Tips and Tricks: Sharing Files Between CS4 and CS2

One frequently-encountered problem with InDesign CS4 is that if you need to share a file with a co-worker who has CS2, it is not possible open the CS4 file in CS2. One solution is to save the CS4 file in InDesign Interchange (INX) format. However, this solution was only initially designed to work in opening a file that is one version more advanced. For example, this technique works perfectly in opening a CS4 file with CS3, or a CS3 file with CS2. However, there is a way to make this work in opening files that are two versions apart.

First, it is important to understand that an INX file is simply an XML file. In the XML script, Adobe inserts a version number which indicates the version of InDesign to which the file is targeted. Adobe InDesign CS2 looks at the version number, sees that the INX file is targeted for CS3, and pops up an error message without even trying to open the file.

If you open the INX file with a text editor (notepad), you will be able to change the version number and trick CS2 into opening the file. You will need to replace line number 2, which looks like this:

aid style="33" type="document" DOMVersion="6.0" readerVersion="5.0" featureSet="257" product="6.0(352)"

with this:

aid style="33" type="document" DOMVersion="5.0" readerVersion="4.0" featureSet="257" product="5.0(662)"

With this simple change, you will be able to open the INX file generated by CS4 in InDesign CS2. Use caution, though: This works best for simple layouts. The more complex your layout, the more likely it will unexpectedly change when re-imported into a lower version of InDesign.