Adobe InDesign: Feature Requests
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2. Why is this valuable to you?
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5328 results found
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Lock/Unlock all objects in an entire document
Currently we can lock/unlock an object or all objects on a spread. But what about getting the same features for an entire document so that you don't need to manually do this for every spread?
8 votes -
Endnotes should have the same renumbering options as footnotes
Footnotes can be set to renumber every SECTION. This is OK, but could be improved (see below).
However, endnotes can only be set to renumber every STORY. This is a most undesirable limitation, because it requires breaking text threads in order to create new stories. This is destructive design—to limit potential problems it is necessary to wait until layout is completed before breaking threads. Even then, problems can still occur.
This problem could easily be fixed by allowing endnotes to be renumbered the same ways as footnotes can be—every section.
Of course, renumbering every section also has a significant limitation—it is assigned at page level instead of text level, meaning that if text flow changes after sections are set—say, new content added to an early section—they will need to be reset in order to match the new flow.
A much better way would be to allow section start to be set as part of a PARAGRAPH STYLE. This way, the endnote or footnote numbering would automatically alter as changes take place.
Since this method is already used in the BreakTextThread script, it would surely be easily adopted.
The attached file gives a more detailed explanation.Footnotes can be set to renumber every SECTION. This is OK, but could be improved (see below).
However, endnotes can only be set to renumber every STORY. This is a most undesirable limitation, because it requires breaking text threads in order to create new stories. This is destructive design—to limit potential problems it is necessary to wait until layout is completed before breaking threads. Even then, problems can still occur.
This problem could easily be fixed by allowing endnotes to be renumbered the same ways as footnotes can be—every section.
Of course, renumbering every section also has a significant limitation—it…8 votes -
Place .aic and .psdc files
As work flows are continuing to become more and more cloud based with the new photoshop and illustrators, the natural step would be to allow us to place .aic and .psdc files into an InDesign file. These items will be invaluable as we build for future users.
8 votes -
Re-enable new folder keyboard shortcut when saving/exporting
In previous versions of ID when you saved or exported a file, you had the ability to create a new folder from the dialog window using the keyboard shortcut (cmd+shift+N). This stopped working sometime after the last couple of updates, but it still works when exporting/saving from Photoshop and Illustrator. It may seem like a small thing, but I spend a lot of time creating folders to export PDFs to and it's annoying to have to use the button now. Please add this back in a future update!
8 votes -
Select/Move Multiple Tabs in the Tabs Window
I don't think I'm asking for anything spectacular. I agree the Tabs interface isn't the best but, one thing that would make it much more tolerable would be, what I think, would be a simple change. Can we shift or ctrl click multiple tabs in the same section to slide all of them together please? Having to re-adjust all tabs on a line just because #1 or #2 need to shift to the right seems like a crazy oversight in functionality. Not to mention a time consuming and frustrating one. Please add this little thing to the next update and make a lot of us very happy!!
I don't think I'm asking for anything spectacular. I agree the Tabs interface isn't the best but, one thing that would make it much more tolerable would be, what I think, would be a simple change. Can we shift or ctrl click multiple tabs in the same section to slide all of them together please? Having to re-adjust all tabs on a line just because #1 or #2 need to shift to the right seems like a crazy oversight in functionality. Not to mention a time consuming and frustrating one. Please add this little thing to the next update and…
8 votes -
Can we get Tab Order in a bigger window please? Or at least one that can expand.
Setting the Tab Order is very tedious but being in that tiny window makes it a real pain at times. Especially when you're creating interactive forms with literally hundreds of boxes.
8 votes -
Object Layer Options to be part of Object Styles
Allow Object Layer Options to be included as an attribute for Object Styles.
Example: I have an annual report for a group of charities under one umbrella organization. It lists various projects the charities are working on. Some projects are operated by only one charity, some two, some all three. I have an Illustrator file with a graphic for each charity. I use Object Layer Styles to show or hide the symbols for each charity. I must use Object Layer Options for each use of this graphic to indicate which charity(s) are operating each project. It can be very time consuming and introduces a chance of error as I edit the options for each placement of the graphic. If I could use Object Styles to assign layer options I could save a great deal of time and ensure greater consistency.
