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Flatplan Generator – Adobe InDesign

Automatic flatplan generator for Adobe InDesign based on CSV data. This script allows you to quickly create pagination mockups with a modular structure and maintainable code.

🚀 Features

  • Automatic generation: Creates complete flatplans from a CSV file
  • Color management: Automatic assignment of pastel colors by section
  • Advertising support: Specialized handling of ads with fractional formats (1/2, 1/3, 1/4)
  • Smart pagination: Automatic calculation of positions and spreads
  • Visual separators: Separator lines every 4 pages to ease printing
  • Modular structure: Code organized into reusable modules

📁 Project structure

flatplan-generator/
├── constants.jsx          # Configuration and constants
├── utilities.jsx          # Utility functions
├── colorManager.jsx       # Color management
├── layoutCalculator.jsx   # Positioning calculations  
├── cardBuilder.jsx        # Visual element construction
├── start.jsx              # Main orchestration file
└── README.md

📋 Prerequisites

  • Adobe InDesign (recent versions tested)
  • InDesign template: gabarit_pagin.indt with the required masters
  • Required masters: “A-Master” and “B-Master”
  • A CSV file formatted according to the expected structure

📊 CSV file format

The CSV file must contain the following columns:

startPage,title,section,pageCount,advertiser,sector
1,"Main article",Editorial,2,,
3,"Toyota advertisement",Advertising,1,Toyota,Automotive
4,"News",News,3,,

🛠️ Installation and usage

Method 1: Modular files (recommended)

  • Place all .jsx files in the same folder
  • Adjust the template path in constants.jsx:
var PATHS = {
    templateFile: "path/to/your/template.indt"
};
  • Run start.jsx in Adobe InDesign

Method 2: Manual loading Load the files in the following order in InDesign:

  1. constants.jsx
  2. utilities.jsx
  3. colorManager.jsx
  4. layoutCalculator.jsx
  5. cardBuilder.jsx
  6. start.jsx

⚙️ Configuration

Edit constants.jsx to customize:

  • Card dimensions: width, section heights
  • Colors: pastel color palette
  • File paths: template and logs
  • Text styles: sizes and alignments

🎨 Advanced features

Advertising management

  • Support for fractional formats (1/2, 1/3, 1/4 page)
  • Grey overlay with ad number
  • Special formatting: “Advertiser – Sector”

Color system

  • Automatic assignment by section
  • 16 predefined pastel colors
  • Consistent color reuse

Smart pagination

  • Automatic spread calculation
  • Multi-page handling
  • Automatic master application

🐛 Debugging

  • Errors are automatically logged to indesign_script_errors.log
  • Alert messages in case of issues
  • Modular structure for easier debugging

🤝 Contribution

This modular structure facilitates collaboration:

  • Each module has a specific responsibility
  • Easily extensible code
  • Clear separation of concerns

📝 License

Project developed for automated flatplan generation in an editorial production environment.