Speedy Data Merge (in the background)

Hi,
Doing this manually, after linking the source file etc. with the:
Data Merge (Panel) > "Export to PDF" (Flyout)
I'm able to export to PDF successfully without doing any of the steps that will either ask InDesign to "Preview" the records or generate another copy document with the "Merged Records".
I'm trying to match this in the script I'm working on (that it skips those steps in order to speed up the generation of the output file).
Currently I'm having to use "app.activeDocument.dataMergeProperties.mergeRecords ()" before the traditional "ExportFile" which in turn is creating the separate "Merged Document", then having to close both (slow).
So, if I can get some help with the question above, is there a way to trigger the functionality of "Data Merge (Panel) > "Export to PDF" (Flyout)" within Extendscript?
Thanks so much for any help!

Hi,
Did you try the exportFile method of the DataMerge object ?
void exportFile (to: File[, using: PDFExportPreset][, outputOversetReportFile: File])
Merges records and exports to PDF.
Loic
http://www.ozalto.com

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Hey ladies and gents, I'm trying to automate a process here and running into trouble. I have the first chapter of a book with several data merge fields (legal documents etc), and want the later chapters to pick up from what I have already merged via text variables or SOMETHING. From what I've tried, the options available to me are limited and buggy.
Using the running header with character styles almost worked, but it removes all visual tracking in text around it (I assume this is a bug) and it only works for the first/last instance of the style. I need something that will fill in all instances.
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I need some solution that references live text, specifically different fields that have been data merged. This solution needs to work between documents, so your cross-reference suggestion was in the right direction. If I data merge 'Plan Name' from a CSV file into my first document and mark it with something (character style, paragraph style, text anchor etc), I want to have places in my other documents that pull that exact text from the first.
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I have a page that I used the data merge feature (with excel) and saved. But now when I open the page it does not show me the data merge window, but when I go to windows-automation-data merge it close the whole Indesign Program. No error message or anything! It just closes the whole program. I am stumped! Anyone know whats going on?

The Data merge window doesn't open automatically, so that'ts no surprise if you closed it. If ID crashes, though, you have a problem. Does it do it only when the file is open? See: Remove minor corruption by exporting Or does it happen even with no documents open? See: Replace Your Preferences

Leaving data roaming ON while abroad: what apps use data in the background?

As a quick preface, I've had an iPhone since Week 1 in the summer of 2007. I've been working outside the U.S. for well over a year now, so I've been roaming with my iPhone for almost the entire time I've owned it. I had kept data roaming turned OFF since the fall of '07, when a software update brought it as an option, but visual voicemail continued to work as always even when data roaming was OFF (under software versions 1.x).
After hearing about the early bugs with iPhone software v2.0, I stuck with the last version of 1.x until about a month ago. While I like almost everything about 2.2, I was dismayed to notice that visual voicemail no longer worked if data roaming was turned OFF. (Apparently, the visual voicemail "loophole," for lack of a better phrase, was closed with 2.0 or a subsequent version of the software.)
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The iPhone is officially unlocked and can be used with whatever provider/SIM card.
But imagine, we are a team of around 20 people, travelling to all kind of different countries all over the world (changing, not the same person is always travelling to the same countries), and of course (I didn't mention this in my first post), we also have to stay in contact by phone. In addition, also whatsapp is based on the phone number as far as I know, which is our main "quick" communication tool. It would never work out that all of us inform the others all the time about the changing phone numbers, depending on which country each individual is at the moment.
Your answer unfortunately just confirmed what my researches so far resulted in... there really seems to be no apple-like easy solution to manage data roaming for apps individually. In the beginning I was sure to quickly find something in the appstore, since I assume my situation is not such an exception. I guess I have to start learning how to program apps! :-)
Anyway, thanks for your answer! As I mentioned before, every idea is appreciated.

