Data Merge: Cannot get multiple records per page

the data merge function in indesign doesn't make "next record" merges  like word does, but instead merges to fields within fixed text boxes, so  one frame = one data merge result. when doing mailing labels in word,  there is a field called "next record" which then calls in the next piece  of information.

the "next record" field is a vital field which indesign doesn't have and  i'd like… but that doesn't answer your question. i can see four ways  of doing what you want to do:

1) do a mail merge in word and use the "catalog" feature and do the  merge in word. format the word file appropriately using stylesheets, and  once the merge is made, save the file and close it. THEN, place the  file in indesign and then change the imported stylesheets into something  which resembles more like what you want.

2) use indesign's data merge but make sure that multiple record  layout is selected in the first dialog box when creating merged  document; and that when previewing the records, the records appear to be  in one column (even though they are still in separate text frames).  merge the document, and in the new document, select all the text frames  in the page and then run the MergeTextframes_ID.jsx script which can be  found at http://ajarproductions.com/blo…..-indesign/ .this  will have to be done page by page and then rethreaded each page, but  it's a workaround

3) if the data in the datamerge is a csv, convert the csv to xml. if  the csv is small (less than 100K) there is a converter online where the  contents of the csv is copied into the converter. it is at http://www.creativyst.com/Prod/15/ . The next step is complicated and needs some knowledge of XML. my  advice is to get hold of a book called "Designer's Guide to Adobe   InDesign and XML" by James Maivald, and specifically read chapter seven  and base your merge on this.

4) visit the third party providers link within the indesign page of the adobe site and have a look at products marketed there... i think teacup software and cacidi software sell products which do more advanced merges within indesign. they're not free though but are designed to handle big catalogues.

hope that helps.

colly

If you've set up the placeholders on the document page, ID is going to try to reproduce everything everything on the page as many times as it will fit using the spedcified spacing. If your text frame filled the page, it will be impossible to fit more than one. Putting the placeholders on the master page is similar, but in that case only the palceholders and other objects grouped with them will be duplicated.

Does your data look correct when you do click the "preview" button?

If so, consider if you're leaving enough room on the page for multiple instances of all the objects on your document. For example, if you have 4 text boxes per entry, and they are in a 1 inch square grid, and your "multiple records per page" settings have .5 inch spacing across the board, you wouldn't be able to fit 2 records on a 5x5 inch document page, so each entry would be pushed to the next page. Make your margins very very small and try again. Make your text boxes as small as possible. If attachments weren't blocked right now you could just upload a sample for us to see. You have to use your imagination a little bit with multiple record merges, because indesign doesn't give any visual clues as to the structure you are creating. It's sort of trial-and-error until you get the fitting that you want.

What is your page size? Also, take all the items in your template page (I'm guessing from your description that there's only 1 text box with 2 columns.) and tell us what those dimensions are.