{"id":1625,"date":"2009-09-16T18:32:36","date_gmt":"2009-09-17T01:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rorohiko.com\/wordpress\/?p=1625"},"modified":"2009-09-18T15:12:00","modified_gmt":"2009-09-18T22:12:00","slug":"how-to-populate-a-template-with-images-in-no-time-at-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rorohiko.com\/wordpress\/2009\/09\/16\/how-to-populate-a-template-with-images-in-no-time-at-all\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Populate a Template With Images in No Time At All"},"content":{"rendered":"

This short article will explain how you can set up a template with a bunch of image frames, and then populate this template with images, much faster than you’d expect, using Adobe InDesign CS3 or above.<\/p>\n

The secret to this are two of our popular tools: ImageHorn<\/a><\/em> and ImageLibraryLoader<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Both are free, but for maximum efficiency you will also want a licensed version (or a non-lapsed demo version) of our APID ToolAssistant<\/a><\/em> plug-in installed.<\/p>\n

That’s because the Paste Into Selected Frame<\/em> feature of ImageLibraryLoader<\/em> is only available for people that have a licensed APID ToolAssistant <\/em>installed – that particular feature is not available if you are using the free, unlicensed version of\u00a0APID ToolAssistant<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Now, it works fine without the\u00a0Paste Into Selected Frame<\/em> feature, but as you’ll see, having this feature allows you to save even more mouse clicks.<\/p>\n

Here’s how it works: first you need to install the plug-ins (three in total – ImageHorn.spln<\/em>, Im<\/em>ageLibraryLoader.spln<\/em>, and an appropriate copy of the APID ToolAssistant<\/em> plug-in).<\/p>\n

Launch InDesign CS3 or above, and create a new document. Create a few empty image frames – something like this:<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/p>\n

Now, select all the frames (hit Command-A or Control-A), and then select the API – ImageHorn – Dynamic Fill Proportionally<\/em> menu item. This will ‘mark’ all page items to (re)apply a ‘Fill Proportionally’ each time any of these frames changes – for example, when an image is placed into a frame.<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/p>\n

The next step: fill the\u00a0ImageLibraryLoader<\/a> <\/em><\/em>palette with images – select the\u00a0API – ImageLibraryLoader – Reload Image Library… <\/em>menu item,\u00a0then navigate to a folder with some images you want to use as content for this layout. The\u00a0ImageLibraryLoader<\/a> <\/em>will ‘grab’ all of these images, and quickly build a little floating palette with them – many people prefer this approach to using Adobe Bridge.<\/p>\n

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\"Picture<\/p>\n

Now the magic bit: select any one of the frames on the page, and also select any one of the images on the AutoImageLibrary <\/em>palette. Then select the API – ImageLibraryLoader – Paste Into Selected Frame<\/em> menu item. The image will be copied from the palette, straight into the frame, and then ImageHorn<\/em> kicks in, and the placed image will be resized to fill the frame proportionally – all in one quick operation.<\/p>\n

To make it really fast, you’d assign a keyboard shortcut to the Paste Into Selected Frame<\/em> menu item. Click-click-tap, done!<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/p>\n

If you don’t have a licensed version of APID ToolAssistant<\/em>, you won’t be able to use the Paste Into Selected Frame<\/em> menu item. In that case you need a few more clicks to achieve the same effect. Drag the desired image from the AutoImageLibrary<\/em> palette onto your pasteboard. This creates a new frame with the image inside it. Next, use the direct selection tool (hollow arrow) to select the frame content. Cut, and then Paste Into<\/em> the destination frame. Delete the remaining empty frame from your pasteboard.<\/p>\n

Of course, this trick is no panacea: it all depends on your workflow whether this approach is usable or not; in many cases, there are factors like image resolution to consider – but often, this is ‘good enough’.<\/p>\n

Now, a bit more about\u00a0APID ToolAssistant<\/em><\/a> – it is a seemingly featureless plug-in, but it is actually a critical component for many popular plug-ins, and behind the screens it helps tools like\u00a0ImageHorn<\/em><\/a> and ImageLibraryLoader<\/a> <\/em>work their magic. APID ToolAssistant<\/a> <\/em>has two ‘modes’ – licensed and unlicensed.<\/p>\n

When you install the downloadable demo of APID ToolAssistant<\/em><\/a> for the very first time, it will work (for the purpose of demonstration) as a licensed version for about a month, and then it will fall back to the unlicensed mode.<\/p>\n

If you’ve never installed\u00a0APID ToolAssistant<\/em> before, you’ll be able to try out the above trick during the demo period. On the other hand, if your demo version of\u00a0APID ToolAssistant<\/em> has already dropped back to unlicensed mode, you’ll need to shell out US$25 for a license before you can use the above trick.<\/p>\n

Getting a license is easy – select the API – APID ToolAssistant…<\/em> menu item. In the following dialog, click the line that says APID ToolAssistant<\/em> and then click the Get License…<\/em> button – you’ll be directed to a web page for purchase.<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/p>\n

Follow the links below to read more about each of the three plug-ins:<\/p>\n