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Data Merge in newest version of InDesign

Jun 12, 2012 5:04 AM

Hi all,

Was wondering if anyone can point me to the improvments to Data Merge in the newest version of InDesign (assuming there are some). We are specifically looking for a way to output single PDFs (500 page Data Merged InDesign Document saves as 500 PDF files for example) and each PDF being named using a column from the attached Excel file. I realise that it will be possible to have the javascripted, but was kind of hoping to avoid this with the newest InDesgn.

Thanks,

Graham

 
Replies
  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jun 12, 2012 6:11 AM   in reply to GrahamHe

    There are no changes in Data Merge in InDesign CS6.

     
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    Jun 12, 2012 8:15 AM   in reply to Steve Werner

    Have there been any changes to Data Merge since CS3?

     
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    Aug 9, 2012 4:54 AM   in reply to GrahamHe

    If you're getting 500 separate PDF files, you're doing something wrong. You should be able to save your Excel file (with graphic file references) in tab-delimited TXT format, attach it to your InDesign template through Merge function, complete your layout by dragging fields, then generate your catalog. Check the Indesign Help function. Columns should be your Field names.

     
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    Aug 9, 2012 5:43 AM   in reply to cosmorochester

    Cosmo,

     

    Did you read the first post? The OP isn't getting separate PDFs, he WANTS separate PDFs and was hoping something had changed to allow it.

     
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    Aug 20, 2012 4:50 AM   in reply to GrahamHe

    Graham,

    Please please do upload it to pastebin / here / similar, that would be immensely helpful.

     
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    Aug 23, 2012 6:00 PM   in reply to GrahamHe

    not sure if it works in CS6 (am trying this in CS5.5 mac running OSX 10.5.8) but I get a dialog with:

     

    Error 24

    Error String: this.importDataObject is not a function

     

    on line 37

     

    anyone else tried this script yet?

     
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    Mar 19, 2013 6:06 AM   in reply to cdflash

    Finally on cs6 and have retested GrahamHe's script. Still has the same error in InDesign, but that is because this is NOT and indesign script - it's an ACROBAT script! The script is applied using the action wizard.

     

    So this doesn't behave the way I thought, such as running the script directly from indesign. The file is still merged to a single multi-page PDF file, and then the script is run via the action wizard.

     

    Had trouble getting the script to work initially via acrobat but I did amend the second line to read

     


    var _data = data.split('\r');

     

    and it worked a treat!

     

    One warning: the names in the column selected to become the filenames need to be unique (such as a primary key) otherwise there is a risk of files overwriting each other.

     

    colly

     
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