There are lots of ways to spec a new color swatch in InDesign, but they’re all based on RGB, CMYK, Lab, or a color library such as Pantone or Trumatch. Many folks brought up with HTML find it helpful to spec colors in hex code (such as #41bbac) or using standard HTML color names (such as red, purple, or darksalmon). If you’re into those kinds of colors, you’re going to love this new, free add-on from in-tools.com called ?CreateHexSwatch.

CreateHexSwatch is technically a “start-up script,” which means it shows up as an actual menu command, not in the Scripts panel. It works with InDesign CS3, CS4, or CS5. It comes with an mxp installer which works in CS5, or — if you’re using CS4 or CS3 — you can simply drag the “?CreateHexSwatch” folder into your Scripts folder (inside your InDesign application folder).