Losing case format when linking to excel

[LeneLykkeM]

Hi,

I have worked with linked Excel files to InDesign for years, but I have never had upper/lower cases in my Excel sheets. Now I have e.g. 

m<sup>3</sup>

O<sub>2</sub>

in my sheets, but they are formated to m3 and O2 in my tables in InDesign. I always add them in as Unformatted Table, as I have found that this is the easiest way to secure the design. If I add them in as formatted and then make changes inside InDesign, I loose those changes next time the excel file is updated. Is there a way to bring in the upper/lower case formatting on an unformatted table or to only do the formatting once in Indesign and make sure it does not change next time data is updated? Thanks for sharing your knowledge 🙂 Best regards, Lene 

[Laubender]

Hi Lene,

this could be accomplished with an applied table style, that has cell styles defined where a cell style applies a paragraph style with some GREP styles for doing sup or sub right for cases diverse like m2, m3 or O2.

If that can be done automatically depends on the design of the table.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[LeneLykkeM]

Hi Uwe,

I have tried this, but do not think it works in my table. I have applied table style, cell style and paragraph style (linked to the cell style) in my table, but nothing changes when I add the GREP style to the paragraph style. If I use the same paragraph style in a text box the GREP works perfectly, but nothing changes in my cells/table. You write "...depends on the design of the table" - can you elaborate on this? Otherwise I get to the conclusion it is not possible to do on tables and will try to request it as Creamer Training suggests. 

Best regards, Lene

PS: not being native English speaking, it is ofcause super/subscript I am trying to do, not upper/lower case 🙂

[Creamer Training]

ANY edits you make in InDesign except for Table and Cell styles get removing when updating a linked Excel file. 

Bringing in an unformatted table means just that--you lose all the text formatting (some size geometry and cell merging is maintained).

It could be a good feature request to maintain some text formatting, much like the there is an option for typographer's quotes. I could see a preference checklist to allow superscript, subscript, underline, strikethrough, alignment, etc.--while removing fonts, size, etc. 

If you want, post your request here:

https://indesign.uservoice.com/

I've been pushing for a more efficient manner of linking Excel files for ages--for example, an option to link when placing rather than changing the preferences. Or at least, separate the options to link spreadsheets and text in the preferences. I'm not holding my breath...

You might want to test out WordsFlow; it works with Excel files too. It can provide two-way edits and maybe give more control over the updates.  [edited for correction]

http://emsoftware.com/products/wordsflow/

[BobLevine]

Wordsflow is brilliant but it doesn't support two way editing for Excel files.

Pro works with Excel (one-way)

The Pro version of WordsFlow also works with imported Excel spreadsheet files as well as Word files. You can place a spreadsheet file, then format columns/rows or individual cells, etc. in InDesign. Later, if you or someone else makes changes to the original spreadsheet, including moving around rows or columns, WordsFlow will figure out what changed, and merge in the changes without losing the formatting and edits you’ve made in InDesign.

WordsFlow Pro doesn’t support two-way workflow with Excel documents, for now. But we call it a “one and a half-way workflow,” since you can work on both sides simultaneously.

[Creamer Training]

Thanks for clarifying my error. It's as Bob posted.

(Got too excited--should have double-checked and not gone by memory!)

[Laubender]

"I have applied table style, cell style and paragraph style (linked to the cell style) in my table, but nothing changes when I add the GREP style to the paragraph style. If I use the same paragraph style in a text box the GREP works perfectly, but nothing changes in my cells/table."

Hi Lene,

I was a bit vague about this, because I do not know your design and I do not know if your table style is able to apply the necessary cell styles without any overrides in formatting. If the GREP styles are working with text outside the table, select some text inside a cell and check if the applied paragraph styles' style is overridden. Or if a character style is applied that sets subscript and superscript to normal.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )