Using Indesign CS4 Data Merge on spreads in a book

I am creating a Date Book and trying to merge the dates, which are in an excel document, onto the pages of the spreads in the book using the Data Merge feature. I have a 2-page spread master page which has the dates flushed on opposite sides of the pages.
When I merge the data, I get the same date on both pages of the spread. Is there any way to get the data to change from the left to the right page so the next date appears in order?

The problem I am having is that the placement of the date (data) is in a different location from left page to the right.
As you suggest, if I make a document with 365 single pages with Master page A, apply the data merge and then Apply the Master page B to the right pages, the correct date that was merged stays where it is, but then the date on the Master "B" pages changes to the same date that is on the "A" page next to it.
The only thing I can think to do is take the date off the Master "B" page, then after I merge the data, I move the dates to the correct position on the B pages.

Similar Messages

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.)

Using InDesign CS4 on iMac. Had to restore computer from backup. Licensing has stopped working. Error code 150:30. How can I reestablish my license?

Using InDesign CS4 on iMac. Had to restore computer from backup. Licensing has stopped working. Error code 150:30. How can I reestablish my license?

You'll need to have a chat with Adobe Support. Here's a link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=ZNA_downloading-installing-setting-up_licensing- activation
We can't help you with that here.

I previously used Indesign CS4. I now have recently purchased Indesign CC. I have a Mac Yosemite 10.10.3. When I print, I cannot select my paper stock, other than what is in the print dialogue box, i.e. art paper. In Indesign CS4, I could choose fine art

previously used Indesign CS4. I now have recently purchased Indesign CC. I have a Mac Yosemite 10.10.3. When I print, I cannot select my paper stock, other than what is in the print dialogue box, i.e. art paper. In Indesign CS4, I could choose fine art paper etc. Where can I find this option in this new version?

With Snow Leopard, the Printing of PDFs has changed. Try using the highlighted option

Indesign pages used in a data merge txt file

I need to import several images using data merge. In the text file I put an @ in front of the column with the file names for the images, and the file names should look like "imagename.jpg" without the commas. But instead of jpg, and want to use pages from an indesign document. I tried to use "file.indd:3" (just like it would show in the links panel if I import manually the third page from the "file.indd") but it doesn't work.
Does anybody have an ideea?

Yes, it works if I remove the ":3" part - it imports a page from the indesign document.
No, specifying another page after importing an indd file isn't an option, as you have to reimport the file with the "show options" checkbox checked. I want to automate the proces, not to specify one by one what page I need...
It is an ideea worth looking - the one that replaces the text with the image (deleting the "@" in the txt file), but I think that I will meet te same question: will the script recognise that I want a specific page from the indd file I'm telling it to import... I will give it a chance. Another thing I dont like with this ideea is that if I had any adjustments or scaling to the image frame in the indd file I want to merge (not the one I want to import) I will lose them by transforming the image frame to text frame and running the script.

Indesign CS3 Data Merge "Merge Records" Command. Help?

I'm looking to automate the merging of a mountain of records. I have 587 tab-delimited text files with 40 records each. I want to process these via Data Merge using a single pre-designed template with built-in placeholders and variable data fields, including a variable barcode graphic. In the end, I want to create 704 multi-page, 6-up per page, indesign files with merged data, and 704 multi-page PDFs.
Here's where I am at. Using a combination of AppleScript, TextWrangler and InDesign CS3, I am able to set up a loop where I can open the single template, save it to a new file with a new name, change its data source to the appropriate text file, and as a test, make a PDF of the template using the correct export preset. What I cannot seem to do is get the template to perform a "Create Merged Document...".
In InDesign CS3's AppleScript dictionary there is a command called "Merge Records" under the Data Merge section. It appears to do exactly what I am after. But when I try to use it (and the good Lord knows I have tried numerous permutations), it only returns errors like "Adobe InDesign CS3 got an error: active document doesn't understand the merge records message."
Anyone know what I am doing wrong? I have set up a separate AppleScript for testing purposes that opens up the template, saves it under a new name, and attempts a "merge records" command. Here it is. Maybe someone smart out there can tell me what I am doing wrong.
set templatePath to "Welch_Jobs:0_JOBS:280019_Churchill:WPC FILES:Workup:280019_6up_master template.indt" as text -- the main template file that will be modified, saved with a new name, then merged with its data to create a new merge file
set newTemppath to "Welch_Jobs:0_JOBS:280019_Churchill:WPC FILES:Workup:goody.indd" as text
tell application "Adobe InDesign CS3"
open file templatePath
tell active document
save to newTemppath
merge records
end tell
end tell
I have this feeling that this is a command that is actually unsupported. Google searches have been fruitless except for one poor soul who can't get it to work either. I have, however, seen that a similar JavaScript command exists called "DataMerge.mergeRecords". If it is impossible to do this via AppleScript, is it possible to make a JavaScript that will do it, and access the JavaScript with a "do script" command in the main AppleScript? If so, how would I accomplish this? What whould the JavaScript look like, and where do i need to put it?
I would greatly appreciate any help you, dear reader, can give me on this.

