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Cannot copy images from InDesign

Explorer ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Hello Adobe experts.

 

I'm trying to create a Word copy of my InDesign document. If I copy the whole linked text flow, which includes embedded images, I get the text but not the images. If I try to copy the images separately, they won't copy (copy/paste). I've tried both the images themselves and the graphics containers they are in. I also don't get any edit options if I right click on the images. The images are not grouped or anchored.

 

The images were originally imported from a Word document, and came over with the text, inline.

 

Help please.

 

Best Regards, Chris.

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Bug , How to , Import and export

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correct answers 4 Correct answers

Community Expert , Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

Hi Chris,

you could try the WordsFlow Pro plug-in by EM Software.

With that you could export a story to an docx file that also will contain the images.

Cannot remember if this is required, but if you need the full image pixels in Word, you could try to embed the placed and linked images in your InDesign document before you export to docx with WordsFlow.

 

There is a free 15-days trial on the installed WordsFlow that should be able to solve your issue:

http://emsoftware.com/products/wordsflow/

 

...

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Community Expert , Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

How hard are you willing to work to do this? Because if you absolutely want to do this, it's going to take some.

 

Some things will make it easier:

 

  • If the text import allows extra space/returns, it'll make identifying the gaps for placing art easier.
  • "Images" has a specific type of graphic definition, as in pixel-based images. These are relatively easy to pop out. Vector graphics will be more difficult
  • If the art is truly embedded in the MSWord document, it'll let you get the best quality of
...

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Community Expert , Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

EDIT: None of these responses were visible when I answered. Is that sort of delay happening to the rest of you?

 

Did you try exporting to PDF, and then using File > Save as > Word in Acrobat or File > Conver to Word in Reader?

 

~Barb 

 

 

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Explorer , Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021

Hi Uwe, Barb,

 

Actually I CAN do this as I have the "Export to Word" option for Adobe Reader.

 

I tried it, and it worked perfectly. Colour images at full resolution.

 

Thank you Barb - you're a star!

Best Regards, Chris.

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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You should import the Word doc.

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Sorry for my previous answer, I read too fast and I did not see the question was about InDesign TO Word…

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Hi Chris,

you could try the WordsFlow Pro plug-in by EM Software.

With that you could export a story to an docx file that also will contain the images.

Cannot remember if this is required, but if you need the full image pixels in Word, you could try to embed the placed and linked images in your InDesign document before you export to docx with WordsFlow.

 

There is a free 15-days trial on the installed WordsFlow that should be able to solve your issue:

http://emsoftware.com/products/wordsflow/

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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How hard are you willing to work to do this? Because if you absolutely want to do this, it's going to take some.

 

Some things will make it easier:

 

  • If the text import allows extra space/returns, it'll make identifying the gaps for placing art easier.
  • "Images" has a specific type of graphic definition, as in pixel-based images. These are relatively easy to pop out. Vector graphics will be more difficult
  • If the art is truly embedded in the MSWord document, it'll let you get the best quality of the original images. Hopefully that will be enough for your needs.
  • The art needs to be art. Things like charts generated in Excel and graphic elements appropriated from PowerPoint may make the process considerably more complex.

 

With that said, this is the bulletproof way to get your art:

 

  1. Create a [Press Quality]... PDF of the InDesign file using the  File>Adobe PDF Presets>[Press Quality]... menu command. This ensures that you'll get quality image output.
  2. Open your resulting PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Click the Tools link in the Options Bar then select the Export PDF icon

 

2.jpg

 

3.  This opens the Export PDF dialog. Choose Image, then JPEG. Make sure the Export All Images check box is selected. Then click the Export button.

 

3.jpg

 

4. Choose your location carefully. I would create a unique folder, and name the file for the purpose. Mine is named for illustrative purposes. You may choose to use more relevant nomenclature that better suits you.

 

1.jpg

5. This process reads your PDF first left to right, then up and down, and names the extracted images accordingly. For my example there were lots of them.

Which I could then place into my new Word document where I want them. As a bonus, I now have a discrete set of the image files themselves if I ever need them for future purposes.

 

4.jpg

 

Maybe some of our script wizards have some magic code that can automate parts or all of this process. But if you want those images in your new Word document, and you want the images themselves as discrete files, I know this will work.

 

Hope this works,

 

Randy

 

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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If the InDesign document really does have a linked threaded flow of text, AND if the images are still inline anchored, then you could insert your Type tool anywhere in the text and go to File > Export > Save As Type > RTF and the resulting RTF will contain all the text and the inline graphics. Finally, open the RTF (Rich Text Format) file in Word and Save As to .DOCX (if you wish).

Mike Witherell

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Explorer ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Wow thanks everyone.

 

I had no idea it was so hard. Should be such a simple thing to do.

 

I'll try everyone's suggestions and let you know how I get on.

 

Best Regards, Chris.

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Explorer ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Well I'm slightly further forward.

 

Unfortunately I don't have an Acrobat Pro licence, so Randy's very detailed process is not going to work for me.

 

I tried Mike's method. It partly worked. Some of the graphics appeared in the rtf, which I could then copy into my Word doc. But some didnt. I double checked that they were anchored.

 

I think my best route is going to be to go back to the original sources.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Best Regards, Chris.

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Explorer ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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Thank you Uwe. Unfortunately I'm not prepared to pay £270 for this facility so I'll have to find a different workflow.

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Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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EDIT: None of these responses were visible when I answered. Is that sort of delay happening to the rest of you?

 

Did you try exporting to PDF, and then using File > Save as > Word in Acrobat or File > Conver to Word in Reader?

 

~Barb 

 

 

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Community Expert ,
Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021

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Hi Barb,

your suggestion wouldn't work, because Chris has no Acrobat Pro licensed.

Mike's suggestion is working for images like JPGs, but perhaps would fail for other image types.

 

Chris did not specify if a certain kind of image type would not make it to Word through the RTF route or if there are other circumstances that this is not working. Also: RTF would not allow to retain any crop values, so always the uncropped image will shown in Word. I also doubt that the original resolution will make it, but didn't do any tests in this direction.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021

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Chris said: "Thank you Uwe. Unfortunately I'm not prepared to pay £270 for this facility so I'll have to find a different workflow."

 

Hm. The first thing I would do is to invest in a license or a subscription to Acrobat Pro.

If you are working in the field of print production this is an absolute must.

 

If you have to establish an ongoing workflow between InDesign > Word > InDesign for whatever reason WordsFlow Pro is the tool of choice.

 

Chris, what nobody asked, but is important for any workflow:
What's your version of InDesign on what operating system?

 

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Explorer ,
Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021

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Hi Uwe, Barb,

 

Actually I CAN do this as I have the "Export to Word" option for Adobe Reader.

 

I tried it, and it worked perfectly. Colour images at full resolution.

 

Thank you Barb - you're a star!

Best Regards, Chris.

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Community Expert ,
Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021

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Hi Chris,

congratulations that Export to Word actually worked for you in Adobe Reader.

I tested this as well and it did not work at all. I was redirected to a subscription model for Acrobat:

AdobeReader-ExportPDF-to-Word-6.PNG

 

After pressing the button "Export to Word" I landed on this page:

AdobeReader-ExportPDF-to-Word-5.PNG

 

Of course with my installed Acrobat Pro I would be able to Export to Word.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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