Through AppleScripting with InDesign and FileMaker Pro, I drastically decreased the catalog build time and effort. AppleScript is able to talk to Mac applications, make decisions, run commands, and pass information back and forth. With InDesign, you can access more commands with AppleScript than with your mouse. AppleScript unlocks the potential of computers to chug along producing deliverables at maximum efficiency and accuracy.
Using the FMP database and structured files, the Catalog Automation script is able to build an entire catalog from a template, and leaves only graphical modifications to the designer. Note that these catalogs include massive amounts of data and images, all requiring proper positioning and formatting. I also created a suite of small scripts that exponentially reduce collateral designers' remaining tasks.
Each script in the suite of AppleScripts replaces a 5-minute task with a 15 second button. Calculate how much time you would save by not having to comb through a document and make sure that every heading is sentence case? If you have unlocked items on every page and need them all to move, how long would it take you to do this manually? In 15 seconds, a script could perfectly perform the transformation to every item.
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