Layout-Based Template Composition
      Back to home
      1. CampaignDrive Help Center
      2. CampaignDrive Knowledge Base
      3. Layout-Based Template Composition

      Preparing a File for IDML Import

      Detailed document on how to adjust an InDesign file to make it compatible for upload into CampaignDrive.

      Overview

      IDML Import is a powerful feature of CampaignDrive that allows Admin Users and Designers to directly upload an InDesign file as a Master Print template.  This document outlines the process to make an InDesign file and any associated assets compliant with CampaignDrive™ standards. 

      Note: This document assumes familiarity with menus, settings, and controls in InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop and, as such, is primarily intended for Designers. As you read through this document, remember that we are aligning the InDesign file to be compatible with the Compose UI environment, so all settings are necessary to achieve the most accurate upload experience. 

      There are several broad steps to preparing the file. If this preparation is being done on an already completed InDesign file or package, we typically do the steps in the following order:

      • Check document settings
      • Check graphics preparation
      • Create the optimized package

      As a best practice, it is recommended that IDML Import preparation be done on a duplicate version to preserve the original file. 

      Document Settings

      Document Set Up

      • Turn off Facing Pages. This means no spreads. If spreads are used in your document, then you must set up the spread as a single page.
      • Delete Slug and all its contents. Slugs are not used in the Compose environment
      • No Master Pages. All master page content should be placed on the individual page that it is associated with.
      • Determine bleed setup. Bleeds are not mandatory, but the system will automatically apply a .125” bleed when the template is uploaded. If your bleeds differ, then you will need to change them after upload in the document settings of the template.
      • Set Transparency Blend Space. Transparency Blend Space is set to CMYK. 

      Color Settings

      • Ensure all colors present in the document are in the Swatch palette.  Any colors not in the “Swatches” menu will need to be added via the “Add Unnamed Colors” feature. 
      • Delete unused or duplicate colors.
      • Ensure all colors are in the same color space. Most of the time, this will be CMYK color space. However, if this template is to be used for digital output, then the RGB color space will be used. 
      • No Spot Color swatches. The Compose environment does not support Spot colors as this requires a special printing process. All colors should be converted to CMYK prior to upload.
      • All colors have been added to the Fonts and Colors table. If they are not, then all references to an unknown color will be changed to black. 

      Frame Set Up (Text and Image)

      These settings apply to the image and text frames that contain your artwork. InDesign allows multiple frames of text and images on a single layer. However, the Compose environment must assign either a “text” or “image”  designation to a layer.  To properly read these frames upon upload, we must adjust the file so that each layer has only a single frame of one of these types.

      • Each frame (text or image) is on its own layer. The layers, layer names, and layer order are preserved when the file is uploaded, so that the exact positioning of each frame is maintained.  There can only be one frame per layer, since a frame is equal to a layer in Compose (can’t have more than one frame on a layer).
      • Each frame has a reference point of upper left. If the frame has any other reference point, the system will convert it upon upload (moving your frame to an incorrect position).
      • Ensure images fill their frames at 100% with no internal positioning. This should automatically happen if the graphic has been prepared properly (see Appendix A – Preparing Images for more details).
      • No empty frames. Delete any empty text or image frames. 
      • No frames on the pasteboard.  Ensure there are no extra elements on the pasteboard, and any elements that extend outside of the document trim area end at the bleed edge 
      • No frames (text or image) with color fills. Every item must be either live text or a linked graphic. The Composer cannot “read” colored shapes or lines.
      • No rotated frames or angles other than “0°”. Objects should not be rotated.
      • No inline images within text frames.  This is because Compose will select a type of layer – either text or image, so there can’t be both contained in a single frame.
      • Non-printing layers may be uploaded. There are settings in the Compose environment to signal to the system that these are non-printing. They will automatically be set to visible, and hiding them is a manual step after upload.

      Text Settings

      These settings apply to any frame that has text.

      • Remove all character or paragraph styles (break link to styles). The styling does not carry over into the Compose environment.
      • Uncheck hyphenation under the Paragraph panel, 
      • Set Tracking and Kerning to 0 under the Character panel, 
      • Turn off the following type styles: All Caps, Small Caps, Superscript, Subscript, Strikethrough, Underline, and Ligatures. All text styling should be done using font styles and font families.
      • Undo column or frame text flow; each text box needs to be on its own layer. Columns can be linked in Compose using the Text Follows From feature. 
      • All text layer scaling should be set to 100% (Object > Transform > Clear Transformations).
      • Set all text layers to be top-aligned for vertical alignment.  (Object > Text Frame Options > Align: Top).
      • Set the horizontal alignment of text boxes to Left. Note – you will be able to re-assign the alignment and vertical positioning to the text within the Compose environment. 
      • All fonts present in the document are in the Fonts and Colors table. 
      • Any colored fills on a text box should be removed. If a textbox needs a color behind it, create a separate graphic element for the colored element.

      Graphics/Artwork Settings and Graphics Preparation

      These settings apply to any frame that has artwork. This could be photos, logos, shapes, line art, gradient or transparent overlays, etc.

      • Check the InDesign file for “embedded” artwork. No embedded graphics are allowed – all graphics must be linked. This applies to graphics copied into the InDesign file from somewhere else or those created within the InDesign file (solid, gradient, shapes with transparency or blended shapes, lines, “text as graphics”, graphics as bullets, colors applied to a text frame, etc.).
      • Check the links panel to ensure that there are no broken links. A broken link will mean that InDesign will not be able to find your graphic when it creates the package and that graphic will not pull into your template properly upon upload, or the upload could fail. 
      • Check linked graphics to ensure they are either .jpg, PDF or .AI file types. If a graphic is not one of these file types, convert them using one of the processes outlined in Appendix A (Preparing Graphics).
      • Ensure each graphic has been properly prepared for the image frame using the appropriate process. This means making sure that all graphics have been prepared according to the processes outlined in Appendix A (Preparing Graphics), as well as making sure they are placed in the image frame properly to ensure they will upload at the correct size.
      • If text or lines are to be used as art (i.e. not ultimately editable by the End User) must be outlined and saved as a graphic. 
      • Check the effective PPI of the Image Layer in the Links Info panel.  If an image is less than 300 Effective PPI, there could be issues with final document quality. If any images are less than 300 PPI, you may want to request a higher-resolution image or alter the design to ensure the proper resolution.

      Preparing the InDesign Package

      • Once each setting has been checked, the InDesign Package can be prepared for upload. The “Package” operation is found under the “File” menu.
      • Check the pop-up that appears for missing files, warnings, etc. Once all errors have been addressed, click the “Package” button at the bottom of the pop-up.
      • On the next screen, make sure that the following boxes are checked:
        • Include PDF
        • Include all linked graphics
        • Include all fonts
        • Include IDML
      • Name your folder and click “Package”. InDesign will create a folder that contains all the components of the InDesign package.
      • Navigate to the folder where the package has been saved.
      • To prepare the Package for upload to Campaign Drive, make a copy of the entire package folder. Make sure you can distinguish the copy from the original (re-name or place in separate folders).
      • Open the copied version and delete everything from this folder except for the .idml file and the links folder. You have now made a “Package Lite” with just the components that CampaignDrive™ will read to create your template.
      • Zip this “Package Lite” folder.
      • Ensure that the filename does not contain spaces or special characters.

      Uploading a File to CampaignDrive

      Upload into CampaignDrive™ in the Print Template Composition area. (Admin > Print Template Composition > Import IDML Template).

      Screenshot 2024-08-22 at 12.51.07 PM