Adobe InDesign Server

Exploded · April 18, 2008, 08:34:06 PM

Hello people,

I was wondering if anyone out there is using Adobe InDesign Server?

Exploded · April 24, 2008, 05:32:40 AM

Guess not

almaink · April 24, 2008, 07:55:13 AM

It's not for Prepress just for plugin development. Thats why you haven't gotten an answer.
Server Version

In October 2005, Adobe released "InDesign Server CS2", a modified version of InDesign (without user interface) for Windows and Macintosh server platforms. It does not provide any editing client; rather it is for use by developers in creating client-server solutions with the InDesign plug-in technology.

Slappy · April 24, 2008, 09:29:04 AM

I'm not!!!

Joe · April 24, 2008, 09:31:02 AM

Quote from: Slappy on April 24, 2008, 09:29:04 AMI'm not!!!

Ditto.

doubting_thomas · April 24, 2008, 10:13:07 AM

No AIDS here either :shocked:

carijansen · July 02, 2008, 08:05:22 PM

InDesign Server is used as a part of an integrated systems solutions, that require some form of publishing automation.

For instance the company I work for (Typefi Systems), uses InDesign Server as part of it's automated publishing application Typefi Publish. In layman's terms: We've bulid our own engine, that "poors" content (XML) into 'typefied'-InDesign templates, designed with Typefi Designer (plug-ins for InDesign), and InDesign Server is used for the automated pagination. At output end you'll see completely finished/laid-out InDesign documents and PDFs (as well as XML that can be reused for other publishing requirements).

-- cheers, Cari

Joe · July 03, 2008, 01:21:32 AM

Thanks for that info Cari. Interesting stuff.

almaink · July 03, 2008, 07:27:24 AM

Ya thanks for the practical application info Cari. Wouldn't it be nice if Adobe let the rest of us in on this?

Then again after reading this I see why they don't.

What skills do I need to develop my own automated publishing solution?
You should have a track record of building publishing solutions and a working knowledge of some of the following: C++, scripting, SOAP, and Java. Ideally, you should also have some experience developing for the desktop version of InDesign.

mattbeals · July 03, 2008, 12:30:54 PM

Quote from: almaink on July 03, 2008, 07:27:24 AMYa thanks for the practical application info Cari. Wouldn't it be nice if Adobe let the rest of us in on this?

Then again after reading this I see why they don't.

What skills do I need to develop my own automated publishing solution?
You should have a track record of building publishing solutions and a working knowledge of some of the following: C++, scripting, SOAP, and Java. Ideally, you should also have some experience developing for the desktop version of InDesign.

Use Enfocus SWITCH to create your own automated publishing environment. I've been doing that all around the country, and England, for the past three years in all sorts of print shops, publishers, etc.

Joe · July 03, 2008, 12:45:53 PM

Matt,

I'm actually look for an automated solution for file submission from a web browser (NOT FTP OR EMAIL) where the customer gets a preflight report back once they submit the file telling them of issues, success, failure, etc...and then getting a PDF soiftproof back. I'm currently messing around with Linus Ubuntu 8.04 server and testing using some open source project management software. It's progressing but it's a work in progress. What can Switch do for me?

Joe

mattbeals · July 03, 2008, 02:27:34 PM

What can SWITCH do? Accept files in via FTP, HTTP, email or local network access. The assign or pickup some metadata like an email address. Decompress the StuffIt or .zip file. Decompress it. Figure out that there is an InDesign job in the package. Send the job to InDesign to be exported as a PDF with the PDF export options you choose. Take the PDF and preflight it. If the preflight fails you can automatically email someone the report. That may be the originator of the upload or a CSR. If it passes you can send it to be imposed, sent to a proofer, sent to a network or local disc location, sent to a RIP.

The HTTP upload you need to deal with, SWITCH doesn't provide an interface for it. But a simple web upload page with some basic contact info can be used. That contact info can then be saved as an XML file with the same file name as the file being upload. Foo.zip would also then have foo.xml created with the contact info. That foo.xml would then be picked up as metadata to any file that comes out of foo.zip. Even if the InDesign job inside is called "my ugly brochure.indd". That metadata will always follow anything created from foo.zip.

Ear · July 03, 2008, 03:02:58 PM

MATT!!! Howdy Guv'ner! Good to see ya. :smiley:

Carry on....

Joe · July 03, 2008, 03:08:26 PM

Quote from: mattbeals on July 03, 2008, 02:27:34 PMWhat can SWITCH do? Accept files in via FTP, HTTP, email or local network access. The assign or pickup some metadata like an email address. Decompress the StuffIt or .zip file. Decompress it. Figure out that there is an InDesign job in the package. Send the job to InDesign to be exported as a PDF with the PDF export options you choose. Take the PDF and preflight it. If the preflight fails you can automatically email someone the report. That may be the originator of the upload or a CSR. If it passes you can send it to be imposed, sent to a proofer, sent to a network or local disc location, sent to a RIP.

The HTTP upload you need to deal with, SWITCH doesn't provide an interface for it. But a simple web upload page with some basic contact info can be used. That contact info can then be saved as an XML file with the same file name as the file being upload. Foo.zip would also then have foo.xml created with the contact info. That foo.xml would then be picked up as metadata to any file that comes out of foo.zip. Even if the InDesign job inside is called "my ugly brochure.indd". That metadata will always follow anything created from foo.zip.

So what is needed in a Prepress environment? LightSwitch, FullSwitch, and PowerSwitch all have the exact same short description at enfocus.com. I know I can read the full description and I will when I get time but it might be good to give a brief description here if you get time.

mattbeals · July 03, 2008, 03:17:34 PM

Light SWITCH is simply used for moving files around. There is a lot of logic built into how LightSWITCH moves files around. But it does not "control" any external applications.

FullSWITCH has all the same routing abilities that LightSWITCH has. But FullSWITCH adds in the ability to control about 18 external applications.

PowerSWITCH has all the same functionality as FullSWITCH does but adds in the ability to use scripts, apple/java on the Mac and VB/Java on Windows. The ability to use metadata is greatly enhanced by bringing in metadata from external files, like my example. PowerSWITCH also has a client application interface for submitting, receiving/downloading, managing jobs as well as checking on the status of the server. SWITCH Client can also be used across the internet to submit, download, manage files or check the server status.

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Adobe InDesign Server