The Book Function in ExCoP helps you work more efficiently with InDesign "books" (collections of linked documents). With this feature, you can view book entries, open documents inside a book, and make changes to multiple files at once.
One especially useful tool is "Relink Assets." This automatically reconnects all the assets used across a book's documents, and shows you a progress screen so you know it's working correctly.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Book entries don't show as much detail as regular files
- Documents inside a book will only appear if they're saved on your computer
- Changes to a book aren't detected automatically, you'll need to refresh manually to see updates
We've also made it easier to organize your projects: you can now use the "Add to Book" option directly from InDesign documents. This feature is all about saving you time so you can focus on your creative work.
How to Turn On the Book Function
Before using the Book Function for the first time, you'll need to turn it on:
- Click the menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Turn on the Book Function.
Once enabled, it will appear in your check panel.
How to Create a Book
- Create your book like you normally would: go to File > New > Book... and save it to your computer.
- Open your DAM and find the InDesign documents you want to add to the book.
- Right-click the file you want and choose Add to Book.
- To upload the book file to your DAM, go to the External Content Panel and click the "+" button, then choose *Add .indb.
Your book file is now saved in the DAM.
- Close the book file on your computer, and open the one you just uploaded instead.
- From here, you can keep adding as many InDesign documents to the book as you need.
Checking Your Book's Status
Switch over to ExCoP to see your book's status. You'll see it listed, along with links to all the InDesign documents connected to it. Check the status of each document, then relink either the whole document or just specific parts, to make sure everything is available and up to date.
When you finish working on another InDesign document, simply upload it to your DAM and add it to the book using the same steps above. This keeps your book file and all its documents synced and safely backed up.
Want to learn more? Check out the CI HUB Connector Pro page.
