Dynamically Insert Pictures and Objects

[BlueSailing]

I'm creating a directory which contains a group of pictures arranged alphabetically by the last name of the people in the pictures. Periodically I will need to add others to the group.  It's a problem because I might have to reposition 50 or more images just to insert one new one.  Do you know of a way to confiugure pictures (in frames) so that I can drop them in and the others will move down one spot?  I need the document to behave like the screen of a phone when you drop in new apps. 

[v_kyr]

Hmm, no with such plain static arranged image and text frames I doubt you can do that. There is also no internal content name based sorting, scripting or the like available so far, which would allow to make that scheme behave more dynamically then. Actually you would probably have to sort and re(place) the whole every time again when updated.

So far the only idea I would have is, to maybe try to reuse a table with equal distributed cells for placements and maybe (as far as that supports it) with table cell based entry sorting/shifting. Though I'm not sure if APub table cells can do handle images, or hold a composite/grouped container build out of image + text here then. - Other than that, you may have to keep/arrange sorted image+text list externally in sync as a whole (via a database, spreadsheet etc.) and then import the complete ordered result on a page(s) then.

[walt.farrell]

This is a bit weird, but it seems to work

First, take a picture frame and its associated caption, and Group them. Then create an Asset from them.

Then:

1. Create a Text Frame the size of your page.
2. Drag the picture frame asset into the Text Frame. Then use the Pinning studio panel to pin it Inline in the text. Add several spaces after the pinned Asset.
3. Drag another one next to the right of the first one. Pin it Inline, and add some spaces after it.
4. Repeat as necessary for the number of entries you currently have.
5. Add all your pictures, and the captions, and you're done for now.

Later, if you need to add one at the end, just drag another Asset and Pin it Inline, and add the picture/caption.

But if you need to add one in the middle:

• Find the insertion point.
• Add additional spaces to make a wide enough area to insert the asset. The other pictures on that row will move to the right, and down as needed.
• Drag an asset into the empty space, Pin it Inline, and then delete the added spaces.

[carl123]

Table cells can be sorted alphabetically which may be worth exploring further but at a quick first glance, it looks to be a bit buggy

(At least on Windows not sure if it will work OK on a MAC) 

[Fixx]

I would say look to Paragraph style > Flow > Start: Next frame. In InDesign this would be Keep Options.

This way you can set first text row to start always in new fresh text frame and if you add one set all following ones will jump forward too. Picture has to be pinned or inline so they will keep right places.

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[BlueSailing]

Thanks to everyone who offered the in depth possibilities here!  I think Lagarto and Fixx nailed it.  I'll have to get up to snuff on some turorials before diggin in, but I think this will work great!

 

[BlueSailing]

Well, I'm stuck.  Can you help me out with the attached file?  I've created a Master with 3 Text Boxes and 3 Picture Frames.  I've tried to configure the autoflow but I'm not clear on how to create columns or how to relate them.  If you can assemble those first 6 items I can build the rest of the page.

6 1-8 x 9 1-4 Template with 3-8 inch Bleed.afpub

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[BlueSailing]

I must be misunderstanding something fundamental to this process.  How do I drop a 4th Image (and text box) between the 2nd and 3rd image such that the 3rd image will drop to the 4th position? I've tried copy/paste etc with no luck.  Also, not sure if it matters but there is no "red triangle" that you referenced  on the bottom right of the page.

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[BlueSailing]

You can see that I successfully made an image and a text box move over one space, but what I'm not getting is how to "insert" the new image and new text.  I see the insertion point but I've searched all the menus and can't find an option to "insert image" or "insert object".  I've tried to place the new image and it really disrupts everything.  I'm almost there!  Please advise.

 

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, BlueSailing said:

You can see that I successfully made an image and a text box move over one space, but what I'm not getting is how to "insert" the new image and new text.  I see the insertion point but I've searched all the menus and can't find an option to "insert image" or "insert object".  I've tried to place the new image and it really disrupts everything.

Draw a Picture Frame in the insertion spot, and Place your image into it. Or, if you have one saved as an Asset (as I suggested earlier), drag the Asset into the insertion spot.

[BlueSailing]

I created a frame asset and it's working great. But for some reason, in the text frame, the text will not align center (or align at all).  I've imported my text styles and assigned them properly but cannot get anything to align.

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[BlueSailing]

I'm almost there and I appreciate your patience! I'm trying to move all objects up a little on the Master Page.  But when I select them all (including the text sections) and move them, then go back to a regular page, the first image at the top looks to have someohow duplicated and only one of the two moves up.  But I can see not changes in the Layers panel.  

 

Also, I need to change the size of the Picture Frames in the Master from 1.7x1.0 to 1.7x1.14 to precisely match my 10x6.7 image format.  I can't see how to do that on the master page without wreaking havok with the columns.   

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[BlueSailing]

I've assembled 12 picture frames on the Master page, but for some reason I'm not able to select them on regular page 1.  Please see if I created them too large for the containers in the Master, or if that matters.  I'm trying to keep them at 1.7x1.14 inches.   

MASTER TEST 6 1-8 x 9 1-4 Template with 3-8 inch Margins_in_columns_template_with_photos_fixed.afpub

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[walt.farrell]

15 minutes ago, Lagarto said:

If you place the picture frames on the master page, you should be able to replace the image it contains

But the goal is to insert new frames, so the old frames slide down. That will always require adding frames, so they should not be on the Master Page.

The Master should only have guides to allow the addition of new frames, or the deletion of frames if needed. The frames should be Assets.

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[Old Bruce]

Here is my take on it, done quickly and so I had Angry in the wrong spot. I just use TEXT

PICTURE
text
PICTURE
text
PICTURE
text
PICTURE
text
 

and a couple of Paragraph styles PICTURE and text Each will start in a new frame I then link the frames and replace the word PICTURE with a copied onto the clipboard image and paste it in. To fix Angry's wrong location I copied his Picture and Bio and pasted it before Happy.

Untitled.afpub

 

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