Making a list of names

[scoobitydapdap]

Hi!

I'm working on a graduation program and need to make a list of all the graduate names. I have to format them in this way:

Lastname, Firstname - Major

I was given all the names on an excel sheet. Is there an easy way to input and format the names in this way?

Thank you!! (This is my first time asking a question on here haha)

[Migintosh]

You could save the Excel file as a text file (either plain text or rich text) and place it.

[scoobitydapdap]

The names are separated in columns on the excel sheet though. And I have to manually format each name as "Last, First - Major". So like adding the comma in between and italicizing the major. I was wondering if there was a way that I can apply this format quickly to each name. Idk if I'm making sense haha.

But thanks for the help! I really appreciate it!

[Willi Adelberger]

If you don't want to have them formatted in columns, create Character Styles for different formatting and create a Paragraph Style and use those Character Styles in the Nested Styles section of the paragraph style. You can insert no style up to the – and from there use the Character Style for the position.

Take also care to use the correct dash.

In US English it would be the M-dash — without spaces before and after,

in German (DE and AT) it would be the N-dash – with space before and after.

But never use the normal hyphen - in this case.

[Derek Cross]

Em dash and En dash.

[Willi Adelberger]

Ok, you'r right.

For German UI: Geviertstrich and Halbgeviertstrich:

Same with spaces:

[Migintosh]

scoobitydapdap  wrote

The names are separated in columns on the excel sheet though.

Does the Excel file look like either of my A or B examples?

If it's A, you could insert a column between Last and First, and fill it with a comma for each row. Then, add a column between First and Major and add an Em dash for each column, like this:

When you place it in InDesign, it looks like this:

Now, if you use Find/Change and find ^t,^t (^t is a tab) and change to a comma and a space, it will look like this:

And then if you find ^t—^t (that's tab em dash tab)and replace with — (just an em dash), you get this:

Delete the first row and you're done. If the Major column doesn't have the correct capitalization, you may be able to fix it in Excel (I don't have a copy to test it out, I'm using a knock-off). If you can't fix it in Excel, place it into InDesign as a table, select the Major column and use InDesign's Change Case to make it Title Case or Sentence Case—which ever is appropriate. Do that first, then convert the table to type, and then do the find/changes. You can also apply a paragraph style to all of the text while it's an InDesign table, and select only the Major column and apply an Italic character style. It may sound like a lot of work, but it should only take a few minutes.

[amaarora]

Hi,

I would rather use Data merge after saving my excel as .txt file (tab delimited). You can read about Data Merge here.. Merge data to create form letters, envelopes, or mailing labels in Adobe InDesign

-Aman

[xavixanxe · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I agree with using data merge. I made a video to explain it. I have indesign in spanish, but hope you will see how to do it.

I use also a script to merge frames, you can find it here: http://ajarproductions.com/blog/2008/11/28/merge-textframes-extension-for-adobe-indesign/

Video here: https://youtu.be/Eifo-A_g8KM

[Migintosh]

Funny, but I forgot I had that script from Ajar. I agree this would make using Data Merge for this project much easier.

[scoobitydapdap]

Thank you!! It worked!

Your video explanation really helped me out.

I can't get the script to work though. I think because I have CC 2017? It won't let me install the Adobe Extension Manager. But that's ok. I'm just glad I'm able to at least get all the names in.

Thanks again!

[scoobitydapdap]

Oh actually I got it figured out! If anyone else wants to know haha.

Here's the link to the instructions:

Install add-ons and extensions for Adobe apps

[scoobitydapdap]

Thank you all for the responses!

I'll try them out later tonight and see how it goes!