Imagine that you have a layout stored in Elvis with placed images that are also stored in Elvis. Or, you might have a layout that is stored locally but contains links to images that are stored in Elvis.
Using the Elvis InDesign Client plug-in, you can easily edit such layouts while automatically maintaining or — when needed — restoring the links to the images.
Note: The Elvis InDesign Client plug-in replaces the Adobe Drive integration that was made obsolete with the release of Elvis Server version 4.6.
Tip: When opening a layout that contains placed images that are stored in Elvis but you don't have the Elvis InDesign Client installed, it is easy to re-link these images when these are locally stored:
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How it works
Choose your scenario:
In this scenario, both the layout and the images that are placed on the layout are stored in Elvis
1. Open the layout from Elvis.
For this, the Elvis Desktop Client is used: right-click the file and choose Open with Default Application.
Figure: Opening a layout through the context menu in Elvis.
During this process, the layout is checked-out: no other users can modify the file while it is in this state.
Figure: A layout in the Checked Out tab of Elvis.
In InDesign, links to images that are placed on the layout and that are stored in Elvis are maintained or — when needed — restored.
2. Edit the layout, save and closed it.
Figure: A layout opened in InDesign.
3. Checked-in the layout in Elvis.
Check-in the layout as described in Opening files for editing in Elvis (file check-out and check-in).
Once the file is checked-in, other users can modify the file again.
Figure: A layout ready to be checked-in in Elvis.
In this scenario, the layout is stored locally but the images that are placed on it are stored in Elvis.
Note: Such a scenario can occur when a packaged InDesign file was downloaded from Elvis.
This method is the most simple because you would just open the layout and the Elvis InDesign Client plug-in will automatically make sure that the links to the images in Elvis are maintained (this requires the Elvis InDesign Client version 2.x or higher).
What you need
For opening the InDesign layouts from Elvis and checking them back in:
- The Desktop Client for Elvis 4 or for Elvis 5, depending on the version of the Elvis Server you need to connect to.
For working with the layout in InDesign and ensuring that links to images are maintained:
- The Elvis InDesign Client plug-in. For information about existing versions, compatibility with InDesign and installation steps, see Installing the Elvis InDesign Client.
Note for Smart Connection users: Working on an InDesign layout that is opened in the ways described above is a completely separate workflow from that of working with layouts from Enterprise using the WoodWing Smart Connection plug-ins. This means that in these scenarios it is not possible to create an Enterprise image from an image that was directly placed from Elvis, nor is it possible to add such an Elvis image to an Enterprise article.
Logging in to/out of Elvis Server
Before you can start working, you need to log in to the Elvis server. This makes sure that InDesign is able to maintain or — when needed — restore the links to images that are placed on the layout and stored in Elvis.
Enter the URL to the Elvis DAM Server, your user name and your password.
Tip: Select "Log in automatically" to automatically log in each time you start InDesign.
Logging out
To log out of the Elvis Server, choose Elvis > Log Out.
How links to images are handled
As mentioned, the Elvis InDesign Client plug-in automatically takes care of linking any images that are placed on your layout and that are also stored in Elvis. Should any links be missing then these are also automatically restored.
Note: (Elvis InDesign Client 1.x only) To have this working correctly all placed images must have an Elvis asset ID embedded in their metadata. When editing an image in an image tool which removes this XMP metadata from the file, the auto resolving will break. Example: This can occur when editing the image on Mac OS X using Preview. |
Local folder
A local folder on your system is used for storing the files from Elvis when needed.
~/Documents/Elvis Checkouts/<username>
Notes: When changing to a custom location of this folder, make sure to:
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- When using the Elvis InDesign Client 2.x, linked files are only downloaded when needed.
Examples: Files are downloaded when:
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- When using the Elvis InDesign Client v1.x, all linked files are downloaded when opening the layout.
When a layout is closed, the downloaded images will be removed from this folder.
Editing placed images that are stored in Elvis
Images that are stored in Elvis can be easily opened for editing and stored back into Elvis.
Step 1. Open the image in your favorite editor.
- Select one or more images on the layout or in the Links panel and do any of the following:
- Choose Edit > Edit Original
- In the Links panel, click the Edit Original button
- Alt+double-click the image with the Selection tool
- Select an image and choose Edit > Edit With.
Note: (Elvis InDesign Client 1.x only) Make sure not to use an editor that removes XMP data from the files (such a Preview on Mac OS), else the link between the InDesign layout and the placed image will break.
During this process, the images are checked-out: no other users can modify them.
Note: Users of the Elvis Desktop Client can see that the image is checked-out.
Step 2. Make your change, save and close the file and return to InDesign.
The image will be checked-in automatically (or, when no changes have been made to the image, the check-out is canceled): other users can now modify the file again. The changed image is automatically displayed on the layout.
Placing images from Elvis
To place an image from Elvis onto the layout, simply drag it from the Elvis Desktop Client onto the layout.
During this process, the image is downloaded onto your local drive (in the ~/Documents/Elvis Checkouts/<username> folder). It remains checked-in in Elvis.
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