Automating Similar Forms-Based Products
If you need to add several versions of a document to a store as customizable products, defining all the variables for each document and assigning them to the proper frame in the Online Editor involves considerable effort. You can save time by adding the form field variables to multiple Adobe InDesign source documents so they are imported automatically in the customizable product. This is possible with the Data Merge function in Adobe InDesign as explained below.
Create a data source file for InDesign
The data source file is a tab- or comma-separated text file that contains all the variables that will be used in the document. This file is created in a text editor on a Windows or Macintosh computer.
1 Open the text editor and type all the variables on the first line of the document with each variable separated by a TAB.
2 Copy the first line and paste it on the second line.
3 Save this document as a .txt file.
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Add variables to the InDesign document
1 Open your layout file in Adobe InDesign.
2 Choose Window > Utilities > Data Merge to open the Data Merge panel.
3 In this panel, choose the Data Source menu option to import your data source .txt file.
4 The Data Merge panel now displays all the variables. Insert them all at the correct location in the document.
For example, the imported data can be inserted into the layout of a business card:
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5 Export the document as a StoreFront Package. See “Create a package with the Converter plug-in (up to InDesign CS6)”.
6 Repeat this procedure for each version of your document, reusing the data source file.
Finish the documents in the Online Editor
1 Create a new customizable product using the exported StoreFront Package.
2 Edit the product in the Online Editor.
All the variables are present and linked. The frames containing a variable are already marked as Selected frame contains variables.
All the imported variables are of the type Short text. All you need to do is give each variable a suitable Display Name.
3 Select each variable and click the pencil icon to edit the Display Name.
You may also still want to change the order of the variables and give them proper default values.
4 Repeat this procedure for each version of your document.
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