Text Style in Frames in InDesign from Filemaker

[PeterBeverley]

Hi, I want to import and format text from Filemaker into Indesignl on a Mac. I have found an Automator action to take both text and pictures from a filemaker database directly into an InDesign template.

It uses a SKU identifier in Filemaker to select the text and drops it into a Text Frame with Script Tag on it (the same SKU identifier). I want to automatically use 3 diferent fonts and point sizes into the single frame and need help. All I can do is give it one style sheet, where I would like to tag it in some way to give it three formats.

How is this done?

Many thanks

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

There are a few ways to get the right result:
1. you can use XML.
2. you can use datamerge
(filemaker can export an excel-file, this can be used with data-merge)
3. you can ad text to identify the text you want to have a specific paragraph-style.
(example: #00text1
#01text2
#02text3)
You can use the script "FindChangeByList" (on the CD). the script will find the text you have add to identify (#00...#02) the paragraph style. It will apply the style and remove the added text.

I don't know what will be the best solution for you problem.

Hope it helps....

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Thanks for your advice Marcel

FindByChangeList sounds the better of the 2 options although not ideal.

Is there no way I can take text within a frame and add three script numbers to the text within the frame, instead of adding one script number to a frame itself?

Thanks again

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

It is not clear to me what you mean.

Is it possible to sent me a example ?....
This way i can see what the Automator-action does and maybe i can find a good workflow for your data to import into Indesign.
Can the Automator-action place text from a field of the filemaker database into a one frame?.. maybe you can use an object-style (incl. the paragraph-style in the object-style)
And send the each field into an separate frame, this way you don't have to run the FindByChangeList.

Maybe if have the automator-action and your files i give you more advice.
(i understand that your dont want to send out your files, but maybe just an example will do to see a good workflow)

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

i have looked on the net and found (i guess) your automator-action.

I think i do understand you question.....
see

http://automator.us/examples-04.html

About a bit down where the duck is shown and its content incl. the SKU an price tag.

You would like to have a different font size for the content, the SKU and price tag.
right?

Maybe you can use nested styles to get set the font etc.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I found also the applescript:

http://www.apple.com/applescript/datapublish/index.html

In the apple script you can see they set the font and fontsize of each paragraph. (i guess setting it to a paragraph style would also possible)
- - - - - -

I found also an movie on it... you probably seen it already
Nice to see have fast it goes building the pages.



I am curious i you have found al solution to you problem.
if not, glad to help..

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Hi Marcel
I appreciate your help.

This is the automator action I am hoping to adapt:

http://automator.us/examples-04.html

I need to get price ticket layouts as this link and was hoping to get it by using only one text box and applying styles:

http://www.agonyangel.co.uk/automator/example.jpg

Thanks again

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

Now that's a what i call an challenge.... )

In the example of the automator all the layout looks very constant.
I mean picture-text-discription-price (every time the same).
But in you example, the layout is quit different per item.
This is tricky to generate.

-the items are sometimes 1 or 2 block wide, and also even 2x2 wide-high.
-the price-tag has a different layout
-the addition 8 cans, 4 pack ect. is at different location

I guess you this need some extra fields in the data-base, to hold the information of size of the items, additions, build of the price tag. ect.

Did you already generate some thing ?.. would like to see how far you are )
I have seen it work at an adobe-day in holland, but that was done with a special plug-in (cannot remember it right now).

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Hi Marcel
Here is where I am at the moment but I can't continue until I know what direction to go:

http://www.agonyangel.co.uk/automator/files.zip

there is the Filemaker, InDesign and a few images enclosed. I just want to use the Automator actions as the files in the post above to place them into InDesign.

In the filemaker database I have put drop down menus for Offers 'BuyOneGetOneFree' etc. and for Large Standard and Small price box. I was planning on using these to help format the variable point sizes by calling stylesheets in InDesign.

If the price box didn't have an offer it would place the price into the top section of the red box and I would need to manually delete the keyline box with white background below.

Although I am ok at programing filemaker, I don't know apple script which is a bummer so an help is very welcome!

any thoughts?

Cheers

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

i had ad my email adress but i got an message of this forum that i should not give my email. I think that is a good thing, because of the spam-reply it would start.
So i will keep talking to you via this way.

as i write this i see you have post an reply here...

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Hi Marcel
I'm nearly there!

I have gone down the nested style sheets route (lots of them).

With the Automator action I duplicate the text action several times and apply diferent nested style to each one. I use various drop down menus in Filemaker to filter the text so it leaves me with what I want.

PROBLEM; £12.99, £1.99 and 95P are the diferent price markers and the decimals are superscript (set as a character style). At the moment I have 3 deferent nested style sheets, one for each version because I can select the first 4 characters to apply a syle to and then move to the next style. Is there a more logical way to get the pence to superscript.

Thanks

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

hi Peter,

Just a quick reply because i am of to work now... )

You can set the paragraph style to run to the "." en then go further with superscript.

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

i just looked i think you can use in the nested styles:

[none] up to 1 . p (that is a dot and a space p)

this way it will upperscript the .99 and the p

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

I didn't have much time the last days, so i am diving in...

One question: Do you re-design the leaflet over and over again or do you use the same layout (2 blocks right-side and several blocks on the left-side) more often.
I am asking because it seams the automator script wants the frames to have an ID (script-label) and these ID are fixed to the frames.

