Adobe InDesign CS5 - Manual (Page 106)

100
Last updated 11/16/2011
Chapter 4: Working with documents
Working with files and templates
Recommended workflow for InDesign documents
You can improve performance and prevent many problems by establishing a good workflow to use with Adobe
InDesign.
Maintain a clean computer system
Over time, changes occur to software and hardware that can lead to performance loss and system problems.
Defragmenting the hard disk, removing older versions of software, updating device drivers, optimizing memory,
running virus protection utilities, and performing other maintenance tasks can prevent applications and files from
becoming damaged. Performing these tasks regularly helps ensure that InDesign opens, displays, and prints
documents as expected.
Create a project folder
Before you begin a project, determine which files you’ll need and how you’ll store them. If you’ve experienced
problems with broken links, consider storing your linked files in the same folder as your document. InDesign
maintains links to files you place in a document, but if a link is broken, InDesign looks for the file in the document’s
folder. Storing a document and its linked files in the same folder makes it easy to move them from one computer to
another. Storing files in one folder also ensures that InDesign finds the original graphics when printing a document.
If InDesign cannot locate a linked graphic, it won’t reflect changes you make to the original graphic, and it may print
the graphic poorly or not at all.
If your project consists of multiple documents (for example, chapters in a book), you may find it useful to create a
project folder that contains a folder for each document and its linked files.
Consider using a template
Use a template if you frequently create similar projects. Templates let you create consistent documents more quickly
while protecting the original file. For example, if you create a monthly newsletter, your template might include ruler
guides, page numbers, the newsletter masthead, and styles you want to use in each issue. (See “
Use document
templates ” on page 104.)
Open documents locally
Before you open a document stored on a network volume or on removable media, copy the document and any linked
graphics to your local hard disk. The slower access time and data transfer rate of a network volume or removable media
can cause data to become lost or corrupted, possibly damaging the document. However, be aware of overriding
someone else’s work if you copy the local files back to a network server.
Solve problems before converting a file
Damaged Adobe PageMaker or QuarkXPress® files usually remain damaged when opened in InDesign. If an error or
other unexpected behavior occurs with a converted file, open the original file in the source application and
troubleshoot it for damage.
If the converted file has problems, export it to IDML format, and then open the IDML file and save it as an InDesign
document.