Can I build a TOC or Index based on Objects (not words or styles)?

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

I use IDCS3 for a monthly club magazine, at the start of the Magazine we have a Contents and Advertisers index, which I must manually update the page references each month.

I would like to be able to insert a variable in the contents page number location, which can be pointed at a specific PDF, or JpG or Tiff or other object, that will return the page number of where this object is in the magazine, even though it may be been flowed or even moved to a different location.

Is this currently possible in IDCS? if so how is it done? If not, could this a feature request for the next update please?

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

I haven't written it up yet, but I've been thinking a lot about "Index to Advertiser" creation strategies, and I've come up with the following general strategy.

1. Create a unique paragraph style to use only for ad tags.
2. For every ad add a grouped (so it will move with the ad), NON-PRINTING, text frame, and type the advertiser name as you want it to appear in the TOC (advertiser indexes are really a second TOC). If you want to sort by service area or something like that:
3. Create a numeric hierarchy for the various areas and use the number to start each ad tag, followed by something like an em or en space that isn't going to be the first character of any text you want to keep. You can use a GREP search after you make the TOC to remove the heirarchy numbers and the delimiter (could even be a Tab, I suppose).

When you create the TOC you need to include non-printing frames in the search.

This is not yet tested, so you can be a guinea pig and let me know how it works.

Peter

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

You can use cross-references in ID CS4, or the commercial plug-in from dtptools.com, for IDCS3 and IDCS2.

HTH

Regards,

Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

Peter,

Don't cross-refs need to point to text anchors of some sort?

Peter

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

Peter,

Don't cross-refs need to point to text anchors of some sort?

Yes, but that's not the only way. They can also point to paragraphs.

BTW, cross-references can point across files, not just within files.

HTH

Peter

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

But the OP wants to point to images, not paragraphs or other text, so he's going to need to add some sort of tag or anchor the image into the text, which hinders the ability to move ads around.

Peter

[jong...@adobeforums.com]

But surely there should appear some text in the contents? Not a thumbnail of the image itself?

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

Ah, yes, so maybe cross-refs in CS4 is practical, though I think the TOC method is at least better for adding/deleting advertisers since it sets up the list for you and there's no need to manually add the cross-reference.

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks everyone for input and suggestions, Peter Spier, when you say create a Non Printing text frame and name it, do you mean add text into the frame e.g "advertisers name" or is there a specific way to "name" an object?

I am not sure I follow your instructions. However I can say that the index I use is split into contents and advertisers. As I said initially, Ideally I want to able to insert a variable that will return the page number of a specific reference point. Is there a scripting solution to this problem that will work in CS3 or do I need CS4.

Something like (get page number for Ref #### where Ref #### is possibly inserted as a grouped object with the pdf or jpg I am trying to return the page number of.

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

I meant create a text frame, type into it whatever it is you want to appear in the index (TOC) using a unique paragraph style, then open the Attributes panel and set the frame to non-printing, and finally, group it with the ad (they should be in close proximity -- one on top of the other, for example, with left edges aligned, as the TOC feature reads down the page first, then moves right and reads down again, though that may not matter in your case).

I'm not a scripter, but a TOC does what you want to do, i.e. it gets page numbers for every occurrence of any paragraph style you include (hence the unique style for the ad tag frames), and it can be updated easily when you move things.

Peter

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

In fact you should probably create an object style to make the the text frames so they automatically are non-printing and use the correct paragraph style.

Peter

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

Peter,

Could this method also work for references within text e.g See page # for details?

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

Peter,

This is working. I have created an advertiser style, I have included the name of the advertiser in the text box and placed the text box within the pdf/image frame. You must turn off text wrapping on the image and place the advertiser name text behind the image as overset text, otherwise it does not show in TOC. This may be problematic later on.

It has worked with one advertiser, I will now try to include all.

Thanks again

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

I have now got it to work for all advertisers, but it orders the list in page number order and I would like to order them as a alphabetic list.

Also, is there a way to change the tabs in the TOC so that page numbers remain right aligned. I have formatted the list with tabs but when I update or refresh the TOC, it reverts to a different tab arrangement.

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

Doug,

Had to go to bed, but I'm back.

For CS3 and earlier, cross references in text can be handled using hyperlinks and a script written by Teus de Jong: <http://www.teusdejong.nl/indesign/crossrefs.zip>

No need to turn off text wrap on your images. Open the text frame options for the tag frame and check the "Ignore Text Wrap" box. Add this to the object style.

Personally, I would do the advertisers in their own TOC (you can have as many as you want, just give each one a unique TOC Style name) so that you can list articles in page number order and advertisers in alpha order. If you combine the two, you have to live with one order.

The tab position and alignment should be defined in the style used to make the TOC listing itself (as opposed to the style that is picked up for inclusion). Have you read the help section on TOC construction?

Peter

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

Peter,

Thanks for your help, I will look up that script you mentioned.

I agree about separating advertisers, that is what I have now done, I noted the Sort Alphabetical option, which fixed that issue and I have fixed the tab alignment as well. The only niggling thing left is that I get a paragraph return at the end of my TOC list which I would rather was not there. Not sure how to get rid of it. Thanks for tip on "ignore text wrap" as well.

[Peter...@adobeforums.com]

I seem to remember that the extra paragraph return is a TOC artifact and the only way to get rid of it is to manually delete it.

[Doug_...@adobeforums.com]

ok, thanks