DesignMerge Pro for Adobe InDesign
DesignMerge Pro is the premier variable data printing and publishing software product for Adobe InDesign. The software is menu-driven, and fully supports variable Text, Images, Articles, and even complete InDesign Layouts.
DesignMerge includes a full set of powerful VDP features, including automatic Copy Fitting of overset text, a built-in Rules Enginge for developing conditional (if-then-else) processing, complete Multi-up Layout support with Cut & Stack capability, plus VDP Preflighting features. All of the popular VDP output formats come standard with DesignMerge, and include PDF, PDF/VT, PostScript and PPML. Support is also provided for variable Linear and 2D Bar Coding. If you are interested in automation and customization, the extensive DesignMerge JavaScript API can assist with just about any VDP challenge.
Meadows has developed a DesignMerge Pro Configurator for Enfocus Switch, which provides the ability to design and implement powerful and fully automated systems for producing Variable Data output in PDF, PDF/VT, or PPML output format. The system is designed to process InDesign documents that have been prepared using DesignMerge Pro software for Adobe InDesign, and can be used to create totally automated workflows capable of processing and routing thousands of records of variable data, all with complete error checking and virtually no user intervention. For more information, including a demo video, please visit www.designmerge.com/configurator.
Configurators
DesignMerge Pro
Available for Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud, the DesignMerge Pro Configurator can be used to add automated Variable Data Printing and Publishing capability to any Enfocus Switch workflow. The system is very easy to install and set up because unlike other systems there is no requirement to install the Adobe Extend Script Toolkit (ESTK). All that is required is a copy of Adobe InDesign and the DesignMerge Pro software and Configurator.
The DesignMerge Configurator supports a number of VDP features that can be used to perform the following automated operations:
- Merge data files and produce PDF, PDF/VT, or PPML Output
- Send output files to printer hot folders, print queues, or directly to the press
- Automatic multi-up imposition using pre-defined DesignMerge Imposition Templates
- Preflight input jobs for common errors such as missing fonts, missing fixed or variable graphics, invalid data, etc.
- Execute custom scripts for pre- and post-processing of data and job files
- Supports multiple input formats (flat-file, CSV, XML, InDesign documents, Job Folders, etc.)
- Route VDP output based on status, size, etc.
- Automatically adjust overset text
- Establish sophisticated rules to control merged content
DesignMerge Pro software is available for Adobe InDesign CS6 and above, for the Macintosh or Windows platforms. Documents can be prepared for use with the DesignMerge Configurator using any supported version of Adobe InDesign. The DesignMerge Configurator for Switch requires Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud version for either Macintosh or Windows. For more information about DesignMerge, please visit www.designmerge.com, and for more information about the DesignMerge Configurator, please visit www.designmerge.com/configurator.
Example flows
DesignMerge VDP Merge with XML Support
This Flow demonstrates the use of XML as input. The Flow is designed to process either a single XML file that refers to a complete Job Folder, a single XML file that refers to individual external files, or an input Job Folder that contains a local XML file (that refers to local assets stored within the Job Folder).
Sample InDesign documents, database files, and associated graphics for use with this Flow can be downloaded by visiting www.designmerge.com/configurator. There are three sample jobs provided for this flow:
XML Refers To Job Folder
This job provides a single XML file that defines a Switch kJobFolderPath element. The kJobFolderPath element specifies the full path to the entire Job Folder to be processed. This method can be used when a complete Job Folder has been prepared for processing, but an XML file is being used to trigger the flow.
XML Refers To External Files
This job provides a single XML file that contains DesignMerge kTemplatePath and kDatabasePath elements. These elements specify the full path to the InDesign document and the database file to be processed by the Flow. This method can be used when the InDesign Templates and database files are stored in separate locations. Note that the specified path for each element must be accessible to the Switch Server. To reference a file for processing, simply specify the full path to the file in the XML element (e.g. "/job-folder/sub-folder").
Job Folder with Local XML
This sample is a complete Job Folder that contains a local XML file. The local XML file will be picked up by the DesignMerge Flow Element when it processes the input Job Folder. The XML file defines the DesignMerge kTemplatePath and kDatabasePath elements. These elements specify the LOCAL path to the InDesign document and the database file that exist inside of the Job Folder. The partial paths in this example are relative to the Job Folder being processed. The InDesign document and database are both stored within sub-folders of the sample Job Folder. To reference a file or a folder that is relative to the Job Folder being processed, simply preface the path in the XML element with a period character (e.g. "./job-folder/sub-folder").
DesignMerge VDP Merge with Preflight, Imposition, and PDF/VT Output
This Flow demonstrates how to utilize the following DesignMerge Pro Configurator Commands:
- Perform Preflight
- Build Multi-up Document
- Variable Data Merge
Sample InDesign documents, database files, and associated graphics for use with this Flow can be downloaded by visiting www.designmerge.com/configuratordownloads.
The Flow accepts input from a folder, and then routes the input first to a DesignMerge Flow Element that performs a VDP Preflight. The Preflight Flow Element examines the input job for common errors, such as missing fonts or graphics. All of these are configurable as properties of the Flow Element (see screen shots).
If the job passes the Preflight, it is next passed to a DesignMerge Flow Element for performing Multi-up Imposition. The Imposition Flow Element searches the input job for a DesignMerge Imposition Template to use. If found, the input InDesign document is imposed using this template. The resulting imposed version of the document becomes the new input document that is passed to the next Flow Element.
The final Flow Element performs a Variable Data Merge. The input job and database are merged, and the resulting PDF/VT file is placed into an output folder. The output folder could be a hot folder for a digital press. Options are also available with to pass the VDP output directly to a printer or print queue.
If a job fails at any point in the Flow, the output is directed to a Bad Jobs folder.
