Not able to import a list of topics to make en index. The files with the list are grayed out.

[arildeugen]

I am using InDesign CC 2017 on a Mac with Sierra. I want to make an Index in a book I am making, and have a list of topics. But InDesign does not recognize the files with the list in all formats I have tried. I have done it in older versions of InDesign, but not able to do it now. The manual for InDesign just says select Impot Topics and the file with the topic. But I am not able to do it.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

This is not well-documented. To import topics into a new document do one of these two things:

1. Index panel menu > Import Topics and select another InDesign file that already has a topic list or
2. Place your list in the file, select all the text and tap Cmd+Opt+Sh+[ (on Windows tap Ctr+Alt+Sh+[ ) to load the list into the Index panel and then delete the text block from the page.
   

[arildeugen]

OK, I had to switch to US keyboard to make it happen. Great, thanks! Do you also know how to activate the Add All button in the New Topic window? Now I only have an Add button and it only shows the list had to create til topics. If I delete the list before creating an Index, it finds nothing.

[Barb Binder]

Do you also know how to activate the Add All button in the New Topic window?

Add All isn't available for Topics—it's only available for References. The Add All option is a way to index all occurrences of a specified term in a document or a book. When you click Add All, InDesign creates index markers at every occurrence of the words selected in the document. If text isn't selected the button will not be available.

You'll find the answers to both of your current questions, and any others you may think of next here:

Create an index in InDesign

[Jojakeem]

Do you also know how to activate the Add All button in the New Topic window?

Aril probably means 'Reference window' instead of ' Topic window' ... I'm also stuck in the same place I think. A nice list of References, but they do not point to anything else but the list. Is there a way to now find all page references of the complete list to the rest of my 100 page document? 

[edit:] Ok, I found a very nice and easy script that works exactly as I was looking for. Free available right here: https://creativepro.com/files/kahrel/indesign/index_independent.html

Of course it is not the most polished way to make an index, but when you  have to deal with a given list of say 400 words to index, this is a life saver and pretty good with a few manual overrides.[/edit]

[gabye7491805]

Thanks for this discussion, but I'm unfortunately not able to create a list quickly with ;">Shift+Alt+Ctrl+[ (Windows).

As described in this document: Create an index in InDesign

I tried different keyboard formats also US but I'm still not able to create a automatic index list.

See movie: https://lumiga.nl/1/index.mp4

Hope someone can give me a hint 😉

[Barb Binder]

Cool video! I've never seen the keyboard part of it before.

I'm not clear why it isn't working for you. I'm on a standard US keyboard, and the OP mentioned that they had to switch to a US keyboard to make it work, so that must be playing a role. I know you said you tried switching to a US keyboard, and it certainly looked like you did everything right in the video, so I'm a loss. This might be one for Adobe to weigh in on.

~Barb

[gabye7491805]

Hi Barb,

Thanks, it was to show you that I pressed the right keys. 😉

yes I tried different keyboards formats.

I will contact Adobe about this issue.

~Gaby

[Barb Binder]

It would be great if you could come back and let us know what you learn.

~Barb

[Ulysses_Oliveira]

It works up to half of step 2. After deleting the block, the entries go way with the text. If I don't delete the text the entries will have spurious page numbers. So this feature is useless or buggy (as usual in ID). I'm using ID 2015 v11.

[Ulysses_Oliveira]

My apologies. It does work. I was using the reference view.

[HeathenHarper]

What's the point? I don't understand what use there is to a topic list if it won't index the content of the actual file. I don't see any comment here that's really useful to "Add All" for any topic. As near as I can tell, this whole index feature is clunky, time consuming rubbish. Adding insult to injury, you can't apply an italics style to say a book title and have it stick the next time you update the index. 

[Srishti Bali]

Hi arildeugen,

Please update the discussion if the issue is resolved or if you have any further query.

Regards

Srishti

[ianvectis]

Version 15.0.1

Does not work. Are you sure you have outlined the steps correctly and completely? Is 'tapping' the Cmd-Op-Shift keys with the text selected meant to make it magically appear in the Topics list in the dialog box? Do you have to select the 'Import Topics' in the drop down menu? Honestly, the indexing feature in InDesign is a complete mess, with shoddy documentation.

[Nedlaw]

Barb Binder to the rescue once again!

[^-^-^-^-^-^-^]

This does not work. Changing keyboard to US, selecting topics list pasted in an INDD block and pressing Ctrl-Alt-Shift-[ does nothing. I'm building a 1200+ words index, this is sorely needed. PLEASE HELP.

[^-^-^-^-^-^-^]

This index feature is a half-catastrophe, actually... See https://creativepro.com/files/kahrel/indesign/index-fixes.html