Well, did you look at the dictionary?:
merge recordsv : Merges records and produces an optional overset report.
merge records
data merge
output overset report file alias or
text] : The path to the file in which to store the overset report.
Note also that it's part of the Preferences Suite, not the Datamerge suite. Do you see differently?
Anyhow, you're clearly not calling it with a data merge parameter.
I also have a suspicion that it needs to not be inside a "tell active document" but it probably doesn't matter.
But my AppleScript is rusty.

Crop marks using indesign CS4 with Epson 3800 Mac 10.5.7

My crop marks and pages are printing larger than my document sizes. My paper size is 13x19, so I should have crop marks at the exact corners of the page sizes. But indesign is printing the entire document larger. So my document which is 11x14.75 is now printing 11.25x15.5. All my settings are correct. So, is anyone else using an Epson 3800 with CS4 indesign having issues such as the above? And can I ask (beg) a few of you to do a test print with crop marks and let me know the results?
My workflow has been completely stalled because I can't get my pages to print the right sizes with the crop marks at the right measurements. I'm printing a photo portfolio on the Lumijet double sided paper and "when" it did work awhile back sometime several months ago, the finals looked great. I've already reinstalled both the Epson 3800 driver and the Indesign CS4 software, but the results are still the same.
So, here are my settings:
document size: 11x14.75
in the print panel:
Printer: Epson 3800
Setup: Paper size: Super A3/B13x19, scale 100% width & height, page position Centered
Marks & Bleed: Marks: "Crop Marks" checked. offset: 0, weight: .25, Bleed and Slug: Use Document bleed settings, include slug area. The bleed is 0 for top, bottom, left and right
Color Management: Document profile: Adobe RGB, Options: Indesign handles colors, Printer Profile: (A custom made profile using Xrite for the 3800 with Lumijet paper)
The settings on the Epson 3800
Epson 3800 Printer
Presets (set for the profile mentioned above)
No Color management
Sometimes, on a whim, the printer and indesign cooperate together like good little children should. But not often. And I can not conclude why they are nice to each other sometimes, but given the same detailed data at other times, they fight.
If anyone could run through a similar process using indesign with a photo layout and setting up the printer settings for both the Epson 3800 and in the indesign program and let me know their results, I would value your conclusions very much. You don't even have to waste paper or ink. Finally, after wasting so many pages of paper and of ink. I deleted the photos from the page, and printed it blank with only the crop marks for me to measure if it was coming out right or not.
Thank you for any response. And feel free to call me if you want to vent about Epson 3800's or about Indesign CS4 anytime! I'm up late.... 646 256 8853.
Thaddeus

You need the InDesign forum.

InDesign CC data merge is slow and crashes

Is there a way to create a data merge in Indesign for a large number of records, and not have it freeze? I am on PC, using a new computer. I tried reducing the data source to just 6 columns and 5 rows as a test, but it still got hung up. I tried unchecking create overset, and I also tried creating merge to pdf, and .indd. So far any merge I have tried/tested has been unsucessful.
the client wants serial numbers on a small sticker like product to place on their inventory.
4000 serial numbers, 6 times each, and I set up a file with 300 per sheet
Is this possible, or will another program handle this? OR Is there a script, OR am I doomed to to input the serial numbers myself, with the copy/paste and find/replace as my new best friend?
The numbers are not in numerical order, a typical number is WFC100652.