Multiple Data Merge - Problem Resolve... Sort Of

I've researched this issue all morning and found issues dating back to 2012 regarding the problems with Indesign's Multiple Record Data Merge. Many of the issues are answered with the basic set up. Create a new page as a single page and non facing page document. It appears that an earlier bug was resolved that caused data merge documents to be placed off center when produced. The issue that I was experiencing was similar to what I had seen but not covered or not answered when it appeared someone was posting a question about it.
I started with a single page document, non-facing page, no initial text box, and sized to 8.5'' x 11''. I'm layout out name badges 10-up on a page. I had a previous template that had some graphics in the background for alignment purposes. I created a blank master page and a record holder for the name badge then loaded my data source, placed my data entries, and styled accordingly. Upon creating a data merge I selected Multiple Record and then previewed the data merge and positioned the elements on the page using the data merge controls top, left and column placement commands.
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I decided to delete these graphics and try to apply the data merge again. The results were perfect. I'm deducing from this experiment that the data merge needs to be done on a blank page. Which is counter productive to the Indesign mater page template. Any elements on the page need to exist as a a part of your data entry group and no other elements on the page. You only create one data entry group in the top corner of the page then use the data merge panel to position and duplicate. Otherwise, you will get a single page for each record you have with each record set 10-up in my case.
Recap:
Create a single non-facing page document with no intial text box. (if you have more than one page the Multiple Records option will be grayed out)
Only have 1 layer in this document
Set a single data entry set/group on the master page.
Do not include any other graphics. Put them in after the data merge.
Click the Create Merged Document button in the data merge panel
Select "Multiple Records" from the drop down list
Click the Multiple Record Layout tab at the top of the Data Merge panel
Click "Preview Multiple Record Layout" at the bottom of the Data Merge panel so you can see the Entry Sets with the data in place
Use the Margins and Layout or Records inputs to position the elements on the document (see note below)
Click OK when everything is in place the way you like it.
After the data merge is complete you will have a new document that should look like you want it to. Now you can go into this document and start adding your design elements.
NOTE: Positioning the content without the base graphics can be tough if not impossible. What I did in this situation is placed my positioning guides on the page then went through Steps 1-9 to set up the document for merge. Once my settings were set I then clicked "Cancel" and deleted my positioning guides and graphics. The problem I was having was due to these elements being on the page. Once I created the document I then pasted my template guides back into the final data merged master page for production.
Request to ADOBE: Fix this issue so we can design our layouts and position our data merge elements without having to backtrack.

If you insist in multi-record data merge, you can have static/variable graphic and text components work. But, create a 3.5 x 2 frame (3.75 x 2.25 card w/bleed) around all of these components, and make sure nothing extends beyond this bounding frame. If the composition prevents you from enclosing all components, then make a PDF of content that is imported in as one graphic.
Another suggestion: don't combine the functions of variable data merge with imposition.
Create a 1up layout of business card to data merge the variable info.
From this file, export to PDF.
Then impose the individual cards with: an imposition app, PDF plug-in, Indesign script, or even manual placement into another document.

Can I use InDesign's Data Merge for more than just address labels?

I am a Graphic Designing working on a new science exhibition in Melbourne, Australia.
I'm trying to streamline the way we import our label content into InDesign (currently cut and paste from Word which is slow and leaves room for error). I've been going down the path of having a macro developed which converts the Word content into a csv file so I can then import this into InDesign through data merge, however the import is falling over.
Through testing we can conclude that data merge doesn't like paragraph breaks, en-dashes and apostrophies (and possibly more we haven't come across) and will only import data up until one of these items occurs in the data. We've tested a number csv file formats however we can't find a solution.
Has anyone come up with a solution for this? My macro developer would be keen to get a hold of a working csv file that deals with these issues...
Thanks!

