Include original INDD filename in metadata on PDF export
Include original INDD filename in metadata on PDF export.
I often get PDFs from clients, usually well after a job has been completed, where they want to update it, or base a new document on the PDF. Some clients, no matter how many times you tell them not to, change the name of the PDF file, making it a little more difficult to find the source file. Or a new client will send me a PDF that I did not create... then I have to ask for the source file, and of course you get "deer in the headlights eyes". If you could point them to an exact filename that might help before you tell them you have to recreate the file from scratch. If you could include the original INDD filename in the PDF metadata that would help a LOT.
Richard Coda
shared this idea
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Mike commented
That would be super helpful – I use the slug area and set a text variable > filename so it always pulls the exact file name which includes the job number client job and draft / final artwork. The great thing about that is it updates itself rather than having to remember everytime I export a pdf.
I have found that sometimes (rarely) the client will edit the pdf in acrobat and change the text in the slug area. I think it's because they might be sending the same artwork onto a different publication and don't need to pay for design when it's the same advert for example. It is a pain though trying to track it down.
The last trick that you can do is once you've exported your pdf open it in acrobat, press cmd + D on a mac (not sure what it is on pc) you'll get the details of the pdf metadata, and I copy and paste the filename into the 'title' field. I've never had a client go and change that. But it's an extra step, that's not automatic like the text variable/slug method. It would be super handy to have that as a tick box option on PDF export from InDesign.
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Notannhavoc commented
yes!! I often wonder why this cannot be implements - I too have many pdfs of different versions of a file[different drafts, samples to show client] and then struggle to find the ID file which created that version.