IDML data merge and image

[BubuSoft]

Hello, I am pretty new in InDesign. A customer of mine is asking to have a master document (composed of several pages) with text and image fields. The fields will be filled with the content of a csv file. The expected output is a list of pdf file, one for each record, each one with a file name specified into the cvs file. The data marge needs to be automated with a script.

I can work with IDML file, I did an XML and I can create the PDF file. The issue I am experiencing is with the image. Where the image link is stored into the IDML file?

Thank you for your help.

Lorenzo

[Mike Witherell]

Add Image Fields in the Data Merge file (the csv)

Merge data to create form letters, envelopes, or mailing labels in Adobe InDesign

[BubuSoft]

Hello Michael, what do you mean? I cannot use the Merge data, because I need separate pdf files with separate names. I mean I need to use IDML.

Am I wrong?

Lorenzo

[Willi Adelberger]

Why do you need IDML here? IDML is supposed to use as exchange with older versions (which causes often loss and damage of content) and to repair a corrupted file.

Data Merge works with normal INDD files and linked CSV or TXT with tabulator separation (the second is my recommendation for German versions as at least Excel has a problem to create proper CSV files if a langualge like German has opposite use of comma and point like English has, as in German a number would look like 12.345.678,90 the same number in English would be 12,345,678.90. Excel gets therefore a mess when saving a CSV from German Mac version).

[BubuSoft]

Thank you for your reply, Willi. You clarify to me the use of IDML.

However, how I can print the merged file into separate pdf files?

[Willi Adelberger]

Export the PDF, don't print. Separate them in Acrobat Pro. That is not the task of InDesign.

[Willi Adelberger]

But there might be scripts available which will export separate files. Some are free, some might cost. For that you might ask in the scripting forum. I am not a scripter, so I cannot help here.

[BubuSoft]

Thank you! I will have a look.