Variable Data Import Palette

This palette is only available with Variable Data Printing Extension.

This palette is used to define a data file for Variable Data Printing. You can select the file, clear the name of the file and read the file again if it has been changed in an external application. If any field contains PDF or image name, this field is used as a data source for print variable images (PDF option on the Info Palette in Variable, Numbering & Custom Objects Mode) and it does not contain path but only file name, PDF files are expected in the same folder as the data file. Button Default PDF dir allows you to define additional (preferred) folder for PDF or image files.

Additionally it is possible to define fields and records delimiters. For data exported from Excel in csv format use semicolon and enter. However, other delimiters can be used depending on the structure of the data file. For example a file exported from Word can be used, where individual fields can be separated by end of line (enter) and records can be separated by two enters.

For character encoding option automatic encoding recognition is best suited (for Unicode and default system encoding). If records and fields are recognized, content of the file is displayed in a table. Otherwise only preview of the contents is displayed without splitting into fields and records. The button to the right above the table adjusts the column width to the cells contents.

ProHot version only: if you use variable data in the template for hotfolders, there are two options for using a data file: if the file is selected on this palette (at the time of creating a template for the hotfolder), this selected file is used (it is searched at the specified path, in the watched folder and in the default PDF folder). If the file is not selected or found, a *.csv or *.txt file with the same name as the PDF for imposition (or control XML) is expected in the watched folder or in the default PDF folder (and if even this file is not found, the first found *.csv or *.txt from the default PDF folder or from the watched folder will be used, possibly with another name). Use Clear button to clear the file selection (if you use different data file names for impositions), the default PDF folder can also be defined on this palette. This data file should be saved before the imposition begins (program waits for the file max. 30 s after saving PDF for imposition). If you use a XML control file, you can also use it to define the variable data file.