This article provides instructions to help you determine why DesignMerge Pro is producing an unexpected number of pages when merging data into a document. 

MORE PAGES THAN EXPECTED

If DesignMerge is producing more pages than expected, check the following settings:

1. Check number of pages in original document.
   Confirm the original document that you are merging does not contain any extra pages. For example, if you would like to produce a two-page document for each variation of the document, then the original document should contain only two pages.
2. Run a Variable Link Report.
   Examine the Variable Link Report to confirm the variable links in the document have correct settings. In particular, review the number of times a variable link is listed and review the sequence number that is assigned to each variable link in the list. If you are using multiple sequence numbers in a document, confirm the groups of sequence numbers are sequentially consecutive (for example: 1, 2, 3, 4). If a group of variable links repeats a sequence number (for example: 1, 2, 3, 3), then some records will be duplicated when the document is merged (some records will merged more than once into the document). 
3. Confirm data file format and DDF settings.
   Follow the recommendations in the DesignMerge is merging unexpected records from the data file Knowledgebase Article to confirm the data file is in a plain delimited text file format and does not have extra line endings (extra blank lines). Also, confirm the DDF has appropriate settings for the data file. In particular, review the following DDF settings: Data Type, Field Delimiter, File Origin, and Text Qualifier. These must be set correctly for DesignMerge to read the data records correctly. 
4. Review your Records selection for the merge session.
   If you are merging a range of records, instead of merging all records, confirm the range that you are entering is accurate. Also, confirm the Skip Header Row setting is accurate for the data file.

FEWER PAGES THAN EXPECTED

If DesignMerge is producing fewer pages than expected, check the following settings:

1. Check number of pages in original document.
   Confirm the original document that you are merging contains all of the pages that you would like in each new variation of the document. For example, if you would like to produce a two-page document for each variation of the document, then the original document should contain two pages.
2. Run a Variable Link Report.
   Examine the Variable Link Report to confirm the variable links in the document have correct settings. In particular, review the number of times a variable link is listed and review the sequence number that is assigned to each variable link in the list. If you are using multiple sequence numbers in a document, confirm the sequence numbers are sequentially consecutive (for example: 1, 2, 3, 4). If a sequence number has been skipped (for example: 1, 3, 4, 5), then records will be skipped when the document is merged (some records will not be merged into the document). 
3. Run a Page & Frame Rules Report.
   Examine the Page & Frame Rules Report to determine whether this job is using a Page Rule that has been set up to omit a page from print output. 
4. Confirm data file format and DDF settings.
   Follow the recommendations in the DesignMerge is merging unexpected records from the data file Knowledgebase Article to confirm the data file is in a plain delimited text file format and does not have missing or unexpected line endings (extra blank lines). Also, confirm the DDF has appropriate settings for the data file. In particular, review the following DDF settings: Data Type, Field Delimiter, File Origin, and Text Qualifier. These must be set correctly for DesignMerge to read the data records correctly. 
5. Review your Records selection for the merge session.
   If you are merging a range of records, instead of merging all records, confirm the range that you are entering is accurate. Also, confirm the Skip Header Row setting is accurate for the data file.
6. Read the Print Driver Summary Report.
   Review the Summary Report that is displayed at the end of the DesignMerge Print Driver session. Are any errors listed? For example, by default, DesignMerge Print Drivers will omit pages when DesignMerge cannot locate a file for a variable picture or article link. Also, DesignMerge Print Drivers will omit pages when variable text causes text to overflow a text frame (for more information, see the DesignMerge output omits pages due to overset error Knowledgebase Article).

For more information about Variable Link Reports, Sequence Numbers, DDF settings, Page & Frame Rules Reports, Records settings for a DesignMerge session, and DesignMerge Print Drivers, please see DesignMerge Documentation.

REMEMBER: HELP IS AVAILABLE!

If the above information does not assist you in determining why DesignMerge is producing an unexpected number of pages, we are here to help. Please feel free to open a support ticket by going to the Meadows Online Support Center:

Meadows Technical Support