Batch Output

BatchOutput will automatically print, export to PDF and save to PostScript multiple InDesign documents with a variety of options. Just select the documents you need to output, adjust the settings, and BatchOutput will do the rest for you.

Although I have written about Adobe a lot and have quickly become a big fan of their whole suit, in particular Photoshop and Soundbooth, I am not a big user of Adobe InDesign. Truth to be told the vast majority of my use is at the receiving end of files from the design member of my ‘team’ Darren!! I am pretty good at manipulating existing stuff, but the whole ‘vectors thing’ has me in a spin, so where I can I leave that to him!!!

It made sense then (for me anyway) that when I got the chance to look at BatchOutput from Zevrix Solutions I would ask Darren for his views ……

Over to Darren

I’ve been using InDesign for several years now. And I think it would be true to say I’m fairly happy with the experience. Compared to the alternatives, correction alterna-tive it’s by far the best professional page layout application out there. But I’m not here to name names.

OK, I’ll admit it I’m an InDesign evangelist. Spreading the good of word of Adobe to all who’ll listen.

But even though InDesign is my weapon of choice in my daily battles to squeeze vast amounts of copy into the tiniest of spaces and stlll make it look nice – it’s not perfect.

The missing option

I took this review because I’ve genuinely had a need to batch output PDF’s in the past. I remember trawling through the Adobe help files and googling it. Yes it’s amazing but InDesign still doesn’t have the ability to create PDF’s in batches.
Here’s where Batch Output steps in. This will enable you to batch process PDF’s from within the InDesign application.

Installation is very straightforward you just need to point the installer at your current version of InDesign and it does the rest.

When you next launch InDesign you will notice under your scripts that Batch Output has appeared. This script gives you the ability to print, PDF and generate postscript files with just a few clicks.

Time is money

Anyone who works in a studio will know how laborious a task it is to open individual files just to run a PDF. If you showed this application to any Studio Manager I’m pretty sure they would snatch your hand off for the ability to automate the process. I should know I used to be one.

When I tested the PDF batching it opened, processed and closed the files at breakneck speeds. In the time it would of taken to open one file it had processed several.

You also have the ability to rename generated PDF’s on the fly. Append files names with a date, page numbers, serial number and custom fields to name but a few.

Another fantastic feature is the ability to automatically batch all currently open files. This is an awsome time saver.

Other features

When I get a review project I normally take a quick look at the developer’s website before I decide to accept the project.

To be honest once I had discovered that Batch Output enabled PDF’s batching I was sold. Whatever else it did was immaterial. But on a second glance Batch Output does a have a couple of additional features which deserve a mention.

I personally don’t regularly have a need to generate postscript files. But I checked out the options and it seems it would definitely speed up your workflow. Simply by leaving Batch Output in the background churning through your flles it can free you up to get on with another job.

How many times have you thought it woud be really handy to be able to print multiple files at once. Amazingly this option of sadly missing from InDesign. Not with Batch Output print all your files at once very easily.

Final thoughts…

To sum up if you are a professional InDesign user and find yourself constantly generating large amounts of PDF’s from multiple files then this plug-in is for you.
Granted it’s not free. In fact it’s $79.95. But I’m convinced that if you were to analyze time spend versus time saved it will pay for itself very, very quickly.

Back To Me

A winner then, I can certainly vouch for receiving way more PDF’s from Darren than ever before!!!

Export to PDF Panel

Major Features

• output using InDesign Print or Export to PDF presets
• export multipage InDesign documents as single page PDF files
• save multipage InDesign documents as single page PostScript files
• print multiple documents with the ability to change file name in printer queue and send file to printer as single pages
• variable file names
• output using current document print/export settings
• export all PDF/PostScript files to one folder or to the folder with original InDesign document
• output all files on the list automatically or showing Print/Export dialog for each file
• close each document after output or leave them open
• output all pages or a specific range
• instantly use new presets created in InDesign
• interactive file list
• detailed progress of the output process