InDesign files

DesignCraft opens InDesign work, and can hand it back. It opens:

• InDesign Markup (.idml), the exchange format InDesign exports.
• InDesign documents (.indd) and templates (.indt). DesignCraft converts them to IDML as it opens them, using the open-source indd-utils.

It can’t open InDesign books (.indb) or libraries (.indl), and it can’t save .indd files.

Caution

Opening InDesign files is new and not yet tested on many real files. Some things can come in differently or go missing. Check the layout carefully after opening, and keep the original file.

Open a file

1. Choose File › Open… (Ctrl+O, or ⌘O on a Mac), or click Open on the start screen.
2. Pick the file. The file types list starts with DesignCraft, IDML or InDesign.
3. The file opens as a new document.

If parts of the file couldn’t be read, DesignCraft still opens it and shows an Import Warnings alert listing them. If the file can’t be opened at all, it shows Can’t Open the File with the reason.

Fonts

Text set in a font DesignCraft can’t find is highlighted in pink on screen. The highlight doesn’t appear in exports.

To fix it, install the font on your computer, or put the font files in a Document Fonts folder next to the file, as InDesign’s Package command does. DesignCraft looks there first. Type › Find/Replace Font… lists the fonts the document uses, flags the missing ones, and can swap one font for another.

Linked pictures

Keep the file’s Links folder next to it, as InDesign’s Package command leaves it. If a picture is missing, open Window › Links to see which, select it and choose Relink….

Save and send back

• File › Save (Ctrl+S) saves a .designcraft file. The original InDesign file is not changed.
• File › Export IDML… writes an .idml file you can open in InDesign.
• File › Export PDF… makes a PDF that looks the same everywhere. See Export a PDF.

Report a file that doesn’t look right

Real files are how we find these problems. If you can share one, report it on GitHub with the file attached, or ask in Discord.