Assets for InDesign Quick Start

Assets for InDesign is a plug-in that connects InDesign and InDesign Server to Assets Server.

This makes it possible to open layouts in InDesign that are stored in Assets Server and place files that are stored in Assets Server on a layout in InDesign.

When changes are made to the files in Assets Server, these changes are visible in InDesign. Similarly, any changes that are made in InDesign are saved back to Assets Server.

It is also possible to use Assets for InDesign in a version of InDesign in which WoodWing's Smart Connection is installed to make the files part of a WoodWing Studio workflow.

How it works

Connecting InDesign to Assets Server is done by using a plug-in which needs to be installed in InDesign.

As a user you connect to Assets Server by logging in using an account with a required license.

When using InDesign Server, you log in to Assets Server by passing the Assets Server credentials as arguments in the start-up command of InDesign Server.

Accessing the files in Assets Server is done by using Assets. This application runs in a Web browser so you would have that open together with InDesign.

Various ways of working with the files that are stored in Assets Server exist (see below).

Figure: Dragging images from Assets onto a layout in InDesign.

Logging in

Before you can start working, you need to log in to Assets Server on which the files are stored that you want to work with.

The process for logging in depends on how Assets Server is configured: with or without Single Sign-On (SSO) implemented.

Notes: Single sign-on is a process that automatically logs you in to an application or system by using credentials that you entered when logging in once to an authentication provider that manages your user credentials. Once logged in to that authentication provider, each subsequent log-in to an application that is connected to that provider is automatically handled by that system. This drastically reduces the number of times you manually have to log in on a daily basis. It is not possible to log in from Assets for InDesign to an instance of Assets Server for which SSO has been set up by using a user account that is defined locally in the internal-users.properties.txt file of Assets Server.

Step 1. Open Assets so that you have access to the files that you want to use.

Step 2. Also sign in to Assets for InDesign so that it can communicate with Assets Server and update or restore any links to the files in Assets Server. In InDesign, choose WoodWing Assets > Log In... .

You will be guided through the process by various messages that appear on screen. Follow the steps until the process is completed.

Notes: When logging in to Assets Server without SSO support: Make sure to use the same credentials for logging in to Assets Server as for logging in to Assets for InDesign. To automatically log in the next time you start InDesign, select the 'Log in automatically' check box during the log-in process. The URL for the Assets Server that is logged in to is stored in InDesign Preferences > WoodWing Assets and can be changed there if needed. Once changed, use WoodWing Assets > Log In to log in to that server. When logging in to Assets Server with SSO support: Part of the process takes place in your Web browser. The URL for the Assets Server that is logged in to is stored in InDesign Preferences > WoodWing Assets and can be changed there if needed. Once changed, use WoodWing Assets > Log In to log in to that server.

Logging out

To log out of Assets Server, choose WoodWing Assets > Log Out.

Note: When logged in to Assets Server with SSO support, logging out of Assets Server in InDesign will not log you out of the authentication provider.

Controlling if Assets for InDesign should log in to Assets Server

When working on layouts that do not contain images that are stored in Assets Server, logging in is not required and the steps for logging in might get in the way.

Controlling if Assets for InDesign should log in to Assets Server can be done through the following preference:

InDesign Preferences > WoodWing Assets > Log In > Log In when Launching InDesign or Opening a Local Document

By default the preference is enabled. Each time InDesign is started or a local document is opened, Assets for InDesign starts the log-in process.

To prevent this from happening, disable the preference.

Working in InDesign

When working with Assets for InDesign the following scenarios can exist:

1. The layout is saved locally while some or all of the placed files are stored in Assets Server.
2. The layout and some or all of the placed files are stored in Assets Server.
3. The layout is stored in Studio Server and some or all of the placed files are stored in Assets Server.

The following tasks can be performed:

• Opening layouts
• Placing files from Assets Server on to a layout in InDesign
• Editing, changing the file format, relinking, or updating placed files that are stored in Assets Server

Using Assets for InDesign with WoodWing Studio

Assets for InDesign can also be used in InDesign with WoodWing's Studio for InDesign installed. This way, the files in Assets Server can be used in a workflow environment for producing publications such as newspapers, magazines, books, and more.

The layout is then stored in Studio Server while some or all of the files that are placed on the layout are stored in Assets Server.

Layouts are therefore opened from within the Studio workflow. Files can be placed and edited in the same way as described above.

Note: To make files stored in Assets Server part of Studio — for example by including an image in an article, or by storing the file in Studio Server — Assets needs to be fully integrated in Studio.

Additional information

• Installing or uninstalling the InDesign plug-in
• Automate working with Assets and Studio by using scripting
• Manage cached files

Preferences

Assets for InDesign makes it possible to use various methods of logging in to Assets Server and to work with the files that are stored in Assets Server. The working of these methods can be controlled by setting preferences. For more information, see Preferences for Assets for InDesign.

Revisions

• 7 February 2023: Updated section 'How it works' by adding information about logging in using InDesign Server.