Will XMPie support InDesign's liquid layout feature?

[acton.b...@gmail.com]

Hi,

Our company does a lot of large format custom prints.  Currently we are creating multiple templates for clients to choose.  However, We would like to explore the Liquid Layout feature from InDesign.

So, if a customer enters a particular width and height, the artboard will resize. Can this be achieved with XMPie's uCreate?

Thanks,

Acton

[couch]

There are a couple options:

1) it is possible to "simulate" liquid layouts by defining several separate page sizes in the InDesign document and using visibility objects to select the required page size. - This works out of the box and can also be used in uStore to enable web-to-print users to select their page size.

2) if you truely want liquid layouts where the user enters page height and width when ordering the product, then this is possible, but, it requires:

* you need to use one of the XMPie PersonalEffect "Pro" level servers (it requires InDesign Server).

* you need to have license/permission to use uProduce APIs.

* you need to use InDesign server scripting.

* you need to use uProduce APIs to submit the job and call the InDesign script.

* (as far as i know) it won't work in uStore - you would have to have a custom e-Commerce web site which offered the required user inputs and called the document production with the uProduce APIs.

[Acton Ho]

Thanks Couch on the info.

We have been working with set layout sizes for many of our products, including the page visibility you have suggested, however, in our business, we have a lot of custom sizes such as window graphics, which would highly benefit from a liquid layout.

I believe we have the InDesign server, I have sent a message to our IT manager to confirm.

And we do have the licenses to the API's.  Any specific API we need?

Regarding the customer e-commerce site, do you mean we need to build a separate e-commerce site, or can we use the fullwidth layout and build in an iFrame with the user input features for width and height, and linking back to the uStore for further customization?

[couch]

You need the uProduce APIs to submit the job, so you will need jobticket and production classes.

Specifically, you need to tell uProduce to run the InDesign script with a custom output parameter. There is information about this in AppNote 26 which you should be able to find in the info.xmpie.com portal.

Because you need to submit the job via the APIs, it is not possible to use uStore (AFAIK). uStore holds the job ticket or production parameters and submits the job with out calling for InDesign scripts.

I've used this technique for liquid layouts before, but only in custom applications, not uStore. It might be possible, but I can't see how. Perhaps Igor could confirm one way or the other.

[Acton Ho]

Thanks Couch for the information, I will study this manual, and get back to you for any questions and/or insights.

Acton

[west-digital.fr]

Better contributing to this one late than never:

https://campus.xmpie.com/eLearning/xmpie-storeflow-training/indesign-liquid-layouts-overview

Thanks @Couch for the nice tutos!

west-digital.fr

[markb]

Thank you for the link and for Couch's training files. I have a marketing department / client who is looking to take labor out of some processes for variable page sizes on set templates their users request to have designed for online usage /  PDF ad submits to publications. Judging from the screens on the training, I believe our version of uStore and uProduce should work, but does anyone know minimum uStore / uProduce for this? We are still on uStore v13.2 / uProduce 10.0.2 / Indesign 2020 inching towards upgrade planning for this Summer.

[Tyrone O'Brien]

I’d say you need indesign server to allow liquid layout

 

Regards

 

Tyrone O’Brien

E. tyr...@connect1to1.com.au

M. 0416 614 187

W. www.connect1to1.com.au

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[couch]

I've been using InDesign scripts and liquid layouts for 10 years - ever since InDesign CS6 was released. (So today's versions are pretty much irrelevant.)

It is easiest if you have uStore since you don't need to get into uProduce APIs, but you can also do it in uProduce without uStore if you have license to use the uProduce APIs.

As Tyrone said, the uProduce server must have Adobe InDesign Server since XLIM cannot use InDesign Scripts.

[markb]

I see, thank you Couch and Tyrone, we have Indesign Server and this would be a uStore solution for the client so it sounds like we are good.  Very powerful combo of tech. Our client is somewhat amazed we can even consider developing a prototype. Potential to reduce labor on their end is large.

[Wayne]

Hi Mark,

Can I ask an obvious question?

Why have you not upgraded?

I see this so often in our industry. Your site is obviously internet facing.

Do you not owe it to your customers to keep your software solutions up to date?

Do you tell your customers that you are running outdated software?

What is the business reason for not up grading – how can you honestly get Indemnity Insurance.

Mark please don’t think that I am having a go at you personally.

Its just that I see this way too often and don’t really understand the reasons or justifications.

Regards,

Wayne

[markb]

Hi Wayne, we have upgrade around every 1.5 years on avg since 2008.The pandemic has been a factor as of recent for various business environment reasons and reorganization at our business.  I am looking forward to working in our upgrade planning this year for our XMPie stack and we typically work with the XMPie team in Israel for our upgrades after hours / weekend to limit service disruptions to our customers during normal business hours. I would think your questions may be good for XMPie to use for a customer survey as XMPie has several types of customers large and small and there may be different reasons for different XMPie users.