Participant

Question

Using Data Merge with columns for roll printing.

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
March 12, 2025
9 replies
467 views

Hello,

Trying to create a label setup where I have 8 labels per sheet, two columns. I am trying get this numbering sequence to work, and cannot figure it out. The columns are cut in half as labels come of the roll. In the end I would have two rolls.

Sheet one numbers:

1 9

2 10

3 11

4 12

Sheet two numbers:

5 13

6 14

7 15

8 16

currently its 1-8 on sheet one, 9016 sheet two.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

Or use a two column table with two dedicated ParaStyles - for each column.

So, what is your design?

J

jeffrey_0468Author

Participant

Hello Robert,

Thank you for responding. Its a simple label design with just the sequential numbering.

I had a feeling about the datasource you mentioned. So how do I go about building a two column table?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

You're awesome! Thank you!

Step 1: No Facing pages:

Step 2: Your tickets:

Step 3: New layer:

Step 4: New TextFrame - marked as Primary:

Step 5: Smart Reflow ON:

Step 6: Lock Tickets:

Step 7: Ctrl+Click on the TextFrame - to override it on the page:

Step 8: Edit contents of your TextFrame:

(space)(space)(tab)(space)(enter)

Step 9: with text cursor inside the TextFrame - CTRL+A, CTRL+C, CTRL+END, then repeat CTRL+V 5x times - to get nice 10x "placeholders":

That's why TWO spaces at the beginning of the 1st row - for some reason InDesign isn't pasting FIRST two spaces - but only one - with only one space in the 1st line - step 11 won't work.

Step 10: with text cursor still in the TextFrame - CTRL+A and add a new ParaStyle:

Step 11: With your text still selected - Convert to Table:

Without TWO spaces at the beginning - InDesign don't number empty cells:

WITH two spaces:

Step 12: Select RIGHT column:

Step 13: Right mouse button click on the "Number LEFT" ParaStyle and Duplicate:

Step 14: Edit new ParaStyle:

Everything will be numbered as 11 😉

Step 15: Switch back to "continue":

Step 15: add new numbering list:

Right after you confirm your new list:

Step 16: Select your whole table:

Sep 17: Play with row height, insets and definitions of the ParaStyles:

Because of the Step 5 - Smart Reflow - InDesign automatically added new Pages & TextFrames:

If you would need more rows - then you will have to either add new rows and extra spaces inside - InDesign can't number empty Cells - even when it can number empty Paragraphs - or do the WHOLE Step 5 few more times.

2nd execution of the step 5 - will result in selecting all newly created 10x rows - and if you hit CTRL+V 5x - you'll get 50x new rows.

3rd execution - will get you 250x.

And so on 😉

Or, in the Step 5 - you can load an "ampty" text file from Excel or whatever - as long as you'll have TWO spaces, TAB, and another SPACE in ever ~~line~~ paragraph of text.

At any point - you can edit your ParaStyles to change numbering - you don't have to select anything - just edit ParaStyle:

And you don't even have to EXIT from this editing stage - just switch back to "Continue":

Enjoy 😄

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

But, what is your design? Is there anything else "variable" in the design?

Or you just need two sets of sequential numbers?

Because, you could put your tickets on the Master / Parent page, add two separate sets of TextFrames in the right places - apply dedicated ParaStyles, set Bullets and Numbering - one to start from "1" and second to start from the half of the total qty - and insert a lot of empty lines.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

As DataMerge populates contents - duplicates tickets - in rows - you need to prepare your data accordingly.

So, if you have 100 tickets, your DataSource would need to be:

1

51

2

52

3

53

...

49

99

50

100

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