How do I insert my csv file column value into a text frame placeholder with javascript?

Report · Apr 30, 2015

Hi guys i'm a beginner when it comes to scripting in general and I got an assignment .

I'm working on a web api which needs to produce an empty indd Document and fill it with content with the help of a csv file(datamerge) and convert it to a pdf afterwards. Im currently using the InDesign server and a soap client to insert my task with scripts in it to accomplish this. In the script below I am trying put the header column into a placeholder text frame in InDesign. the problem is that when i run this I get the error " Missing placeholders". so the script can't put the csv content in a placeholder. I am stuck at this error, please help me if you can.

code below:

var source = File("/c/xampp/htdocs/project/data/indd/hello1.indd");// indesign source
var destination = File("");
var sourceData = File("/c/xampp/htdocs/project/data/csv/data1.csv"); csv file

//Create a new document.
var myDocument = app.documents.add();
//Get a reference to the first page.

var myPage = myDocument.pages.item(0);
//Create a text frame.
var myTextFrame = myPage.textFrames.add();
var myTextFrame = myPage.textFrames.add({geometricBounds:[60,30,35,85]});
var myTextFrame1 = myPage.textFrames.add();
var myTextFrame1 = myPage.textFrames.add({geometricBounds:[110,30,310,170]});

myDocument.dataMergeProperties.selectDataSource(sourceData);

myTextFrame.contents = TextFrameContents.placeholderText;
myTextFrame1.contents = TextFrameContents.placeholderText;

var myDataMergeProperties= myDocument.dataMergeProperties;

myDocument.dataMergeProperties.mergeRecords();

//Save the document.
myDocument.save(new File("/c/xampp/htdocs/project/data/indd/hello2.indd"));
//Close the document.
app.documents.item(0).close();

app.activeDocument.save(File("/c/xampp/htdocs/project/data/indd/he.indd"));
app.documents.item(0).exportFile(ExportFormat.pdfType, destination);
doc.close();

the csv file looks like this when opened in notepad :

Klant,Content

Johan,LAKDASDMASDASDJASDASDAD

Susan,waLALALALLALALLALALALALALANANANnana

Jack,eensLALALALLALALLALALALALALANANANnana

Daniel,eenLALALALLALALLALALALALALANANANnana

any help would be appreciated!

Report · May 04, 2015

Hi,

Explain more what is your goal, pls - how your indd doc supposes to look like.

Use "merge" for creatiing many docs (pages) with different data collected in your csv file rather.

Perhaps just "place" method is a solution for you? And convert a content to table afterwards?

I mean:

myTextFrame.place(sourceData);

Jarek