Using Elvis 5 with Adobe InDesign – Updating all Elvis files placed on a layout

Info: This feature requires the Elvis InDesign Client version 2.3 or higher and Elvis Server 5.5 or higher.

This article is part of a series that describes how to use Elvis 5 with Adobe InDesign.

In this article, the process of updating Elvis files that are placed on the layout is described.

Note: It is assumed here that you are logged in to Elvis in InDesign.

Working on a publication is team work and involves many different people performing many different tasks. As a layout designer using InDesign, you could be working on the design of the layout while other members of the team are editing the files that are placed on it.

It is obviously important to know that the files that you are seeing on the layout are the latest versions of these files so that you can make sure that they are displayed correctly in their frames.

Workflow for Elvis files

When the files that are placed on the layout are stored in Elvis, updating them to their latest version is done in various ways, depending on the scenario and the version of the Elvis plug-in that is installed.

Updating files when the layout is opened

Scenario:

• The layout is stored in Elvis
• The layout is opened from Elvis
• You are logged in to Elvis in InDesign

In this scenario, a check is done by the Elvis plug-in in InDesign to see if a newer version of the file is available than the version that is placed on the layout. If this is the case, one of the following takes place:

• For version 3.3 and higher: a message appears informing you that updates are available:

"This document contains links to sources that have been modified. You can update the modified links now, or update them later using the Links panel."

When clicking 'Update Links', the latest versions of the files are downloaded and the links are automatically updated.

When clicking 'Don't update links', the linked files will not be updated. However, the updated files will be downloaded in the background from Elvis to your local system. This makes them readily available should you choose to later update the links manually by using the options in the Links panel.

• For version 3.2 or lower: the latest versions of the files are downloaded and the links are automatically updated.

Manually updating files

When working on a layout on which files are placed that are stored in Elvis, it could be that a newer version of the file is available in Elvis. You may not be aware that such updates exist because of various reasons:

• You have opened the layout from InDesign but are not logged in to Elvis. The Elvis plug-in can therefore not connect to Elvis to check for any updated versions. When subsequently logging in to Elvis, changes to updated files are not detected.
• Another user has edited the file while you are working on the layout. Such changes are not automatically detected.

For these scenarios you can manually update the content by choosing Elvis > Update All Content.

One of the following takes place, depending on the version of the Elvis-plug-in:

• For version 3.3 and higher: a message appears informing you that updates are available:

"This document contains links to sources that have been modified. You can update the modified links now, or update them later using the Links panel."

When clicking 'Update Links', the latest versions of the files are downloaded and the links are automatically updated.

When clicking 'Don't update links', the linked files will not be updated. However, the updated files will be downloaded in the background from Elvis to your local system. This makes them readily available should you choose to later update the links manually by using the options in the Links panel.

• For version 3.2 or lower: the latest version of the files is downloaded and the links are automatically updated.

Document history

• 22 November 2018: Renamed from 'Updating the content of all Elvis files placed on a layout using Elvis 5'.