DesignMerge software supports the import of external variable data graphics, articles, InDesign documents, and other file types. In your data file, you can specify a reference to these external files by the file name, or by the full path to the file. This document describes the supported format for file names and file paths that are supported by DesignMerge software.

FILENAME REFERENCE

Filename-only references are supported by both Macintosh and Windows versions of DesignMerge.
If the files are referenced by filename only, (database field contains only the name of the file to be imported), then DesignMerge will search for and attempt to locate the file. By default, the order of the folders searched by DesignMerge is as follows:

1.     Searches in the same folder where the document that is being updated has been saved.
       Note: It will also search all sub-folders within this folder.
2.     Searches in the same folder where the selected Data File being processed is stored.
       Note: It will also search all sub-folders within this folder.
3.     Searches the DDF Search Path, if this option has been enabled.
       Note: You must also specify a search path for this option in your currently selected Database Definition (DDF).
4.     Searches any Global Search Paths that have been established by the user.
       Note: It will also search all sub-folders within each global search path if the Search Subfolders option is enabled.

Restrictions

• The specified volume must be mounted and accessible on the system where DesignMerge has been installed.
• The specified volume must have the permissions necessary to allow access and import of image data by DesignMerge.
• The filenames cannot contain colon (:), front slash (/), or backslash(\) characters. All other characters supported by the operating system that you are using are supported.

FULL PATH REFERENCE

If files are provided as a full path reference, then the path to the file must be a full/absolute path. Partial path references are not supported. No additional searching will be performed for external files that are in full path format if the path points to a missing file. In addition, the path must be completely formatted in either Macintosh, Windows, or Unix format. A description of each path style, along with restrictions, is described below:

Macintosh-Style Path

Macintosh-style paths are supported by Macintosh Only versions of DesignMerge.

A Macintosh path specification must begin with a volume identifier, followed by one or more folder identifiers, and finally the filename specification. The volume, folder, and filename must be separated by colon “:” characters (i.e. VOLUME:FOLDER:FILENAME.EXT). Here are a few examples:

MYVOLUME:My Folder:myfile.ext

MYVOLUME:myfile.ext

Macintosh HD:Folder 1:Sub Folder:myfile.txt

Restrictions

• The specified volume must be mounted and accessible on the system where DesignMerge has been installed.
• The specified volume must have the permissions necessary to allow access and import of image data by DesignMerge.
• The filenames cannot contain colon (:), front slash (/), or backslash(\) characters. All other characters supported by the operating system that you are using are supported.

Windows-Style Path

Windows-style paths are supported by Windows Only versions of DesignMerge.

A Windows path specification must begin with a single drive letter, followed by one or more folder identifiers, and finally the filename specification. The drive letter must be a single letter, followed by a single colon character. The drive letter (plus colon), folder, and filename must further be separated by two backslash “\\” characters (i.e. D:\\FOLDER\\FILENAME.EXT). Here are a few examples:

D:\\My Folder\\myfile.ext

D:\\myfile.ext

Restrictions

• The full path must contain one drive letter, and at most one colon (the one that appears after the drive letter).
• The specified volume must be mounted and accessible on the system where DesignMerge has been installed.
• The specified volume must have the permissions necessary to allow access and import of image data by DesignMerge.
• Folder and file names cannot cannot contain colon (:), front slash (/), or backslash(\) characters. All other characters supported by the operating system that you are using are supported.

Unix-Style or POSIX Path

Unix-style paths are supported by both Macintosh and Windows versions of DesignMerge.

A Unix path specification must begin with one forward slash character “/”, followed by a volume identifier, one or more folder names, and finally the filename specification.

Each folder, and filename must be separated by one forward slash “/” character (i.e. /VOLUME/FOLDER/FILENAME.EXT). Here are a few examples:

/MYVOLUME/My Folder/myfile.ext

/MYVOLUME/myfile.ext

/Macintosh HD/MyFolder/myfile.ext (for Mac systems)

/D/MyFolder/myfile.ext (for Windows systems, e.g. D:)

Restrictions

• The specified volume must be mounted and accessible on the system where DesignMerge has been installed.
• The specified volume must have the permissions necessary to allow access and import of image data by DesignMerge.
• The filenames cannot contain colon (:), front slash (/), or backslash(\) characters. All other characters supported by the operating system that you are using are supported.
  
  

Unix Path Conversion

For best performance, you should try to use Macintosh-style paths when processing on a Macintosh system, and Windows-style paths when processing on a Windows system.

For paths that are specified in Unix-style, those references are converted into the path specification that is appropriate for the operating system being used. On the Macintosh, the data is converted into a Macintosh-style path, and on Windows the data is converted into a Windows-style path.

If the data begins with front slash (/) character, then it is always assumed to be a Unix-style path, and the following data format is implied:

/VOLUME/Folder/Sub Folder/file.ext

All Unix-style paths will be converted into a path that corresponds to the operating system in use. Here are the conversions for the sample path specified above:

VOLUME:Folder:Sub Folder:file.ext (Mac Conversion)

VOLUME:\\Folder\\Sub Folder\\file.ext (Windows Conversion)

Relative Unix-Style Paths

Some Unix-style paths are provided in relative format. As an example:

/Folder/Subfolder/file.ext

Notice in the above path, since there is no explicit Volume name provided, the root volume is assumed. This type of a path is not directly supported by DesignMerge, but there is an easy workaround for this.

All you would need to do in this case is to edit the Variable Link definition for the data that is being processed, and add as a Prefix to the data the name of your root volume.

As an example, let’s say that on a Windows system, the root volume is your ‘C’ drive (i.e. “C:”). In such case, you would add the string “/C” as a Prefix to your Variable Link definition, which means that this text will be added to the start of any data being imported by that Variable Link. In the above example, this prefix would be added to the incoming data to form the following Unix-style path:

/C/Folder/Subfolder/file.ext

When the path is converted into the Windows-style path by DesignMerge, the full path becomes:

C:\\Folder\\Subfolder\\file.ext

In this fashion, you have now successfully added the drive letter designation for your Unix-style path. The exact same thing can be accomplished for Macintosh operating systems as well. Just enter a forward slash character followed by the volume name as a Prefix for your Variable Link.

WEB PATH REFERENCE

If your variable data jobs require merging assets that are stored in an HTTP file path, the add-on HTTP Module for DesignMerge can assist in locating and merging this type of asset. For more details:

https://www.meadowsps.com/http-module/

CLOUD PATH REFERENCE

If your variable data jobs require merging assets that are stored in a cloud location (such as Google Drive or Dropbox), a physical copy of the files must be mirrored to a local computer or mirrored to a computer on your local network. For example, if using Google Drive, enable the Mirror Files option. If using Dropbox, apply Cloud File Sync.

As long as there is an accessible physical copy of the asset files in a folder on a local computer or in your local network (not an alias or shortcut to asset files that are stored in a cloud location), then DesignMerge should be able to access the local copy of the files.