Resources: InDesign & XML

Very Advanced: InDesign and XML

If you’re looking for training on using XML in InDesign, you’re facing a bit of a challenge. If you’re in a creative profession and you’ve found yourself in a position of needing to learn it and implement it, finding a live training class on this topic won’t be easy. Most live and virtual general InDesign classes offered out there, even “Advanced” ones that I teach, don’t have enough time in the day to dig in to this to the point where you can feel ‘proficient‘ on this alone. If you’re looking for hands-on training on this specific topic, you may need to set up a custom class with an authorized training provider.

As fantastic as this XML in InDesign concept is in the grand scheme of things, expecting anything beyond a brief touch on the subject in a general InDesign Advanced training course is a bit unrealistic. If you’re attending a live class, it is likely that the majority of the other attendees will not be ready or have use for this… yet. So if you’re needing it, you’re in a league of your own right now.

I myself have a very fundamental knowledge of it, enough to use it (grudgingly) if efficiency is a top priority in a client/project scenario. The tricky part is the ‘workflow‘ so to speak. Using it requires some big picture involvement. If there are multiple participants on a project with various roles in a flow, they all need to be on board with this and have training in it as well. When you start to research this topic on your own, you’ll start to sniff what I’m stepping in here.

The Best Resource I’ve Found and Given a Whirl

A Designer’s Guide to Adobe InDesign and XML. It is important to work through start to finish. When you purchase this, the example files used in the book are made available for download. There is also a Nook Edition now available. I’ve had some conversation with the co-author, who is very passionate about the topic. This is apparent about both authors after having gone through this book on my own.