Share Illustrator Gradients with Indesign via CC Libraries
According to many sources online, in the old days, you were able to copy and paste gradients from Illustrator to InDesign. Now, when I copy an simple object with a complex gradient, it comes into InDesign split into many tiny objects, each with its own swatch. Totally unworkable.
Really, I should be able to save a gradient swatch to CC Library so that I can access it across Creative Cloud. Because that's what Library is for, right?
I'm not sure if this is a bug or a feature that should be there.
Gareth Lind
shared this idea
You can add the object having the gradient swatch to the CC Libraries as a ‘Graphic’ in Illustrator. Then you can choose Place Linked/Place Copy in CC Libraries to use that object in InDesign. At this time, it is yet not possible to add Gradient/Pattern swatches to CC Libraries in Illustrator, so you have to add the object to the CCLib and then place that object in other apps like InDesign.
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Adobe InDesign team
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Anne-Marie Concepcion commented
Completely agree. First, InDesign should have the same Gradient libraries as Illustrator does. But there's not even ONE gradient that's installed. You have to build them from scratch. Second, you can't move gradients around between the apps via an ASE because it won't work with gradients(!). And third, even if you copy/paste the gradient into InDesign, it's not editable. It appears as a Gradient Swatch but you can't edit the colors that it's using.
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Gareth Lind
commented
Yes, thanks, I'm aware of that, and the object I shared was from my CC Library. I have been doing what you suggest. I don't use gradients that much, but in this rare case, I had to apply it to large type. My workaround was to convert the type to outlines, then paste the gradient object inside. However, then the type is no longer type, and I'm unable to create an accessible PDF. This is a rare instance, I admit, but you advertise the CC Library as a way to seamlessly link CC apps. I see why you can't share patterns, as ID doesn't have that capability – but both apps share a gradient palette, and I see no reason not to allow them to talk to each other. Thanks for the quick response.