XML and InDesign... A match made in production heaven?
Lately we have been talking a lot about XML workflows and how they can drastically increase productivity and speed up workflows. At CCC, we have been applying XML’s enhanced structuring and output capabilities in our Digital Services area since 2009 using our XML-Simplicity portal, and we have been steadily integrating XML functionality into our daily workflow over here in the Creative Services department.
Presently a large portion of our Creative Service’s workload is monthly newsletters that follow consistent styles and layout every issue. Applying XML’s highly structured authoring capabilities to these newsletters is a wonderful option that helps streamline any of the repetitive tasks that occur when bringing the editor’s articles into the existing templates for these newsletters, enabling us to automate the design and production. The real benefit, then, is that you can develop permanent style mapping rather than having to potentially map Word styles each time a new issue is created. We are able to map InDesign styles to tags applied to an XML document and eliminate the tedious task of working through multi-page layouts and applying formatting to each individual paragraph.
We also have the ability to export from a database file to XML for format-heavy content projects like directories. By using a Schema associated with the XML, we are able to ensure that the content is organized consistently. One feature that is particularly valuable for directory publishers is the ability to link the InDesign layout to the XML file. This linking means that each time the XML file is updated, the file automatically updates in InDesign as well.
As well as bringing XML into InDesign it can also be used for getting content out of InDesign and into XML format. This is usually required for projects that need to not only be printed but then used for web applications as well. We can export the content to XML and then generate the HTML that you need.
More information can be found through Adobe.com and I highly recommend the book “A Designer’s Guide to Adobe InDesign and XML” a great resource and contained a lot of tutorials as well as downloadable exercise files.
Send us some feedback; I would love to hear from other designers, and get some comments on your experiences with InDesign and XML.
Until next time,
Michelle