Apply color other than black to QR Code from datamerge

So I checked if this flaw is still present in the brave new version of Adobe InDesign 2026, but too bad... it isn't. And the QR dialogue still initiates with the least used Text setting (in stead of the commonly used URL). So it has been left untouched – again. 

I tried all kinds of hacks, by setting up a colored QR code, using some bogus address first, and coloring it. But you can't delete the bogus address afterwards to use the code as a placeholder for datamerge, because the OK button requires some initial content. Then I treid deleting the whole QR image from the frame, but then the datamerge process creates a brand new code in black again...

And Object Styles can't access the typical Fill color of the QR code either.

So it's still a matter of scripting, afterwards. 

It looks like .... it can be done ... directly from an ObjectStyle ...

Have not tested on DataMerge - just created QR code from some text and applied ObjectStyle ...

Hi all, I went to vote for the bug report of this issue and couldn't find one, so I created one.

If you would like this fixed, please vote here. Thanks.

- Mark

Hi together,

what can be done was already discussed at length a couple of years ago in this very forum.

I'll come back to this thread later with a link or two.

The idea to use the black QR code with another object on top and an effect to color the code is the best one, I think.

Unless you want to write a script that creates all codes from scratch using the information of the black code. You'd have to pull this out of the XML of a InDesign snippet *.idms file.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

Hi @budatlitho, I had another idea! I've written a script that converts the "datamerge" qr-codes into linked .eps files (sorry they have to be .eps for technical reasons) saved into the same folder as the document. I have no idea how well this will do with 25,000 qr-codes though—it might be very slow—but the resulting document might ultimately be neater than doing it the masking way. Not sure. Also the script can re-color the linked qr-codes, even after they've been colored once. If you use it, et me know how it goes, and report any bugs back here. 🙂

- Mark

/**
 * Convert QR Codes to Linked EPS files.
 * and sets the CMYK color breakdown.
 * Will save into folder 'QR Codes' in same folder
 * as document.
 * @author m1b
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/apply-color-other-than-black-to-qr-code-from-datamerge/m-p/13967947
 */
function main() {

    var settings = {
        colorValue: [100, 0, 0, 0],
        qrCodeFolderName: 'QR Codes',
    },

        doc = app.activeDocument,
        graphics = doc.allGraphics,
        colorValue = prompt('Enter CMYK color values for QR Codes:', settings.colorValue.join(','));

    if (colorValue == null)
        return;
    else
        colorValue = colorValue.split(',');

    if (colorValue && colorValue.length !== 4)
        colorValue = undefined;

    for (var i = 0; i < graphics.length; i++)
        graphics[i] = convertQRCodeToEPSFile(doc, graphics[i], settings.qrCodeFolderName, colorValue);

};
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Convert QR Codes to Linked EPS');


/**
 * Converts an embedded QR Code into a linked
 * EPS file, with optional CMYK Color change.
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2023-07-28
 * @param {Document} doc - an Indesign Document.
 * @param {EPS} graphic - an Indesign EPS graphic.
 * @param {Array<Number>} [colorValue] - array of CMYK values.
 * @returns {EPS} - this should replace the old graphic
 */
function convertQRCodeToEPSFile(doc, graphic, folderName, colorValue) {

    app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;

    if (
        typeof graphic.exportFile !== 'function'
        || !/QR Code[^\/:]+/.test(graphic.itemLink.filePath)
    )
        // not a qr-code
        return;

    var b = graphic.geometricBounds,
        frame = graphic.parent,
        exported = false,

        // temporary document with just the qr code
        tmp = app.documents.add(
            {
                documentPreferences:
                {
                    createPrimaryTextFrame: false,
                    facingPages: false,
                    intent: DocumentIntentOptions.PRINT_INTENT,
                    pageOrientation: PageOrientation.PORTRAIT,
                    pagesPerDocument: 1,
                    pageHeight: b[2] - b[0],
                    pageWidth: b[3] - b[1],
                    startPageNumber: 1,
                },
            }
        );
    app.activeWindow.viewDisplaySetting = ViewDisplaySettings.OPTIMIZED;

    var g = graphic.duplicate(tmp.layers[0]);
    g.move([0, 0]);

    // where to export
    var exportPath = doc.filePath + '/' + folderName + '/';

    // create the folder if necessary
    if (!Folder(exportPath).exists)
        Folder(exportPath).create();

    app.epsExportPreferences.properties = {
        dataFormat: DataFormat.ASCII,
        epsColor: EPSColorSpace.CMYK,
        epsSpreads: false,
        fontEmbedding: FontEmbedding.NONE,
        pageRange: PageRange.SELECTED_ITEMS,
        preview: PreviewTypes.NONE,
    };

    exportPath += graphic.itemLink.name.replace(/\.eps$/, '') + '.eps';

    var f = File(exportPath);

    try {

        if (!f.exists) {

            exported = true;

            // export as eps
            g.exportFile(ExportFormat.EPS_TYPE, f);

        }

        if (!f.exists)
            throw Error('export failed');

        if (colorValue !== undefined) {

            // get the color as needed for eps formatting
            var c = [
                Number(colorValue[0]) / 100,
                Number(colorValue[1]) / 100,
                Number(colorValue[2]) / 100,
                Number(colorValue[3]) / 100,
            ];

            // edit the exported file and
            // change the color values
            f.open("r");
            var content = f.read();
            f.close();
            f.open("w");
            content = content.replace(/\n([\d\.]+\s){4}cmyk\n/, '\n' + c.join(' ') + ' cmyk\n');
            f.write(content);
            f.close();

        }

        // link to the new qr code eps
        graphic.itemLink.relink(f);

        // need new reference
        graphic = frame.graphics[0];

        // update graphic
        if (graphic.itemLink.status == LinkStatus.LINK_OUT_OF_DATE)
            graphic.itemLink.update();

    } catch (error) {
        alert('Error exporting qr code to "' + exportPath + '". (' + error.message + ')');
    }

    finally {
        // clean up
        tmp.close(SaveOptions.NO);
    }

    return graphic;

};

Can't check right now - but maybe ObjectStyle can help? 

If datamerge offers no hook to set color (and somehow, I'd be unsurprised if that was the case), it might be simpler to use a script to edit all generated codes and set their color.