Q. Can I really build pages without a file server?
But, to completely skip using a file server of any kind, all users would need to be using the Remote Log In Method.
If your site is going to use both the Local and Normal Log In methods, in addition to supporting some Remote users, the Normal and Local users still require a file server.
In addition, where are your ads stored? Most sites would need a file server for the ads if they are using the BLOX Total CMS client's tool for placing ads. One of our first two beta test sites used dropbox for the ad server. The other initial test site found a way to send to the single remote user the ads they needed. Neither is considered a normal workflow and has inherent disadvantages.
However you plan to configure it, if you are using our built-in ad functionality, the relative paths for the ads are configured in the browser based Path configuration settings. If the paths stray from those relative paths, ads won't import using our tools. It is possible to mimic those paths, however.
Q. If the site updates client code, does the remote user automatically get updated?
The BLOX Total CMS client for Adobe InDesign for the remote users is installed on the remote computer.
There is, however, a feature to allow the remote users to self update to the latest TownNews Quality Assurance team approved version of the client. When a new version is released, the remote users should get prompted to update.
However, in future years, the client will be moving to an actual Adobe Plug-In and then the updates will be handled through Adobe's technology.
Q. I need to recreate an edition. How will that work for the pages that have already been checked in?
For some extended time, the sidecar .adinfo files, that are the hallmark of how BLOX Total CMS handles the placement of ads, have been uploaded to Page Tracker as separate entities from the pages. Thus, the ad composition or ad layout staff can update the edition with a different ad layout even if remote users might have one of its pages open remotely. It just works.
Be sure to enable that option in Page Tracker's Application Settings as shown below:
Also, because the AdInfo is shared with Page Tracker and all users, if someone wants to move/remove/add an advertisement manually, they must use BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Advertising > Override AdInfo...
Q. Is it possible to provide a page to the remote staff even if it was not uploaded for a remote user initially?
If you aren't already logged in as a Local user, do that. Then open the page using BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Open by Status... Then choose BLOX Total CMS > Documents > Check In...
Q. Is it possible to take a page that was initially uploaded for a remote user and allow the in-office staff to use it?
When distributed production is enabled there are three types of users. Historically, we had one type of user which we now classify as Normal. Normal users have no access to pages that have been uploaded for Distributed Production. Local users are the in-office staff that would have previously been Normal users but Local users have access to the uploaded pages as well as the page that exist on the local file server. So, if you are using Distributed Production with a mix of both in-office and remote staff (and this was the original plan for Distributed Production) then your in-office users should be logging in with the Local option and not the Normal option.
Q. We only use Remote and Normal log in methods, can we convert a remote page to a Normal page?
Have your in-office users log in with a Local option and they can work on all the pages in-office.
Q. We have snippets that have images in them. Can that work with Distributed Production?
Prior to exporting the snippets, use Adobe InDesign's Links panel to Embed Link. Then, when Export Snippet is used with the Export to Page Tracker for Distributed Production, the image will be included with snippet.
This should be just an ordinary image and it should not be an image asset. PLEASE be smart about what image you embed. It should be sized appropriately. The Adobe InDesign Links panel can provide both Effective ppi (pixels per inch) and its file size. If the image is oversized you're going to slow down the saving, uploading, and downloading of every page that uses the snippet with zero positive effects. Work smarter so you can work faster.
Note, snippet support for Distributed Production is an ongoing project. Behaviors will change, but the support for the Embed Link shall remain.
Q. How long do uploaded Pages live in Page Tracker for Remote access?
By default, all pages in Page Tracker live for 400 days. And the uploaded part of the page used for Distributed Production will expire at the same time.
There are controls to manually delete pages and editions. Hosted sites should know that this affects their storage use.
Q. Will Jumps be supported with Distributed Production?
Eventually Dynamic Jumps will be supported.
Currently jumping assets is purposely disabled. Our first two test sites chose to ignore the readers' preferences and jump stories anyway. They accomplished that by copying and pasting the overset and using the built-in BLOX Total CMS client for Adobe InDesign functions create the turnline and continued from frames. It works, but it isn't recommended because there isn't anything to keep both ends of the jumped story in-sync.
As part of the preparation for Distributed Production, the Jump Items themselves are uploaded to Page Tracker for the active domain so they are available to all users.
Q. Can I use Adobe InCopy with Distributed Production Remote Pages?
This will never be supported. Adobe InCopy requires access to the Adobe InDesign pages to provide the view of the page in Layout Mode. But the pages don't exist where the InCopy user can view them and see them update as the page is updated.
That said, a site can crate Adobe InCopy Assignments on their Normal pages for InCopy users that are located in-office.
And currently, a Local user can open that page and if they do not check in the page, the Adobe InCopy assignments will be retained.
Q. What do we need to test this?
- A unique log in for every test user. Do not let one user simultaneously log in as Normal, Remote, and/or Local. Just like with BLOX Total CMS assets, logging in at multiple locations with the same account wrecks havoc with asset locks.
- You'll need to do the same preparation outlined here.
- You need non-Appliance-based (hosted) BLOX Total CMS.
- You need Adobe Creative Cloud based Adobe InDesign. Adobe InDesign 2023 (version 18 and newer) is recommend.
Q. How do we get the final PDFs of the Pages?
Check out the separate article here on the many different output options.
