Export Indesign file to RTF or other editable file type?

[Louise Breckon]

Hello, I have a client who I have designed a print ready document for with sections that are intended to be filled out by hand. Originally the document was just to be printed but my client is now saying they would like a version which can be filled out on a computer as well. I designed the document in Indesign CS6 and I'm trying to work out the best way to reformat the file so that it can be edited by other people. I have read a little about RTF files which you can open in Word (?) but can't seem to work out how you export an Indesign file to rtf. Could someone explain how I would do this or if not, suggest another file type or platform that I could use to reformat my artwork on to?

Thanks !

[Geоrge]

https://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/indesign-downloads/text-exporter/

[Geоrge]

or export to pdf, than in acrobat export to docx.

[Steve Werner]

It could be done story by story. Select the text in the story and choose File > Export > Rich Text Format.

There may also be scripts written to do this with more than one story.

[Geоrge]

or use ExportAllStories.js (already installed in InDesign) and than batch all exported files into one with Word

[Geоrge]

or use this script

Export All Stories Script | Эффективная работа в Adobe InDesign | Приемы работы, хитрости и секреты,...

[Geоrge]

Somebody stop me!))) Happy NY!

[Louise Breckon]

Thank you ! I will try these

[Geоrge]

INDDRecovery - програма для восстановления документов Adobe InDesign - this program can catch all text from indd.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

You can best try to make it a form, create fillable text fields and export to interactive PDF; this forms can be filled in in Adobe reader as digital form.

If they however want your design as a Word file (sigh... big big sigh...) then export to PDF, open that in Acrobat Pro and export from there to Word while keeping the geometry.

[Laubender]

Hi Frans,

WordsFlow by Em Software is able to export InDesign stories to docx format.

WordsFlow » Em Software

Release: WordsFlow 2.8 for InDesign CS5–CC2017 » Em Software

Regards,

Uwe

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Uwe, WordsFlow is in use here by myself, but reading the original post it looked more like a form: the client wants to fill in a digital version if I read it correctly.

[Laubender]

Hi Frans,

ah yes, then we can rule out Word altogether…

Thanks,
Uwe

[Willi Adelberger]

My recommendation, he should buy InDesign, it is on a computer and can create printable files, Word can't. Why on earth are some people avoiding professional programs? They don't save money, when they do so.

[Louise Breckon]

This would mean that anyone who tries to fill out the worksheets has to pay for InDesign in order to do so and the file is intended to be used by multiple users, my client does not want to change the original document that I've designed myself, they want people to be able to fill out the blank spaces left on the worksheets - it would be unrealistic for my client, or my clients client, to buy InDesign as they do not work in the creative industry, they don't know how to use it and they would have no other use for it.

[Willi Adelberger]

They will have to have one trained person who can make changes in InDesign. Sorry, Word or other Text editors cannot produce printable files. You can use competing products, but there would be the same problem.

It is not good that everyone makes changes in a print file. I doubt that those people know anything about micro typography or the other rules, important to know for print. So it is an illusion to let some untrained mixed people work on print stuff.

[Louise Breckon]

I think you're misunderstanding me and what the documents intended purpose is- they do not want to edit a file that is being sent to print, they want a completely separate file that can be filled in on a computer - not to edit the artwork I've created myself, but to write their answers to questions in the allocated boxes. Either way it's not viable for them to buy InDesign or have someone trained that can show them how to use it.

[Frans v.d. Geest · Accepted solution]

As I said, design it as form and export as interactive PDF,  they can then fill in the space you designed on their computer directly in the PDF (design as text field form).

[Louise Breckon]

Thank you, I think this will be a much easier way than trying to work with Word. When I export the interactive PDF the frames that I turned into text field forms will only show one line of writing even if you've written several more lines.. is there a way I can make it expand to show all the text in one go?

[Frans v.d. Geest]

You can have one line, more lines, scrollable lines etc. For how to choose these refer to the excelent help files 😉

[dawndesigning]

Actually, years ago Adobe Reader added some great features that allow you to fill out a pdf form without any form fields. You just use Reader's Fill & Sign tool. Click anywhere and start typing. I had clients add a note to their forms that said something like "please use Adobe Reader's Fill & Sign tool to fill out the form" along with an active link to get.adobe.com/reader.  I recently filled out & signed a dentist's new patient form that was a printed form scanned to pdf.