Automating Document Updates

[Mfho1]

Hi,

Here's the situation. I have several documents written in Indesign CS2, that I normally export to a PDF for later distribution.

My staff frequently updates a few lines of standard text used in the manuals almost constantly.

To test it out, I've gone into the manuals, and associated that text to a database column I have holding the text. Currently, I have to update the manual "manually" to accept any database changes and then export to the PDF every time and for every document.

I'm not familiar with all of the bells and whistles, but just let me ask this. Is there a way to automate an Indesign document that uses database data automatically, without having to go in and update the particular database-dependent field? I'm not even sure if there is, or how to do it. Also, how can I automate the creation of the PDF documents for this?

Am I thinking too pie in the sky? Would a later version of Indesign CS work this out for me?



Thanks in advance for your help.
mfho1

 

[spamjim]

In the most basic and common way to do this, you can place a TXT, RTF or DOC file in an InDesign project. Your staff can update those text files. Whenever the INDD file is opened, it checks the linked text files and updates the link.

You might also look at InDesign's XML capabilities. You can essentially link to XML in the same way you can link to a text file.

 

[Mfho1]

Thanks for your help.

I appreciate it. I'll explore more on this subject.

Thanks in advance for your help.
mfho1