This article describes how to transfer all of your DesignMerge Server software and settings from an older version of Adobe InDesign Server to a newer version of Adobe InDesign Server, on the same hardware/VM, or to a new hardware/VM configuration.

The fastest way to transfer settings in this fashion is to transfer the entire Meadows folder. The Meadows folder exists inside of the Adobe InDesign Server Preferences folder.

For this article, we will reference the current/old system as the Old System, and the new system as the New System. Follow the steps below to transfer all DesignMerge settings:

(OPTIONAL) INSTALL DESIGNMERGE SOFTWARE ON NEW SYSTEM

NEW OR UPGRADE SOFTWARE LICENSE: If you received an updated set of software from Meadows for your new InDesign Server system (e.g. to support a newer version of Adobe InDesign Server), please install that software first. Installation of the DesignMerge Server software is generally accomplished by moving the provided Meadows folder into the InDesign/Plug-Ins folder that is inside of the InDesign Server application folder. The Meadows folder contains all of the required plug-in software, along with the custom mpsactivation.lic file, which holds the license information for your software.

IMPORTANT: Once the Meadows software has been installed, please run Adobe InDesign Server one time to ensure that all of the plug-ins load correctly, and the system has had a chance to create all preference folders and files.

SOFTWARE TRANSFER: If you will be transferring the identical software from the Old System to the New System, please copy over the entire Meadows folder, which is located inside of the InDesign/Plug-Ins folder. Place this Meadows folder in the InDesign/Plug-Ins folder on the New System. This completes the initial software transfer. Please see below for details about transferring existing DesignMerge settings.

MAKE A COPY OF EXISTING DESIGNMERGE SETTINGS ON OLD SYSTEM

First, copy the DesignMerge settings on the Old System by following the steps below:

1. Use the link below for instructions about how to locate the Meadows preferences folder. Scroll down on the page to the Server section.
   Where do I find the InDesign Preferences and Meadows Preferences Folder?
2. Next (optional), if you want to reduce the size of the Meadows folder you will be transferring, look for a folder called DesignMerge that is inside of the Meadows folder. Inside of the DesignMerge folder, you will see a folder called Index Files. This folder can sometimes contain large, temporary files. You can safely delete the Index Files folder if you want to.
3. Make a copy of the entire Meadows folder. For example, place a copy of this folder in an easy-to-find location that you can share with the New System where you will be transferring these settings. We strongly advise making a Zip file of the Meadows folder to ensure the integrity of the files during the transfer.

TRANSFER DESIGNMERGE SCRIPTS

DesignMerge for Adobe InDesign Server systems typically include several Meadows-provided scripts, as well as custom scripts that may have been developed for your system. These scripts must be copied from the Old System to the New System. To do this, please follow these steps:

1. Go to the following folder on the Old System
   Adobe InDesign Server/Scripts/Meadows
2. Make a copy of the Meadows folder that is inside of the Scripts folder on the Old System.

   If you do not have a folder called Meadows in the Scripts folder on the Old System, then check for a folder named Scripts Panel, and see if there is a Meadows folder in that location. The Scripts Panel folder is typically available only on desktop systems, but some customers elect to keep the same folder paths between their desktop and server systems, so they may have intentionally created this sub-folder.
   

3. Transfer a copy of the Meadows folder and place it into the identical location on the New System.

MODIFY QCOMM.PRF SETTINGS FILE

If you are using DesignMerge Queue software, you must verify and/or modify the settings in the file named MPS QComm.prf. This file is located inside of the DesignMerge/Config folder in the Meadows folder that you copied earlier.

The MPS QComm.prf file contains XML settings to ensure successful operation with the DesignMerge Queue system. One of the XML Elements is defined as follows:

<soapScriptPath>C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server 2019\Scripts\Meadows\MPS Script Launcher.jsx</soapScriptPath>

This element is the full path to the main script that drives the DesignMerge Server system. We recommend that these scripts be installed into the Scripts/Meadows folder within the InDesign Server system. If you care to follow this recommendation, please move the entire Scripts/Meadows folder from the Old System to the corresponding location in the New System (as described in previous section), and update the <soapScriptPath> element in the MPS CComm.prf file to reflect this new location.

As an alternative, if you care to keep these scripts in a common location (shared by all versions of Adobe InDesign Server) then no modification to the MPS QComm.prf file will be necessary.

TRANSFER DESIGNMERGE SETTINGS TO NEW SYSTEM

Now, transfer the settings to the New System by following the steps below:

1. Simply place the Meadows folder into the identical location on the New System. Follow the instructions presented in the previous section to find the appropriate location for the Meadows folder on the New System.

   If a Meadows folder already exists in this location, simply delete it or, if you wish to keep a backup copy of the original settings on your New System, you can re-name the folder and just leave it in that location.

2. If you are running multiple instances of InDesign Server, you will have a Meadows folder for each instance. If you want all instances to be running identical DesignMerge settings, copy the same Meadows folder into the same location for each instance of InDesign Server.
3. Launch Adobe InDesign Server. 
4. This completes the settings transfer. All of your activation settings, DDF settings, TransTables, and any SQL or HTTP Fragments have been transferred from the Old System to the New System.

REMEMBER: HELP IS AVAILABLE!

If you have any difficulty at all, we are here to help. Please feel free to open a support ticket by going to the Meadows Online Support Center:

Meadows Technical Support