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