[scribus] Data Merge

[Gregory Pittman]

On 11/12/2010 03:05 AM, Mark Biernat wrote:
> Submitted on 11/12/2010
> Submitted by anonymous user: [10.1.5.224]
>
> Submitted values are:
>
> Name: Mark Biernat
> Email Address: markbiernat at yahoo.com
> Subject: Data Merge
> Message:
> I am using Scribus 1.3.8. In my mind there is nothing at this juncture
> Scribus can not do. And with PDF/X-3 the output quality is as good if
> not better than Indesign. I inspected a number of documents to compare.
>
> However, the one thing I have not been able to do is data merge or mail
> merge. That is taking a *.csv file and populating various test boxes.
> Open Office has this but I need professional quality PDF on par with
> Scribus' PDF/X-3 and further, OO Writer does not have the design
> abilities of Scribus.
>
> I have read as much as I can and there seemed to be a python script that
> worked in earlier version for data Merge, but for earlier versions. I
> also know people have asked this question before so forgive me if this
> is a redundant question.

The basic problem is the way that tables are built, which is in essence 
a series of text frames. There is work being done to revamp tables, but 
it won't be available until it is usable.

You can import CSV data into a single text frame, using the data 
separators to trigger tabs, but you won't have the grid of lines as in a 
table. What some have done is to make a table in oowriter, then export 
as an EPS for importing into Scribus.

Greg