Data Merge Multiple Records Per Page Greyed Out

[Guest]

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.

[Peter Spier]

Multiple record merges are limited to one page layouts. Your master still seems to have two pages. I think if you start with a single page master you'll be able to do your merge, and you can apply a different master to the merged file when finished.

[Guest]

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.

[SJRiegel]

It looks like your problem is with the banners and grid. In my experience, Data Merge will repeat everything that is on your page. Set up a document with a one-page master containing ONLY your repeating elements and fields. Then add the rest of the elements to the meged document afterwards.

[Peter Spier]

I've yet to try a data merge in CS6, so I'm speculating. First, SRiegel may be correct. Since you can change the master after the merge, I's start with a master that has nothing on it but a single set of your placeholders. From a master page I don't believe the merg should duplicate anything other than the frames that contain fields, and other objects that are grouped with them, but you never know.

Given that your preview looks correct, though, this might be a bug that was present in CS5 or 5.5. The workaround for that is to either take a leap of faith and not use preview at all -- just go straight into the merge -- or to hit undo after the preview if you are nervous. If you undo, it seems to work the same as if you never previewed and the merge should proceed normally. You might want to give that a try.

[Jeffrey_Smith]

My opinion: Preview bug. The vertical graphic - whether it is grouped to the variable frames or not will not allow a multiple record merge.

[Guest]

Thanks Peter & Jeffrey.

I'm attempting to create the merged document from the master page that has nothing except the placeholder information on it. I'm pulling from a data source file that is 6 columns, 182 lines of information...

The merge seems to be working, it's still in progress...Do merges of this size typically take hours to complete? It's been working for over 2 hours, close to 3 and still isn't halfway done. Is that normal? Should I stop it? I've made it so its the only program running, hoping to speed things up.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[Peter Spier]

I've never had a merge go over a few minutes for a few hundred records. Is your machine slow in general?

Any third party plugins (including a font manager)? Waht version of Windows are you running?

[Guest]

No, my machine is typically very fast. 

Running Windows 7. 32 Bit InDesign. Only other program running in the background taking up any amount of processor was Dropbox, and that wasn't much.

No plug ins that I know of. I am connected to a "work network" if that affects things, but all files I'm pulling from are saved to the hard drive.

[Peter Spier]

I'm not sure another program that's slowing down ID would necesarily show high CPU usage. What sort of usage is ID showing? How much RAM?

Does ID perform well in general on other tasks?

[Guest]

FYI - After trying the data merge with only the placeholders on the page, and only 30 records, it worked like a charm. It does, however, hang up when trying to do the same merge with all records (182). It gets about 1/3 of the way through the progress bar and then just hangs there...

[Peter Spier]

Ali_Rauch wrote:

FYI - After trying the data merge with only the placeholders on the page, and only 30 records, it worked like a charm. It does, however, hang up when trying to do the same merge with all records (182). It gets about 1/3 of the way through the progress bar and then just hangs there...

OK, that sounds like there might be a problem in one record. Try merging half the records, then the other half. You may be able to isolate which record is causing the hangup fairly quickly by dividing the half that hanges repeatedly, then check for something odd in that record in a plain text editor like Notepad.

[Guest]

Well, success and failure here...

Success in that I was able to complete my data merge correctly, however, instead of selecting to "merge all records", I had to enter in the range, as the exact range I needed (1-180). After that, worked instantly.

I did speak with an adobe support guy on the phone and they can't figure out why its doing that so they're working on it and will get back with me.

Thanks so much for your help here.

[LinaD36]

Hi Peter,

I'm attempting to do this multiple record data merge project that will the basis for our publications. I have successfully merged 536 records with 6 records on a page, now I want to apply a different master page to the merge document. Would you recommend that I create a completely different master or can I modify the existing Master A in the merge document?

I'm grateful for any help you can give.

thanks,

Lina

[Peter Spier]

I'd probably create a new master, but I don't think it really matters based on the minimal info I have so far. If you edit the current master you run the risk any existing master objects taht were overridden during the merge will be re-asserted, but I think that's unlikley.

[LinaD36]

Thanks, that sounds like the right plan. I had to load the masters I had

created into a different file because I forgot that I had created two test

merge files: One where I had merged the data into paragraph styles and one

where I hadn't. When I didn't rename the masters, it looked like some of

the data had been overridden.

[LinaD36]

Peter,

I very close to making this work for me. So I've merged all the pages and threaded all the texts together. I've applied a new 2-page facing master to the 1-page merged data, but I can't get the spreads to display as facing pages. The document is set up to have facing pages. Is there a simple way to do this other than to drag the pages from side to side?

Lina

[Peter Spier]

Is facing pages checked in Document Setup?

If you select all the pages in the pages panel, then open the panel menu, is shuffling allowed for both document and selected spreads?

[LinaD36]

Peter, I was able to do this by dragging the pages together, it didn't take that long. But if you have a faster, more automated way, I'd love to hear it.

Lina

[Peter Spier]

Checking facing pages in Document setup and allowing shuffling should do automatically...

[SJRiegel]

Sometimes I have to de-select and then re-select Allow Pages to Shuffle to get it to take on Data-Merged documents.

[LinaD36]

Yes, facing pages was checked and the new master applied was a 2-page facing pages master. I checked the Allow Pages to Shuffle checkbox several times and then just hand maneuvered them myself.

[Chelissamow]

I was recently under a tight deadline to get a document together using data merge. I needed to have two of the records show up per page and no matter what I did, I could not figure it out.

Today, I'm pulling up another document based on that previous file I used. It's a completely different layout (just need to get photos of people set up on a sheet, nothing fancy) and it the multiple records option still didn't work.

I found out why! I had a hidden layer that I used as a guide for what I wanted everything to look like. That hidden layer took up the space needed in order for my records to show up multiple times per page.

If anybody else is having troubles with the multiple record data merge option not working properly, check your layers! 😃

[kraegan]

I've solved an issue related to many of the questions above and documented in the thread below.
Those seeing a perfect preview and then getting the wrong results should read it.

Multiple Data Merge - Problem Resolve... Sort Of

[ashleys37267749]

HELP!?!  I've done everything mentioned in this post and still cannot get the Multiple Records options available to me.  I went so far as to create a brand new 4 page document, not with facing pages, master only has 1 page, 1 layer, all options mentioned above set, and when clicking to Create Merged Document, the 'Preview Multiple Record Layout' box is grayed out.  When going to the 'Multiple Record Layout' tab it says at the top "These options are disabled because Single Record is selected for Records per Document Page."  But on the 'Records' tab it won't allow me to select anything other than 'Single Record' because it's grayed out.

The preview of my data merge looks good for the single record that it shows, but I cannot get the Multiple Record option for anything I've tried.  Please Help!