I have done what you are describing, with Word & InDesign, on a daily basis, for years. Word is not the best choice for this kind of workflow, of course, but if I had to choose between placing Word & doing a data merge with CSV, I'd be torn. Neither one is really the tool for the job. XML import would suit you better, but if you're already midstream in VBA development, there's no point in trying to describe why placing carefully styled RTFs and clearing overrides is better than writing VBA to clean up Word files and turn them into CSV.
(Look at style mapping in Import Options when placing a Word file for future projects.)
(Also: it's not extra codings that you want to apply in VBA, it's purging Word-specific "Symbols" and just using true Unicode values for em dashes and other typographical symbols.)

Inconsistent placement of anchored text frame in data merge document

Just writing up this bug so that anyone else who encounters it can find out what's going on with less head-scratching.
It seems that InDesign's data merge feature gets confused when there are anchored objects in a text frame that's anchored inside another text frame, which can result in:
exported PDFs that don't match the InDesign preview when viewed in Acrobat (so, nasty surprises on some pages after exporting)
InDesign previews that - bizarrely - show differently depending on whether you navigated to the preview by hitting the arrow keys in the Data Merge box or by entering a number.
(sadly I can't provide a file for confidentiality reasons - but the problem point had multi-line data merge entries, a text frame that was anchored in another text frame of equal width, and anchored images and text frames in this anchored text frame)
There were certain entires where, if I navigate to them in the preview using the 'next' and 'previous' keys, there was 4mm less space between the nested text frame and the previous line than if I navigate to it by entering the number. Exporting as a PDF through data merge used the variant with more space.
Re-working the area in question so that the nested text frame wasn't needed seems to have removed the problem (but loses the ability to vertically align these elements in a fixed size frame that is in the text flow).

You didn't say what version of ID, or whter a single or multiple record per page merge, but the Preview is known to be buggy for multiple records since CS5 and might be for single records as well.
I have an annual directory that is built by data merge with one section in each listing as an anchored frame, and I've never had a problem, but it's not as complex as your description, nor do I ever merge to PDF (though I've heard here from several users that it's more reliable).
One thing you might want to try is merging without the preview step, but do it from a "fresh" file by copying and pasting your placeholders into a new document. If the problem is with the preview it seems that it "infects" the file and even merging without touching the preview button may not work.

Indesign Cs4 Multiple record data merge

I am trying to create a response card.
The sizing is such that they lie three on a letter sized page, and fit into Number 9 envelopes. I've
data merged onto the one page (so three target/data boxes in each of the response cards) but when i select expo
rt and multiple records it doesnt work right. It generates three on a page of all the same
record, and then a page of three for each record. i need each record only once and i'd like to print them three to a page and then cut them.
advice? i am not very advanced with indesign, so specific steps would be much appreciated.
is there a way to print if i make just one card? it seems you can only do 2 or 4 to a page, not three

You set your fields three times on the page right?, delete instances 2 & 3.
Repeat - Set the first instance of all your design, eliminate everything else.
From the Create Merged Document panel, select "Multiple Fields" in Records per Document and adjust spacing on the Multiple Record Layout tab. (Hint, turn on preview)

Best approach to creating a TOC for product catalog using data merge

What is the best approach for creating a TOC for a product catalog (over 1,000 items) using Data Merge?
The TOC would contain the product Categories.
So for example, Category A items could go from pages 1 - 3, and Category B items would start at pg 4, but if new items were added to Category A, then Category B may start from pg 6.
From the Data Source, there are 5 Data Fields I've chosen to be displayed. If this were a regular digital print document, I could use the Paragraph Style method for creating a TOC, but if I make any one of the Data Fields a certain Paragraph Style and use that for the TOC, it'll populate the TOC with that Data Field for all the items.
Any suggestions?

