Adobe InDesign CS5 - Manual (Page 660)

654 USING INDESIGN
Automation
Last updated 11/16/2011
If you get an error message when you type the @ symbol at the beginning of the field, type an apostrophe (') before
the @ symbol (such as
'@Photos) to validate the function. Some applications, such as Microsoft Excel, reserve the @
symbol for functions.
(Windows) Example of image references in data source file
(Mac OS) Example of image references in data source file
You can use InDesign to view the path of an image on your operating system. Insert an image in an InDesign
document, and then use the Links panel to view the image’s location. With the image selected, choose Copy Info >
Copy Full Path from the Links panel menu. You may need to edit the path after you paste it in your data source. This
technique is especially useful for images on a server.
About target documents
Once your data source file is created, you need to set up the target document and insert the fields from the data source
file. The target document contains data-field placeholder text and graphics, such as the design that you want to appear
on every postcard. These fields become available to add after you select a data source.
The target document includes fields from the data source with field placeholder text shown.
When you merge data, InDesign creates a new document that replaces the fields with the data you designated in the
data source file. You can place data fields on either a master page or a document page.
Select a data source
Before you insert fields into your target document, select a data source in the Data Merge panel. You can have only one
data source file selected per target document.
1 Create or open the document you’ll be using as the target document.
2 Choose Window > Utilities > Data Merge.
3 Choose Select Data Source from the Data Merge panel menu.
4 To change delimited text options, select Show Import Options.
Name Age @Photos
Bill Tucker 36 C:\Photos\BillTucker.jpg
Dat Nguyen 53 C:\MyDocuments\dat.gif
Maria Ruiz 26 C:\Photos\Ruiz.psd
Name Age @Photos
Bill Tucker 36 Mac HD:Photos:BillTucker.jpg
Dat Nguyen 53 Desktop:Family:dat.gif
Maria Ruiz 26 Mac HD:Photos:Ruiz.psd
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