Checking in layouts using Assets for InDesign

When opening a layout in InDesign with Assets for InDesign installed, the layout is checked out of the system. In this state, the layout is locked for other users: they are not able to open it for editing until the layout is checked in again by the user who has opened it.

To unlock the layout from this state, the layout needs to be checked in or the check in action needs to be aborted.

Both scenarios are described in this article.

Checking in the layout

Checking in a layout is simply done by saving and closing the layout in InDesign. When doing so, the layout is checked in and the changed layout is saved back to Assets Server.

The layout is then unlocked and available for other users to open for editing.

Notes: When changes were made that were not saved, you will get the possibility to check in the changes to the server or to undo check-out process. When changes were made that were saved locally after which no subsequent changes were made, the changed layout will be checked in to the server without the possibility to undo the check-out process. When for some reason the layout is not locally available anymore, the layout should be re-opened from Assets by using the Open in InDesign command from the context menu and then closed again from InDesign.

Unlocking the checked-out state

Info: This feature requires Assets Server 6.85 or higher.

In scenarios where the user forgets to close the layout or when the user is absent for some reason, the layout remains in its checked-out state. Other users are then prevented from opening the layout for editing.

The only way to then unlock the layout is to give users with the role of Super User the right to use the Abort check-out command from the context menu to unlock the layout.

Note: Any changes that were made by the user who has opened the layout are lost.

This can be done by setting the following option to true in the cluster-config.properties.txt file of Assets Server:

allowSuperusersToAbortCheckoutLayouts=true

When set, the Abort Check-out command in the context menu of the checked out file becomes available for these users.