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Linked database text (maybe not datamerge)

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    • August 19, 2020 at 4:51 am #126592
      Luiz Silveira
      Member

      Hi.
      I have some workbooks here, about 60 pages. In some pages I have questions, and in the next one, the answers. The answers are exactly the same text as the question, but with a checkmark near it (paragraph style with a Wingdings char as a bullet). It’s pretty simple.
      My problem is if we make a change in a question, we need to make the same change in the answer. Still simple, but we work with 32 languages and we can make mistakes.
      Is there a way to add the questions and answers as a link to a CSV, XLS, Word (doesn’t matter) file? I used data merge before, but I’m having problems visualizing how it can be used here. I will need all fields to be inserted and not only one at a time.
      Maybe I’m overcomplicating it. Any idea will help.
      Thank you,
      Luiz

    • August 19, 2020 at 9:44 am #126596
      Luiz Silveira
      Member

      I’ve made a test here that worked, but not 100%. I created a CSV like:
      Question 1, answer 1 A, answer 1 B, Question 2, answer 2 A, answer 2 B (and so on).
      So questions and answers in one row, one column for each item. Linking it to Indesign, it showed me each field and I added them to my document. I have only one database position and A LOT of fields.
      Problems:
      – I need to generate the merged document every time to get the questions in there.
      – I don’t think it was a very smart idea.

    • August 19, 2020 at 3:29 pm #126647
      David Blatner
      Keymaster

      I think the Data Merge idea is a good one. However, maybe it is more work than you need.
      There are ways to link to a Word document, so if you edit the Word document you can update it in InDesign. But you have to be extremely careful with your paragraph styles.
      Another option is to use a third-party tool such as WordsFlow or DocsFlow from emsoftware.com

    • August 20, 2020 at 4:43 am #126651
      Luiz Silveira
      Member

      David,
      Thank you. I installed a trial of WordsFlow and it is very interesting. I understand what you said about the styles mapping, I’ll try a GREP to format the styles if needed. Thank you.
      And besides this problem, the feature they have to transform a text in a linked Word doc will be very useful for me too.
      Thanks a lot!
      Luiz

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