Put these single files as chapter in the bokk and leave them as separate files. From the book panel you can output these files as single PDF or whatever you want.
It is still a mystery. I choose + in the book file box and just once I was somehow able to insert one file from my book. From then on, in the add documents box, it wanted only to resave the next file to its home file again. A vicious circle. Could never get a second file to import. I am on an Imac Lion OSX. Is that the hangup? It is frustrating!!!!!!!!!! I have deleted all tries (not my files) but so far have spent too many hours trying to make it work. I also watched another tutorial that did not produce any results.
But thanks for trying to help. Not sure what I can do now. I am using CS6.
They are all in the same version since they are chapters of the same book. That is not the problem. Not sure what it is but it's crazy. Thanks for helping.
You know, on occasion, I have wanted to take a well-made Book with its separate documents and combine them into only one document. I have never seen a script to do this. Does anyone know of a script or plug-in that can accomplish this?
Hi all-- It didn't work -- I do not understand the process of "designating an active doc" and what then follows etc. I am not a techie, I am a writer with certain albeit limited techie skills. I feel there must be a flaw in my own software. What should work simply as a book project, does not, despite all the expert advice. It is a huge problem because I MUST combine these chapters. Here's the weird thing: I followed directions to add a document to the book. Before the doc showed up in the book panel, I had to save it back to the folder (dialogue box instruction) . Then it asked if I wanted to replace that file. I had to say yes. Then the doc showed up in the book panel. However, the files I replaced (not to worry, I have all originals and was working with a copy) had crazy page numbers --Page 3 became page 22. etc. -- and when I tried to open the file in the book panel, message said doc was missing. I had to mark my folder copy unusable because of the page changes. I really can't risk messing up my original. My e book publisher will accept a pdf and I understand (perhaps foolishly) that I actual can create one pdf from all the files. But that makes it cast in stone and uneditable. Of course, that leaves me the option of editing each chapter again which I will do and then convert to pdf, but that is certainly not preferable. It's a software muddle. Thanks to you all. I am so impressed with your efforts to help a stranger. Carol
Carol, sorry you're having trouble putting together the book which should be a straight forward process. Unfortunately I don't have a Mac to try to replicate your problem. But just to summarize: you have all the book's chapters as separate ID documents. You go to File/New/Book, name your book and save it. The book panel screen pops up with the name of your book on top. You click the +, choose say chapter 1 and it is added to the book. Click + again, choose chapter 2 and that's when the problem starts. Is that right? Usually when we cannot figure out what the problem might be we ask the user to post some screen shots. Are you able to do that? May be of the book panel and what you see when you try to add a second chapter?
Thanks for the offer. I may try that, but have to postpone my efforts for a few days. I have to focus on an important appt. with a possible grantor. I will give it a shot, however, and I thank you.
What I don't understand, why you have to combine all files into one file? EPUB export needs not a single file. In the past, up to CS5, I did the contrary, I had to split up books in different files to get a useful EPUB. No both ways are OK, one single document where you can split up via Paragraph Style the book's package files or exporting from an .indb file to EPUB.
I think you are wasting a lot of energy to bring together different documents into a single one.
And I also think that, when I and some others speak about an InDesign book file we mean a different thing as you do. We talk about an .indb file, you talk obviously about a merged .indd file.
You make a good point. The publisher I would like to use (because of high recommendations) requires a single file. I am using a .indb book file. I am successful in placing a few chapters but when I open them the page numbers are bizarre. I am going to contact the publisher (and I can speak to a human being) and see if I am on the wrong track. Thanks to all of you!! I will report back. C
To all those who tried to help with my problem: combining 26 chapters of a book into one ID doc-- many thanks. Well, I discovered the method and I must confess, it's simple and straightforward -- labor intensive to be sure -- but simple. I kept looking for a way to "combine" but that function was lurking behind two other words "Move pages." Duh. True, the ID method is obscure and not clearly explained anywhere I could find. But I found that beginning with the first document, one can "move pages" from subsequnet chapters to the end of the one preceding. I know-- sounds simple. I heartily thank all of you. You actually did lead me to the solution. Carol
Hi Carol, thanks for your efforts with this issue - very useful.
Like you I have the same requirement, but given that the process is menu driven I would have thought that someone would have devised a script. Will have to see if I can post a script request somewhere.
But you can select several files in one single step select to add to the book panel, you can also drag the files from the desktop, finder, explorer or from Bridge into the book panel.
On the Mac you can also drag the small icon on the top of the window of an open file directly into the book panel.
Are all files from the same InDesign version? If not, save them again first as INDD.
(You could also convert them from the book panel by activating that option.)
Thanks so much I'll try again but I have done all these things. Yes, the files are all in the same version of ID. Dragging does not work at all. I am not a computer illiterate, either, so it is all the more puzzling. I do so appreciate your help and will certainly try again.
I think what you wanted in your original post is not what has been suggested for you.
You wanted all the files in a single, editable, InDesign document. Why?
If you want to be able to export as a single PDF, you don't have to merge your files together.
Creating a Book file can allow you to export and print a range of documents together. But each document would still be a separate file.
But if it is vital that all the pages be in one actual file, then you can use the Move Pages command in the Pages panel to move pages from one file to another.
I need to combine the chapters of a book, now in separate ID files, into one file so it can be converted to an E-book. I wrote the chapters separately to protect against massive loss of data, by some unforeseen circumstance, and it has worked extremely well. The original printer also preferred it that way, since it was a small house and needed the flexibility to change folios, etc. But now it must be combined. I appreciate your help.
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