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A
AIck
Inspiring
February 7, 2023
Answered

Referencing multiline text from external source?

  • February 7, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 836 views

I'm still relatively new to InDesign and have a question about the ability to reference text in InDesign.
Hi community,

 

There are the "Text Variables" - but they only make sense for short words like version number etc. . Since the text cannot be wrapped here and is therefore always in a single line, this technique makes no sense for multi-line text.
But what possibility do I have to reference e.g. a multiline text in a textbox from an external source (text file)?
Are there any possibilities via programming (scripting)? Is it possible to attach something like a "reference path tag" to the text box and then update the text in an update function via scripting?

 

many questions... I hope someone of you can show me the right way.

 

best regards

Andreas

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Robert at ID-Tasker

I've re-read your post - a multiline text in a textbox from an external source (text file) - so do you need it to be a "stand-alone" TextFrame - or this external text file needs to be as part of another text ?

 

If "stand-alone" - then you can link WORD document and when you update its contents - you'll have to update links in InDesign.

 

You can also link whole Excel files - or only selected cells.

 

You can also link plaint text TXT file - but any formatting you'll do - including assigning ObjStyle to the parent TextFrame / text container - will be lost when you update your source file.

 

So only WORD file will keep text formatting - as long as you have the same Para/Cell styles in WORD and INDD.

 

3 replies

Robert at ID-Tasker
Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
February 12, 2023

Do you need to do it ONCE or be able to update at will? 

 

A
AIckAuthor
Inspiring
February 12, 2023

update at will

Robert at ID-Tasker
Robert at ID-TaskerCorrect answer
Legend
February 12, 2023

I've re-read your post - a multiline text in a textbox from an external source (text file) - so do you need it to be a "stand-alone" TextFrame - or this external text file needs to be as part of another text ?

 

If "stand-alone" - then you can link WORD document and when you update its contents - you'll have to update links in InDesign.

 

You can also link whole Excel files - or only selected cells.

 

You can also link plaint text TXT file - but any formatting you'll do - including assigning ObjStyle to the parent TextFrame / text container - will be lost when you update your source file.

 

So only WORD file will keep text formatting - as long as you have the same Para/Cell styles in WORD and INDD.

 

    Steve Werner
    Community Expert
    Steve WernerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 12, 2023

    Andreas, you haven't given much detail about your need for referencing text, but it sounds like you need to set up a cross-reference. Read this help article about creating and managing cross-references in InDesign:

     

    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/cross-references.html

      Steve Werner
      Community Expert
      Steve WernerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 12, 2023

      If this turns out to be what you need, please mark this answer as Correct so others who read this can benefit. Thanks!

      Robert at ID-Tasker
      Robert at ID-Tasker
      Legend
      February 12, 2023

      I think you've missed the point? OP wants to dynamically - or static - "import" contents of the EXTERNAL txt file - not refer to a place in the INDD document.

       

      Rene Andritsch
      Community Expert
      Rene AndritschCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 11, 2023

      @AIck Maybe Data Merge can help you with that: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/data-merge.html

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