Peter Spier wrote:
TOC is not interactive in the ID file, though it can be in a PDF that you export (there's a checkbox to create PDF bookmarks). You might want to think about using Cross-references (rather than hyperlinks, I think) to build the TOC. You have to do it manually, but once done it should maintain itself, whereas a TOC is built automatically, but must be regenerated after you edit the doc.
One caveat witih TOCs created from cross-references: Although changing the text of an x-ref source paragraph (for example from "Patatas and tamatas" to "Tomatoes and Potatoes,"and/or when the source paragraph flows to the next or previous page) update automatically or when invoking "Update cross-references," MOVING a cross-reference source paragraph to a location before or after another source paragraph, does not change their sequence in the pseudo-TOC. You'll need to manually move the reference in the pseudo-TOC to the correct position in the sequence of cross-refs. So, put the task of checking the order of x-refs in the pseudo-TOC on your before hand-off check list.
HTH
Regards,
Peter
Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices

Data Merge Multiple Records Per Page Greyed Out

I am using InDesign cs5.5. I am attempting to create a catalog with the data merge option. I am attempting to do a data merge from the Master Page.
As you can see in the image, I have inserted my fields from the data source file. All images, original file, and data source file are in the same folder. I am inserting this info on the left sheet of the master file. When I select "Create Merged Document" the "select multiple records per page" is greyed out, however, there is plenty of room on the page for the 8 records I want it to show. See image below.
After watching tutorials, reading, etc. I made sure that my document does not have facing pages. I deleted my "page 2" to avoid that conflict. I made sure that the placeholder "allows overwrite from the master". I also deleted my "cache"/settings" by doing "ctrl, alt, shift" when reopening the program. I read that it may be because the files need to be on the right hand sheet of the master, however, when I move my info to the right sheet, I get the following message.
I have watched the tutorial videos, read the entire help section regarding data merge, and have correctly created my data source file. I've tried everything I've seen on the forums, apart from uninstalling and reinstalling. Please tell me that someone can help me figure this out as soon as possible. I'm in crunch time!
Thanks a lot.

Thanks Peter. That helped me un-grey the multiple records. I was able to complete a data merge, however, this is what happens.
As you can see in this image, I have the margins setup the way I prefer, and the data merge previews correctly.
Once I click to merge, this is the new document I get - it's only putting one record per page (even though the multiple records per page is selected), and it inserts this layout, not onto actual pages in indesign. It looks reall odd.
And when you scroll down,
Any suggestions on fixing this?
Also, my InDesign freezes up when I try and do a merge of my entire sheet (182 items). The images above are when I tested doing just records 1-32.
Thanks in advance and thanks for being so prompt yesterday. Very helpful.

IDCS6/IDCC MACOSX 10.6 and up: Inability to create tagged PDF during "Export PDF" in Data Merge

I have a rather odd question concerning an obscure feature of InDesign but have to ask it concerning a somewhat over-engineered solution to an ongoing problem. I will try to give an abridged version but forgive me if I ramble...
I have a solution that splits a large PDF based on bookmarks in the document. The InDesign file doesn't use bookmarks itself; but has paragraph styles that have been tagged using the expert tagging feature of the paragraph style. Once in Acrobat, I am able to make new bookmarks from structure and voila... bookmarks that were based on tags.
For this solution to work, a checkbox in the General window of the export PDF dialog box called "Create Tagged PDF" needs to be checked
This checkbox is normally available when exporting PDFs from InDesign. However, when attempting to export PDF from the Data Merge panel, the dialog changes.
The parts highlighted in green I expect to change; but the red change is unexpected and for my purposes, fouls up what I'm trying to do.
I should stress that if the data merge file is merged to one large new InDesign file, then this problem doesn't happen. However, the amount of data that I'm dealing with (tens of thousands of records) would take too much time and be double-handling.
Is this greying out of the checkbox a glitch; is it intentional; or am I missing something?
Concerning alternative ways of making bookmarks from a data merged PDF:
I have tried using manual bookmarks applied to form fields and only the actual words that were made as a bookmark appear in the PDF;
Merging to a new InDesign file is not an option given the record lengths that I work with (from 10,000 - 100,000)
Acrobat does have a way of automatically tagging an untagged document; however the results have been less than desirable so far.
There are a few third party applications for Acrobat that allow dynamic bookmarks based on type in certain positions, but many of these applications are Windows based. Mac compatible PDF-SAM looks promising but have had no testimonials on whether or not tasks like mine are possible.
Colin

