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• • November 16, 2012 at 9:24 am #63562
    Phil G

    Member

    Good morning. Setting up workflow for a newspaper production ad dept. Each ad layout will include a 4 to 5 digit job number that will print within the live area . I have accomplished this by using a text variable box and restrict the Indesign document name to the job number. ie: 5392.indd However this is not ideal. To reference the file by only a 4 digit job number is a bit too ambigous for this manual workflow.

    I would prefer to be able to be a bit more descriptive with the file names, but only include the numberic prefix within the ad layout.

    This is the naming convention in this workflow:

    4321-(3) Customer Name

    The first set of numeric digits are the JOB NUMBER, then a HYPHEN, in parenthesis the SALES REP #, a SPACE, and lastly the CUSTOMER NAME. Additionally, we try to have the job_folder reflect the same name.

    So to recap…

    Folder and File_names will be named as 4321-(3) Customer Name

    Within the live area of the ad, the Ad Job Number of 4321 would appear in a desinated text box

    I've attached a screenshot of the desired result.

    Each week the file name will change as ad copy changes so the box will have to update when the file name changes.

    Side Note: 11 years ago a programmer custom developed a Quark 4.11 extension that accomplished this by capturing and including the file name but stopping at the first non-numeric character. In this case it would be the hyphen. Now today, with the power of InDesign, I have to imagine that there is a simple way to achieve this.

    

    

  • November 16, 2012 at 3:09 pm #63565
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    Here is an inelegant way, but it works. It just requires some styles to be available and two mouse clicks to execute.

    Create a paragraph style that has a nested style. You have a predictable format, so you can have a character style like “body” for the first 4 characters (or until the first “-“). Create another character style “disappear” is point size of 0.1pt and a text color of none. Use this for the rest of the variable (style “disappear” thru 1 rest of nested style).

    The key is to insert the text variable, then convert the variable to text and assign the paragraph style to the entire object (object style can also be used here).

    I know there is something that can be done with scripts also, but it is probably just as much work as this.

    Good luck.

  • November 19, 2012 at 9:35 am #63575
    Phil G

    Member

    Thanks jdoverton for the reply and insight. I'll agree with you it's not an elegant way, but does the trick. However…I am running into a snag as the style will not apply to a text box with a Text Veriable applied. Remember that I need that text box to update anytime the file number changes. I would love for the remedy not be contingent upon styles if at all possible. Again thank you so much for your reply. It's greatly appreciated.

  • March 27, 2015 at 7:08 am #74198
    Phil G

    Member

    No dice with the Nested Styles If I create a text box and type a mock file name consisting of 12345-(2) CustomerName, I can get the styles to work. However, when a text box is tagged with a text variable it generates the file name and you cannot edit a portion of the text string. The format is all or nothing. Meaning that the text variable is a single entity. Also, when a text box is tagged with a text variable option, that box is permanently live and updates with the new filename when ever it’s changed.

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