Working with files and templates – Adobe InDesign User Manual

Page 66

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

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.

This manual is related to the following products:

InDesign CS6