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Exploring ID Server data merge specs

Explorer ,
Oct 06, 2020 Oct 06, 2020

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Hi, 


I've worked with ID for a number of years and part of it is has do do with creating templates for personalised books that we merge with data from a survey.
We are now considering ID Server, to see of this merge process can be done online. 

It is really hard to find more info about the specs of ID Server regarding the merge options.
Has onyone a tip ot could someone maybe answer a few questions?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

TOPICS
Import and export , Publish online , Scripting

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Community Expert , Oct 13, 2020 Oct 13, 2020

Hi @MH57 

You can download the scripting SDK from the following link

https://console.adobe.io/downloads/id

It contains a docs folder containing the material that will get your team the idea about InDesign scripting and how to approach it. For a comprehensive documentation about the scripting DOM you can refer to the following link

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/

For starting the development of IDS, the following should be a good reference

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/indesign/sdk/cc/server/intro-to-indesign-server-cc.pdf

...

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Community Expert ,
Oct 06, 2020 Oct 06, 2020

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Hi MH57,

InDesign Server is all about scripting.

In regards to data merge, the InDesign functionality, there are no specific methods and properties that are not available to InDesign Desktop scripting. My take on this: Do not use InDesign's data merge functionality. Instead program the merging of data sources from scratch with ExtendScript.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Oct 06, 2020 Oct 06, 2020

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As rightly mentioned by Uwe, IDS is a software that does all that the desktop version of the software does the difference being that it does not have a UI. Lack of UI needs tweaking of script code that may be dealing with UI elements, for example, something like selection would not make sense in server code. The other part is the IDS being more suited for heavy workloads, you can have multiple instances of IDS configured to handle the workload of your website and create pdf's quickly in an automated workflow.

-Manan

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Explorer ,
Oct 06, 2020 Oct 06, 2020

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Thanks, this is already helpful. A more specific question I have is regarding the data merge proces. Is is possible to upload a locally creted InDesign file with merge codes on specific positions and let the merge process (sources from outside API export: XML data and graphic files) be done on the server?

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Community Expert ,
Oct 06, 2020 Oct 06, 2020

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Yes, it is possible, these are the kind of workflows that IDS is generally used. As Uwe mentioned you can write a custom script that pulls the data from whatever source you have and merge it into your template INDD file as per your workflow logic. Typically the processing of data i.e. fetching/pre-processing is done in a high-level language like JAVA, C#, etc and then once the data is prepared to be finally ingested, it is fed to IDS along with a script that does the data processing/merge as per the needs of InDesign. Hope this helps

-Manan

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Explorer ,
Oct 13, 2020 Oct 13, 2020

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Thank you Manan, helpful again!
Is there somewhere documentation on how the scripting has to be done with IDS?
The team that is working on our platform probably doesn't  have experience with IDS and scripting for it, so I would like to see how we can brief them on this, or find someone who can do some coaching.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2020 Oct 13, 2020

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Hi @MH57 

You can download the scripting SDK from the following link

https://console.adobe.io/downloads/id

It contains a docs folder containing the material that will get your team the idea about InDesign scripting and how to approach it. For a comprehensive documentation about the scripting DOM you can refer to the following link

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/

For starting the development of IDS, the following should be a good reference

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/indesign/sdk/cc/server/intro-to-...

Scripting for desktop and server version are almost identical with some differences, like the example I mentioned in the previous post. So, any discussion that you find regarding desktop scripting would more often than not apply to the IDS as well. If you still have questions, feel free to ask

-Manan

 

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Explorer ,
Oct 15, 2020 Oct 15, 2020

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Thanks Manan!

These links are very helpful. Especially the last one to the Introduction is great.

I'll now first discuss it with the specialist in my team, since I'm actually more the concept guy and not really an IT-specialist.
But I do understand what you say and I'll let you know the outcomes.

Marius

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Explorer ,
Jan 17, 2021 Jan 17, 2021

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Hi @Manan Joshi , hi @Laubender ,

Would you maybe know how we can reach out to Adobe IDS specialists who could actually help us getting done what we have inmind. It appears our own specialists are in different areas and we would like to explore together with a IDS scripting programmer what it would take (time, money) to actually build what we need. Are there specialised agencies? Or can we find someone in this community? You??

 

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Community Expert ,
Jan 18, 2021 Jan 18, 2021

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Hi @MH57,

I can help in trying to explore the options with IDS. DM me some details on what needs to be done and then we can talk further.

-Manan

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