The Lookback Placeholder  feature in DesignMerge Catalog provides the ability to automate Search Key assignments when updating placeholders.

This feature is applied via a Variable Link setting named Key Type. To access this setting, open the Variable Links dialog, select the Variable Link whose settings you wish to access, and then click the Catalog button.

The Key Type setting is set to Search Key by default. When set to Search Key, each placeholder that is assigned to this Variable Link will use the Search Key that has been directly assigned to that placeholder via the DesignMerge Catalog panel.

There are four other options that can be selected for this setting: First Link on Page, Preceding Link Text, Current Link Text, and Preceding Link Key. Each of these four options apply automatic Search Key assignments to each placeholder that is assigned to this Variable Link, as described below:

First Link on Page: Uses the Search Key that is assigned to the first  placeholder* that is on the same page. The first  placeholder is the first placeholder in the topmost text frame on the page, the text frame that has been brought to the Front of the page (Object  > Arrange  > Bring to Front ).

Preceding Link Text: Uses the text that is displayed by the placeholder* immediately preceding it in the same text frame as its Search Key. If an Update changes the text displayed by the preceding placeholder, then this will automatically change which Search Key is applied.

Current Link Text: Uses the text that it is displaying as its Search Key.

Preceding Link Key: Uses the Search Key that is assigned to the placeholder* immediately preceding it in the same text frame.

*Note that for three of the above options, you can enter the name of a Variable Link to indicate which type of placeholder to reference for the assigned Search Key. For example, if your DDF has three Variable Links named Item Number, Retail Price, and Sale Price:

• If you select Preceding Link Key for the Key Type of the Sale Price Variable Link and enter Item Number, then each placeholder assigned to the Sale Price Variable Link will use the Search Key that is assigned to the Item Number  placeholder immediately preceding it in the same text frame (and will not for example use the Search Key that is assigned to the Retail Price  placeholder if that placeholder is in between the Item Number  and Sale Price  placeholders in the document).
• If you do not enter a Variable Link, then each placeholder assigned to this Variable Link will use the Search Key assigned to whichever type of placeholder is preceding it in the same text frame.