InDesign’s XML feature makes it easy to export content out of or import content into an InDesign layout. This ability eases the process of reusing content, whether print content is being repurposed for digital use or digital content is being repurposed in a print layout.

To start the process, create a layout containing paragraph and character styles and then add XML tags  through the Tags panel. When tags and styles exist in one document,  map styles to tags or, in the case of an XML import, do the reverse by mapping tags  to a corresponding style.

When content is exported from a tagged and mapped InDesign layout, those tags are carried over in the resulting import document. The XML tags mark the exported text to indicate exactly what type of content it is and how it should be displayed in the alternate output format. When content is imported into a properly prepared InDesign layout, the style mapping ensures that content is styled upon import, thus saving designers a lot of work.

 

The Tags panel works a lot like the Paragraph and Character Styles panels. As tags are created, they appear in this panel. The following icons are available at the bottom of the Tags panel:

  • Autotag is used to tag items according to the Tagging Preset Options defined in the Tags panel.
  • The New Tag icon creates a new tag in the layout.
  • The Delete or trashcan icon deletes the selected tag.

The icons at the top of the panel include the following:

  • Add Tag adds a new child element to the Structure panel.
  • Untag removes a tag from the selected tagged text or object.
  • Re-Tag applies a different tag to an already tagged item. With the item selected on the page, click once to untag it, and click on another tag to retag it.

The Tags panel menu presents various features, including the following:

  • New Tag creates a new tag in the Tags panel. InDesign automatically assigns a color to each tag as it is created. However, these colors can be changed as desired.
  • Delete Tag removes the selected tag from the Tags panel.
  • Autotag tags elements according to the Tagging Preset Options defined in the Tags panel.
  • Tag Options allows a tag to be renamed or a color to be redefined for it.
  • Map Tags to Styles will import text into a layout, and if Tag mappings have been predefined, the layout will be styled with corresponding styles.
  • Map Styles to Tags will tag content according to the style mappings set in the layout. This option is selected at the end of the process, after the content and design have been approved and finalized.
  • Tagging Preset Options defines default options for individual text frames, tables, cells, and images.
  • DTD Options offers one method for handling the sharing of XML data. If a DTD (Document Type Definition) exists in the InDesign document, this option will be available to redefine settings in the DTD.
  • Load Tags imports tags either from an existing InDesign layout or from an XML file.
  • Save Tags exports tags in an XML file, which can then be imported into another InDesign layout.
  • Load DTD loads a DTD file into the InDesign layout.
  • Select All Unused Tags highlights all tags not applied in the document; this is an easy way to delete all unused tags at once if desired.
  • Small Panel Rows displays the Tags in a smaller view.

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Posted by: tfpadmin

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