Using Assets 10 for InDesign - Quick Start

Assets 10 for InDesign connects Adobe InDesign to Assets.

The main use of Assets for InDesign is to place files on a layout by dragging them from Assets, and to open layouts from Assets directly in InDesign for editing.

This article describes the main features of Assets for InDesign and is aimed at users who are new to Assets for InDesign.

For large topics, a summary is given and links to articles with more detailed information are provided.

The following topics are described:

• Installation
• Languages
• Setting up your environment
• Opening layouts from Assets
• Placing files from Assets on a layout

Installation

Assets for InDesign is a plug-in for InDesign and needs to be installed locally on your system. During the installation, various components are added to InDesign, such as a menu and preferences.

For details, see Installing or uninstalling Assets 10 for InDesign.

Languages

Assets 10 for InDesign is available in American English only.

Setting up your environment

Assets for InDesign makes it possible to use various methods of working with the files that are stored in Assets. The working of these methods can be controlled by setting preferences.

Before you start working with Assets for InDesign, you might want to set up these preferences to your liking.

For more information, see Preferences for Assets 10 for InDesign.

Opening layouts from Assets

Step 1. To open a layout that is stored in Assets, check out the file by selecting it and doing one of the following:

• In the menu bar, click Check out.
• Press keyboard shortcut E.
• Right-click a file and from the context menu, choose Check out.

When doing this for the first time, a message appears, asking if the Script Host application should be run. This application is used for downloading the file onto your system and opening it in InDesign.

Step 2. (Optional) Select the option Always allow to open links of this type to prevent this message from appearing each time a layout is checked out.

Step 3. Click Open.

The layout is opened. Depending on the scenario, Assets attempts to update the links of any placed files that are stored in Assets.

For more information, see Opening layouts using Assets 10 for InDesign.

Canceling the opening of a layout

If after opening a layout from Assets you decide that the layout should not have been checked-out, the check-out process can be aborted.

Step 1. In Assets, right-click the checked-out layout and from the context menu choose Abort check-out.

The file is unlocked and removed from the Checked-out files page. Other users can now check out the file for editing.

Step 2. In InDesign, close the layout without saving it.

The file is removed from the folder on your system (unless the File Cache option is enabled).

Placing files from Assets on a layout

Files that are stored in Assets can be easily placed on an InDesign layout by dragging them from Assets.

All files that are selected in Assets are loaded into the InDesign place gun from which you can place them in the regular manner.

To show the import dialog box in InDesign to control how or which parts of the file should be placed, press and hold Shift while placing the file.

For more information, see Placing files from Assets 10 on an InDesign layout.

Tracking placed files

To see if a file in Assets is placed on a layout, or to see if a layout has placed files that are stored in Assets, the Placed files panel can be used. It is accessed by clicking its icon in the toolbar on the right.

The following is shown:

• When a layout is selected, all files that are placed on the layout which are also stored in Assets are shown.
• When a file is selected, the layouts on which it is placed are shown.

Figure: When a layout is selected, the files that are placed on it which are also stored in Assets are shown in the Placed files panel.

For more information about using the panel, see Tracking files that are placed from Assets 10 on InDesign layouts.