Can also confirm that too Uwe. I thought those particular issues may just have to do with using the default [High Quality Print] setting... but no, Create Acrobat Layers and Include Hyperlinks can't be done regardless of how sophisticated the options within the export Adobe PDF dialog box (during data merge) is.
I know this is a user-to-user forum but from time to time I see Dov Isaacs on here and was hoping he may have some insight. Even if the answer still remains that it can't be done, at least I can then consider more alternatives for this uncanny and frustrating procedure.
Colin

2 up postcard w/ data merge

I can't figure this out.
I want to create a double sided 8.5 x 11 sheet that has two 5.5 x 8.5 postcards on it.
One side would be the front of the card (same image / no data merge) and the second side I' be data merging the mailing address.
I have no problem with the data merge, and if I create it as a single page document of only the back page I'm able to do mutiple records and make the 100 different post card backs.
But i I try to create it as a two page document with the 1st page the static image, it doesn't allow me to choose the option of mutiple records....
I've been frying my brain trying to figure this out and it seems like it should be so simple.

Thanks for the responses,
I will look into the interleave thing...
I was running them through twice (once a double sided static print and once with just the mailing addresses) but I print anywhere fromm 2000-4000 postcards a week (usually around 10 - 15 different post cards at 200 each) was thinking i would save time and wear and tear on the printer if I could do it i one shot

How do you data merge a specified page from an .indd file

Hi,
I'm using ID CS6 creating a number of documents that will include various pages from other .indd documents; i see the best way for me to do this as a data merge.
I can get the data merge to work absolutely fine, pulling in relevant images and text etc, and also pulling in the relelvant .indd documents; what i can't do is specify which page of the .indd file i want to show, so i'm always getting the first page. Is there a way to specify a page to merge, as opposed to only the first one?
Thanks in advance...
P.S. I'm right in thinking you can't merge snippet files aren't I...as i can't get that to work...

I don't know of a way to specify a page of an ID document during a data merge. But interesting note: during my experimentation, the second page of the ID doc was being used in the data merge. Then after changing other variables in data merge workflow, the first page of document was used. I don't know what triggered the page change, and unfortunately can not repeat.

Data Merge - Problem with multi paragraph text

Hi. Does anyone know how to use Data Merge for automating say a newsletter. The reason I ask is that when I produce a .csv file that contains stories with paragraphs, data merge reads the para returns as the next row/record of data. I have contained the story within " " marks and it reads OK into a demo of easy catalog, but data merge just gets all confused. Is anyone using data merge to automate newsletters / catalogues that have lots of text with para returns etc. I read in the adobe online manual that there cannot be any para returns in text because that's how data merge recognises a new record. Just thought someone might know a trick at the data source stage to get around this. Might be a stupid question but had to ask because it's annoying the hec out of me!
Thanks in advance.

wouldn't use data merge for this kind of automation, but rather XML, which is a bigger learning curve but worth the effort. a book by james maivald called
A Designer Guide to Adobe InDesign and XML.
data merge is great when the data being replaced is the same size, shape and position on each page, but with a newsletter, thats not normally the case and there is no way of threading the merged stories. i'd also imagine that having the stories within a CSV would limit characters which could be used such as " , and tabs (anything which separates the fields). as you say in your post, indesign doesn't have what a lesser program (word) DOES have, which is the "next record" field, allowing text to thread from one story to the next.
an alternative would be to use a word file with styles and use the mail merge (catalogue merge) which allows the "next record" field, merge it in word, and then bring the word file in. it's a yucky alternative but it does work.

Speedy Data Merge (in the background)

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