Export to multiple locations?

[erick013]

Is there a way to either natively, via script or plugin that will allow me to export out an InDesign document (PDF in this case) out to different locations at once? For example, I'd like to export one copy to a folder/directory on the server for review and another copy locally for internal review. My instinct was to just create an "Action" but I don't believe ID has this capability. Is there a way to accomplish this? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. 

[Mike Witherell]

macOS? Windows?

[erick013]

MacOS. Sorry. 

[Jongware]

"At once", no, that's not gonna happen. If you want 2 PDFs, you need to export twice.

Exporting once and then copying that file is faster.

[erick013]

I create actions in Photoshop, saving out multiple times to different locations and it saves a crapload of time. I know ID isn't PS but figured I'd ask the question since the action of saving out to different locations seems to be workflow option for some.

[Mike Witherell]

macOS has folder actions as a possibility for a watched folder. macOS has Automator utility, too.

[erick013]

Interesting. I remember an app called "Hazel" and I think it does just that. I might have to look into that further. Thank you!  

[rob day]

If you know some AppleScript it’s not too hard to setup folderscripts. In your System Library there should a Scripts folder.

Inside there should be a Folder Actions folder with a script for enabling folder actions (Enable Folder Actions), and one for attaching a script to a folder (Attach Script to Folder).

Folder scripts have to be saved into the Folder Action Scripts folder and the script code has to have an on adding folder items to function.

So this simple script would move items saved to a designated hot folder to the myDestination folders (you would have  to edit the paths):

--variables must be set with property keyword. Here the paths to the folders
property myDestination01 : "Volume:Users:username:Folder1:"
property myDestination02 : "Volume:Users:username:Folder2:"

on adding folder items to hotfolder after receiving added_items
	
	tell application "Finder"
		
		set thepath to item 1 of added_items as alias
		duplicate thepath to myDestination01 with replacing
		duplicate thepath to myDestination02 with replacing
		
		--cleanup
		move file thepath to trash with replacing
	end tell
	
end adding folder items to

[Scott Falkner]

Hazel was my thought as well. I'm always finding uses for it, like automatically optimizing PNGs in a watch folder or sorting downloads into Achives, Images, Movies, Music, Disk Images, etc.

For example, I have Hazel put any compressed files into an Archives folder, then decompress them. If the decompressed file contains only images the entire folder is moved to a Pictures folder. If it cointains an InDesign ifle it is moved to a work in progress folder, etc.

[brianp311]

The other solutions proposed may be more effective, but this is easily scriptable in ID, too. You can make it as complicated if you want, say if you need to change the export presets. The script below just would export them all using the Px1a preset. 

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var px1aPreset = app.pdfExportPresets.itemByName("[PDF/X-1a:2001]");

var arrayOfPaths = [
"~//myPath1//subfolder//",
"~//myPath2//subfolder//",
etc.
];

for (var i = 0; i < arrayOfPaths.length; i++) {
   var f = new File(arrayOfPaths[i] + doc.name + ".pdf");
   doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.PDF_TYPE, f, false, px1aPreset);
}

[erick013]

@brainp311  Thank you for taking the time and insight. At this point, I really don't script and I'm sure if I spent some time I can get the hang of it but, I'm so busy I can't dedicate time to making this happen via script. Seem like "Hazel" is a good solution and can be applied to other tasks besides this specific export issue.