I was having the same problem while trying to do a merge of 7,000 records. The computer would run slow and the program would crash after a hour of so. I then did the 500 records at a time, but that was taking to long and its ridiculous to have to do that in the first place. I checked my data file as suggested on the message boards and it was fine, with no errors found. I tried a workaround and to my amazement, it worked fine. I realized that the program didn't crash when I did a preview of the intended merge. What I did was, on the DATA MERGE tab, I did a PREVIEW of my merged data. I checked through the "merged" documents and they looked fine. I was even able to change a mistake that I found. I then choose EXPORT TO PDF from the pull down menu (instead of CREATE MERGED DOCUMENT) and it created my PDF of 7,000 merged documents fine in less than 2 minutes. I was then able to open up the PDF and print it out without any problems. Since then, i've done jobs of 8, 9 and 12,000 records without any problems using the PREVIEW method.

CS4 Data Merge into single story

Hi,
I layout catalogs that are very unstructured in their layout. I use data merge to quickly format hundreds of records which I then cut and paste (as text) into these facing page layouts. The layout is so inconsistent that creating a strict template for it doesn't work.
Is there a way to merge all of the data of a file that has 200-300 records with 10 or so fields for each record into one single story that automatically generates new pages as needed rather than one story per record?
Thanks
Chung

Data Merge creates a sepatate story for each record, but you can run a script aftwards to stitch the stories together. One possibility is http://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/indesign-downloads/textstitch/

Using html in Data Merge

We need to print several thousand cards using data merge with data coming from an Excel file. The data in that Excel file contains formatting in html: , ,, μ, etc. which we would like to carry over to ID and use so that we don't have to redo the formatting and special characters in ID. I've been searching forums for a couple of days now and found this:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1508807/getting-website-data-into-adobe-indesign
So it seems like it's possible. We weren't able to find the sdk they're talking about, but came to this:
https://code.google.com/p/ickmull/
And got stuck in the part where we had to do this:
xsltproc --output myNewFile.icml --novalid tkbr2icml-v04x.xsl myWebPage.html
So can InDesign "read" html or no? Is there any other way to do this?

You're absolutely right. If it were only one little card, or a dozen, or even a hundred, we could do this. But it's thousands of cards we have to print. If I follow you correctly, I'd have to split the contents of the cells in that column that has the html in it and sort the snippets of text out according to their formatting, adding more columns, and each new column should fit inside a neat little box in the InDesign file, where it gets its formatting. I think I can do the split with sql and then turn it into csv. But then, the difficulty is that the cards we need to print don't have a recurring design pattern inside that html cell, hence the need to preserve the html. Did you check out the stackoverflow link? Is it possible to "teach" ID to "read" html formatting coming from DataMerge?
You can also use F/C to apply character styles based on tags for text which does not match the paragraph style. I don't get this. When you say "tags", what are you referring to? What paragraph style do you mean?
And now we have a new problem. Yesterday, ID would accept my csvs as legit data sources. Now, nothing I do can make it accept new csvs as data sources. I get:
The data source cannot be opened. Confirm that the file exists and that you have rights to open it, then choose the Select Data Source command again.
What is the right setup for a csv file so that ID will want to perform Data Merge with it?

Generating a pdf using InDesign CS4

Hi there
I am having problems generating a pdf using version CS4 - I have done this hundreds of times but on this occasion after selecting the preset I want, the file begins to generate / export and once the last page is reached - I get the message Adobe InDesign CS4 has stopped working - A problem caused the program to stop working correctly and so no saved pdf !
I tried doing the same thing using InDesign CS3 version at home and alas this works!
I have tried exporting the file to a Interchange file and then attempted to export the file this way but again the same message appears. V frustrating!
I have used the same exporting / preset for months and never had a problem before.
Any ideas? The file is quite large in size - around 80mb but not sure this would cause a problem when trying to generate a high res pdf.
All thoughts / suggestions welcome!
Thanks

Sometimes this is caused by insufficient system resources. In such cases exporting in chunks and combining in Acrobat generally will work.
If that 's not it, it's most ikley an object on a page that is damaged or otherwise non-cooperative. You can isloate the page by trying to export half at a time, then half of each section that fails. Once you've isolated the page you can do the same withthe objects on the page.

