Merge same value cells in a table

[saranyam]

Hi,

How to merge same value cells in a table in InDesign Document using scripts.

Herewith I attached the table which want to merge :

After running the script the output table is :

I tried the below code for merging the cells :

var myDocument = app.activeDocument;

var allTables = app.activeDocument.stories.everyItem().tables.everyItem().getElements();

for(var FitmyCounter = 0; FitmyCounter < app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textFrames.length; FitmyCounter++)

{                                           

                  myStoryy = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textFrames.item(FitmyCounter);                                  

                          Merge(myStoryy);

} 

function Merge (mySel)

{

    for( var j = 0; j< mySel.tables.length ; j++ )

{

                for (var f = 0; f < mySel.tables.columns.length; f++)

                    {

                    for( var i = 0; i< mySel.tables.columns.cells.length ;i++ )

                            {

                        var a = mySel.tables.columns.cells.contents;

                        if(i<3)

                        if(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1].contents==a)

                        {

                            alert("a");

                            mySel.tables.columns.cells.merge(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1]);

                           // break;

                            }

                                            }

                                    }

                        }

    }

From this code I get the below table :

Please do guide me to get the exact output.

Regards,

Saranya

[Loic.Aigon]

The main issue here is the extra level of logic. It's easy to merge similar contents, it's harder to not do it given the context. because, you need to set the logic beyond it. And on top of it that may not be the same logic over every single table.

Not impossible but I think it's in your hands at this stage.

[Laubender]

Hi Loic,

yes. It's not doable in one single loop.

After done with the first column the rows to consider should be restricted to the number of rows that are merged with each cell of column one.

Regards,
Uwe

[Laubender]

And I would add a column to the right that will not be touched at all before doing any calculations.

So you can be sure that at any stage of the script the number of rows is static. That new column can be removed after the script is done with merging cells.

Regards,
Uwe

[saranyam]

Hi Loic and Uwe,

Thanks you so much for your responses...

The script provided by Loic for merging the table cells  works fine as expected...Thank you..

Regards,

Saranya

[AhmetSamsa]

Can you share it if its for free?

[Laubender]

Hm. FWIW:

Don't know if it's wise to "simplify" a table like we are seeing in the second screenshot of the first post of our OP.

Always ask: Is a human reader be able to digest the tabular information better now after merging cells to that extend?

After running the script the output table is :

Regards,
Uwe

[AhmetSamsa]

No they couldn't digest it better but when there is too much tables on single spread with a lot of other element, this approach is better in my opinion.
It simplify page design and focus on pictures more than the table.

[Laubender]

Also consider what it means to update data in the catalog after merging cells.

Regards,
Uwe

[AhmetSamsa]

Didn't thinked about that.
Actually the  catalog  I'm designing doesn't have any excel file with data.
I have to use various OCR software to  recognize text and tables.
Then copy table part from excel to indesign and use script to create table, delete empty columns and row, merge emtpy cell, create header etc.

[Sunil Yadav · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

You are almost there.

Just a bit changes will do the task,

Try this code, It will work...

var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var allTables = app.activeDocument.stories.everyItem().tables.everyItem().getElements();
for(var FitmyCounter = 0; FitmyCounter < app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textFrames.length; FitmyCounter++){
    myStoryy = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textFrames.item(FitmyCounter);
    Merge(myStoryy);
    }
function Merge (mySel){
    for( var j = 0; j< mySel.tables.length ; j++ ){
        for (var f = 0; f < mySel.tables.columns.length; f++){
            for( var i = 0; i< mySel.tables.columns.cells.length ;i++ ){
                var a = mySel.tables.columns.cells.contents;
                if(i < mySel.tables.columns.cells.length-1){
                    if(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1].contents==a){
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.contents = "";
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.merge(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1]);
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.verticalJustification = 1667591796;
                        f = -1;
                        i = -1;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }

Best

Sunil

[AhmetSamsa]

Thank you very much Sunil.

For people want to run it only on selected text frame. Use this code. 

var myDocument = app.activeDocument;  
var allTables = app.selection[0].parentStory.tables.everyItem().getElements();
for (var tf = 0; tf < app.selection.length; tf++) {
  var mySel = app.selection[tf];
  Merge(mySel);
}
function Merge (mySel){  
    for( var j = 0; j< mySel.tables.length ; j++ ){  
        for (var f = 0; f < mySel.tables.columns.length; f++){  
            for( var i = 0; i< mySel.tables.columns.cells.length ;i++ ){  
                var a = mySel.tables.columns.cells.contents;  
                if(i < mySel.tables.columns.cells.length-1){  
                    if(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1].contents==a){  
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.contents = "";  
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.merge(mySel.tables.columns.cells[i+1]);  
                        mySel.tables.columns.cells.verticalJustification = 1667591796;  
                        f = -1;  
                        i = -1;  
                        }  
                    }  
                }  
            }  
        }  
    }  

[Sunil Yadav]

Yes,

Variables can be modified easily as per need.

Best

Sunil