Allow Object Layer Options to be included as an attribute for Object Styles.
Example: I have an annual report for a group of charities under one umbrella organization. It lists various projects the charities are working on. Some projects are operated by only one charity, some two, some all three. I have an Illustrator file with a graphic for each charity. I use Object Layer Styles to show or hide the symbols for each charity. I must use Object Layer Options for each use of this graphic to indicate which charity(s) are operating each project. It can be very time…
8 votes -
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.
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".…
8 votes -
Revamp the OpenType UI
- Revamp or build an OpenType Panel.
- Teaching to use lower case #s (Old Style Figures), contributing to typographic awareness, etc. re https://ilovetypography.com/2014/10/22/better-ui-for-better-typography-adobe-petition/
8 votes -
New Font Style Layout
Here are my comments :
https://www.loom.com/share/870775184bd2437b9eafed0a4fbb160b8 votes -
Add ability to edit all InDesign form fields in a table for faster creation and edits
I can create beautiful forms using InDesign. For example, I create intake documents and questionnaires for law firms. Some of these forms can become dozens of pages long with hundreds of fields. Consider the vast array of information required for an estate plan. For some of these forms, the number of fields becomes literally too many to manage on a one-at-a-time basis.
Imagine if there was an option to edit a table of all the form fields in a document once created. This process could potentially become super-streamlined.
One would still be required to draw in the fields, but once in place, converted to input fields and reasonably named (there exist decently speedy ways to do this part), the arduous task of managing all the specific settings of each field could be done very quickly with toggling settings on and off, copy-pasting name prefixes and suffixes, numbering tab orders, etc. The need to select a field, mouse over to the settings, set the settings, mouse over to the next field, select it, etc. is reduced to using the tab and arrow keys and the rest of the keyboard to edit an entire spreadsheet of form data; so smooth and focused.
Apart from setting up the form in the first place, editing now also becomes a breeze. As the forms get used in the real world, inevitably there are changes to be made based on user feedback. Rather than needing to hunt down all the fields that require edits, I could simply open the table and efficiently click-click-click through the changes.
This would massively simplify the creation and editing process, making InDesign the first choice as the form-building standard.
Considering the current situation with the Covid-19 Pandemic, the ability to fill in forms from home on mobile devices, but offline (can't guarantee everyone's internet connection is good) is much more crucial to businesses. Data collection can't always be managed with a database, especially if we want quick turnarounds without high-cost programmers.
Please consider this feature ASAP! Thank you!
I can create beautiful forms using InDesign. For example, I create intake documents and questionnaires for law firms. Some of these forms can become dozens of pages long with hundreds of fields. Consider the vast array of information required for an estate plan. For some of these forms, the number of fields becomes literally too many to manage on a one-at-a-time basis.
Imagine if there was an option to edit a table of all the form fields in a document once created. This process could potentially become super-streamlined.
One would still be required to draw in the fields, but…
8 votes -
Reveal in Bridge Automatically Installs Bridge
There's a few places in InDesign where you can accidentally hit the "Reveal in Bridge" and if you don't have this installed on your computer already - it will auto-install the app from the Creative Cloud.
I don't think it should do this - it should prompt you to if you want to install this to your computer rather than forcing the download.
I also would like an option to Disable the Reveal in Bridge - as I don't use it and it's so annoying when you have to go back and uninstall apps that you never wanted installed.
8 votes -
Ability to sync text variables via Creative Cloud Libraries
Similar to another suggestion here requesting the ability to import .csv content as variables: it would also be useful to be able to insert a text variable into an InDesign document from an external source such as Creative Cloud Libraries. This would enable a simple central location for variable information (eg prices, product specs etc) that could then be used across multiple documents. Updating the central data would then update all 'linked' variables when an InDesign document is opened, removing the need to manually update and the subsequent risk of human error.
8 votes -
Opacity of a table and cell fill color.
The ability to adjust the opacity of a table/cell fill color. This is important for when pages have a background image, color or graphic.
