Using Elvis 5 with Adobe InDesign – Opening layouts

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

In this article, the process of opening layouts is described.

Note: It is assumed here that you are logged in to Elvis in InDesign and to the Elvis Pro client or the Desktop client.

Opening layouts

Opening a layout in InDesign with the Elvis InDesign plug-in installed can be split into the following scenarios:

1. The layout and the files that are placed on the layout are all stored in Elvis.
2. The layout is stored outside of Elvis while one or more files that are placed on the layout are stored in Elvis.

Scenario 1: The layout and the placed files are all stored in Elvis

Step 1. Open the layout from Elvis by doing one of the following:

• In the Pro client: right-click it and choose Open in InDesign.
• In the Desktop client: right-click it and choose Open with Default Application.

Figure: Opening a layout through the context menu in the Pro client.

Figure: Opening a layout through the context menu in the Desktop client.

During this process, the layout is checked-out in Elvis: no other users can modify the file while it is in this state.

In InDesign, the Elvis InDesign plug-in creates a connection between the Elvis file that is placed on the layout and the original file in Elvis. Missing links are automatically restored. When a file has been updated in Elvis, the placed file will be updated with that latest version.

Scenario 2: The layout is saved outside of Elvis while one or more placed files are stored in Elvis

In this scenario the layout is opened in the normal way.

When you are logged in to Elvis, the Elvis InDesign plug-in creates a connection between the Elvis file that is placed on the layout and the original file in Elvis. Missing links are automatically restored. When a file has been updated in Elvis, the placed file will be updated with that latest version.

When you are not logged in to Elvis, a connection cannot be made with Elvis. If you log in to Elvis after you have opened the layout, do one of the following:

• Choose Elvis > Relink All Assets to Elvis to update all Elvis files in one action.
• Select a placed file and choose Elvis > Relink Assets to Elvis to update an individual file.

Files are stored locally when needed

When a layout is opened and a newer version of a placed file is available, that file is downloaded to your system in the following folder:

~/Documents/Elvis Checkouts/<username>

When the layout is closed, the downloaded files will be removed again from this folder (unless the File Cache option is enabled).

Restoring files when the InDesign client is not installed

When opening a layout that contains placed files that are stored in Elvis but the Elvis InDesign plug-in is not installed, these files can be relinked when they are locally stored:

• Select the file on the layout, go to the menu of the Links panel and choose Relink or Relink to Folder.

Next step

The next step is to work with the layout in some way:

• Placing files
• Editing files
• Relinking placed files with (other) files in Elvis
• Updating all Elvis files placed on a layout
• Changing an Elvis file to a different format

Document history

• 18 December 2018: Updated section 'Files are stored locally when needed' by adding a reference to the File Cache option.