Fields: please add ability to add filename without extention

[postmadesign]

I am having a hard time replicating a document i originally created in indesign. I basically created a template letter where the file name is also used as the subject in the letter. For this I wanted to use the fields option, but the problem is that when I use Filename as the field, it adds the extention as well, which is not what I want. When I use the title field, it will not change when I change the filename of the document, or when I duplicate the document to create a new one. So I really hope an option can be added to hide the extention for this use case.

What I am not sure about is, if when I use the field "date created", if this would change if I create a new copy of the document to reflect the new copy, or if it would take the creation date of the original base file? I can not test it right now, but I will have to see how this would work. Thing is, I want it to be the date I create the document, but I don't want it change once I reopen the document on another date, if you understand what I mean.

[Joachim_L]

21 minutes ago, postmadesign said:

For this I wanted to use the fields option, but the problem is that when I use Filename as the field, it adds the extention as well, which is not what I want.

As a very, very dirty workaround align the field to the right in your text frame and use the vector crop tool to cut off everything up to the dot.

[postmadesign]

Haha, yeah I could do that. I would rather prefer to have a better solution though 

[Joachim_L]

Or even better remove the extension of the physical file.

If you use save as, the creation date / time will be the date / time you saved it.

[thomaso]

I see a quick workaround to make the suffix .afpub not appear in your letter as long you don't use dots in your letter subject:

1. Define a character style for visible parts of fields. (f.i. green color)
2. Define a paragraph style for unwanted parts. (f.i. suffix)
3. Set the paragraph style text color to White. (or any color which is underneath your letter subject)
4. In "Initial Words" use . as end char, and the new character style as style.
    

For your date issue use "Created" date instead of "Saved" and avoid to use "Save as..." to rename your .afpub unless you want to change its creation date, too.
When using "Save As..." without renaming the .afpub then its Created date does not change.

 

 

[Old Bruce]

This is a use example of where the field Document Information > Title:xyz could be used if only the it (Title:) was updated when you do a Save As... Instead it continues to use the original file name. You could of course edit the title but that means as much work as just typing the thing in where you want it to be.

[postmadesign]

7 hours ago, thomaso said:

I see a quick workaround to make the suffix .afpub not appear in your letter as long you don't use dots in your letter subject:

1. Define a character style for visible parts of fields. (f.i. green color)
2. Define a paragraph style for unwanted parts. (f.i. suffix)
3. Set the paragraph style text color to White. (or any color which is underneath your letter subject)
4. In "Initial Words" use . as end char, and the new character style as style.
    

For your date issue use "Created" date instead of "Saved" and avoid to use "Save as..." to rename your .afpub unless you want to change its creation date, too.
When using "Save As..." without renaming the .afpub then its Created date does not change.

 

 

This is not bad, and it might work, sort of. However, I would actually want it to stop BEFORE the dot. I have not found out how to do this yet.

2 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

This is a use example of where the field Document Information > Title:xyz could be used if only the it (Title:) was updated when you do a Save As... Instead it continues to use the original file name. You could of course edit the title but that means as much work as just typing the thing in where you want it to be.

Exactly, this would be so much easier. I use these fields to ensure document title and the title in the subject are always the same to avoid mistakes. Same goes for the creation date. Doing it by hand would not be very helpful...

[fde101]

Maybe there needs to be an option for some of the automatic fields to have a "format" selected - for things like "Created" that would allow selections like "Date with 24-hour time", "12-hour time with seconds", etc.; for Filename it could offer options with and without the extension (or extension only for that matter?)...

[postmadesign]

3 hours ago, fde101 said:

Maybe there needs to be an option for some of the automatic fields to have a "format" selected - for things like "Created" that would allow selections like "Date with 24-hour time", "12-hour time with seconds", etc.; for Filename it could offer options with and without the extension (or extension only for that matter?)...

I have been thinking the same thing, the UI is there, it shouldn't be to hard to implement I think