CS4, Data Merge, creating menu for restaurant

Hey folks.
I am making menu for a restaurant, and i am pretty familiar with Data Merge, but this one is driving me crazy.
The problem is in structure of my data table, CSV. All the tutorials and all the help files are revolving around data which is not broken down into SEGMENTS, rather each row is it's own segment.
For example, all tutorials have:
NAME; DESCRIPTION; PRICE
Food1; Nice food 1; 100
Food2; Nice food 2, 200
Food3; Nice food 3, 300
And what i have is a section name added to this as well, like this:
SECTION NAME; FOOD NAME; DESCRIPTION; PRICE
First section; Food1; Nice food 1; 100
-blank-;Food2; Nice food 2, 200
-blank-;Food3; Nice food 3, 300
Second section; Food1; Nice food 1; 100
-blank-;Food2; Nice food 2, 200
-blank-;Food3; Nice food 3, 300
As you see, some pieces of data are "missing".
So basically what i need InDesign to do is to recognize that section name is something that needs to be filled only once, until it hits another entry in SECTION NAME column.
You have all seen how restaurant menus look like, no need to further explain this i hope. Section name -> lots of data in that section -> New section.
Is that possible at all in InDesign?

Goran,
you can modify your data in InDesign without DataMerge:
- place your CSV file in InDesign as text
- convert it to Table - with ";" as field delimiter
- add new column after first column
you will have something like this:
First section|.|.Food1|.Nice.food.1|.100
-blank-......|.|.Food2|.Nice.food.2|.200
- next step - convert your Table to Text with tab as delimiter
- now replace three tabs "^t^t^t" to "#@#"
First section|.|.Food1|.Nice.food.1|.100
#@#Food2|.Nice.food.2|.200
- now replace two tabs "^t^t" to "#$#^p#@#"
First section#$#
#@#Food1|.Nice.food.1|.100
#@#Food2|.Nice.food.2|.200
- now replace "#@#" to "" (nothing) and apply Item ParagraphStyle
- now replace two tabs "#@#" to "" (nothing)
- now replace "#$#" to "" (nothing) and apply SectionTitle ParagraphStyle
- now replace "#$#" to "" (nothing)
so after all you will have:
First section (with SectionTitle ParagraphStyle)
Food1|.Nice.food.1|.100 (with Item ParagraphStyle)
Food2|.Nice.food.2|.200 (with Item ParagraphStyle)
now you can redefine TabStops in Item ParagraphStyle and play with NestedStyles :)
of course all these setps could be automated ;)
if you are interested - contact me on priv
robin
www.adobescripts.com

InDesign CS5 Data Merge to PDF Problem

Hello,
Need to make 2500 tickets, data merging a csv file causes indesign to fleeze up. When I try export to PDF, it creates the pages but does not merge the date, instead it just leaving the data field. What do I need to do to get the numbers to appear on the tickets when exporting to pdf?
Kinda in a time crunch!!
Thank you!!
Mac Pro
2.66 Quad
8GB ram
Mac OSX 10.5.8
InDesign CS5 7.0

Hi Jeff, thanks for the reply.
There are no comma's in the csv it is just numbers 0001-2500. The numbers are all that need merging.
When I go to preview, everything is perfect and all the numbers show up where they are needed, however, when merge and export the correct number of pages are generated but the numbers are replaced with the data field (<<nbr>>) instead.
Thank you for your time.

How to make muliple row listbox using indesign cs4 plug-in creation

Hi,
In one scenario i want to create list box having muliple rows and columns .And there should be an association between the row values(each row values should associate a unique value in that row ).how is it possible in indesign CS4 ? Is it pssible in tree view? which is easy way to accomplish this?
Thanks
Arun

TreeView is the recommended way, while the flat listbox is phased out / deprecated. Neither would support columns, headers etc. out of the box, but you could do that by several means - subwidgets per column, or implement your own row IControlView.
CS4 brought the first multiple column tree view for links, based on TreeView. I have not yet revisited it in detail, but the source is in the SDK:
source/open/components/linksui.
Btw, the TreeView calls your unique value per row "NodeID".
Dirk

CS4 Data merge: Multiple records One template Multiple docs

I have 112 BCs to data merge, I'd like to import 10 records at a time, into one business card template, and end up with 10 documents. Then I can name them and go on my merry way to the next 10. Is this possible? If I import them all at once I'll have 112 open docs and that's just wrong on a myriad of levels..
Thanks for any help!

Take a look at the Data Merge Panel menu for the Content Placement Options, and enable and set the number desired in the Record Limit per Document field.
This makes the assumption that all your BC data is in one source file for the merge.

Using Indesign CS4 Data Merge on spreads in a book

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