Data Merge - Merging fields with multiple text lines

[H***@adobeforums.com]

I'm currently using InDesign CS2's data merge to build client reports. As part of these reports, there are fields that contain multi-line text, that contain commentary and will require line breaks.

Example 1: One field should contain the text that will be formatted to be bullet points:

- Statement 1
- Statement 2
- Statement 3

Example 2: One field will contain more than one paragraph of text.

Is there a way to transfer line breaks from the csv field into InDesign automatically so that the text can be formatted accordingly?

[w***@adobeforums.com]

Hi Heather

I am also experiencing a similar problem.

I have been given a csv file with the complete address appearing in 1 cell instead of being split into 3 or more cells.

eg: {ADDRESS FIELD = cell A1}

123 My Street
My Town STATE 4000

instead of the usual

{address1 = cell A1} 123 My Street
(town = cell B1} My Town
{state = cell C1} STATE
{Postcode = cell D1} 4000

When I do the merge, only the first line of text ie: 123 My Street appears and the remaining info is omitted.

Rather than go through the file (very large) (not to mention very tedious) and drag each town, state and postcode into their respective merge cells, is there an easier way that Indesign will allow for the additional multi line text?

ps: they've shown me their database and it is not possible to pull the data any other way than lumping all lines of the address in the 1 cell.

any help much appreciated

kind rgards
Sue

[H***@adobeforums.com]

I was able to find a work around for my problem.

My original problem started with the fact that the data in a field was either intended for bullet point or paragraph form. The character that represented the new line in the application (looked like a square) was not translating correctly into InDesign as it was merged, and each of those 'square-like' characters was recognized by InDesign as the start of a new record instead, creating all sorts of havoc.

We revised the data population process so that, as the information is populated from the application into an Excel file, those line breaks were translated into a string '<newline>' instead. Then once I did a merge, I replaced each instance of '<newline>' with a paragraph break '^p'. It's not the ideal solution, but its workable until I find a better way to make use of InDesign's merge features for this situation.

As for your dilemma...it does appear to be the similar to mine. I tried to recreate your situation and I get the same sort of 'square-like' character between the lines within a single cell. Can't see it in Excel, but it's visible when opening the csv file in a text editor like Notepad. An option could be to do a find/replace within NotePad to switch out instances of that character with something else (like the '<newline>' string we used), prior to merging the data in InDesign. I did a check and NotePad can do a find/replace with that character. Then you can do another find/replace within InDesign, to add the new paragraph characters into the text and establish the address in two lines as desired.

Not sure if this will be of any help to you. Good luck with your search.

Heather

[w***@adobeforums.com]

Hi Heather

Sorry it has taken so long to reply, my email has been down since last Tuesday.

What you are saying makes sense, wish I had thought of it last week, I guess when the deadline is looming and things are going wrong, clarity of thought goes skewif as the stress levels rise!!

thanks again for your assistance

kind regards
Sue

[S***@adobeforums.com]

Heather, you mention, "Then you can do another find/replace within InDesign, to add the new paragraph characters into the text and establish the address in two lines as desired."

Does this mean you merge the data with '<newline>' into the actual indesign document and, once there, you do a find and replace within the actual template? I understand this conceptually for one record, but what do you do when you are merging dozens of records, and you need to do a find/replace for each record during the data merge?

Thanks, Steve

[H***@adobeforums.com]

Yes, the [Find & Replace] is run in InDesign after performing the merge.

A web application that is used to input the data reads line breaks entered and replaces them with <newline> automatically. The data, including the <newline> instances, is merged. We usually have approximately 40 records, and the document is 2 pages, so when we're ready to do the [Find & Replace] we're working with about 80+ pages. The conversion usually takes a few minutes to run, but it seems to do the trick.

I hope that answered your question?

Of course, I realize this is only a workaround, so if anyone can suggest an alternate method, I'm more than open to it.

[K***@adobeforums.com]

I also had that problem. The web program provides CSV text files with the line symbol graphic ¶.
In Indesign I make the merged file, then do a Find/Replace (having created a saved style) using:

Find/Change / GREP /
Find What: ~7
Change to: \n
Change all.

This changes all the symbol graphics ¶ to line returns.
I don't know what GREP means, but I spent seven hours experimenting to get this far.