If you’re recently requested assistance from 65bit, you may have received a number of files that demonstrate how to configure EasyCatalog. Here’s a run-through of what you may have received and what you should do with them:
Data Source Folder
This is typically sent over as a zip file, so unzip it before going into InDesign. On the File > New > EasyCatalog Panel menu will be an option called “Import Data Source…”. Select that an navigate to the folder you just unzipped. This will copy the data source that 65bit have configured for you into your Workspace folder and open a panel for you.
The data source folder contains the entire configuration, so if we have changed any Field Options or created any custom fields then these will be configured for you. If the panel needs to be grouped to reflect the structure of your data, the panel that opens for you should already be grouped. To check how the panel is grouped, select the “Group” menu from the data panel’s pop-out menu.
Any custom fields that have been configured will also be shown in the panel. An overview of the custom fields that needed to be created is normally in the email that will have accompanied your files. You can take a look at the commands used to create a custom field by selecting the field from the Field Options menu from the data panel’s pop-out menu. If you need to create a custom field in the future, this can be achieved by right clicking in the centre of the panel and using the “New Custom Field” option.
Pagination Library
A pagination library consists of various library items that define how each record or group of records should appear when placed on the page.
Each library item will contain Field Specifiers — special markers in the text, or markers applied to image frames — that tell EasyCatalog where a field should appear. In the case of text fields, the attributes applied to the Field Specifier, such as font size, face, etc, will be retained when populating with field content.
Each box inside of the library item may have attributes applied to them using the Pagination Rules panel. The Pagination Rules panel can be shown from the Window menu.
To inspect the attributes applied to each item in the library, create a new document and drag the library item to the page. Typically the boxes in the library item will be grouped together and the “Paginate” attribute will be set to either:
Once Per Record
This tells EasyCatalog that this library item will be inserted once for every record in the panel.
Once Per Group
This attribute, along with the Group Name attribute, tells EasyCatalog that this library item will be inserted once for every specified group in the panel. Typically Group library items will be used to insert headers (for example, if the “Category” changes) or to group similar items together in a single page item. When a library item is being populated with group data, tables inside of the the item will by default be populated one-row-per-record.
Paginating
The Pagination Module offers a number of different pagination types, and the one selected for your data will be detailed in the email that accompanied your files. The main types of pagination used are:
Into Text Flow
This type of pagination flows your library items in to an InDesign text flow in sequence. The library items will be anchored in the text flow (if the Insert pagination rule is set to As Inline) or the content of the library item will be copied into the flow (if the Insert pagination rule is set to Frame Contents).
To start pagination:
- use the InDesign text insertion tool to click in the frame you want to paginate into (you should see a flashing text insertion point).
- Select the records (or group of records) you want to Paginate in your data panel.
- Select the “Paginate” menu option from the data panel’s pop-out menu
- Ensure that “Into Text Flow” is selected. This will be selected by default if we have configured the pagination for you.
- Hit the ‘Choose’ button at the top of the dialog and navigate to the pagination library we sent you
- Press ‘OK’
Your document should now start paginating.
At Page Guide Positions
Guide Position pagination uses page guides, normally placed on your master page(s), to define a grid layout. Library items will be positioned at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical page guides.
To start pagination:
- Use the InDesign Pages panel to go to the page where pagination should start
- Select the records (or group of records) you want to Paginate in your data panel.
- Select the “Paginate” menu option from the data panel’s pop-out menu
- Ensure that “At Page Guide Positions” is selected. This will be selected by default if we have configured the pagination for you.
- Hit the ‘Choose’ button at the top of the dialog and navigate to the pagination library we sent you
- Press ‘OK’
Your document should now start paginating.
