DesignMerge Pro Tutorial 3 - ID Badges

This tutorial covers the Multi-Up Imposition feature of the DesignMerge Pro software. This standard built-in feature allows you to instantly create multi-up layouts that DesignMerge Pro can merge in a consecutive or cut & stack record order.

Applying this feature is especially helpful for those using a digital printing device that does not provide imposition capabilities. Also, when using the DesignMerge Multi-Up Imposition feature, you will be able to preview merging imposed content, allowing you to confirm imposed content is exactly where you want it. You can even modify the multi-up layout if you wish before you merge it.

Additionally, you can use this Multi-Up Imposition feature to create Imposition Templates that can be populated with content to produce customized multi-up layouts quickly and easily. Plus, when used with the optional PDF Imposer module for DesignMerge, you can export Imposition Templates as PDF Imposition Templates to impose existing PDF files.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS TUTORIAL

INTRODUCING THIS TUTORIAL

This tutorial will impose a 1-up two-page ID Badge document to produce a 6-up two-page ID Badge document where you will merge variable data records from a tab-delimited data file.

Sample Document


The name of the sample document for this tutorial is ID-Badge.indd and it exists in the 3) ID Badge Tutorial folder. The document is a two-page layout for a duplex ID badge.  Note you can change the InDesign document’s View to Normal Screen Mode to see which content has been assigned Variable Links and Rules. This document has been set up with the following Width, Height, and Bleed settings, shown below in inches and also in points:
   

Additionally, this document has already been set up to use a data file. The document has several Variable Text and Variable Picture elements, and also uses DesignMerge Rules to select content for a Variable Picture Link and to change both the styling of Variable Text and the color of frames while merging. When this document is merged, DesignMerge will merge one record at a time into this document; in other words, this is a variable 1-up document.

Note this example does not include a bleed. However, if you wish to include a bleed in any of your imposed variable data jobs, then simply include a bleed in the 1-up document that will be imposed.

Sample Data File

The sample data file for this tutorial is a tab-delimited text file named ID-Badge-Data.txt in the 3) ID Badge Tutorial folder. This data file contains 24 records that each contain 6 fields of data.

Data Preview

Before using the ID Badge document to produce a multi-up document, you can run a Data Preview merge session on this 1-up document to confirm it can be merged satisfactorily. To run Data Preview, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the ID Badge document.
    The ID-Badge.indd file is located inside the 3) ID Badge Tutorial folder. This document is already set up and ready to be merged.
  2. Select Merge from the DesignMerge menu (or click Merge on the DesignMerge panel).
    This opens the DesignMerge dialog window, as shown below:
  3. For the Records settings: Select All, Skip Header Row, and Step by: 1.
  4. For the Action, select Data Preview.
  5. For the Options, select CopyFit: Off and Rules: Standard Mode.
    This document does not require CopyFit, and this document is using Rules.
  6. Click Start and, if prompted for the data file, select ID-Badges-Data.txt.
  7. Review the Data Preview results.
    DesignMerge merges the first record into the document, as shown below:
       
  8. Click the Step Forward (>>) button on the Data Preview panel.
    DesignMerge merges the second record into the document, as shown below:
       
  9. Continue previewing records.
    You can continue to scroll through the other records in the data file.
  10. When ready, close the Data Preview panel.
    This will return the document to its original state.
  11. Close the ID Badge document.
    Now that you have reviewed this document, close the document so that it will be available for imposition.

CREATING A MULTI-UP DOCUMENT

You can create a multi-up version of a 1-up one-page or two-page document quickly and easily by applying the multi-up imposition capabilities of DesignMerge.

Apply the Multi-Up Imposition Feature

To impose the sample ID Badge document, follow the steps below:

  1. First, create a new document to receive the imposed content.
    The first step in the process is to create a new, blank document that represents the paper size that you wish to print. This new document will receive imposed content from a 1-up one-page or two-page (duplex) document. To impose the 1-up duplex ID Badge, create a new two-page, letter size, non-facing pages document with a portrait orientation, and a margin of 0 inches (0 points) with no bleed or slug, as shown below in inches on the left and points on the right: