How to Match and Place Image File Names Next to Supplied Names in Excel for Data Merge with InDesign

[Jadoo563]

Hi

can anyone help me please ,, i have 1 question about data merge from excel to indesign.

i have huge pictures from ""photographer"" with file names  like this, 

• B49I1384.JPG
• B49I1396.JPG
• B49I1397.JPG
• B49I1188.JPG
• B49I1178.JPG  

but client supplied excel sheet which is already mentioned real names in it, 

• Brian
• Christopher
• Ricky
• George
• Henry
• Keith
• Joseph

my question is how to place these huge files names excat in excel next column of real names.

Your kindness is deeply appreciated, thank you.

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[Laubender]

Hi @Jadoo563 ,

I see no way to do this. Do the image files hold any meta information about the depicted persons?

Then you could place all the images in InDesign as first step and create an automatic caption with the meta information showing the name. Use the option to group image and caption. The second step would be a custom script that could use the grouped images with their captions and does a list of names and image names. Or a script that would read out the meta data directly from all image files of a certain folder…

Note: I do not think that data merge will work with whole paths in InDesign 2024. Did not test with 2025 yet.

To circumvent this problem, place the data merge source file in the folder where all images are stored and use the file names only, not the full paths.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )