Data Merge issue

[adrianlambert]

Data Merge is ignoring the first field in the first row and inserting the next populated field in first row. Data merge manager preview shows the correct field.

[Hangman]

Hi @adrianlambert,

It seems to be working for me (see sample attached)...

We would probably need to see your Publisher file and associated CSV file to figure out why it's not working for you but take a look at the attached to see if the setup is any different...

2024_afpub_calendar_UK.afpub

2024_afpub_calendar_UK.csv

[adrianlambert]

Thanks for the response. Here are my documents. I’d be grateful if you could help. 

2024 calendar side by side.afpub 2024-afpub-calendar_uk.csv

[Hangman]

Hi @adrianlambert,

Change the Layer order within your Group so the Month appears below your Data Merge Layer... I had to update the CSV file in the Data Merge panel but I think that's only because it didn't automatically link the file when I opened your Publisher document so you may not need to do that...

[anto]

It works for me too on Windows.

But I would organize the calendar a little differently. I would make the numbers that do not apply to the current month gray.
There's no need for line breaks. Use top, middle, and bottom alignment.
Put frame on frame, specify a different column in Libreoffice, and you can make your calendar in different colors.

 

 

[Hangman]

Hi @anto,

Your months are incorrect but if you move the Month in the layer stack (as mentioned above) it will be correct...

[anto]

Just now, Hangman said:

Your months are incorrect but if you move the Month in the layer stack (as mentioned above) it will be correct...

yes, I have already seen it.

[adrianlambert]

1 hour ago, anto said:

It works for me too on Windows.

But I would organize the calendar a little differently. I would make the numbers that do not apply to the current month gray.
There's no need for line breaks. Use top, middle, and bottom alignment.
Put frame on frame, specify a different column in Libreoffice, and you can make your calendar in different colors.

 

 

Thanks, great idea!

[adrianlambert]

1 hour ago, Hangman said:

Hi @adrianlambert,

Change the Layer order within your Group so the Month appears below your Data Merge Layer... I had to update the CSV file in the Data Merge panel but I think that's only because it didn't automatically link the file when I opened your Publisher document so you may not need to do that...

Thanks @Hangman, I'm on it now.

 

[adrianlambert]

1 hour ago, anto said:

It works for me too on Windows.

But I would organize the calendar a little differently. I would make the numbers that do not apply to the current month gray.
There's no need for line breaks. Use top, middle, and bottom alignment.
Put frame on frame, specify a different column in Libreoffice, and you can make your calendar in different colors.

 

 

I'm wondering how the <Date> field would deal with the two columns? It looks to me that I'd need to manually specify a bunch of dates and set the fields to be <date_prev>, and that the number of days would vary month to month. Or is there a way that the field in AP could spot an unpopulated cell and refer to the data in another cell?

[anto]

1 minute ago, adrianlambert said:

I'm wondering how the <Date> field would deal with the two columns? It looks to me that I'd need to manually specify a bunch of dates and set the fields to be <date_prev>, and that the number of days would vary month to month. Or is there a way that the field in AP could spot an unpopulated cell and refer to the data in another cell?

I used Your file to move data to another column.

[Hangman]

Hi @adrianlambert,

It works as per @anto's screen recording... you don't need to make any special adjustments because you basically have two overlapping fields in your data merge but also empty cells in your source data depending on which column the data is coming from so it works really well...

[anto]

Here is video

 

 

[adrianlambert]

2 minutes ago, anto said:

Here is video

 

 

It's OK I get how to split the data, just wondering how it will work with the data merge though. Previously I made a new text style with the date set to grey as you suggested and manually set the style on the ones that were from the previous or next month.

[adrianlambert]

7 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Hi @adrianlambert,

It works as per @anto's screen recording... you don't need to make any special adjustments because you basically have two overlapping fields in your data merge but also empty cells in your source data depending on which column the data is coming from so it works really well...

Yes but how does AP know how to split the text style for each column when it's all populating the same repeating field?

 

[anto]

1 minute ago, adrianlambert said:

Yes but how does AP know how to split the text style for each column when it's all populating the same repeating field?

It uses different fields. One date_prev field with a gray style, and a date field with a black style.

[adrianlambert]

There are 42 days in my sheet in AP. The field is set to refer to the Date column in the csv. How can it know that there is a different requirement if I split the columns up as per @anto's video?

[anto]

1 minute ago, adrianlambert said:

There are 42 days in my sheet in AP. The field is set to refer to the Date column in the csv. How can it know that there is a different requirement if I split the columns up as per @anto's video?

The fields are located one after the other. Where there is no data, it leaves the field empty, and where there is data, it fills it in.

[Hangman]

Hi @adrianlambert,

I've attached an updated version of your Publisher file using an adjusted CSV as per @anto's video so you can do the Data Merge for yourself to see how it works...

2024 calendar side by side.afpub2024-afpub-calendar_uk.csv

[adrianlambert]

Thank you so much @anto and @hangman! I see now that the field was duplicated and placed directly on top of my original <date> field. Sorry, I hadn't followed you there with that crucial bit of info.

[adrianlambert]

BTW these are for my daughter to raise money to travel to Kenya as part of a an initiative to get children to contribute to building schools there. SO we're really grateful to you for this help.

[Hangman]

11 minutes ago, adrianlambert said:

BTW these are for my daughter to raise money to travel to Kenya as part of a an initiative to get children to contribute to building schools there. SO we're really grateful to you for this help.

That's fantastic, you must be very proud of your daughter and what an amazing cause... I wish her every success... You are very welcome, @anto did all the heavy lifting, I just threw in a little bit but I hope the project turns out to be extremely rewarding for all involved... 😄