John Garrett introduces the free Variable Importer script, which relieves the user from having to convert XML to CSV, CSV to XML, or use any other online converters. He demonstrates how to download the script, where to install it on your hard drive for Mac and Windows, and how to find it in the Adobe Illustrator interface.
- [Voiceover] Previously, whenever I…set up a file for variable data,…I had to either input my data into…the XML file by hand,…or else hunt down an online converter…to change my Excel spreadsheet…into an XML file that Illustrator required.…This worked, but it wasn't very simple,…and added some moving parts to each project…that made things fairly annoying.…But then I was contacted by a scripter named V. Silly Hall.…He asked me to evaluate a script he had created…called the Variable Importer.…When I did, I was blown away.…
The Variable Importer is a script for Illustrator…that puts a nice graphical interface on the ugly…XML code processing required by Illustrator.…It does all that work in the background…and allows you to automate a lot of the obstacles…that are present in the default Adobe method.…For example, this script will import…a plain garden-variety CSV file…that you can generate from Excel,…Open Office, Google Sheets, or even make with plain text.…It does the work of converting that file…into the XML that Illustrator wants.…
Author
John Garrett
Released
4/26/2016Designer John Garrett appreciates the many different types of variables and their practical uses, including generating business cards and direct mailers. In this course, he explains how to use variable data including managing linked images, graphics, tables of data, and graphs. He covers the entire workflow, from setup to exporting dynamic batches.
- Setting up Illustrator files
- Using Appearances
- Setting up data sources
- Importing data
- Managing linked variables
- Binding and using prepend paths and presets
- Using the Variables panel
- Naming data sets
- Generating multiple versions with batch exporting
Skill Level Advanced
Duration
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Introduction
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1. Exploring Variable Data
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What Is Variable Data?1m 12s
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Different types of variables4m 16s
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2. Setting up Illustrator Files
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Naming objects4m 25s
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Using area type2m 32s
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Using point type1m 57s
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Using variable data graphics4m 50s
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3. Setting up a CSV Document
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Setting up data in Excel3m 25s
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Saving a CSV file3m 11s
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4. Importing using Variable Importer Script
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Opening Variable Importer3m 19s
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Creating and using presets1m 32s
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Testing and importing a CSV2m 22s
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5. Working with the Variables Panel
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Uploading data sets4m 8s
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Dealing with overset text3m 41s
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6. Exporting and Reviewing
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Creating a save action3m 25s
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Conclusion
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Next steps1m 12s
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Video: Converting files using the Variable Importer script