I don't like preps just because it's too expensive, and because I dont need another app to make another file. And if I have to fix something in the original to repeat the preps thing again. I like the Indesign ability to import its pages into another indesign file – it gives me all the freedom I want, to put any color bar or registration mark I want. I want to learn scripting to be able to create a script that imports pages for me – it isn't that hard.
In the meantime I wanted to try the data merge thing – and it would work great if I would know how to write the txt file to import a specific page. I tried with “filename.indd:4” to import the fourth page from filename.indd (like it says in the links panel after I import it manually) but it doesn't work. Anybody knows how my text file should point to specific pages from an indesign doc?