Creating a logo mockup automation with inDesign

[aman_44]

Hi,

I'm looking to replicate something like this: http://www.printed-gifts.com/books/dmau/ or http://www.printed-gifts.com/books/wyzp/ however it would need to be automatically created from a user uploading their logo into a web service.

I need to understand the full requirements for something like this, at the moment I have:

1. Create a master inDesign document with data merge (?) areas where the logos would be placed

2. Create a service that reads from an online file store where the logo is hosted - can the data merge do this?

3. Create an automation that will apply the logo file onto the placement areas (ideally also applying a filter to remove backgrounds) and save the document as a .pdf (?)

3.1 The automation will need to run automatically whenever a new logo is added into the file store - is this possible?

4. Upload this .pdf to a service like html5flip to create a branded catalogue for the customer.

5. Email the link to the branded catalogue to the user who requested it.

Is this sufficient or am I missing steps? Is there an easier way to do something like the above? Ideally everything about this should be automated.

Thanks!

[Eric Dumas]

Hi,

You are asking a lot! I developed something similar for branded stationery using a .NET app approach.

With InDesign, you will depend on the customer uploading the correct type of logo (Vector instead of a pixel one they downloaded from their web site!)

You can have a file per customer, making sure that this InDesign file is 'waiting' for a logo saved in a specific location with a specific name. As soon as the file is uploaded and the file synced to your system (like Google Drive, DropBox...), InDesign will refresh and display the logo in place. You can use Object Styles to make sure it is in the correct place, correct scale.... assuming the customer followed your instructions correctly.

You can create a preset for your pdf, but I don't see how you can automate the creation of the pdf automatically when a logo is uploaded. I am not sure what the trigger could be.

Emailing a catalog and email the customer, that is straight forward, not sure what the trigger could be. You still need a bit of manual work here.

If some has a script for a 'watched folder' that would receive the logo and automatically process all this, I would love to read about it. Check the scripting forum of Adobe.

[aman_44]

Hi Erik, thanks for your quick reply!

It might be that indesign isn't the right tool to use for this. How did you approach it with a .net app?

[Colin Flashman]

In short, no to all of the points raised in the opening question.

To elaborate, data merge is fine for small-mid size projects that use a one-to-one database relationship. What is being asked is for a real-time web-to-print solution using InDesign to create the initial template, and data merge (as it ships with InDesign) won't do this.

My advice would be to look for web-to-print solutions online that do this such as printui - EasyPrintUI | Instant client portals for printers, designs agencies, and in-house marketing departme...

[Jongware]

I am not so sure this is allowed per the standard User Agreement. It sounds like this would be a job for InDesign Server.

[aman_44]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your quick reply. Yes, I wasn't sure about using data merge with something made to be used at scale.

PrintUI looks interesting, but I don't need an editable front end. Everything would be processed from a master file in the back end. All the customer needs to do is upload a logo (or we can even grab the logo from their email address using the clearbit logo API https://blog.clearbit.com/logo/ )

Maybe this is the wrong technology and we can do it using something else.

[Srishti Bali]

Discussion moved to InDesign Scripting​ forum.

[Loic.Aigon]

Hi

clearly violating EULA if not using Indesign Server premium. Also if it’s all about placing logos i would recommend another solution. Feel free to PM me for more details.