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Asset Browser for InDesign 
Xinet® WebNative® Suite Asset Browser for Adobe InDesign offers custom formatting and placement of assets, as well as integration of annotations to speed productivity throughout the workflow.
For more on Asset Browser see:
Feature Overview
Asset Browser is a panel within Adobe InDesign that can be used to search for and place assets from a WebNative Suite site to a layout document, quickly and easily. This functionality can be further enhanced with a drag-and-drop method for placing and formatting the metadata associated with assets. It allows designers to focus on the creative side of producing catalog and circular layouts rather than the mechanical side of entering data, such as item descriptions, pricing and sale dates—the result is a noticeable savings of time and resources.
In addition, Asset Browser can be used in production environments to import review comments made with our Annotations tool as layers within an InDesign file, saving time and increasing accuracy during review cycles.
Offer Simple Drag-and-Drop Placement
Created as a plug-in for InDesign, Asset Browser is quick to access and easy to use. Designers simply log in to an Asset Browser site, search for the assets they need, and drag and drop to a document. The browser remains active within the layout window and can be moved, resized or minimized as needed—so there’s no need to switch between applications. For added security, users must log in to Asset Browser to access files on the server, and a session time-out period can be established.
The Asset Browser Window: View image previews and file information, and drag and drop assets without leaving the layout application.
Speed Reviews in the Production Environment
Like many projects with tight deadlines, collecting and incorporating review comments in a timely manner depends on careful communication and a well-organized workflow. Comments often come from several sources and accuracy is essential. Asset Browser is fully integrated with our Annotations tool to facilitate this level of ease and communication and ensure that comments are addressed quickly and precisely.
After a document is reviewed and annotated through WebNative Suite, production users with access to Asset Browser have a significant advantage. With proper permissions, they can import all annotations directly to the InDesign file in three quick steps: they simply log in to Asset Browser, search for the annotated file, and click the Annotations button. The file is automatically opened from a mounted Xinet volume.
As the annotated file opens, comments are imported as layers within the document. One layer shows the annotations and another displays notes about the annotations, such as who made the comment and when.
Because the imported comments become a part of the source file as standard InDesign layers, production users can quickly make edits without spending time toggling between applications. The annotations are matched with an exact location on the file, making them easier to locate than searching for comments on a PDF or in a web browser. Comments can also be made about the status of each annotation through Asset Browser. An annotations report is available for tracking the status of annotations as they are made and addressed.
Import Annotations as InDesign Layers: Annotations and annotation notes have been imported to this document as layers and are displayed on the file when these layers are visible. Asset Browser shows each imported annotation and allows the production team to make comments as each one is addressed.
Customize Formatting and Placement
Asset Browser can be used to do more than just place images. For users who create complex, time-consuming layouts, an added layer of customization automates the formatting and layout of both assets and metadata. This customization can be created with a scripting language, such as AppleScript. Once the script is in place, users can drag an image from Asset Browser, and the layout, placement and formatting are automatically handled by the script, saving considerable time in the studio.
With scripting, any formatting a user needs can be automated. For example, custom scripting might place an image at a specified size, depending on the value of a metadata field associated with the image. Or the script might place text boxes containing metadata values alongside the image to save creative staff the tedious task of entering text for each asset.
Localize for Many Markets
Designing for multiple regions, variable pricing, or a wide range of item descriptions is greatly simplified with Asset Browser. Scripting can be set up so that localization is reflected in different layers of the design file, and requires no additional effort by the designer. With scripting in place on the WebNative Suite server and assets viewed through a WebNative Suite site, customization can be automated for virtually any design element.
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