Inline Data Merge - Images won't show up

[sarahpeller]

Hey there,

I'm creating a product catalog with an inline anchored image next to each product to delineate what the product code is.

I'm new to data merge, so I'm struggling a little with getting the data to come in correctly. I want a continuously flowing text box with inline anchored images. I've managed to get all of the text to flow through one entire text box by using the "inline data merge" script (found here). I've followed instructions in this very helpful article as to how to add images. I followed the instuctions on how to add the path to my images, but noticed that indesign was copying the paths incorrectly. The paths that Indesign copied (using copy info > copy platform style path to the images I'd like to place) were showing duplicate paths. So, I tried to copy from the finder.

For instance, when I copied the path using Indesign's "copy platform style" command, I got this:

Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiurrent Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.ailients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiatalog/Links/Product Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiodes/B.aiackups/Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiurrent Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.ailients/Heron Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiurrent Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.ailients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiatalog/Links/Product Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiodes/B.aiotanicals/2022 Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiatalog/Links/Product Macintosh HD/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/C.aiodes/A.ai

It's just repeating and repeating. 

When I copied straight from the finder, I got this file path:

/Users/sarahgirl/Dropbox/New Backups/Current Clients/Heron Botanicals/2022 Catalog/Links/Product Codes/A.ai

I tried this version as well as one adding "Macintosh HD/" to the front of the path.

None of these paths seem to work. When I run the inline merge the images are blank and are not showing up in the links panel. Indesign knows that the image block I've created is linked to the "price code" source of my csv document, but nothing happens when I import... I think I've set up the file and data merge correctly, but the path may be wrong... I think? I'm not really sure what is going on here, but I'd love some help if anyone has more experience with this sorta thing than I do. Thanks so much!

[Mike Witherell]

Whenever I have used Data Merge, I have always made sure the images are in one subfolder under the InDesign document folder. That way the paths are unambiguous and simple. Is that a possibility for you to practice?