• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
0

Data merge Multiple Record Layout goes off the page, not matching preview

New Here ,
Nov 22, 2024 Nov 22, 2024

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi, I'm trying to use the Multiple Record Layout option in Indesign's data merge to tile a page of these "tags" from a simple spreadsheet but when I set it up, what I get when creating a merged document doesn't match the preview

 

Here is my tab-delimeted .txt data that I am only using the first column of

Screen Shot 2024-11-22 at 9.46.24 AM.png

Here is how I set up my page

Screen Shot 2024-11-22 at 9.45.02 AM.png

 

With these options selected for Multiple Record Layout, the preview looks perfect, just what I wanted

Screen Shot 2024-11-22 at 9.42.25 AM.png

 

But when I actually CREATE the merged document, it looks like this:

Screen Shot 2024-11-22 at 9.44.05 AM.png

 

Can't figure out what I could be doing wrong. I'm pretty sure I've done multiple record layouts before that haven't turned out like this. Any help?

TOPICS
Bug , How to

Views

80

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 2 Correct answers

Community Expert , Nov 23, 2024 Nov 23, 2024

Looks like everything has been set on the parent page. What happens if you put the static bit (the circle shapes) on the parent page only, and then put your variable data text frame on page 1 and then try?

I'm not a fan of InDesign's multiple record feature. I've written about some of its "behaviours" here: https://colecandoo.com/2013/12/28/data-merge-multiple-record-madness/

Votes

Translate

Translate
Community Expert , Nov 23, 2024 Nov 23, 2024

I might go even further and put the merge field on an otherwise blank page and the circles on a different Parent Page and apply  that parent after the merge. I'm guessing those circles are die lines for cutting, or possibly placeholders for precut labels that aren't actually required except to check positioning.

Also I'm on record here more than a few times as advixing against using preview with multiple record per page merges -- it ofter triggers a corruption of the template unless you "undo" a

...

Votes

Translate

Translate
Community Expert ,
Nov 23, 2024 Nov 23, 2024

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Looks like everything has been set on the parent page. What happens if you put the static bit (the circle shapes) on the parent page only, and then put your variable data text frame on page 1 and then try?

I'm not a fan of InDesign's multiple record feature. I've written about some of its "behaviours" here: https://colecandoo.com/2013/12/28/data-merge-multiple-record-madness/

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Nov 23, 2024 Nov 23, 2024

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I might go even further and put the merge field on an otherwise blank page and the circles on a different Parent Page and apply  that parent after the merge. I'm guessing those circles are die lines for cutting, or possibly placeholders for precut labels that aren't actually required except to check positioning.

Also I'm on record here more than a few times as advixing against using preview with multiple record per page merges -- it ofter triggers a corruption of the template unless you "undo" after the preview and before running the merge.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Nov 25, 2024 Nov 25, 2024

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

This worked -- Thank you both!

The circles are die lines for cutting but I wanted to be sure that it was all lining up correctly before I ran the merge. Well, it's very silly that the Preview isn't accurate and can even screw up the template.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines