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CatalinCighi77
New Participant
November 29, 2020
Question

How: DataMerge->Export as individual PDFs-> automatically name each PDF using PDF dynamic fields

  • November 29, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 9999 views

Hello ASC - 

 

I find myself under pressure to create a few thousand COVID test results per day, with great urgency, using the excel output file of a molecular biology lab that does the work and needs to have it conveyed in a special PDF form to the government.

 

I've solved all but the last steps of the process using DataMerge and the option to save as individual PDFs I can now generate the test bulletins. But for these tests to be distributed fast to hundreds of destinations and thousands of recipients, I need to be able to implement a naming protocol and this is where I got stuck.

 

Each PDF should be named using a combination of specific fields from its content, such as test_result, pacient_name, test_date, test_place, etc

 

I am relatively new to Indesign and have reached my competency limit with this one. I can probably crack it given enough time, but time is exactly what we lack.

 

Can you help me please? 

5 replies

Colin Flashman
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 26, 2021

I wrote a script that does exactly this.

 it's available for FREE at https://colecandoo.com/scripts/ OR via the adobe add-ons https://exchange.adobe.com/creativecloud.details.100404.data-merge-to-single-records.html

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
New Participant
October 26, 2021

Thanks!

jctremblay
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 29, 2020

There is various ways to do this... and various script also.
You can also use Acrobat to split them using top level bookmarks generated by InDesign.
Take a look at this article:
https://creativepro.com/data-merging-individual-records-separate-pdfs/

Legend
November 29, 2020

Hello Catalin,

 

1. Start off by creating a Paragraph style named "PDF_name"

2. Create a text box in the slug area with a portion of the box within the page bounds and assign the Paragraph style "PDF_name"

3. Assign the field from the data source for the pdf naming

4. Create and save the Merged document, run the script to export the pdfs


The below script will export pdfs named by the contents of the text box useing the Paragraph style named "PDF_name from each page

 

 

   var doc = app.documents[0];
   var myResult = {};
   var allStoriesArray = app.documents[0].stories.everyItem().getElements();
   
    for(var n=0; n<allStoriesArray.length; n++){
    var currentStory =  allStoriesArray[n];
    var textContainersLength = currentStory.textContainers.length;
    var lastFrameOfStory = currentStory.textContainers[textContainersLength-1];
    var objToCheck = lastFrameOfStory;
    
    if(lastFrameOfStory.constructor.name == "TextPath")
    objToCheck = lastFrameOfStory.parent
    
    if(currentStory.overflows && objToCheck.itemLayer.visible && objToCheck.parentPage != null)
    myResult[objToCheck.parentPage.name] = objToCheck.parentPage.name;
    }
    
    var pageList = new Array;
    for(var a in myResult)
    pageList.push(a);
        
    pageList.sort(function(a,b) {return a-b});
    
    if(pageList.length > 0){
    alert("Error!\nDocument contains overset text on page(s): \r" + pageList);
    exit();
    }
    
   var mLinks = doc.links; 
   for(var i = 0; i < mLinks.length; i++){ 
   if ((mLinks[i].status == LinkStatus.LINK_MISSING || mLinks[i].status == LinkStatus.LINK_OUT_OF_DATE) && checkIfOnPage(mLinks[i].parent.parent) && mLinks[i].parent.parent.itemLayer.visible == true ){ 
   alert("Error!\nThis document contains links to files that are missing or modified, use the links panel to fix the problem(s) and try again!");  
   exit();
     
          }
     }

function checkIfOnPage(mItem){
    
    var _OldZeroPoint = app.activeDocument.zeroPoint;     
    app.activeDocument.zeroPoint = [0,0];     
    var _Width =app.activeDocument.documentPreferences.pageWidth;     
    var _Height=app.activeDocument.documentPreferences.pageHeight;     
    var _Bounds = mItem.geometricBounds;
    if ((_Bounds[3] < 0)  || (_Bounds[1] > _Width) || (_Bounds[0] > _Height) || (_Bounds[2] < 0)){
        return false     
    }else{   
        return true 
    }
    app.activeDocument.zeroPoint =_OldZeroPoint;     
}

    function myGetPageNames(){
        var myPageNames = new Array;
        for(myCounter = 0; myCounter < app.activeDocument.pages.length; myCounter ++){
            myPageNames.push(app.activeDocument.pages.item(myCounter).name);
      }
        return myPageNames;
    }

       //Function Returns pdf_name for Selected Pages
      function getTextFromPageUsingParagraphStyle(myPage){
     
     if (doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("PDF_name") == null) {
      alert ('Error!\nThe Paragraph Style "PDF_name" does not exist or is Labeled Incorrectly.');
      exit();
}
          app.findTextPreferences = app.changeTextPreferences = null;   
          app.findTextPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "PDF_name";  
  
          var myTextframes = myPage.textFrames;  
          var pdf_name = null;
          
          for (y=0; y < myTextframes.length; y++){
            try {
              var mySearchResult = myTextframes[y].findText();
                if (mySearchResult.length > 0){  
                 pdf_name = mySearchResult[0].contents; 
                   break;  
                  }
             }catch (e){
        }
            } 
  
           return pdf_name;      
  } 

//Dialog/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

var mySelectedFolder = Folder.selectDialog ("Select a Folder");
if(mySelectedFolder != null){

}else{
exit();
}

var myDialog = app.dialogs.add({name:"DataMerge 1-Page HR Pdf Exporter", canCancel:true});
with (myDialog){
with (dialogColumns.add()){

with (dialogRows.add())
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Page Range Options", minWidth:25});
with (borderPanels.add()){
var myradiogroup1 = radiobuttonGroups.add();
with (myradiogroup1){
var myyesradiobutton1 = radiobuttonControls.add({staticLabel:'Export All Pages', checkedState:true});
var mynoradiobutton1 = radiobuttonControls.add({staticLabel:'Export Select Pages'});    
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"", minWidth:75});  
}
}
}
}
if (myDialog.show() == true){

var SelectedPages = myradiogroup1.selectedButton; 

}else{
}
myDialog.destroy();

//All Pages//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 if (SelectedPages == false){
     
for(var p = 0; p < app.documents[0].pages.length; p++) {  
         var frames = app.documents[0].pages[p].textFrames;  
         var pdf_name = null;  
      
         for(var i = 0; i < frames.length; i++) { 
          try { 
              if(frames[i].paragraphs[0].appliedParagraphStyle.name == 'PDF_name') {  
                   pdf_name = frames[i].paragraphs[0].contents;  
                   break;  
              }
            }catch (e){
          }  
        }
     
    if (pdf_name == null) { 
    alert ('Error!\nThe Paragraph Style "PDF_name" is not applied to one or more of the pages or is Labeled Incorrectly.');
    exit();
    }
      
      if(pdf_name != null) {  
 
    }    

         app.pdfExportPreferences.pageRange = app.documents[0].pages[p].name; 

         var export_preset = app.pdfExportPresets.item("[High Quality Print]");
         
         doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.PDF_TYPE, File(mySelectedFolder +"/"+ pdf_name + ".pdf"), false, export_preset);
  }
  alert("Done Exporting Pdf's!");
}

//Selected Pages/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 if (SelectedPages == true){
     
     for(var p = 0; p < app.documents[0].pages.length; p++) {  
         var frames = app.documents[0].pages[p].textFrames;  
         var pdf_name = null;  
      
         for(var i = 0; i < frames.length; i++) { 
          try { 
              if(frames[i].paragraphs[0].appliedParagraphStyle.name == 'PDF_name') {  
                   pdf_name = frames[i].paragraphs[0].contents;  
                   break;  
              }
            }catch (e){
          }  
        }
     
     if (pdf_name == null) { 
    alert ('Error!\nThe Paragraph Style "PDF_name" is not applied to one or more of the pages or is Labeled Incorrectly.');
    exit();
      }
      if(!pdf_name) continue;
      }
  
   var myPageNames = myGetPageNames();

    var selectPgs = new Window ("dialog", "Select Page#'s To Export");
    var pgGroup = selectPgs.add("group");
    pgGroup.orientation = "column";
    pgGroup.alignChildren = "center";
    pgGroup.add("statictext", undefined, "Export Single Page pdf's");
    var pgsList = pgGroup.add("listbox", [-25, 0, 170, 246], myPageNames, {multiselect: true});
    var selectedpgsList = []; 
    for (var i = 0; i < pgsList.items.length; i++){selectedpgsList[-1] = pgsList.items[i];}
    pgsList.selection = selectedpgsList; 

    var btn = selectPgs.add("group");
    btn.orientation = "row";
    btn.alignment = ["right", "top"];
    var okBtn = btn.add ("button", undefined, "OK", {name:"OK"});
    var cancelBtn = btn.add ("button", undefined, "Cancel", {name:"Cancel"});

    var result = selectPgs.show();
    if(result == 1){
    }  
    else if (result== 2){  
    exit(0);  
    } 
    var pagelist = [];
    if(pgsList.selection == null){
     alert ("Error!\nNo page#'s were selected.")
     exit(); 
     }else{
         
      for (var i=0; i<pgsList.selection.length; i++) {
      pagelist.push(pgsList.selection[i].text);
        }
     }
 
          for (i = 0; i < doc.pages.length; i++) {
            if (String(pagelist).match("\\b"+doc.pages[i].name+"\\b")){ 

            var pdf_name = getTextFromPageUsingParagraphStyle(doc.pages[i]);
          
            app.pdfExportPreferences.pageRange = doc.pages[i].name;
           
            var export_preset = app.pdfExportPresets.item("[High Quality Print]");

           doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.PDF_TYPE, File(mySelectedFolder +"/"+ pdf_name + ".pdf"), false, export_preset);
         }
      }
      alert("Done Exporting Pdf's!");
    }

 

 

Regards,

Mike

 

New Participant
October 25, 2021

Hi Mike, 

How do you save the script to the Indesign Scripts folder?  Thanks! 

Legend
October 25, 2021

Hello @susaneala,

 

Saving the script file: Copy the code above into the text edit app setting the format to "Make Plain Text" then save the file with the .jsx extension.

Installing the Script file: in InDesign go to (Window > Utilities > Scripts), then right-click on the User folder, inside the folder that opens there is a folder called Scripts Panel. Put the script inside that folder.

 

Regards,

Mike

TᴀW
Legend
November 29, 2020

Hi Catalin,

My Extract Pages script (https://www.id-extras.com/products/extract-pages/) does just what you ask for. Not free, though.

Thanks,

Ariel

Legend
November 29, 2020

Hello Catalin,

 

I will be able to help, but I have a couple of questions..........

Are each test bulletins a single page to export as a pdf? what pdf export preset do you use to export the pdfs currently.

Regards,

Mike