Lightning Brain Image Library Loader
This is a free download; it supports Mac & Windows versions of InDesign CS, CS2, CS3 or CS4.
Goal
This tool gives you a floating library-palette filled with images that are automatically retrieved from one or more folders.
Point the tool to a folder, and in return it will offer you a floating palette containing the images stored in that folder, ready to be drag-dropped into your document.
This is very useful in a structured environment, for example in the design of advertisements for a newspaper. This plug-in is based on a suggestion from Tony (thanks, Tony!), who works in an environment where a designer receives a folder which contains
- An empty template document with the correct size for the ad
- A collection of images that can used in the design of the ad
This tool makes managing that a bit easier: simply open the template and select ‘Reload Image Library From Document Folder’. That fills up your image template library with the images that are available in the same folder as the document template.
Download
This is a free download. Before you can use the Lightning Brain ImageLibraryLoader Plug-In you also have to install our free APID ToolAssistant Plug-In, which is available as a second, separate download.
LB ImageLibraryLoader supports InDesign CS, CS2, CS3 and CS4 on Mac or Windows.
Download the LB ImageLibraryLoader Scripted Plugin (version 1.0.3 – Free download – does not include the APID ToolAssistant. Don’t worry about the icon of the .spln file: it might not be a ‘regular’ icon, and that’s OK)
Download APID ToolAssistant for InDesign (version 1.0.46 – Free)
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 ImageLibraryLoader Plug-In will work fine with an unlicensed APID ToolAssistant.
To encourage us by purchasing the US$25 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!
If you don’t purchase a license, APID ToolAssistant will show itself as ‘Demo’ for the first 20 days after it was first installed, and after the 20 days are up, it will change to ‘Unlicensed’. Don’t be alarmed by this. It will not stop working. LB ImageLibraryLoader works with an unlicensed version of APID ToolAssistant, and purchasing a license is optional.
Let us know if this tool is useful to you, at pluginsupport@rorohiko.com. Thanks!
Installation
Please make sure you have a copy of the APID ToolAssistant plug-in installed.
Make sure you install the proper plug-in for your version of InDesign. InDesign CS, CS2, CS3 and CS4 plug-ins are mutually incompatible.
If you already have an APID ToolAssistant plug-in installed (e.g. because you use one of our other Scripted Plug-Ins), make sure it is up-to-date.
APID ToolAssistant used to be called ‘Active Page Item Runtime‘ – if you have any copies of Active Page Item Runtime or Active Page Item Developer installed, please remove them, and replace them with APID ToolAssistant.
When installing plug-ins make sure you copy plug-in files, not the folders they are contained in.
Copy the ImageLibraryLoader.spln into the same folder as the APID ToolAssistant plug-in you installed (typically that will be the InDesign Plug-Ins folder). Don’t worry about the icon of the .spln file: it might not be a ‘regular’ icon, and that’s OK.
Usage
Make sure you have a document open – the API menu will not be fully populated until you open or create a document.
Check the ‘API’ menu item that should sit on the menu bar. There should be five new menu items:
- Reload Image Library From Document Folder
- Add To Image Library From Document Folder
- Reload Image Library…
- Add To Image Library…
- Refresh Image Library
The first option, Reload Image Library… will first clear any images from theAutoImageLibrary palette, and then ask you to point out a folder. It will then grab all images in that folder, and put them onto the palette. This is a ‘clean slate’ approach: all previous entries on the palette are first removed.
The second option, Append To Image Library… will simply ask you to point out a folder. It will then grab all images in that folder, and add them to the palette. This is a cumulative approach: any images found are added to the existing list on the palette.
The third and fourth options are very similar, but they won’t ask you to point out a folder. Instead the palette will be loaded from the same folder in which your current document resides.
The last option, Refresh Image Library will first clear any images from theAutoImageLibrary palette. Then it will revisit any folder or folders that were previously loaded and re-load the palette from them. This allows you to ’synchronize’ the palette – for example if images have since been added or removed from one of the folders whose contents are currently being shown.
Let us know if this Scripted Plug-In is useful to you, at pluginsupport@rorohiko.com. Thanks!
Version history
18-Dec-2008 Version 1.0.3:
- Improved support for InDesign CS4: fixed issue where all assets were named ‘Untitled’.
- Resolve potential conflict if multiple CSx versions are installed – each InDesign CSx version now has its own library file
24-Jul-2007 Version 1.0.2:
- Support for InDesign CS3
- Added support for Illustrator files.
25-Jun-2006 Version 1.0.1:
- Initial public release
- Collapsed the menu items into a submenu of the API menu.
7-Jun-2006 Version 1.0:
- Initial beta release.