DesignCraft expert

InDesign page-layout method rewritten for DesignCraft, the ArtCraft InDesign-class app, driven over MCP from Claude Code or any SKILL.md-compatible agent (PdfCraft optional, for interactive PDF post-processing). Every command id below existed in list_commands on 2026-11-03 (545 commands).

Verification legend: ✔ = the call was run on a scratch document on 2026-11-03 and behaved as described; no mark = the command id and params were read from list_commands but not exercised. If a call fails, re-read list_commands {filter:"…"}: the params field is the contract. Wrong attribute names in type.char / type.para return the full list of valid names in the error message - a cheap way to discover them.

0. Ground rules for the agent

• The ArtCraft apps are updated almost daily; every "not available" in this skill is a dated snapshot (2026-11-03). Before telling the user a feature is missing, or before using a workaround, re-check the live app with list_commands {filter:"<keyword>"} (and the error-listing trick for attributes). If the command now exists, use it and treat §3b as out of date. The Adobe knowledge in this skill and in references/ is the target behaviour even where DesignCraft lacks it today.
• Pick the right app: layout / multi-page / print PDF → DesignCraft; post-processing of an existing PDF (forms with logic, comments, accessibility fixes, signatures) → PdfCraft.
• DesignCraft only writes under a sandbox root ✔: the server's allowed root (e.g. ~/Craft in a default install; check the server instructions or the error message). export_png, file.exportPdf, save_document, etc. refuse other paths, and the target folder must already exist (mkdir -p first). Keep placed images inside that root too.
• Never open or overwrite the user's originals in place: open, then save a working copy under a new name.
• Coordinates are points in spread space, y down ✔. On a facing-pages spread the left page spans x 0…W and the right page W…2W (A4: 595.28; Letter: 612). Page 1 of a facing document is alone on spread 0. Read inspect_document → spreads[].pages[].bounds and columnRects instead of guessing.
• Loop: list_commands {filter} → batch (stops at first error, earlier steps stay; $N.id, $last.story pass results forward) → inspect_document (overset, ids, styles) → render_page to look.
• Outputs that get_story / story.get return contain the whole text: avoid them on long stories.
• Version deliverables (job_v01_print.pdf) and keep the .designcraft working file next to the exports.

1. Key concepts (what InDesign thinks, what DesignCraft does)

• Frames are containers: text frame, graphic frame or unassigned (frame.create {content}); the image inside is content, positioned with object.fit. Effects apply to the whole frame, not to single words.
• Parent pages (ex "master pages") carry folios, headers, guides and placeholder frames for every page that uses them. Change once, update everywhere. Parents can be based on other parents.
• Margins and columns define the live area; bleed (usually 3 mm ≈ 8.5 pt, or 9 pt / 0.125 in) is where edge-to-edge objects must extend; slug is outside the bleed for job info.
• Baseline grid: a document-wide grid (leading increment) that body text can lock to, so that lines align across columns (document.preferences {baselineGrid}, type.para {gridAlign}).
• Stories and threads: one story can run through many threaded frames; text that does not fit is overset (red plus in InDesign; stories[].overset here). Never deliver with overset.
• Styles: paragraph (whole paragraph + its characters), character (runs inside), object (fill, stroke, effects, text-frame options), table and cell styles. Base styles on each other; avoid local overrides.
• Swatches: named colours (process CMYK, spot, tints, gradients). Edit the swatch → every use updates.
• Transparency: opacity, blend modes and soft effects; they interact with what is underneath and get flattened in PDF/X-1a.
• Preflight: continuous check for overset, missing/low-res images, fonts. Run it early and often.

2. Recommended workflow

1. Brief: format, pages, print vs screen, bleed, colour mode, deliverables (PDF/X, interactive, PNG).
2. new_document with preset/size, facing pages, margins, columns, bleed, slug, intent ✔.
3. Swatches (swatch.create) and styles (style.paragraph.create, style.character.create, style.object.create, style.cell.create, style.table.create) before content ✔.
4. Parent pages: folio with page-number marker, header, guides (layout.parents.*, frame.create {spread:{kind:"parent",index}}) ✔.
5. Content: text frames + set_story_text, thread/autoflow, images with place_image/file.place, wrap.
6. Apply styles (select range → style.paragraph.apply, or find.change {paraStyle|charStyle}) ✔.
7. Check: inspect_document (overset), preflight.run, render_page every page, ink.separations.
8. Export: file.exportPdf (x4/x1a with bleed+marks for print; tagged/interactive for screen), export_png for social, file.package for the printer; save .designcraft working copy.

3. Mapping table: InDesign → DesignCraft

3b. Not available as of 2026-11-03 (snapshot - re-check with list_commands before relying on it)

Not found in the 545-command list on 2026-11-03: generative AI (Text to Image, Generative Expand, Subject-Aware wrap), Adobe Fonts / CC Libraries / Share for Review / Pantone Connect, style packs and Auto Style, Quick Apply, saved PDF export presets (pass the options every time), mixed-ink swatches, a Glyphs panel (type the Unicode character with text.insert instead), Animation panel, button Show/Hide actions (only page/url actions; do popups in PdfCraft), import of PDF comments, Open PDF as editable objects (place the PDF as a graphic, or paste vector art with edit.pasteSvg). UI-only things (Presentation mode, Story Editor, workspaces) are irrelevant headless: use render_page.

