Database publishing

[ClaytonKing]

Seems like I've done this before, but can't remember how....

I have a large database and want to publish from InDesign. Is there a way to code the formatting in a text file (something like:

<<styletag1>>Mr. John Jones

<<styletag2>>1234 Anystreet, Anytown, SC 29292

<<styletag3>>803-123-4567

My goal is to embed the styles in a text file and have InDesign read them.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Maybe you're thinking of InDesign Tagged Text? (Not the same as IDML).

A sample txt file would look like this:

<ASCII-WIN>

<Version:7.5>

<ParaStyle:Name>Mr. John Jones

<ParaStyle:Address>1234 Anystreet, Anytown, SC 29292

<ParaStyle:Phone>803-123-4567

The bold lines at the top are the required header at the beginning of each .txt file. And of course, substitute the names of your paragraph styles after <ParaStyle:

More details at https://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/taggedtext/indesign_cs5_taggedtext.pdf

[Colin Flashman]

Tagged text is one way to accomplish this task but has its own syntax.

Would an XML import be more appropriate under the circumstances?

[MW Design]

Because VP tagged text (what the OP is use to using) is similar to QXP tagged text, and ID tagged text can be reasonably simple, I would use tagged text for this.

VP didn't need the opening lines, both ID and QXP do. But they are easy to inject at the database output or manually.

The thing is the styles if are not defined in the tagged text file, they need to either have the styles included ahead of time in say a template or post import.

Mike (who still occasionally uses VP10 under Windows 10)

[Colin Flashman]

@MW Design

I 100% agree with you. There's one job that comes up every five years that requires the indexes be created by going into textwrangler and fiddling with a tagged text file. I've written about it on my blog:

https://colecandoo.com/2013/05/17/wrangle-up-indesign-index-entries-without-indesign/

Unfortunately for me, I'm not involved with a lot of catalogue work, if any at all. I don't know if there's just no demand for it nowadays, or if my employer charges too much to create/amend the artwork. Most of my Data Merging experience is directly related to VDP campaigns. This limits my scope as to what may be a better option for database publishing, such as tagged text, XML, or a third party plug-in.

[Scott Citron]

These days I think you'd be better off using XML or either InData from Em Software or EasyCatalog from 65bit.com.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi Clayton,

I would like to know if the steps suggested above worked for you, or the issue still persists.

Kindly update the discussion if you need further assistance with it.

Thanks,

Srishti