Discussion:
Are Indesign files platform-independent?
(too old to reply)
pfgpowell
2010-03-23 21:08:55 UTC
Permalink
(I shall be posting this in the Windows version of this group as well
as other groups, so please no slagging off as I have had in the past
for cross-posting.)

Here at the newspaper I work for, we have transferred from working in
Quark Xpress on G4s to Indesign on PCs (they want to replace ageing
desktops and PCs are simply cheaper. False economy, I know, I am was
not consulted. The poor bloody infantry rarely is.)

Anyway, I am getting to grips with Indesign, in many ways a more
pleasant program than Quark and, more or less, getting the hang of a
Windows PC. Still don't like it much but needs must.

As part of this changeover, and in relation to the work I do, I have
agreed (for extra money) to prepare some of the pages at home and to
do this I am being given a works laptop with Windows Indesign
installed on it. (That I am being issued with a 13in laptop to work on
tabloid pages is farcical, but my suggestion that I would readily by
and use a 15.6in or 17in Windows laptop was knocked back because 'they
are not allowed to install company software on a private latptop'.
Fair enought, but...

At home I have a 1.67ghz Powerbook running Leopard and have been
looking for a secondhand version of Indesign for Mac, which doesn't
have to be the latest version as here at work (because of the page
content system we are using) we are not using the latest Indesign
version either.

My question: if I can get the Indesign for Mac, would I be safe in
building my pages on my Powerbook and then emailing (as they want me
to do) the files to work to be opened in Windows? Would there be any
conflicts? And the titchy 13in laptop they will be supplying will be
loaded with the stock images the pages I shall be working on. If files
are interchangeable between a Mac and a PC, will those stock images
also be available on both platforms with no harm done.

I must stress that my employer is a big newspaper and there is no
margin for error at all. I have to get it right from the off. Your
advice will be gratefull accepted.
tezbo
2010-04-06 23:12:02 UTC
Permalink
The files are interchangeable, the fonts are lass so. You'll need the
fonts from your work computer on your home computer. If you use the
Package option from the File menu you'll spit out a directory which
contains not only your fonts, but also all the linked files and the
fonts you need as well.

Terence Boylen.
Post by pfgpowell
(I shall be posting this in the Windows version of this group as well
as other groups, so please no slagging off as I have had in the past
for cross-posting.)
Here at the newspaper I work for, we have transferred from working in
Quark Xpress on G4s to Indesign on PCs (they want to replace ageing
desktops and PCs are simply cheaper. False economy, I know, I am was
not consulted. The poor bloody infantry rarely is.)
Anyway, I am getting to grips with Indesign, in many ways a more
pleasant program than Quark and, more or less, getting the hang of a
Windows PC. Still don't like it much but needs must.
As part of this changeover, and in relation to the work I do, I have
agreed (for extra money) to prepare some of the pages at home and to
do this I am being given a works laptop with Windows Indesign
installed on it. (That I am being issued with a 13in laptop to work on
tabloid pages is farcical, but my suggestion that I would readily by
and use a 15.6in or 17in Windows laptop was knocked back because 'they
are not allowed to install company software on a private latptop'.
Fair enought, but...
At home I have a 1.67ghz Powerbook running Leopard and have been
looking for a secondhand version of Indesign for Mac, which doesn't
have to be the latest version as here at work (because of the page
content system we are using) we are not using the latest Indesign
version either.
My question: if I can get the Indesign for Mac, would I be safe in
building my pages on my Powerbook and then emailing (as they want me
to do) the files to work to be opened in Windows? Would there be any
conflicts? And the titchy 13in laptop they will be supplying will be
loaded with the stock images the pages I shall be working on. If files
are interchangeable between a Mac and a PC, will those stock images
also be available on both platforms with no harm done.
I must stress that my employer is a big newspaper and there is no
margin for error at all. I have to get it right from the off. Your
advice will be gratefull accepted.
Markzware Software
2010-04-07 07:33:19 UTC
Permalink
.INDD files can easily be interchanged from PC to Mac or vice versa. I
would recommend to export your document as a .INX and make sure you
use OpenType fonts or change to similar fonts upon opening. A Stand-
alone preflight tool like FlightCheck Professional is also handy to
check matters, for any switch could cause issues.
tezbo
2010-04-08 14:49:32 UTC
Permalink
INX is for exchanging files between versions of Indesign, not platforms.
To move between platforms us the Package function.

Terence Boylen.
Post by Markzware Software
.INDD files can easily be interchanged from PC to Mac or vice versa. I
would recommend to export your document as a .INX and make sure you
use OpenType fonts or change to similar fonts upon opening. A Stand-
alone preflight tool like FlightCheck Professional is also handy to
check matters, for any switch could cause issues.
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