Using InDesign Xtags Plug-in with SunType Classified...

Xtags™ is a Plug-in for Adobe InDesign which allows ID to import files created by the SunType Classified System’s ClassLink output driver. Xtags is an import text filter only – it does not provide all of the menu options available from ClassLink for Quark Xpress. Additional functions are planned for future development.

Preparing SunType for use with InDesign

Xtags for InDesign is only supported by SunType Classified version 4.3. If you don’t have 4.3, you will have to upgrade to the current version.

A SunType system that is properly set up for use with Quark and ClassLink is nearly ready for use with InDesign. If a SunType system hasn’t been previously used with ClassLink, it will nearly certainly require some additional setup beyond what will work with a PostScript laser printer. Assistance with the SunType setup can be provided by The Classified Group, either on-site or at TCG’s office, at normal support rates.

Changing the ClassLink setup file

From the Main Menu, go into Installation Operations (F) and then into the typesetting section, (C).

Choose H to Edit the ClassLink setup file.

Add a new line in the top section (it doesn’t matter exactly where), that says:

:XTAG

Be sure to put the colon (:) in front of the word.

Save the change and exit to the Typesetting installation menu.

Note: At some point later on in the process, we’ll probably be back here to deal with getting the font names sent correctly if the production machine is a Macintosh.

Changing the Typesetting output file name

Now go into the output table (B-E) that you are going to use with InDesign. It may be the one you’re using for Quark, or it may be a copy of the Quark setup copied to a new output table.

You may rename the output table to InDesign if you wish.

Choose C to set the output file or device.

Choose G to send the output to a file.

Change the ending on the file name template from “ADS” to “XTG” so that InDesign will recognize the file as belonging to the Xtags Plug-in.

Preparing InDesign to paginate from SunType

Installing the Xtags Plug-in

When you receive or download the Xtags Plug-in, you will receive two separate files: XtagsInDesign3401.dmg; and it3402b4.dmg. When you unpack these files, you’ll find folders containing the Plugins for both InDesignCS and InDesignCS2. In the 3401 folder, you will also find the Xtags User’s Guide in pdf format.

The only thing you will need from the 3401 folder is the User’s Guide. While this contains the “release” version of the Xtags Plugin, it does not contain the changes supporting the SunType program.

In the “Xtags for InDesign 3-4.02b4” folder, you will find folders containing the Plugins for InDesignCS and InDesignCS2 beta 4. Copy the Plugin from the correct folder for your version to the Plug-ins folder inside your installed InDesign program on the hard drive.

Installing the License Key

The first time you start InDesign after installing the Plug-in, you’ll be asked to enter your name and the license key that you received in the email confirming your order. This will be your permanent license number for this copy, so please store it in a safe place. If you lose the key, contact the Classified Group for assistance.

Once the license key is in, you should find a new menu option “Get Text with Xtags” on the File menu listing.

Preparing the InDesign Document/Template

Since publishing a classified section is generally done on a regular basis, the best starting point for the project is a working document template based on a properly designed master page or pages. Even if you’re a firm believer in “recycling” of the current issue’s document, sooner or later you’ll need a clean start, and it’s much easier to open a template than to rebuild from scratch.

Rather than using a single, multi-column text box as the basis for each page, we much prefer to assemble the page from individual text columns chained or linked together as needed as the section is laid out. We think it is safer and more flexible to be able to build the section from smaller modules – safer because it minimizes the risk that a late change near the front of the section will reflow and disrupt much of the work that follows; more flexible because topical sections can easily be built separately, even with differing formats.

Further explanation of this approach can be found in the ClassLink manual distributed in pdf format with the SunType Classified System software on CD. Especially, read the sections on workflow and pagination strategy.

Column Width is critical

Good typographic esthetics require that the column widths used in the pagination document be uniform and precisely coordinated with the settings in the SunType system. Line ending points are embedded in the Xtags file coming over from the SunType system, so flowing ads into a significantly different column width will result in poor justification.

More importantly if you sell boxes and logos in SunType, the import process will fail if the column width in the receiving document is even slightly narrower than the setting in SunType.

SunType column widths are set in picas and whole points (i.e., 9p6). Document columns may be slightly wider, but never narrower than the SunType setting.

Setting Vertical Justification

Most of the preferences that are pre-set in InDesign are acceptable for SunType, but before populating your template with text boxes based on your master page, the vertical alignment setting for all boxes should be set to “Justify”. This setting can be found under Object>Text Frame Options on the InDesign menu.

Please do this in advance, because under some circumstances, once the column has been populated with content, you won’t always be able to change the setting as an afterthought.

Segmenting the SunType files

Since Xtags is just an import filter, it doesn’t yet offer the same “pick list” that is displayed by the Quark ClassLink Xtension, so we recommend breaking the output file into logical pieces on the SunType side. That it, instead of one very large file containing all of this week’s ads, we suggest separate files for sections like legals, employment, for sale, auto and real estate.

Building files this way is easy in SunType. On the final page of the typesetting output and proof processes, the program allows the categories to be included to be limited to a specified range. Once each segment is sent, it then prompts for the segment starting with the next available category number.

For example, if the first segment contains categories 0-199, the system will immediately prompt for the next segment beginning with 200, and so on.

Font Issues are common

One of the most difficult parts of the setup process is to coordinate the font usage between Suntype and the pagination software, especially if the pagination is done on a Macintosh. Font names used on the Mac often are not the same as the “official” PostScript names used by SunType.

The classlin.dat file that was discussed early in this document (that’s where the “:XTAG” setting was entered). This file is also used to change the SunType font names to those that the Mac can understand.

This is discussed in some detail in the ClassLink manual included with your SunType CD as a pdf. In the end, testing and experimentation is necessary to obtain the desired results, since there are many possible variations.

The good news is that once it’s done, you won’t have to mess with it unless something changes. 

Note: This is preliminary documentation and it will be revised as experience dictates. Please let us know what you encounter.

Updates will be posted at www.classifiedgroup.com under the technical notes section.

Call 800-458-4605 for additional information