8 votes -
Managing multiple tabs in InDesign is an abomination
Managing multiple tabs in InDesign is an abomination. Firstly, the tolerance between reshuffling tabs and pulling a tab out to a separate window is far too small. Try doing this on a 4K screen, move your mouse a couple of millimetres up or down and all of a sudden your tab is now it's own window. Worse still is that when you pull it back into the tabs, it goes right to the back.
This leads me to my second issue. The lack of any way to reshuffle tabs that have multiple tabs in between. There are two ways to do this and they are both tedious at best. Firstly is to move a tab four or five documents ahead. Then select a document four or five tabs ahead of that, then re-select the document you are moving and move it again. Repeat a bunch of times until you've moved the tab to where you need it and hope that you don't accidentally pull it out into its own window, because you have to start again. Second method is to open every single tab in between the two documents you're trying to bring together and open them out to a window, then drag back into tabs (this sends that tab to the back).
The InDesign devs should look at how After Effects handles tabs.
Managing multiple tabs in InDesign is an abomination. Firstly, the tolerance between reshuffling tabs and pulling a tab out to a separate window is far too small. Try doing this on a 4K screen, move your mouse a couple of millimetres up or down and all of a sudden your tab is now it's own window. Worse still is that when you pull it back into the tabs, it goes right to the back.
This leads me to my second issue. The lack of any way to reshuffle tabs that have multiple tabs in between. There are two ways…
8 votes -
Select All by paragraph style
I'd love to be able to select all text in the document by paragraph style. So, select all text with "Heading 1" paragraph style. And then I could copy and paste it into a different document. It would help for revising documents, so I can see the topics all together and reorder the outline of names.
8 votes -
We need "smart" title case in the change case menu
We need smart title case, with prepositions and conjunctions not capitalized. It's ridiculous that a script or third-party plug-in is required. This is a publishing program! InDesign can create a table of contents—it should be able to do it correctly.
8 votes -
index tag with formatting
Make it possible to insert character formatting (italics, superscript, character style sheets) within the tag for the index.
8 votes -
Fold marks in export settings for spreads
Hello,
I work with cover spreads quite a bit....3 facing pages. Back Cover-Spine-Front Cover. The printer I work with, a very large commercial printer, requests fold marks on the spine. They want them the same size/offset as the outer crop marks. When you have a spread and you check "crop marks" in the export settings, InDesign puts marks on the spine that are smaller and offset further away from the trim than the outer marks. They really do no good. I think it would be extremely beneficial if there was a "Fold Mark" option in the export settings for when you have a spread with a perfect bound spine. Setting them up manually is a bit of a pain when you have many to do.
Hello,
I work with cover spreads quite a bit....3 facing pages. Back Cover-Spine-Front Cover. The printer I work with, a very large commercial printer, requests fold marks on the spine. They want them the same size/offset as the outer crop marks. When you have a spread and you check "crop marks" in the export settings, InDesign puts marks on the spine that are smaller and offset further away from the trim than the outer marks. They really do no good. I think it would be extremely beneficial if there was a "Fold Mark" option in the export settings for…
8 votes -
Easier to rearrange document tabs
I often have many different documents open in tabs but not in separate windows. I drag the tabs together so that InDesign's screen looks sort of like a browser with multiple tabs at the top. But only the selected tab is visible in the main windows. But rearranging these tabs in my preferred order is VERY finicky. I have to drag precisely left or precisely right, and about half the time my tab, instead of rearranging, opens in a new window. Frustrating.
The solution would be to recode so that when you drag a tab left or right to rearrange, OR to drag the tab for a separate window into a tab group, you have a buffer of a certain number of pixels above and below the tab group before you decide the user wants to move the tab, instead of into the tab group, into a new window.
Related to this, there is an option Window > Arrange > New Window for [nameoffile]. Why not an option for Window > Arrange > New TAB for [maneoffile]?
Thanks for listening.
I often have many different documents open in tabs but not in separate windows. I drag the tabs together so that InDesign's screen looks sort of like a browser with multiple tabs at the top. But only the selected tab is visible in the main windows. But rearranging these tabs in my preferred order is VERY finicky. I have to drag precisely left or precisely right, and about half the time my tab, instead of rearranging, opens in a new window. Frustrating.
The solution would be to recode so that when you drag a tab left or right to rearrange,…
8 votes
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