Script to merge 2 Indesign files on alternating pages

[Eleivana07]

Hello

I have created a data merge document for a book I am writing (Luckily I already had everything in Excel) . I created a template with the style headings and graphics frames positioned and sized exactly where I wanted them.My master page had repeating elements etc.

Loved the process and it worked beautifully. It literally saved me a weeks worth of formatting and inserting graphics work. However the file basically created the Left hand page ONLY of a 2 page spread.

My understanding from studying tutorials on data merge is that they can only create ONE page output altho I know you can change it to 2 page spreads afterward.

The second data merge created a file what would ideally be the right hand page of every spread.

This is a reference/encyclopedia type book with each 2 page spread a distinct entity devoted to a subject

I need to join the 2 files together.

1. The first file would be the left hand or EVEN page
2. The second file would be the right hand or ODD page.

The document is 350 pages.Each page is the same size,margins and subject matter but with different headings and graphics

(Dragging pages would be too tedious and I have had problems with ID crashing. Don't want to go there again)

I did read an answer by Dave Saunders (  9. Nov 1, 2008 5:03 PM (in response to Al Ferrari) Re: Script to interleave two InDesign files of equal page counts )

Would that work do you think?

I have ID CS4 6.0 running on windows vista.

I have ZERO scripting experience but I can follow directions.

Is there any way, scripting wise, I could (or should) accomplish this?

Thank You in Advance for any help

Lauren

[Colin Flashman · Accepted solution]

My understanding from studying tutorials on data merge is that they can only create ONE page output altho I know you can change it to 2 page spreads afterward.

That isn't true. Data merge can be done with many pages. See my response to this post:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/3909894#3909894

In response to the OP's script request, i can't be of any help.

What i'm hoping is that after reading how to make a data merge with both left and right hand pages from the post i've linked, that the data could be merged again... assuming there was little (or no) post-processing of the file after the merge was performed.

[Eleivana07]

Hi

Well you were absolutely right!!

The tutorials really did make it sound like a data merge would only produce single pages . In my case I opened a new document and dragged my  2 masters ( 1 for left page 1 for right page) into the masters panel, applied them to the 2 pages in the pages panel, followed your instructions on unchecking the allow pages to shuffle, dragged the 2nd page up next to the first page and did the merge.

Beautiful!!

It even numbered the pages correctly

(Doing happy dance)

Thank you so much

[ccs_scotland]

the two A pages stuck side by side isn't a "double page spread"... so I don't see how this is a solution for a proper double page spread book.

I'm trying to set up a catalogue that has images next to the spine on both pages... the "one entry" datamerge set up seems to assume that both pages will have identical layouts, where as I'm trying to "mirror" the layout on  the left & right pages. So, I thought an Odd / Even merge of two rendered "single page" merged docs would be the "compromise"... never thought I'd say this, but, word's "mail merge" and "next record" pee on inDesign's data merge...

unless I've missed something, of course!... and I hope I have!