4. Recipes (details in references/)

Document setup ✔ - new_document {preset:"A4", pages, facingPages:true, margins:{top,bottom,inside,outside}, columns, gutter, bleed:9, slug:18, intent:"print"}. Screen work: intent:"web", units:"pixels", no bleed. Reusable spec → file.savePreset. → references/02-document-setup-and-pages.md

Flyer / single-sheet - background frame from -bleed to W+bleed (it must reach the bleed line) → headline/body frames inside margins → image place_image + object.fit {mode:"fillProportionally"} → object.textWrap → styles → preflight.run → PDF/X-4 with bleed + crop marks. Brochure (tri-fold): new_document {width:842, height:595, columns:3} or one page per panel; keep folds in mind for margins.

Multi-page with parents and folios ✔ - on the parent spread draw one folio frame per side page (left: x≈outside margin; right: x offset by page width), type a placeholder like # and run find.change {find:"#", change:"~N", grep:true, scope:"document"}. Header via variables.define {type:"runningHeader", style} + variables.insert. New pages: layout.pages.insert {count, parent:"A"}.

Threaded text ✔ - frame + set_story_text (\n = new paragraph) → check overset in the result → text.thread {from:<frame>, rect:[…], spread, autoflow:true} adds frames per column and pages as needed. Multi-column body in one frame: object.textFrameOptions {columns, gutter}.

Consistent typography ✔ - define Body first, base headings on it (basedOn, nextStyle), use spaceBefore/After instead of empty paragraphs, character styles for emphasis applied with find.change {charStyle}; nested styles for run-in heads; keepWithNext on headings. → 07, 08.

Tables ✔ - tab-separated text → text.select → table.convertFromText → table.select {row:0} + table.convertRowsToHeader → cell styles (header with its own paragraph style, e.g. white text) → table style with altRows → table.options {repeatHeader} for long tables. → 09-tables.md

Images and wrap ✔ - file.place {path, frame} → object.fit → object.textWrap {mode:"boundingBox"| "contour", offset}; cut-outs: object.clippingPath {type:"alpha"}; alt text with object.altText. Effective resolution ≥ 300 ppi for print (preflight minPpi:300), ~150 ok for screen PDF.

Colour ✔ - print: CMYK process swatches {c,m,y,k}, spot only for brand inks (spot:true, one plate each, check ink.list); tints with object.fill {tint}; screen: RGB hex. Rich black only for large areas; small text in 100K. Check ink.separations {inkLimit:300} → overLimit.pixels must be 0. → 04-color.md

Preflight and export ✔ - preflight.run {minPpi:300} (overset = error, low-res = warning) → print: file.exportPdf {standard:"x4", bleed:true, marks:{crop:true,bleed:true}} (x1a if the printer wants flattened CMYK) → screen: {tagged:true, bookmarksPanel:true, pageLayout:"twoUpCover"} → social: document in pixels (1080×1350, 1080×1080, 1080×1920) and export_png {scale:1} ✔ → printer handoff: file.package. → 12-preflight-print-export.md

Interactive PDF ✔ - links (hyperlink.create), nav buttons (button.set {action:"nextPage"} → exported as a link), text fields (form.set), bookmarks, TOC with createBookmarks, then verify/extend in PdfCraft (doc_open → link_list, form_fields, form_set_actions {show,hide} for popups). → 13-interactive-pdf-and-pdfcraft.md

5. Common mistakes and delivery checklist

• Coordinates on the wrong page: right-hand pages start at x = page width in spread space.
• Background stops at the trim instead of the bleed → white hairline after cutting.
• Empty paragraphs for spacing, double spaces, manual line breaks to fix rag → use styles/Find-Change.
• Local overrides instead of styles; redefine the style (style.paragraph.redefine) when the look changes.
• Overset text hidden in a small frame; tables longer than their frame also go overset.
• Applying a spot colour by accident to a photo-heavy job, or two names for the same spot ink.
• Soft effects/transparency in PDF/X-1a get rasterised (warning in the export result): prefer x4.
• table.convertRowsToHeader fails "not in a table cell" unless table.select comes first ✔.
• text.insert straight quotes: typographer's quotes depend on prefs.set {typographersQuotes}.

Before delivery: inspect_document (no overset:true, no hidden/locked surprises) → preflight.run with 0 errors → links.list all ok → font.list nothing missing → render_page {bleed:true} on every page → ink.separations for print → export → reopen the PDF in PdfCraft (print_readiness, link_list, form_fields) → deliver the PDF and keep the working file.

6. References, maintenance and sources

references/: 01-workspace-and-basics · 02-document-setup-and-pages · 03-objects-layers-wrap · 04-color · 05-flowing-text · 06-editing-text · 07-typography · 08-styles · 09-tables · 10-graphics-and-links · 11-transparency-and-effects · 12-preflight-print-export · 13-interactive-pdf-and-pdfcraft · 14-long-documents-and-automation. Read the matching file before a non-trivial task in that area.

Related ArtCraft skills (if installed): vectorcraft-expert (logos, vector art), photocraft-expert (image prep), filmcraft-expert / effectcraft-expert (video and motion).

Keeping this skill current. DesignCraft changes almost daily. When a command listed as missing in §3b appears, a param name changes, or a recipe stops working, update this skill (or open an issue on the repository) with the date and the list_commands evidence.

Sources. The workflow is informed by Adobe's InDesign Classroom in a Book 2026 Release (Adobe Press) and verified against DesignCraft's live command catalogue on 2026-11-03. It is written independently and reproduces no text from the book.