Lightning Brain StoryParker For InDesign
Goal
This tool helps you cope with cluttered pages.
Download
This is a free download. Before you can use the LB StoryParker Plug-In you also have to install our free APID ToolAssistant Plug-In, which is available as a second, separate download.
LB StoryParker supports InDesign CS, CS2 and CS3 on Mac or Windows.
Download the LB StoryParker Scripted Plugin (Version 1.0.7 - Free Download - does not include the APID ToolAssistant. Don't worry about the icon of the .spln file: it will not be a 'regular' icon, and that's OK.)
IMPORTANT: The ReadMe file in this download still mentions the outdated Active Page Item Runtime plug-in. Instead you should install the APID ToolAssistant plug-in shown below.
You don't need to purchase a license for APID ToolAssistant (but we're always grateful if you do - it helps us fund further development). The LB StoryParker Plug-In will work fine with an unlicensed APID ToolAssistant.
To encourage us by purchasing such an optional license, select the API - APID ToolAssistant... menu item, select the 'APID ToolAssistant' entry in the list, and click the Get License... button. Purchasing a license helps us fund further development of cool stuff!
Let us know if this tool is useful to you, at pluginsupport@rorohiko.com. Thanks!
Usage
LB StoryParker adds a number of context menus to various page items (i.e. select page item, and do control-click (Mac) or right-click (Mac, Windows). Look for the Active Page Item Runtime menu).
It also adds a number of menu items in a submenu of the API menu on the menu bar. These menu items can be assigned a keyboard shortcut if so desired.
Every page item can be temporarily 'parked'. Meaning: you can put it aside, somewhere on the pasteboard, and later quickly move it back to where it came from.
The idea is to help you get one or more page items out of the way quickly, for example because you want to reach something that's underneath. Later on, you can easily move the page item back to its exact original position.
The neat thing is that parked page items 'remember' where they came from - you can 'unpark' them, which causes them to fly back to the exact location they had before you parked them.
Parked items are put on the pasteboard, and can be moved around freely from there - any movement while they are parked is ignored and forgotten the instant you unpark them.
There is a neat extra trick for text boxes: the context menu you get by right-clicking or control-clicking a text box will also allow you to park the whole story.
All text boxes that contain parts of the same 'text flow' or story can be parked together
.
Have a play first: grab a cluttered document, make a copy (don't try this out on a 'real' document until you're familiar with the working of this plug-in).
Context-click a page item and look for the API... menu - it should contain a few submenus (parking, unparking,...) - the contents vary depending on the type of page item and whether the page item is currently parked or not.
Let us know if this Scripted Plug-In is useful to you, at pluginsupport@rorohiko.com. Thanks!
Version history:
30-June-2007 Version 1.0.7
- Speed improvements based on 1.0.42 runtime improvements - resolves issues with long delays when selecting items.21-May-2007 Version 1.0.6
- Bug fix. Fixed conflict with CS/CS2 that was introduced in version 1.0.59-May-2007 Version 1.0.5
- CS3 Support
- Improved menu handling speed18-Jul-2006 Version 1.0.4
- Parking operations can now also be accessed via menu bar
- Shortcuts can be assigned to parking operations via InDesign's Keyboard Shortcuts editor7-Jun-2006 Version 1.0.3
- Fixed possible cause for 'wild menus', where the menu labels in the context menu are displaying the wrong menu texts.
- Fixed issue with 'Unpark All' operation.26-May-2006- Version 1.0.2:
- Fixed timing issue that caused context menu content to 'lag' behind
- Fixed conflict with AppleScript
- This version does not affect the script labels of page items any more - unlike the previous versions.20-May-2006- Version 1.0.1:
- Initial public release
- Added 'Repark' option to context menu of previously parked items16-May-2006- Version 1.0: Beta Release