The CI HUB Connector Pro makes it easy to manage your assets and their metadata when working on creative projects. Here's a simple guide to what it can do:
Using Asset Metadata in CI HUB Connector
CI HUB Connector Pro connects to your DAM, PIM, or cloud storage system so you can see all the metadata attached to your assets. This includes things like the title, description, copyright, and other details saved with the asset.
Customize Metadata Visibility
You can pick which details you want to see.
Just click the gear icon in the metadata panel to turn fields on or off, depending on what you need.
Assign Metadata to Layouts
You can easily add asset details (like a title or description) directly into your page design in Adobe InDesign:
- Drag an asset from CI HUB Connector into the image box on your page.
- Move your mouse over the piece of information you want to use.
- Drag it onto the text box where you want it to appear.
That's it, the metadata is now linked to your design.
Automatic Text Styling
If the text box already has a style set up, the metadata you add will automatically match that style. This keeps everything looking neat and consistent.
Copy Metadata to Clipboard
Need to paste metadata somewhere else? Just click once to copy any detail, and paste it wherever you need it.
Metadata Based on Relations
If your DAM, PIM, or cloud storage system is connected to other systems, you can do even more, like:
- Automatically filling in blanks on things like flyers or product sheets.
- Dragging and dropping metadata to build your layout faster.
- Saving metadata as a CSV file for bigger projects, which works well with InDesign's Data Merge tool.
Series Production and Bulk Editing
You can also use CI HUB Connector together with InDesign's Data Merge tool to create a batch of similar documents (like product sheets) all at once. Just make sure your files have all the needed metadata filled in first.
Here's how:
- Have a ready-made InDesign template with a spot set up for your file info.
- Open CI HUB Connector and select the files you want to use, hold the Shift key and move your mouse over each one. Selected files will show a blue frame around them.
- Click the export icon to save this list as a CSV file. It will be saved in the same folder as your files.
Working with Metadata-Based Objects
If your DAM, PIM, or cloud storage system supports objects, a single record can contain multiple images in the export. This allows you to automatically place one record with multiple images (“n” images) into your layout.
This functionality is commonly used to display different views of the same product within a single record.
Using the Bulk Asset Function
Need to work with several assets at the same time? Use the Bulk Asset feature:
- Click the Bulk Asset icon to turn it on.
- Select several assets in a row by holding the Shift key.
- Check the Details section to see everything you've picked and make sure it's correct.
- If you picked something by mistake, just click it again to remove it.
Once you're happy with your selection, you can:
- Click "Use file", or
- Drag and drop everything straight onto your page.
You can also lock or delete several assets at once using this same feature.
Working with Renditions in Bulk
If your DAM, PIM or cloud storage system offers different versions of an asset (like different sizes or formats), you can choose which version to use, even when placing several assets together. Just keep in mind, only versions available for all the files you picked will show up as options.
Discover the ExCop feature in this article
