InDesign Bar Graph

[Julian BW Thornton]

Hi, 

This is the situation I have at hand. I am creating, several hundred, reports using InDesign. I generated images to create what appears to be Bar Graphs to use InDesign's Data Merge. I have the images coming in, and the percents text coming in, The only issue is that the percents text only sits in a static position. I was wondering if there was a process or function I could do that would adjust the text to have it hovering just above the coloured portion of the Bar for the graph based off of the variable information that it looked at. To trick the appearance of the Percent Text is moving along with the Bar Graph Image. 

[BobLevine]

No. Include the text with the chart.

[Laubender]

Julian said: "…I could do that would adjust the text to have it hovering just above the coloured portion of the Bar for the graph based off of the variable information that it looked at."

Hi Julian,

I wonder if we could accomplish this with text wrap on the graph's image container and auto height on the text frame with the percentage text. Could you show a sample layout? Perhaps a sample document that is the template for the merge and two or three sample files plus the data merge data source for the two elements, the bar graph image and the percentage value.

Just an idea…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Laubender]

Hi Julian,

just found a quick and dirty solution. What I do not know is if fits your needs.

Download my sample files from my Dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/47udfj50t4xtrjn/220209-1-DataMerge-AutoHeight-Graphic-TextAbove.zip?dl=1

My idea:

Have the container frame for the image anchored inline in a text frame.

Above is the field for the percentage value.

Do Fit Frame To Image in the Data Merge Options.

Vertical alignment of the text frame contents is "Bottom".

See into the text frame options for that.

Some screenshots from my German InDesign 2022 below.

Data Merge template document.

Result page 1

Result page 2

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Julian BW Thornton]

This might be the result I have to look for. It would involve me having to edit all the images. With how I have it set, say the Bar Graph is 48%, I have it as a PNG with a colour bar of 48% and an empty area of 52%, though if we can accurate get it moving around with the length of the image I can get rid of the empty portions to have the Text move around with it.

Also with how sensitive the information is I can't show the sample or data at this time, so my apologies for being unable to provide that.

[Laubender]

Well, you could set up an action in PhotoShop to crop your images to the available pixels if there is no border around the whole bar graph images with the transparent areas. That could lead to an automatic batch process for all the images.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )