How to set up automatic backups in InDesign

[mosheyri]

Does anyone know how to set an automatic back to InDesign? Yes, I'm aware that there are tons of general backups available and can always "save as" to make copies. However in a team enviroment where many people work on InDesign files, we need a more robust backup solution specifically for InDesign. Coming from Quark, there was an automatic backup available at set intervals. Running: InDesign CC 2014.

I came across a script which seems to do just that but appears to have been written for Apple Script as oppose to Java Script. Perhaps someone can translate that into Javascript. Using a windows platform, Apple Script obviously won't work. The script is as follows:

Anyone with assistance, thanks much in advance.

tell application "Finder" to set backupPath to folder "Macintosh HD:documents:backup files"

tell application "Adobe InDesign CS2"

try

set myFilePath to file path of active document

set myFile to full name of active document

set cd to current date

set nuName to name of active document

set nuName to nuName & "-" & ((year of cd) & (month of cd) & (day of cd) as string)

set nuName to nuName & "-" & (time of cd) as string

tell application "Finder"

set backupFile to duplicate myFile to backupPath

set name of backupFile to nuName

end tell

save active document

on error

save active document

end try

end tell

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Martin Fischer once wrote a script, saveVersions.jsx , published at www.hilfdirselbst.ch:

Indesign Script - automatische Sicherungskopien in Unterordner erstellen

Its companion script is VersionsCounter.jsx :

Indesign Script - automatische Sicherungskopien in Unterordner erstellen

Maybe you can use these.

saveVersions.jsx does a "Save As Copy" in the background every time you do a "Save" or a "Save As" of your document. The versions are saved to a folder named "versions" just in the same folder where your original InDesign file resides. The versions are numbered (you'll be prompted for the max. number the first time you are using it). You can reset that number with VersionsCounter.jsx.

Should work with every version of InDesign from CS3 and above.
I use it myself with InDesign CS3, CS4, CS5, CS5.5 and CS6.
Did not test for higher versions.

You have to put the code in the startup scripts folder of InDesign's Scripts folder. If there is no startup scripts, just create one exactly named like this (without the quotes): "startup scripts".

Uwe

[mosheyri]

Thanks so much. That appears to be precisely what I need. (Although I had to do some translating from German)

[tylerlemke]

Hey guys!

I am trying to get this two german scripts to work in my InD CC2018.

It creates a folder called versions, but never saves any versions.

Have you guys had any luck getting them to work?

If so, care to share your .jsx files?

[Laubender]

Hi,

can you post the code here?

"Use advanced editor" for formatting code as code:
>> Insert > Syntax Highlighting > javascript

BTW: Martin Fischer's script should still work unaltered with InDesign CC 2018.

What is your OS version?

Regards,
Uwe

[Kasyan Servetsky]

My 2¢: Save with backup script by Gregor Fellenz (grefel)

— Kas