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LeneLykkeM
Participating Frequently
June 23, 2021
Answered

Merged cells and line break

  • June 23, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 1267 views

Hi,

I have linked an excel sheet to my InDesign, and it updates perfectly with my character, paragraph, cell and table styles. But I have two issues I can't fix:

  • one of my headings is in a horizontally merged cell in excel, but it comes in unmerged. I have then merged in InDesign, but every time I update it gets unmerged again.
  • I have a cell in excel with a forced line break. When imported part of the second line can be on the first line, so InDesign breaks it differently. If I make a forced line break in InDesign it disappears when the link to excel is updated.

Hope someone can help.

Lene

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Some tips...

  • Make sure you use ONLY Cell and Table styles when linking an Excel file. Do not apply paragraph styles directly--the formatting will be removed when updating. (Link Paragraph styles to Cell styles--then apply Cell styles.)
  • Do not make ANY edits to content--including typos and merging. They will be wiped out when updating.
  • In Excel, make absolutely sure the cells are merged. They can LOOK merged if the adjacent cells do not have any content.

Excel view:

In InDesign:

  • As you noted, Excel's forced line breaks are supported ignored. What I would do is put a unique code in the Excel file, then do a F/C in InDesign. Save the query in ID--then run it as needed. Another option is to work around it--for example, use a colon instead.  [edited]

Excel view with a forced line break (after the "a") and with the code:

2 replies

Dave Creamer of IDEAS
Community Expert
Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 13, 2022

Some tips...

  • Make sure you use ONLY Cell and Table styles when linking an Excel file. Do not apply paragraph styles directly--the formatting will be removed when updating. (Link Paragraph styles to Cell styles--then apply Cell styles.)
  • Do not make ANY edits to content--including typos and merging. They will be wiped out when updating.
  • In Excel, make absolutely sure the cells are merged. They can LOOK merged if the adjacent cells do not have any content.

Excel view:

In InDesign:

  • As you noted, Excel's forced line breaks are supported ignored. What I would do is put a unique code in the Excel file, then do a F/C in InDesign. Save the query in ID--then run it as needed. Another option is to work around it--for example, use a colon instead.  [edited]

Excel view with a forced line break (after the "a") and with the code:

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    L
    LeneLykkeMAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    January 14, 2022

    Thank you 🙂 

    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 14, 2022

    I corrected my post. Excel forced line breaks (Alt-Enter) are supported. 

    Note: I did not test on Excel for Mac.

    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
      E
      Community Expert
      Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 5, 2021

      Hello

       

      When linking your excel file - File>Place and click Show Options

      Is the table format set to Formatted or Unformatted? 

       

      L
      LeneLykkeMAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      January 13, 2022

      Hi, sorry for the late reply. It seems I did not get any alerts on the question. It is Unformatted and then I do the formatting in InDesign - but the problem is not there anymore. Now I have a new one posted in another question today. A bit of the same, but this time with upper/lower case in Unformatted tables.

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