This all stems from an idea taken from Photoshop and Illustrator. Where you can name a document with the dialog for “File>New Document” and you get the option to name the file.
I'd like that idea implemented to InDesign and I think it'd be rather cool to have the name of the document already insitu when you create the document.
Then I got to thinking, that the links and other things always have to be added manually or else “Packaged” or use the the “Copy Links to” command in the Links Panel. Which always means having to either have 2 copies of the InDesign file as the “Package” duplicates everything, leaving you to manually delete the original file you worked on in favour of the file in the “Packaged” folder. Or to create a Links folder in the same directory folder as the InDeisgn File and using the Copy Links To.
Just putting an idea out there – how would a “Project” option feel to people?
You create “New Project” It creates the InDesign file inside a Folder and creates a Links and Fonts folder (et al folders possible, perhaps proofs, or other useful perhaps even user determined folders). I'm thinking even adding a “PDF” folder that InDesign will always know to put the “Exported PDF” into that exact folder. Kinda like setting up predetermined paths for InDesign to follow in terms of saving and putting links/pdfs/jpgs etc. even ePub/swf/html/xtml predetermined folders in place.
This leads me to some possiblities. Any time during the “Project” you can choose “Update Project” where the Fonts folder is populated with the fonts you are using, the Links folder is updated with any new graphcis added or even removed from the project, as not to totally remove them from the folder – just move them to a “unused project links” folder – perhaps.
Another Option I thought I'd explore with the “Project” idea was that perhaps if you were copying Graphics from other sources, hard drives, other project folders, servers etc. that perhaps you had the option to turn on or off whether you want the “Links” folder in the “Project” to be updated automatically to the image used. Where the image is copied to the Links folder on “Place” and automatically linked here. Preserving the original on the server or wherever you may have it?
And on slightly more technical side of things I was thinking that perhaps InDesign could monitor the original location of where the Links originated from for any modification dates. And alert the user that the File on the Server was removed/edited/modified somehow.
Not sure if this is at all possible. But thought I would put it out there for discussion and see what people think. Of course this is all theoretical. And probalby just lead to dreams of grandure.
If it proves popular I'll add it to the the UserVoice section – the idea is just a bit tangled at the moment and the idea is to refine it here and add it to the User Voice section as a possible “wishlist”.
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