply saying that even to make a very simple index for a book, the

    entire book apparently has to be perfect and finished before indexing work

    can begin. Since indexing is a very tedious process, it would be nice to

    have the bulk of it done as I go and perfect it later, instead of leaving

    everything to the end. Maybe your work is perfect and you never make last

    minute edits.

    There are other programs which can make a simple index from a list of

    topics (which is all I am asking indesign to do, really). I think I will

    explore one of those options since the Adobe community has not been helpful.


    « Πα βω και χαριστιωνι ταν γαν κινησω πασαν » (Archimedes, Jedi)

    If you have a list of topics, simple to create an index from it!

    (^/)

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