Hello,

I have run into trouble on the InCopy export from InDesign with regard to index markers and am wondering if anyone else has the same situation.

The export of InCopy files from InDesign omits index markers in specific scenarios due to the nature of XML.

Specifically, if the index marker of a subentry occurs earlier in the text than the main entry, any other subentries after the main entry will disappear when checking in or saving the InCopy file, even if no edits are made in the file.

The reason for this seems to be that all index markers in an InCopy file are combined into a sequential listing of index markers for the document. This listing is created as the computer goes through the text to save or check in the InCopy file. If a subentry comes first and then a main entry follows, further subentries don’t know where to insert themselves in the overall listing of index markers and they disappear.

As a workaround, a Suppressed Page Range index marker can be added before the first subentry as shown in the below example:

EXAMPLE:

We have the following subentries under bacteria:

bacteria, 2
    bacterial memory
        reproduction, 3
    experiment with smoke and steam, 1
    never investigated why it got things sick, 5

We have a subentry on page 1, before the main entry on page 2. Because the main entry is on page 2, those subentries that are after the main entry will disappear and upon exporting the InCopy file, we get:

bacteria, 2
    experiment with smoke and steam, 1

The subentries on page 3 and page 5 disappeared.

Temporary Resolution:

If a subentry is exists before a main entry, an additional “Suppress Page Range” index marker is created for the main entry.

Can this be corrected in the native ICML export from InDesign?