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EX_Achilles
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Apply Find/Change to multiple records at once?

Dec 13, 2012 2:25 PM

Tags: #scripts #data_merge #multiple_records #find_change

Hi,

 

I'm wondering if there is a way to apply the find/change options I select to all the records I've Data Merged into my InDesign file.

 

The placeholders won't import the spaces in my database, example if I have

 

 

InDesign template:     <<bird>>

                                        <<beak>><<beak value>>

.csv:                              bird,beak,beak value

                                     Eagle,beak:        ,hooked

 

I get

 

InDesign after Data Merge:  Eagle

                                                 beak:hooked

 

 

No spaces came over with the merge.  If there is an option to preserve spaces, that would be the easiest solution. However, I'm not finding such a command, so I'd like to add a special character after my colons in the .csv and then use ID to find/change that character in every one of my records into a space or two.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

edit: Even on a single record, the find/change isn't applying to my output document, either... Its outputting the special character I wrote into the  .csv fields instead of the space it is supposed to change into.

 

Message was edited by: EX_Achilles

344 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: EX_Achilles, Dec 13, 2012 6:36 PM
 
Replies
  • Peter Spier
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    1. Peter Spier,
    Dec 13, 2012 2:33 PM   in reply to EX_Achilles
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    You don't need a special character in the CSV. Just search for (?<=:). and replace with <space>$0 in the merged file.

     
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  • EX_Achilles
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    2. EX_Achilles,
    Dec 13, 2012 2:54 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Thanks, but I already wrote <space> into the .csv fields where I need spaces. Sometimes I just want a space and it doesn't necessarily come after a colon.  However, that's not really the problem I'm trying to figure out.

     

    1. The recplacement needs to work across all records, not just the one I'm currently previewing.

     

    2. The replacement doesn't stay replaced when I do the actual merge.

     

    *Just so I'm understanding you right, by "search" are you referring to the "find what:" and "replace" are you referring to "Change to:" in the Find/Change Window?

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    3. Peter Spier,
    Dec 13, 2012 6:20 PM   in reply to EX_Achilles
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    Yes.

     

    Make sure you set the scope for the find/change to Document. It may have defaulted to Selection or Story.

     
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  • EX_Achilles
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    4. EX_Achilles,
    Dec 13, 2012 6:36 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    I see now, I need to do it after completing the merge, not before. Problem solved, back to data entry.  Thanks again Mr. Spier.

     
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