Structured authoring using DITA/XML is an effective method for streamlining your content authoring and review workflow; however, publishing DITA/XML to high–design and complex layouts has always been difficult. IdXML is a plugin for the DITA Open Toolkit that converts structured DITA content into XML formatted for Adobe InDesign. It enables organizations to automate publishing workflows while maintaining the flexibility of professional layout tools.
IdXML bridges structured content and publishing workflows.
Author in DITA
Write structured XML content using topics and maps
Author in DITA
Create structured, reusable content using DITA topics and maps. Apply semantic tagging for consistency and reuse. Manage workflows using a CCMS.
Convert with IdXML
Map DITA content to InDesign-ready XML
Convert with IDXML
Transform DITA into InDesign XML using IDXML plugin. Map elements to styles and define layout flow. Generate ready-to-import packages.
Import to InDesign
Auto flow content into templates
Import to InDesign
Import XML into InDesign templates. Content and images flow automatically. Styles apply instantly for consistency.
Publish Output
Finalize layout and export output
Publish Output
Finalize layouts for print or digital. Minimal content changes required. Faster publishing with consistent branding.
When source DITA changes, updated XML re-imports into the existing design — preserving all layout decisions the designer has already made.
Convert complex DITA maps and bookmaps into XML optimized for Adobe InDesign import. Maintain structured content while leveraging InDesign’s layout capabilities.
Create custom configurations for different InDesign templates, tailored to specific document types — workbooks, children’s books, catalogs, quick-reference guides, and more.
Streamline the publishing of technical specifications with built-in MathML 2.0 support. By converting mathematical data into SVG format, IdXML ensures that complex formulas remain scalable and accurate from the DITA source to the final InDesign output.
Automatically package generated XML and associated images into a single zip file for easy distribution. This behavior is fully configurable, allowing workflows that require direct access to raw files.
IdXML bridges content teams and designers — each working in their native environment
Structured DITA content
Topic & title
<topic> <title>
Body & sections
<body> <section> <p>
Tables
<table> <row> <entry>
Images & figures
<image> <fig>
MathML equations
<mathml> → SVG
IdXML
DITA-OT
plugin
Professional InDesign layout
Paragraph & character styles
Applied automatically on import
Designer retains full control
Layout, spacing, image placement
Automate publishing workflows
Maintain structured content workflows
Support complex layouts and formatting
Reduce manual formatting and layout work
Improve document consistency
Update content easily when source DITA changes
IdXML complements Contiem publishing solutions and structured content workflows. Capabilities from IdXML are planned for integration into future Contiem publishing solutions to further streamline structured content publishing.
Contact Contiem to learn more about IdXML and structured content publishing solutions.
