Adobe ExtendScript to relink images in a Packaged InDesign File
Klein Tools is a high quality tool manufacturing company headquartered outside of Chicago, and is the number one choice of professional electricians and trades people for hand tools. Given their strategic international expansion, Klein Tools turned to Interpro to assist with various language translation projects. A major need for Klein Tools is to localize and format documentation (and product packaging) into 3 core languages- Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French and Spanish.
Interpro Translation Solutions has developed a reputation throughout the years as being client-focused and trying when possible, to customize solutions to improve our client’s translation workflow. Klein Tools began working with Interpro after working with a translation company that could not handle source design files. For most document translation projects, Klein Tools Marketing Managers would send content for translation (in Word docs) then graphic designers would manually copy, paste and format translated text. Klein Tools saw the advantage that Interpro offered by being able to not only translate but also fully format (Multilingual Desktop Publishing) translated InDesign files. After working on some initial Adobe InDesign translation projects, Interpro saw a way to customize a solution to assist Klein Tools in streamlining the translation process.
Packaging InDesign Files
When a graphic designer is ready to send an InDesign layout somewhere (to a service bureau or translation company, as examples), they usually run InDesign’s “Package” command. The Package command ensures that all of your fonts and linked graphics are included with your InDesign file for easy handoff to a service provider. When you package a file, you create a folder that contains the InDesign document (or documents in a book file), any necessary fonts, linked graphics, and a customized report that includes all the information required to print the document.
As part of the Packaging process, linked images are copied and re-linked to whatever folder you choose to package the file. If you need to work on the InDesign layout when it’s returned, the linked images will no longer point to their original network locations. They will point to the packaged file location.
Klein Tools maintains a large image library across multiple servers. Images are often updated while an InDesign file is out for translation, so they needed to work with any translated InDesign files we returned. Klein Tools needed to restore linked images to the original network paths across their image library, and not the packaged InDesign file location. Multiple images in multiple layouts in multiple languages across multiple jobs added up to a lot of time spent on restoring linked images to their original network locations.
Embedding the images in the InDesign file was not a good option since it increased file size. If a file’s size becomes too large, our translation tools may not be able to work with it. Not including the images was not the best option, either. It helps our QA process if we can review the final layout in its entirety.
The Customized Translation Solution
Interpro Translation Solutions created an ExtendScript to solve the problem. ExtendScript and the associated toolkit were developed by Adobe. ExtendScript is an extended implementation of JavaScript used by Adobe applications that provide a scripting interface, and can be used to provide additional features and utilities. Adobe also provides the ScriptUI module, which works with the ExtendScript JavaScript interpreter to give scripts the ability to create and interact with user interface elements.
There are a few variables at the beginning of our script that need to be set with server information. Once run, our script has two options: remember current image network path information or restore images to saved network path information. Klein Tools simply runs the script before they package the file in InDesign to save all the original image network path information. They can then Package the file and send it off to us for translation. When we return the translated InDesign files, they run the script and restore the image paths to their original “pre-Packaging” network locations. This saves Klein Tools time re linking images, and we get the images to review the complete and final translated layout.
ROI
The script solved both our problems, but it also found another time-saving (but unintended) use. The in-house creative team at Klein Tools is cross-platform. They work on Mac and Windows versions of InDesign. They were having issues retaining image links across both platforms. Since the script works cross-platform, they now use it to successfully relink images when working on InDesign layouts across either platform.
Here are some of the comments from the Klein Tools team when asking them about working with Interpro:
We have been able to complete our artwork on-time, especially critical to launch product in a timely fashion. All in all, Interpro Inc. has been an ease to work with and thanks for creating this script and going above and beyond every day for Klein Tools
– Jeff Grampovnik, Creative Services Manager
Speaking from my own perspective as someone who ultimately has to put translations to practical use, Interpro’s ability/willingness to work with our INDD files (as well as PDFs) has been a Godsend and is leaps and bounds beyond the service we received from our previous translator. Overall experience has been 110% positive! Especially with the script, that was just above and beyond!
– Thomas Sprouse, Graphic Designer
To learn more about Klein Tools please visit www.kleintools.com.