Do you have any tips for the index editor?

Final deadline rolls around, and how do you feel? Tired. The adviser is exhausted. The editor in chief is cranky. And the person responsible for finishing the index? He’s huddled under a desk, cell phone in one hand, the rep’s phone number in the other, begging the rep to come in for an unscheduled visit. Adviser fatigue and editor burnout may be perennial problems, but the index editor’s desperation? That can be fixed. Here’s how:

• Find a good index editor. This person should demonstrate an attention to detail and a knack for organization. An index editor is often an underclassman being groomed for next year’s editorial board. The job description includes tagging names, training other staff members to help tag names, designing the index layouts, compiling InDesign® files and editing the index for misspellings.
• Print out the InDesign indexing shortcuts at the bottom of this page. Tape a copy of the shortcuts to each computer monitor, so anybody who helps the index editor tag names has the correct instructions.
• Tag names on corrected proof files, not your original files, because your corrected files are the most accurate.
• Tag names as you return your proofs to spread out the index editor’s workload, rather than trying to do all the work during the final deadline.
• The index editor should have his own copy of the ladder. As each spread is tagged, the editor should mark it on the ladder.
• Ask your representative to walk the index editor through building a book and generating the index. A little practice couldn’t hurt.
• Create the index at least two days before you ship your pages to the plant. Once you generate the index, you have only one file to edit. Editing the final product is a slow and time-consuming process, so leave yourself some extra time to edit.

While the shift from PageMaker® to InDesign has been a boon to yearbook production, that shift has added a few wrinkles to the indexing process. The tips below will help you iron out those wrinkles:

• Make sure the computer you are using meets or exceeds the system requirements outlined by Adobe. If your computer is having trouble running InDesign and PhotoShop® or Image In simultaneously, it may be difficult to generate your index.
• If you are using InDesign CS, not CS3 or CS2, make sure you have installed the April 2005 3.0.1 update from the Adobe Web site, www.adobe.com.
• Consult the Herff Jones Web site for complete indexing instructions.
  • Go to www.yearbooks.biz and choose FAQs. Type “indexing” in the Keyword(s) field or click How Do I Create an Index in Adobe® InDesign®?.
  • The indexing instructions include tagging the names, building the index file, creating a book, generating the index and using the index styles.
• InDesign CS and CS2's book feature has a 100-file limit.
  • If you have more than 100 files to index, you will need to use the Pages palette to consolidate your files.
  • Refer to the How can I combine the layouts from two diferent files FAQ for step-by-step instructions.
• I recommend compiling the files into 10 page increments, five spreads per file.
  • Save these compiled files by page number only.
  • For example, pages 1 through 9 would be saved as 001-009.indd.
  • Pages 110 through 119 would be saved as 110-119.indd.
  • Saving by page number will keep the files in numerical order and make it easier to create the book.
• Save all compiled files in one folder.
  • Label this folder “Index.”
  • Include the actual index files saved by page number in this folder, so all the files that will be added to the book are in one place.
• Move your compiled files onto one computer’s hard drive, which makes indexing with InDesign easier.
  • It might take an hour or more to build the index for a 300 or 400 page yearbook on a networked computer.
  • At one school I work with, the tech person took a computer off the network and removed administrative privileges so we could build the index.
  • At another school, we moved all of the compiled files to my laptop, generated the index and moved the index file back to the school’s network.

Instructions and trouble shooting tips for generating the index

1. Open the index file, Book palette and the Index palette.
2. Click on the Generate Index button at the bottom of the Index palette.
3. In the Generate Index dialog box, select the option to Include Book Documents.
4. Click OK.

If the option to Include Book Documents is grayed out, check the following:

1. Do you have the index file in the book? If not, add the index file to the book and try again.
2. When you check the index file in the book, does an open book icon appear next to the file name? If not, open the index file and try again.

Index Shortcuts

To index a proper name, last name first, using a keyboard shortcut:
Use the Text tool to highlight the text in the story that you want to index

• CS Mac: Command + Shift + F8
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Mac: Shift + Option + Command + ]
• CS Windows: Ctrl + Shift + F8
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Windows: Shift + Alt + Ctrl + ]

To index names of more than two words or names with titles:
Insert a non breaking space by highlighting the space between the two words

• CS Mac: Option + Command + X
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Mac: Option + Command + X
• CS Windows: Ctrl + Alt + X
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Windows: Ctrl + Alt + X
• Or go to Type > Insert White Space > Non Breaking Space
  For example, to index Jennifer Love Hewitt, place a non breaking space between Jennifer and Love. InDesign indexes the name as, Hewitt, Jennifer Love

To index business or club names:
Use the Text tool to highlight the text in your story that you want to index

• CS Mac: Command + Option + U
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Mac: Shift + Option + Command + [
• CS Windows: Ctrl + Alt + U
• CS4, CS3 and CS2 Windows: Shift + Alt + Ctrl + [
  For example, Joe’s Pizza Parlor is indexed as Joe’s Pizza Parlor

Remember to SAVE often!

Submitted by Kara Petersen
Herff Jones Sales Representative, VA

Discoveries Vol. 10 No. 2