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Where are the custom document page sizes stored?

Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Hey gang,

When you use the New Document dialog box to save a custom page size, where exactly is it stored?

It appears to store away in InDesign Defaults, but I'm not certain.

You can later choose the custom-named document page size and save it out as a .dcst file, but where is this .dcst file prior to THAT?

Mike Witherell in Maryland

Mike Witherell

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Community Expert , Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

Hi Mike,

test for

var docPrefs = app.documentPresets[0];

That gives you all preset values of the first preset. Counting begins with zero.

Do that for every other preset as well. Just change the index number from 0 to 1 and on until you run out of presets.

Regards,
Uwe

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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I created a new custom document preset (which can be viewed in either the old or new interface for New Documents. But I could not find a file. The InDesign Defaults (which seems to be a binary file) is a good guess. But at least there's the option to save the .dcst file.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Yes, that is my guess, too. I can see that file change its mod date when I use it.

What sort of software editor would be used to open the InDesign Defaults file in order to look at the contents within it?

Mike Witherell

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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You've got me about the Defaults file. You could ask in the InDesign Scripting forum where they may have more insight. i doubt it's intended for user editing.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Hi Mike,

I think you refer to the app.documentPreferences that can be accessed and read by scripting.

Try executing the ExtendScript (JavaScript) code snippet below from the ESTK ( ExtendScript Toolkit app ) after directing the ESTK to your running InDesign version.

var docPrefs = app.documentPreferences;

var docPrefPropertyValuePairs = [];

for( x in docPrefs )

{

    docPrefPropertyValuePairs[docPrefPropertyValuePairs.length++] = x +" : "+docPrefs.toString();

};

docPrefPropertyValuePairs.sort();

docPrefPropertyValuePairs.join("\r");

The output in the JavaScript console of the ESTK could be like that:

allowPageShuffle : true

columnDirection : HORIZONTAL

columnGuideColor : VIOLET

columnGuideLocked : true

createPrimaryTextFrame : false

documentBleedBottomOffset : 0

documentBleedInsideOrLeftOffset : 0

documentBleedOutsideOrRightOffset : 0

documentBleedTopOffset : 0

documentBleedUniformSize : true

documentSlugUniformSize : false

eventListeners : [object EventListeners]

events : [object Events]

facingPages : true

intent : PRINT_INTENT

isValid : true

isValid : true

marginGuideColor : MAGENTA

overprintBlack : true

pageBinding : LEFT_TO_RIGHT

pageHeight : 100

pageOrientation : PORTRAIT

pageSize : Benutzerdefiniert

pageWidth : 100

pagesPerDocument : 1

parent : [object Application]

preserveLayoutWhenShuffling : true

properties : [object Object]

slugBottomOffset : 0

slugInsideOrLeftOffset : 0

slugRightOrOutsideOffset : 0

slugTopOffset : 0

snippetImportUsesOriginalLocation : false

startPageNumber : 1

Note, that I changed the page size with Document Setup when no document was open to 100 x 100. That's a new default and is showing here.

Also note, that some values are localized. Like the value for pageSize here that is reading "Benutzerdefiniert" ( "Custom" ) because I ran the script on my German system. What's also missing is the unit value the 100 x 100 are defined with. That's quite another preference we could read out.

Regards,
Uwe

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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I would ask the King of Presets if it weren't he who is asking the question, Mike.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Yep, Jane, maybe Jack; not King! I'm editing my advice handouts and I was just trying to be thorough and authoritative.

Mike Witherell

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Uwe,

What fun! Thanks! What I don't see in the JavaScript console is a whole series of saved page presets that I made as a test.

So, where could they be hiding?

Best,

Mike in Maryland

Mike Witherell

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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That's the app.documentPresets.

Here you have saved a bunch so you have to loop through all the presets to drill through to all the details.

All preset names can be read out by:

app.documentPresets.everyItem().name

Make yourself acquainted with InDesign's DOM ( document object model ) documentation:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Application.html

Scroll a bit down to see all the preferences for the app.

Quite a lot.

Regards,
Uwe

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Uwe,

Very interesting! I ran the ESTK with your line of code and at the end it added this:

Result: [Default],Landscape 2col Letter,Landscape 3col Letter,Landscape 2col Letter2,Test3

These were the test presets I had made in order to discover where they are hiding.

So, now I know that InDesign is tracking them. What would be interesting to know is where are all the details such as bleeds, columns and gutter distances are stored for these named presets?

Still elusive, unless you are leading me somewhere I haven't been?

Mike Witherell

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Hi Mike,

test for

var docPrefs = app.documentPresets[0];

That gives you all preset values of the first preset. Counting begins with zero.

Do that for every other preset as well. Just change the index number from 0 to 1 and on until you run out of presets.

Regards,
Uwe

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2019 Feb 04, 2019

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Uwe,

This began to work for me:

var docPrefs = app.documentPresets[2]; 

var docPrefPropertyValuePairs = []; 

 

for( x in docPrefs ) 

    docPrefPropertyValuePairs[docPrefPropertyValuePairs.length++] = x +" : "+docPrefs.toString(); 

}; 

 

docPrefPropertyValuePairs.sort(); 

docPrefPropertyValuePairs.join("\r"); 

I changed the number in square brackets on the first line and it began to reveal the preset names and the specific settings of each custom page setup.

Very interesting! Thanks for the help!

Mike in Maryland

Mike Witherell

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Explorer ,
Jun 08, 2021 Jun 08, 2021

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WHAT FOLDER ON A MAC ARE THE CUSTOM INDESIGN PAGE SIZES & PRESETS STORED?????

 

WHY ARE THESE 2 LOCATIONS SO HARD TO SHOW/EXPLAIN?

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Community Expert ,
Jun 08, 2021 Jun 08, 2021

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Hi Ad Designer,

see this help page:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/setting-preferences.html

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Jun 08, 2021 Jun 08, 2021

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More detailed:

If you saved custom page sizes they are stored in a subfolder of InDesign's Preferences folder named Version 16.0 for InDesign 2021. Look for a Page Sizes folder containing an XML file with the defined page sizes.

 

See also:

https://colecandoo.com/2019/08/18/document-presets-vs-new-page-sizes-xml-adding-page-sizes/

 

the exact position of the Page Size folder is described in:

Second method: New Page Sizes.xml

 

Note: If you never added a custom page size the folder Page Sizes does not exist.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Jun 08, 2021 Jun 08, 2021

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The easiest way to reach your personal preferences folder with your version of InDesign on your operating system is to open the Scripts panel in InDesign, navigate to the User folder in the Scripts panel and use the context menu to show the folder in the Finder ( Mac OS ) or Explorer ( WIndows 10 ).

 

If you are in this folder, just go to the parent folder and you'll find your Page Sizes folder if it exists.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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