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ok i thought i had this fixed. WHen i create the file It works fine i can turn on and off teh Preview i can also switch between the Fields in the CSV file. However after i save it and re open it the same thing starts happening again. Everry time i switch to Preview the Fields start adding to each other. I am using indt so that way I will have a template made the way i need it. Latest indesign. OSX 10.11.6. The picture are in order. I turned the Preview on and off several times and this happened. It does the same thing if i change the Preview page. This document was created From scratch. Please help.
I see you are on Mac and I'm on Windows. This can make the difference, I don't know.
In my old Excel 2010 I have 4 file types to choose from:
csv - separated with semicolons (doesn't work in my german InDesign version without find/replace commas)
csv for Mac (all special characters messed up, just like yours)
csv for DOS (doesn't work at all, too old)
and Tab separated *.txt file (works always fine)
I never had to set a special character set like UTF-8. Why not try the last one if your Excel lets you?
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The Text also gets messed up. This is what it should be
Thinner – Extra Fast, Diluant – trés rapide ,Tíner – extra rápido
This is what it makes it when i close and open the document. It displays fine until I reopen the document
Thinner - Extra Fast, Diluant - tr_s rapide, T’ner - extra r‡pido
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Check your csv file was properly saved using UTF encoding
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This one was saved in that format its CSV UTF-8 (comma delimited) (CSV).
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In the Excel Document it looks ok. its when Indesign brings it in that it messes up.
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***FOR THE MULTIPLE INPUTS***
Ok I figured out whats going on but i'm not sure why. And i'm hoping you guys can explain why this is happening. If i create a new document and insert my information it does what is happening above. Now if i create a document Put one of the fields (i used Ident ) then create merged document and resave over my existing file it works. Any ideas? Also if my coworker creates a file and i open it everything works like its supposed to as well.
***UPDATE***
Ok seems nothing is working again. Quit Indesign Cleared Preferences and reopened the Documents and nothing is working "AGAIN". Data Merge just dont work. Is there a setting i have somewhere set wrong? This is really getting annoying now. And the documents that i used that were working Wont open correctly on the other computers either.
***AS FOR THE MESSED UP TEXT***
This is I can not figure out at all. Nothing seems to fix this. No matter what CSV format i use it does the same thing. It does however display with different characters but the same characters are messed up.
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I clean CSV files but brining them in to text wrangler, this way you can just see the pure clean text. This is where i clean it by running find and replaces for extra paragraph breaks, extra spaces and whatever else should not be there. Once i do that i resave it and bring from indesign that new .csv file.
I found this brings clean files into indesign. you will be surprise how many merged cells there might be which produce extra spaces, and issues to data merges
I hope this helps
Jonathan
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Saving it as the text format Tabs separated/delimited fixed every problem. Thank you.
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I see you are on Mac and I'm on Windows. This can make the difference, I don't know.
In my old Excel 2010 I have 4 file types to choose from:
csv - separated with semicolons (doesn't work in my german InDesign version without find/replace commas)
csv for Mac (all special characters messed up, just like yours)
csv for DOS (doesn't work at all, too old)
and Tab separated *.txt file (works always fine)
I never had to set a special character set like UTF-8. Why not try the last one if your Excel lets you?
Fenja
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Thank you i'll try one of these other formats. I"ll try the Txt file. I thought Data merge could only use CSV files so i never tried txt files.
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I dont have "TAB separated" But TAB DELIMITED Seems to be working. And may have fixed the multiple entries error i was getting. I'll mess around with this the rest of the day and tomorrow. ANd if all stays like it is now i'll mark correct. Thanks again
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Did it solve your encoding problem?
What is your workflow? Do you use a text Editor such as Notepad++ ?
I never encounter problem with ANSI encoding... but if a data merging specialist such as LoicAigon recommend UTF-8, it sure does confuse me.
I do have encoding problem with UTF-8 (I use PC), while ANSI works fine for me.
Besides, .txt works great !!
note: not problem related, but your french version has a few accent mistakes (très, matières)
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So far fenja's idea is working. I have had 0 errors. I think the UTF and other CSV formats were the entire Problem. I have been working with this for a few hours now and everything has looked fine and no duplicate fields being generated. On mac i dont have all those save options. I'll mess around with it for the rest of the day and If i come in tomorrow and everything is working I'll mark it as being solved. thanks for everyone who's helped with this. You have all saved me a lot of headaches.
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It would be great if it works for you.
Tabs separated/delimited > I've a german Excel and didn't know how it is called in English. Sorry. We're learning forever ...
Fenja
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What happens when you export the file as UTF-16?
This thread may assist you: Importing CSV file with Data Merge Fails
Colin
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Thanks for your reply. When i exported as UTF-16 it wont load the file. IT says it unsupported. I'll check the Link posted and hopefully that will help