Data merge confusion

Started by wonderings, November 27, 2018, 07:56:54 AM

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wonderings

November 27, 2018, 07:56:54 AM
Doing a very simple data merge. I have a holiday letter mailer going out, just a salutation and mailing address merged onto the letter. My CSV file shows 1009 records, so there is 1008, 1 being the headers. All setup fine in Indesign I export as PDF to prep for imposing. The PDF I get has 1010 pages. There are 2 extra pages there and I cannot figure out where they come from or where they are. First and last name on the CSV file are first and last on the PDF. I am scratching my head here super confused. Any idea to what is going on?

Joe

#1
November 27, 2018, 08:28:11 AM
If you scroll through the .csv file is there any blank lines...or lines with just commas? Or any blank pages in InDesign after the merge?
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

David

#2
November 27, 2018, 08:30:47 AM
I've had some that do that. I have found that in some cases, there is a return after the text in one of the cells in the original excel file or csv that is causing a line of data to go onto a second page. Just take your pdf file and flip/scroll through the pages quickly and you should be able to spot the offending page because it will look differently when you scroll through them.

HTH
Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

Tracy

#3
November 27, 2018, 08:41:37 AM
you might have text that went to the next page because of what david and joe said
I hate it when that happens, you gotta Columbo it!

in your excel file sometimes you can find it easily, if you see neat little rows and then you see a row that is bigger than the others
there may be a paragraph return in there.

DCurry

#4
November 27, 2018, 08:57:19 AM
I often find it easier to find issues with the data if I open the CSV file in a text editor like TextWrangler rather than in Excel. Some issues just pop out more that way.
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wonderings

#5
November 27, 2018, 09:26:20 AM
I scrolled through the CSV and saw no issues. The data file was cleansed by our mail house and pretty sure that catches that sort of thing. Will run through it again and see if I can spot anything.

DigiCorn

#6
November 27, 2018, 10:10:22 AM
could just be spaces in the cell. in apple numbers, you can physically delete the cells.
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway

scottrsimons

#7
November 27, 2018, 11:13:48 AM
Usually when I have issues with a CSV file, I open it in a text editor, as it will show all the characters, especially if you turn on spaces and such. Best way to "clean" a CSV if needed be, or to see possible errors.
"Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!" - Homer J. Simpson

Tracy

#8
November 27, 2018, 11:15:09 AM
good tip on the text editor!!

open up your text boxes really large and run your data and see if it still happens
if it doesn't something is running into the next text box

text editor is a super tip!

delooch

#9
November 27, 2018, 11:29:45 AM
just going to post this as its been super-helpful for editing csv's and other acrobatics..

https://csved.sjfrancke.nl/index.html

Its been a lifesaver on several occasions

DigiCorn

#10
November 27, 2018, 12:32:01 PM
 :angry:



Quote from: delooch on November 27, 2018, 11:29:45 AMjust going to post this as its been super-helpful for editing csv's and other acrobatics..

https://csved.sjfrancke.nl/index.html

Its been a lifesaver on several occasions
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway

delooch

#11
November 27, 2018, 12:48:56 PM
the link comes right out of the "about" section in the app.. works here.

dns issues?

Joe

#12
November 27, 2018, 01:19:04 PM
Link works for me too.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

Joe

#13
November 27, 2018, 01:19:33 PM
On the Mac BBEdit is the bomb.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

DigiCorn

#14
November 27, 2018, 01:47:10 PM
I'll try it at home later. Not working here on Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway
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