= =================================================================
  GridCraft  —  Layout, Logo & Gridframe construction grids
  for Adobe InDesign
  Installation Guide  (v1.0)
==================================================================

GridCraft for InDesign is a panel (CEP extension) for Adobe InDesign.
It builds classic layout/typographic grids, logo construction grids,
and clear-space (Gridframe) zones from your selected frame or page.

Works in: Adobe InDesign CC 2019 through 2025 (Mac & Windows).
Can be installed alongside GridCraft for Illustrator/Photoshop —
they live in separate folders and don't conflict.


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WHICH METHOD SHOULD I USE?
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There are two ways to install. You only need ONE.

  • METHOD 1 — Copy the folder yourself  (no extra software needed)
        Works for everyone. Recommended for most people.

  • METHOD 2 — ZXP installer  (GridCraft-InDesign.zxp is included)
        If you already use a ZXP/UXP installer tool. Skips the
        debug-mode step.


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  METHOD 1 — COPY THE FOLDER  (recommended, no extra tools)
==================================================================

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STEP 1 — COPY THE FOLDER INTO THE CEP EXTENSIONS DIRECTORY
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Move the "GridCraft-InDesign" folder into:

  macOS:
    ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/
    (the ~ is your home folder. In Finder use Go > Go to Folder…
     and paste:  ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions )

  Windows:
    C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CEP\extensions\

If the "CEP" or "extensions" folders don't exist, create them.

Final path should look like:
  …/Adobe/CEP/extensions/GridCraft-InDesign/CSXS/manifest.xml


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STEP 2 — ENABLE UNSIGNED EXTENSIONS (one-time)
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>>> THIS STEP IS REQUIRED. <<<
>>> To avoid a white/empty panel, you MUST do this step. <<<

If you already did this for GridCraft (Illustrator/Photoshop),
skip to Step 3 — it's the same setting.

Adobe blocks unsigned extensions by default. GridCraft is unsigned,
so InDesign will show a BLANK white panel unless you enable
"debug mode" once. This is safe — it simply tells InDesign
to allow unsigned extensions like GridCraft to load.

  ─── macOS ───

  Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal), paste this
  single line, and press Return:

    defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.12 PlayerDebugMode 1 && defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.11 PlayerDebugMode 1 && defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.10 PlayerDebugMode 1 && defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.9 PlayerDebugMode 1 && echo "Done — now restart InDesign."

  You should see "Done — now restart InDesign." That's it.

  ─── Windows ───

  Press Win+R, type  regedit  and press Enter. Navigate to:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\CSXS.12

  In the right pane, right-click > New > String Value.
  Name it:  PlayerDebugMode
  Double-click it and set the value data to:  1

  Repeat for CSXS.11, CSXS.10, and CSXS.9.
  (If a CSXS.x key doesn't exist, skip that one.)


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STEP 3 — RESTART INDESIGN & OPEN THE PANEL
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1. Fully quit InDesign (Cmd+Q / Alt+F4), then reopen it.
2. Go to:   Window  >  Extensions  >  GridCraft InDesign
3. The GridCraft panel opens. Dock it anywhere you like.


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  METHOD 2 — ZXP INSTALLER
==================================================================
The signed installer is included at:

  GridCraft-InDesign/ZXP File/GridCraft-InDesign.zxp

1. Download the free ZXP/UXP Installer from aescripts + aeplugins:
   https://aescripts.com/learn/zxp-installer/
   (Anastasiy's Extension Manager also works.)

2. Open the installer and drag GridCraft-InDesign.zxp onto it
   (or use File > Install).

3. Restart InDesign and open
   Window > Extensions > GridCraft InDesign.

A ZXP installer registers the extension for you, so you do NOT need
the debug-mode step from METHOD 1.

(The .zxp is self-signed with the included
gridcraft-indesign-cert.p12 — certificate password: gridcraft —
in case you ever want to re-sign an updated build.)


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HOW TO USE
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The panel has three tabs at the top:

• LAYOUT — pick any of 30+ grid systems (columns, modular, golden
  section, Fibonacci, rule of thirds, baseline, 8-point, bento,
  isometric, Van de Graaf, and more). Draw a rectangle frame at
  your target size, keep it selected, choose a grid, set the
  parameters, and click "Build Grid". No selection? The grid fits
  the current page instead.

• LOGO GRID — select your logo's vector paths (outline live text
  first: Type > Create Outlines; placed images/PDFs have no paths —
  paste the vector logo directly from Illustrator). Toggle Anchors,
  Handles, Outlines and Gridlines, adjust the Gridline Sensitivity
  slider, then click "Build Logo Grid". Construction lines extend
  to the page edges.

• GRIDFRAME — select your logo paths to generate a clear-space /
  exclusion zone. Choose the unit (X-height auto-detect, logo
  height, or a custom value) and a multiplier, pick a fill
  (diagonal hatch, unit tiles, or frames only), then click
  "Build Gridframe".

InDesign specifics:
• "Non-printing (guide-style)" — grid objects are marked
  non-printing: visible on screen, skipped on print/export
  (View > Extras controls their visibility like other non-printing
  objects).
• Colors are added to your Swatches panel as "GridCraft #HEX",
  so grids recolor like any other InDesign object.
• Everything is created as one named group in a single undo step —
  one Cmd+Z / Ctrl+Z removes it.
• Parameter fields are in points (1 mm ≈ 2.835 pt), regardless of
  your document's ruler units.

Picking a color: click any color swatch in the panel to open
GridCraft's built-in color picker — drag in the square, move the
hue slider, or type/paste a hex code.


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STILL GETTING A BLANK PANEL?
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1. Did you do Step 2 (debug mode)?
   This is the #1 cause. Go back and run the Terminal command (Mac)
   or add the registry values (Windows).

2. Did you fully restart InDesign?
   Cmd+Q (Mac) or Alt+F4 (Windows) to fully quit, then reopen.
   Just closing the window is not enough on Mac.

3. Is the folder in the right place?
   Check that this path exists:
   …/Adobe/CEP/extensions/GridCraft-InDesign/CSXS/manifest.xml

4. Did you copy the whole folder?
   Make sure the entire GridCraft-InDesign folder (with js/, jsx/,
   CSXS/ subfolders) was copied, not just some of the files.

5. "GridCraft InDesign" isn't in Window > Extensions?
   Redo Step 2, fully restart, and check the folder path.

6. "Select your logo artwork first" / "no vector paths"?
   Select actual vector paths. For text, run Type > Create Outlines
   first. A placed image/PDF/EPS has no editable paths — copy the
   vector artwork from Illustrator and paste it into InDesign.

7. Grid extends off the page?
   Construction grids draw outside the logo — give your logo some
   room on the page, or zoom out to see the full result.

8. Grid landed on a locked layer error?
   Unlock the active layer (or switch to an unlocked one) and build
   again.


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UNINSTALL
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Delete the "GridCraft-InDesign" folder from the CEP/extensions
directory. (Optional) set the PlayerDebugMode values back to 0 if
you don't use other unsigned extensions.


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GridCraft for InDesign v1.0
==================================================================
