Custom text variables

[Hangman]

It would be a great addition if custom text variables could be exported and imported as something like .afcustomfields files (in a similar vein to .afpalette or .afbrushes files). Quite often companies are preparing a multitude of marketing materials where a brand name, product spec, pricing and so on have yet to be finalised.

While the custom text variables option allows placeholders to be inserted throughout a document currently they have to be set up repeatedly for each new file and when there are a lot of custom text variables involved across many different documents this becomes quite an onerous task.

It would be great if custom text variables could be set up once, named (even saved as presets), exported and then imported into other Publisher documents that form part of the same marketing campaign and in a perfect world all instances are then synced, so once the custom text variables have been finalised and are updated in any one document they automatically sync across all other documents using the same custom fields file, i.e., the same filename.afcustomfields file so the whole suite of marketing materials are updated automatically and changes applied directly to already opened files and to files containing the specific custom text variables on opening.

[Hangman]

Hi @Sean P,

Could I add another one to your list of issues...

Quote

• Adding a custom variable causes Fields Panel to jump to the top

In addition to this particular issue, on Mac when creating a long list of custom text variables, because the list jumps back to the first entry once the list length exceeds the panel height, when you scroll to the bottom of the list to access the + button to add a new custom text variable you have to click the + button a second time (not a double click) before the custom field properties window shows.

This doesn't happen when the list is non-scrollable, then clicking the + button once is sufficient to show the custom field properties window.

Note: If you switch document tabs prior to scrolling the list of custom text variables and then switch back to you main document, you again only have to click the + button once after scrolling to open the custom field properties window.

[Ash]

29 minutes ago, Hangman said:

It would be great if custom text variables could be set up once, named (even saved as pressets), exported and then imported into other Publisher documents that form part of the same marketing campaign and in a perfect world that all instances are then synced, so once the custom text variables have been finalised and are updated in any one document they automatically sync across all other documents using the custom fields file, i.e., the same filename.afcustomfields file so the whole suite of marketing materials are updated automatically and changes applied directly to already opened files and to files containing the specific custom text variables on opening.

Thanks - having some form of global custom variables is a good idea. We actually achieve this type of functionality with some of our own internal documentation here but using a single row data merge source with n custom fields which any number of documents can link to. With 'preview with record' set to Y (obviously in this case record 1) then no requirement to Generate to get result. It works quite nicely for us you automatically get the pre-flight check when the global data source has been changed and in control if you choose to update your current document from it.

[Sean P]

29 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Hi @Sean P,

Could I add another one to your list of issues...

In addition to this particular issue, on Mac when creating a long list of custom text variables, because the list jumps back to the first entry once the list length exceeds the panel height, when you scroll to the bottom of the list to access the + button to add a new custom text variable you have to click the + button a second time (not a double click) before the custom field properties window shows.

This doesn't happen when the list is non-scrollable, then clicking the + button once is sufficient to show the custom field properties window.

Note: If you switch document tabs prior to scrolling the list of custom text variables and then switch back to you main document, you again only have to click the + button once after scrolling to open the custom field properties window.

Hey Hangman,

This actually got fixed on the just released 2.2.0.1931  

Let me know if you still have any issues!

[Hangman]

Hey @Sean P,

Haha, I'll put that down to the world's faster bug fix... 😂

There does still appear to be a slight issue though, really nothing major at all but...

Add custom text variable items and once enough are added to fill the height of the custom text variable panel you still have to scroll after every second addition because the + button is hidden.

In doing so, sometimes the cursor appears as the Move Tool arrow, other times as a double-headed arrow, and sometimes (but not always) post scroll it still takes a second click to show the custom field properties window.

Deleting custom text variables still scrolls to the top of the list when deleting from the bottom of the list...

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, Ash said:

having some form of global custom variables is a good idea.

For another possibility, perhaps an Import option like we have for Text Styles, where you can import the Custom Text Fields from another document you point to.

[MikeTO]

On 8/2/2023 at 4:35 AM, Ash said:

Thanks - having some form of global custom variables is a good idea. We actually achieve this type of functionality with some of our own internal documentation here but using a single row data merge source with n custom fields which any number of documents can link to. With 'preview with record' set to Y (obviously in this case record 1) then no requirement to Generate to get result. It works quite nicely for us you automatically get the pre-flight check when the global data source has been changed and in control if you choose to update your current document from it.

In the meantime it might be nice if custom variables were imported with Add Pages from File. I sort of assumed that if I used a custom variable on a page and then imported that page into another document then the custom variable would come with it. I can see that a variable did get imported because the character count went up by one but it's not associated with a variable defined in the document.

This would be a useful workaround for Books because variables aren't synced across chapters.

Thanks

[Sean P]

15 hours ago, MikeTO said:

In the meantime it might be nice if custom variables were imported with Add Pages from File. I sort of assumed that if I used a custom variable on a page and then imported that page into another document then the custom variable would come with it. I can see that a variable did get imported because the character count went up by one but it's not associated with a variable defined in the document.

This would be a useful workaround for Books because variables aren't synced across chapters.

Thanks

Hi Mike,

Given that copying and pasting frames containing Custom Variables will copy them across, I think its fair to assume that adding pages from a document containing them will also copy them across.

I'll get this logged.

[MikeTO]

3 hours ago, Sean P said:

Given that copying and pasting frames containing Custom Variables will copy them across, I think its fair to assume that adding pages from a document containing them will also copy them across.

I must have missed that you could copy/paste a frame with a custom variable. That's great, thanks for pointing that out to me!

Cheers

[D.VE]

Pleeeeeease tell me that you built that into Designer as well... 

[walt.farrell]

1 minute ago, D.VE said:

Pleeeeeease tell me that you built that into Designer as well... 

Only Publisher has the Fields panel, and thus only Publisher would have Custom Text Variables.

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Custom Variables are lost when using 'Add Pages from Files'" (REF: AF-18) has been fixed by the developers in internal build "2.3.0.2106".
This fix should soon be available as a customer beta and is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Serif Info Bot to notify us.