Graphic Rule.

[Fletch]

I've attached a PDF to this post to help with my question. You'll see in the PDF 16 different boxes, each with product information and a barcode. each box represents 1 record from a database. The first record has the word 'image' to the left, and the following 5 records do not, because they all pertain to the same Model number (MS 311). When a New model number gets introduced, the First record for that number gets the corresponding picture to the left, with the following records of the same Model number having no image. However, there are only 16 records to a page, so if a model number carries over to the next page...then the image needs to appear again.

 

I hope I explained this good enough.

 

FYI, the PDF I attached has already been composed through FP.

[Dan Korn]

Instead of placing 16 different graphic frames on the page (and who knows how many text frames), I would generate a series of tables with inline graphics, and put them into a single text frame with an Overflow page. You can use a header row for the table which gets repeated at the top of each new frame (or page) to contain the common image.

[Fletch]

I think I understand what you're talking about. Creating the tables in InDesign, with text and inline graphics. But will FP be able to use the variable data to place the images where they need to be, and leave blank where images need NOT to be repeated? If I have to manually place the images, that will take hours. Some of these databases are in the thousands.

[Dan Korn]

I think I understand what you're talking about. Creating the tables in InDesign, with text and inline graphics.

I don't think we're understanding each other. What I'm talking about is creating a rule in FP Desktop to generate the tagging for a table. That has absolutely nothing to do with InDesign. Can you explain what you mean by, "Creating the tables in InDesign?"

But will FP be able to use the variable data to place the images where they need to be, and leave blank where images need NOT to be repeated? If I have to manually place the images, that will take hours. Some of these databases are in the thousands.

You can generate the table any way you like. The whole point of doing this programatically is so that you don't have to repeat the same manual action thousands of times. That's why computers exist.

[Fletch]

It is possible to create tables in InDesign, I thought you were referring to that function. (Because FP had an export function in InDesign) I've never created tables in FP, so that's new territory to me. I'll look it up in the manual.