If you redesign the layout everytime (or even automate this.. ) ) then the frames need to get its own ID. I did search to automate the labels, but could not find anything.

You can ofcourse use several templates (with different layouts which include the ID per frame)

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Because the amount of products used on each leaflet it changes the layout every time, there will be several templates to set up. Some of the products might have 3 or 4 variables for example strawberry jam, raspberry and marmalade. each of these would be a separate filemaker record for each jam. An InDesign layout would have to be adapted so the script tagged picture box would have to be duplicated with a new tag for each box (original 101 then 101b and 101c.

My test leaflet that I am working on is 4 pages and (I am copying one that has already been printed) and trying to replicate it by importing every product image ant text from Filemaker.
Some products have the main picture with 2 insets on them and logos, There are three diferent price panels on the leaflet, some products have bullet points with 3 or 4 separate text boxes.

Insets and multiple text boxes are all from the one Filemaker record. As there are only 2 actions within Automator I have to Duplicate the main SKU number, again with 101, 101a and 101b and the same with text, but I then have 3 diferent summary fields for the diferent size price boxes so that 2 will be empty and 1 will contain text and that 1 will be carried throught to InDesign with an applied nested style sheet. Although only 2 actions are used, I will probably need upto 6 pictures and 9 text (each with there own nested sytle sheet).

As I develop this further I will upload the files so you can see where I am.

Layouts: It could be that I end up with 20ish individual page layouts and pull them into one document to make up eith 4 or 8 page layout before I run the automator action. Each page layout will have a different script tags, it could be A101, B101, C101 and so on which just need linking to the names in Filemaker.

I still can't get to grips with sylesheeting the £12.99 and £9.99 where you have 3 or 2 characters before the text (this could mean isolating them in Filemaker and further text actions.

Because of the amount of variables, both in layouts and individual product layout and price size it may be that I am flogging a dead horse, but I need to explore everything because it could same time in the long run.

Any help most welcome

Thanks

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

I just wanted to goto bed, when i saw your reply.

i will need to read it carefully to see how you want to plan to setup the scheme.

The layout £12.99 and £9.99, i will send you an ID example.
I will have to set up an ftp at a free hosting. (any good free site ?)

It would be nice to send directly ..
i am also tribute on dutch forums:

http://www.macfreak.nl/cgi-bin/forums/topic.cgi?forum=9&topic=3185

you can contact me via (email) at that site.

i will send you example file, either by ftp or mail, as soon as possible.

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

I have give it a thought. Maybe there would be another approach.

Because each product has several variables. I don't mean data-variables like price and picture, but different layout with different graphical elements.
So i thought maybe you should split your workflow.

example:
I would make an indesign template for a product, e.g.;
1x1 (small box) with price tag left
1x1 (small box) with price tag left + item (weight or no cans) right
1x1 (small box) with price tag left + item (weight or no cans) left
ect.
1x1 (small box) with price tag right
1x1 (small box) with price tag right + item (weight or no cans) left
1x1 (small box) with price tag right + item (weight or no cans) right low
etc.
2x2 (big box) with price tag left
2x2 (big box) with price tag left + item (weight or no cans) right
2x2 (big box) with price tag left + item (weight or no cans) left
ect.
2x2 (big box) with price tag right
2x2 (big box) with price tag right + item (weight or no cans) left
2x2 (big box) with price tag right + item (weight or no cans) right low
etc. ect.
just every layout you would have for a product.
(layout like lasagne, crips pancakes, beer cans ect of you example.jpg)


Then you let filemaker select which template to use for a product or product range. Filemaker and indesign will make an indesign file for each product.
Save the location of the indesign file into the database.

These indesign files (lets call them building blocks) are then used into an other indesign template (use the same automator script)
This way you have allot of control over the layout without lots of indesign templates pages.

I hope it makes sense what i just explained.

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

just one other thought.
The last step i described in my last response you can do with filemaker-indesign and XML.

I did a project where i used XML. The XML was created within filemaker and imported into indesign.
Doing it this way you can make the complete layout within filemaker leaving indesign only with ONE template (containing only the standard items like header and page numbers). The layout of the squares (building blocks) will be done in filemaker. The building block have to be created as described in my earlier replay.
It is just a thought.

One benefit of the XML-workflow is that you end up is an indesign file that is created in one go, and all pages into one file.
You don't have to combine several pages into indesign file, like in the last step in my earlier reply.

Hope you understand what i wrote ..

Did you fond my email on the forum ?

Marcel

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

I have placed a example of the 12.99 and 5p paragraph style.
Hope it helps.

http://members.chello.nl/m.verschuren49/Site/Welcome.html

Marcel

 

[PeterBeverley]

Hi Marcel
Thanks for that.

On the Automator demo it shows on the picture box with options of how to fit the box. but on the downloaded version only has fit picture, which stretches the picture to fill the box box. I need the version that fits picture box without stretching.

Do you know where I can download this

Thanks

Peter

 

[MVerschuren]

Hi Peter,

I don't have the automator-setup infront of me, but i think it could be the setting of the obejectstyle of the frame.
(See objectstyle.jpg)


What did you think of the other workflow ?
To make it more clear what i mend i have made an diagram.

http://members.chello.nl/m.verschuren49/Site/Welcome.html

Marcel