Save documents

Saving a document saves the current layout, references to source files, which page is currently displayed, and the zoom level. Protect your work by saving often. You can save a file as any of the following:

• A regular document.

• A copy of the document, which creates a duplicate of the document under a different name, leaving the original document active.

• A template, which normally opens as an untitled document. A template can contain settings, text, and graphics that you preset as a starting point for other documents.

  Saving a document also updates the metadata (or file information) that is part of the InDesign document. This metadata includes a thumbnail preview, fonts used in the document, color swatches, and all metadata in the File Info dialog box, all of which enable efficient searching. For example, you might want to search for all documents that use a particular color.

  You can view this metadata in Bridge and in the Advanced area of the File Info dialog box. You can control whether to update the preview when you save by using a preference setting. The other metadata (fonts, colors, and links) are updated whenever you save a document.

  The Save, Save As, and Save a Copy commands store documents in the InDesign file format. For information about storing documents in other file formats, see the Index.

  If you’re saving a document in order to bring it to a prepress service provider for final output, InDesign can automatically collect all necessary files, such as linked graphics and fonts, in one folder. (See Package files.)

Include previews in saved documents

Thumbnail previews of documents and templates provide easy identification of those files in Adobe Bridge and Adobe Mini Bridge. A preview is created when you save a document or template. A document preview includes a JPEG image of only the first spread; a template preview includes a JPEG image of each page in the template. You can control the size of the preview and the number of pages to suit your needs. For example, Extra Large 1024x1024 enables you to quickly scan the contents of a page at high-resolution before you open the file.

You can enable the option in Preferences or in the Save As dialog box. Because previews increase both file size and the time it takes to save the document, you may prefer to enable the option on demand using the Save Asdialog box.

Save an InDesign Markup (IDML) document

In some cases you may want to save an InDesign in interchange markup format. It’s especially useful to save in this format when you open a QuarkXPress or PageMaker publication in InDesign, when you open a document created in a previous version of InDesign, or when you’re experiencing problems with your document, such as not being able to delete color swatches.

You can open the saved IDML file in InDesign CS5 and InDesign CS4 but not in any previous version of InDesign.

Save backwards to the previous InDesign version

To open an InDesign CS6 document in InDesign CS5, in InDesign CS6, Save (File > Save) the document to the InDesign Markup Language (IDML). (The IDML format replaces the Interchange INX format used for saving backwards in previous versions.)

To open an InDesign CS5 document in InDesign CS4, in InDesign CS5, export (File > Export) the document to the InDesign Markup Language (IDML). (The IDML format replaces the Interchange INX format used for saving backwards in previous versions.)

Ensure that the computer running the previous version of InDesign is updated with the appropriate plug-ins so that it can open the exported IDML file. The person running the previous version of InDesign can obtain the compatibility plug-ins by choosing Help > Updates and following the prompts. Plug-ins can also be installed from the Adobe website.

You can open the .idml file in previous version of InDesign to convert it to an untitled InDesign document.

Work with metadata

Metadata is a set of standardized information about a file, such as author name, resolution, color space, copyright, and keywords applied to it. You can use metadata to streamline your workflow and organize your files.

About the XMP standard

Metadata information is stored using the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) standard, on which Adobe Bridge , Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop are built. XMP is built on XML, and in most cases the metadata is stored in the file. If it isn’t possible to store the information in the file, metadata is stored in a separate file called a sidecar file. XMP facilitates the exchange of metadata between Adobe applications and across publishing workflows. For example, you can save metadata from one file as a template, and then import the metadata into other files.

Metadata that is stored in other formats, such as Exif, IPTC (IIM), GPS, and TIFF, is synchronized and described with XMP so that it can be more easily viewed and managed. Other applications and features also use XMP to communicate and store information such as version comments, which you can search using Adobe Bridge.

In most cases the metadata remains with the file even when the file format changes, for example, from PSD to JPG. Metadata is also retained when files are placed in an Adobe document or project.

Working with metadata in Adobe Bridge and Adobe Creative Suite components

Many of the powerful Adobe Bridge features that allow you to organize, search, and keep track of your files and versions depend on XMP metadata in your files. Adobe Bridge provides two ways of working with metadata: through the Metadata panel and through the File Infodialog box (InDesign) or the Content File Info dialog box (InCopy).

In some cases, multiple views exist for the same metadata property. For example, a property may be labeled Author in one view and Creator in another, but both refer to the same underlying property. Even if you customize these views for specific workflows, they remain standardized through XMP.

Add metadata using the File Info dialog box

The File Info dialog box displays camera data, file properties, an edit history, copyright, and author information of the current document. The File Info dialog box also displays custom metadata panels. You can add metadata directly in the File Information dialog box. Any information you enter in a field overrides existing metadata and applies the new value to all selected files.

Export metadata as an XMP file

You can save metadata in an XMP file to share with other users. These XMP files can be used as templates for populating InDesign documents and other documents created with XMP-enabled applications. Templates you export are stored in a shared location that all XMP-enabled applications can access. They also appear in the pop-up menu at the bottom of the File Infodialog box.

Import metadata from an XMP file

When you import metadata into a document from an exported XMP template file, you can specify whether to clear all metadata in the current document and add the new metadata, keep all but the matching metadata, or add matching metadata to the existing metadata.

Edit metadata in image files

When you generate captions of placed images in InDesign, the metadata from the placed image is used. Although you can edit the metadata of InDesign documents, you cannot edit the metadata of placed files in InDesign. Instead, change the metadata of placed images using their original applications, using Finder or Explorer, or using Adobe Bridge or Adobe Mini Bridge.

You can also select an image in Adobe Bridge and choose File > File Info to edit the image metadata. See Add metadata using the File Info dialog box.

Resolving shared network protective shutdown

• Any document that is <100 MB in size and is opened from a network location, InDesign will not perform protective shutdown even if network connection is lost. When network connection is restored after temporary network loss, you can continue to work and will be able to save the document on the network. if you try to save the document while the network is lost, you get an option to save the document locally.
• Documents >100 MB continue to exhibit the existing behavior - InDesign will perform protective shutdown if network connectivity is lost for such documents.