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Question

Data Merge in newest version of InDesign

Forum|Forum|13 years ago
June 12, 2012
6 replies
21442 views

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

This topic has been closed for replies.

Nick Goodenough

Participant

Years later… but for anyone using the revised script I have a fix if you're getting the error:

RaiseError: The file may be read-only, or another user may have it open. Please save the document with a different name or in a different folder.
Doc.extractPages:83:Console undefined:Exec
===> The file may be read-only, or another user may have it open. Please save the document with a different name or in a different folder.

The third prompt of the script asks for the relative location of a folder to save the pages in, it defaults to 'pdf/' and if you don't have said 'pdf' folder already created the scripts not smart enough to create it itself, and instead throws the error above.

The fix is to make sure you have a folder created that matches your answer to the third prompt -OR- leave the third prompt blank and all the files will be saved in place and not in a separate folder.

R

RuthK

Known Participant

Ahhhhh well done!! I shall try this and let you know how it works out. Thanks for all your hard work. I completely agree, this really could be implemented directly within inDesign but till will attempt this and thank you for your efforts.

All my client names are already in excel too so similar structure I think. Here's hoping.

R

RuthK

Known Participant

Hi Graham / everyone else

Did you ever figure out how to do this? I need to do a similar (or the same) task. I have a 12pp document and 100 records, I want to output 100 x 12pp PDF files, named from a column in the attached CSV.

Any ideas?

G

gsnevius812

Participating Frequently

Hello Ruth!

I attempted it again today with a clear mind hoping that it was just something that I was missing or doing wrong. Unfortunately, I still was not able to successfully execute the process. I'm not sure if it's the JavaScript or the CSV file. If I had to guess, I would say that based on the complexity of the JavaScript, it's not counting the lines in the database properly. I've done everything possible to - and with the CSV file and end up with the same "The number of pages per row is not an integer…" error. I have a 597 page PDF that I need to split into 199, 3-page PDFs and rename. I really would hate to do this manually, but I have spent so much time trying to get the script to work that I could have . I cannot afford to purchase any software that might be available to accomplish this same thing. Should you manage to find a usable solution, please do share. I know that I would greatly appreciate it!

Best of luck!

R

RuthK

Known Participant

I can't even get my head around the script

In Acrobat Pro you can automatically split the document into even sized "parts" - but you still need to manually rename which I'm hoping to avoid.

Pages > Split Document

If that helps.

G

gsnevius812

Participating Frequently

I am running into the same situation as well. I have tried a myriad of solutions, but nothing seems to work

I don't think that I am missing something that's fundamentally simple. I've gone through the process a couple of dozen times without success.

I may have to split my PDF and rename manually - bummer.

T

TStanwood

Participating Frequently

I'm going to purchase this Advanced Software for Splitting and Merging PDF Documents because I couldn't get the script to work.

C

cosmorochester

Participating Frequently

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.

Peter Spier

Community Expert

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.

G

GrahamHeAuthor

Participating Frequently

Hi all,

one of the Multimedia guys here wrote a javascript that saves the pdf pages is seperate files and names them using a column from an Excel file. Works quite nicely and I could upload it here in case anyone is interested.

Graham