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• • May 18, 2010 at 11:56 am #55744
    Art Hoffman

    Participant

    OK – Four of us in our department already have INDD CS4. The rest of the poor folks still using Quicksilver are probably going to end up with CS5 soon.

    Most of the folks that will use CS5 will need bits of information (tables, graphics, etc.) from some of our CS4 documents (but they won't be saved forward to CS5 – They will stay CS4 documents so we can still use them).

    • Going forward, a CS4 document will just open in CS5 – correct? To copy out whatever they need.
    • But in order to be able to open a CS5 document in CS4 it has to be exported as a IDML document – correct?

    Trying to save some headaches as we move forward. Plus my boss is a cheapskate and won't upgrade the rest of us to CS5!

    :-(

    Thanks!

  • May 18, 2010 at 6:18 pm #55747
    Adam Jury

    Member

    You're correct. What I would suggest doing (or, rather, having the CS5-equipped people do):

    Make a copy of the CS4 documents you need to poach info from. Open them, then re-save them in CS5 format, clearly named something snappy like “OldDocumentName_ForCS5PillagingOnlySendThisToPressAndBeFired ;-)” — then take all the elements you'll need out of them and save them cleanly in a Library file. Then you only need to access the library, and this will prevent the potential scenario of someone opening a CS4 document “just to grab a table” and accidentally re-saving that file in CS5 format overtop of the CS4 file.

  • May 19, 2010 at 2:24 am #55750
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    What about using Snippets?

  • May 19, 2010 at 6:32 am #55752
    Art Hoffman

    Participant

    Thanks guys!

    Both good ideas! Now I just have to explain what libraries and snippets are to these for poor folks!

    Our stuff changes so much (technical literature) that I don't know if making a separate files will work. I may just have to tell them that if they open a file of ours to copy anything from they damn well better close it without saving it. Or they'll have to fix it!

    But I thinkwhat I may do I'll have them make a list of what they usually need (it's always the same type data tables, etc.) and I'll make the snippets or library items for them. That way they stay clear of my documents!

    Heck, they'll be happy when they discover that there's more than one undo!

  • May 19, 2010 at 2:38 pm #55764
    Roland

    Member

    You could tell them to open files as a copy (so they can't overwrite your original CS4 files) and if they must save a file, to create a new folder labelled “CS5 only” or something to clearly differentiate between versions.

  • May 19, 2010 at 3:23 pm #55768
    Adam Jury

    Member

    If you're dealing with people who's technical competency with InDesign can be described as “poor folk” I think going with a Library is the right idea, and of course, one person can make the library and share it with everyone else … having everyone make their own library to create standardized elements seems like an unwise plan. :-)

  • May 19, 2010 at 4:41 pm #55772
    Matt Mayerchak

    Participant

    If you stay in a mixed CS4/CS5 environment, I'd recommend a cheap utility from Rorohiko called Soxy. It's only $19 and it can distinguish which version of an Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, or even Quark file you have and open it with the appropriate version of the app. It's not exactly what you're looking for, but it is useful for preventing inadvertent opening in the higher version. Trying to open in the lower version is less of a problem because it won't open the file, but it's a bummer to open a CS4 file and save and realize you've just converted the file to CS5 by mistake.

    Unfortunately, they haven't released a CS5-aware version yet. (Coming soon, they tell me.) I bought 2 copies of it (for two workstations) when I upgraded to CS4 because a lot of my clients were still in CS3 until VERY recently. I don't get any $$ from Rorohiko, but my experience using it with CS2/CS3/CS4 was good enough for me to recommend it. It comes with the typical 30-day free trial, so check that out when they release it.

  • May 24, 2010 at 9:44 pm #55825
    Adam Jury

    Member

    I second the recommendation for Soxy. It's freakin' awesome. I have a short review/demo of it here: https://dirtywords.tv/2009/episode_007/

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