Issues Importing CSV / Variable Data

[rmmbastos]

Hi! I'm trying to create an automated sequence for my artwork on Illustrator, but my Variables Panel doesn't even have the IMPORT button, so, I can't do nothing from here... Anybody facing these issues could help me? I can't start importing. Using Ai CC 2018 on iMac Mojave.

See Screenshot below:

[Silly-V · Accepted solution]

I think they stuck the feature in April or March of 2018, so maybe the version you have doesn't have it.

But don't worry - you can use my script - it took years to make and it continuously being tested by users around the world! In fact, it was so cool that Adobe put the native import button due to many users wishing this was plain built-in into Illustrator!

However due to the limitations of whatever constrains they've got to work under, the native feature ends up being too bare-bones for some users - well, ones who want to do things efficiently and in a smart way that is.

Adobe-Illustrator/VariableImporter.jsx at master · Silly-V/Adobe-Illustrator · GitHub

[rmmbastos]

Thanks for that, I'll try now. Sorry about my ignorance, but where should I add this script? Just save and add to Illustrator scripts folder as a .jsx file?

[Silly-V]

Use the Raw button to go to the version of this page where it's only text - then copy it all and save as jsx, or do a right-click and Save-As (text) and save as jsx file.

Then you can either put it into your Illustrator scripts folder inside your Ai application like other scripts, so it shows up in your Menu > Scripts (you have to restart Illustrator to see it appear the first time)

Or you can go to File > Scripts > Other Scripts and choose this .jsx file from any other location on your computer!

[rmmbastos]

Thanks a lot, you are a great guy! SUPER HELPFUL!

Found this video too, helped me too! >> Illustrator Variable Data - The EASY way! - YouTube

[moisess46791734]

This is a great powerful script that has enabled me to  build hundreds of items with a single template and takes care of the xml data pulling it from a simple cvs file, really awesome! But its true some features are not working any more on the new AI CC 2019

[Silly-V]

Are you saying some of the VariableImporter script features are not working in CC2019?

Or the native Adobe Illustrator feature?

Note: everyone who has found bugs and issues with the VI script, use the Issues logging on github to log your issues so they can be taken a look at, by me.

[moisess46791734]

Hello Silly-V, thanks for your reply; I’m referring to the “Dataset Names” in the options section of Variable Importer; I’m only able to see and select from two of the variable values(it's always from the first 2 colum headers – I switched the order and even change variable names to see if it would help) and this particular csv file had only 4 headers(4 variable values)

[Silly-V]

This is called the 'truncation UI issue' and please do rest assured that the variables are still there and everything is working almost correctly- the problem is that your Windows system screen resolution isn't well-accounted for in our Adobe ScriptUI elements such as the dropdownlist. As you can see, it thinks the items inside the dropdown actually take up much less height and are perceived at a much smaller size at the resolution your screen is in. You could try a couple of things, which are to cycle the dropdown with the arrow keys or even change your resolution temporarily as a last resort.

Sorry this is happening to you, maybe by sometime this year I could release an extension which would take care of all the UI problems due to ScriptUI limitations.

[moisess46791734]

This makes sense; I will try your solutions, thank you!

[born2wrestle]

Can we add more than 6 fields on this screen pictured above?

[Silly-V]

Not at this time, but when I make it into an extension one day then it will be an indefinite amount of fields!

[Silly-V]

Good news, this extension has now been created! It's at https://darty.ai   - check it out! It can have as many fields as one wants, by using custom export-path variables, of which there can be any amount.