Data Merge won't include emoji unicode characters
I've created a test file with links and images and test text to try and replicate the fault. Follow the steps in the InDesign file attached.
Put simply, text – whether it is UTF-8 or UTF-16 can import unicode characters that are meant to represent emojis etc, and this is demonstrated in the test file. While not in the minion character set, I've created a GREP style that looks for unicode characters and changes them to apple color emoji. That bit works.
What does NOT work is when importing the text as part of a data merge... instead the unicode characters are completely skipped.
Links to the testfile are here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/32graq18jww5itp/AAAu0Y2bJnCiXjseSTBBFLcJa?dl=0
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Johannes Eichberger commented
Hi,
I have found a workaround for this issue. Using Excel or Google Spreadsheets, you can URL-encode your texts, then data-merge them, and finally decode them with a script:
It has some limitations though, e.g. non-text content is stripped from text containers, such as images and tables. One could surely extend the script to fix this.
Regards,
Johannes -
Bastian S. commented
IF i remember correctly then GREP will not work with data merge (i could be wrong... has been a while since i hat a similar problem) - could it be related to this?
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Colin Flashman commented
I've created a test file with links and images and test text to try and replicate the fault. Follow the steps in the InDesign file attached.
Put simply, text – whether it is UTF-8 or UTF-16 can import unicode characters that are meant to represent emojis etc, and this is demonstrated in the test file. While not in the minion character set, I've created a GREP style that looks for unicode characters and changes them to apple color emoji. That bit works.
What does NOT work is when importing the text as part of a data merge... instead the unicode characters are completely skipped. -
Colin Flashman commented
I've created a test file with links and images and test text to try and replicate the fault. Follow the steps in the InDesign file attached.
Put simply, text – whether it is UTF-8 or UTF-16 can import unicode characters that are meant to represent emojis etc, and this is demonstrated in the test file. While not in the minion character set, I've created a GREP style that looks for unicode characters and changes them to apple color emoji. That bit works.
What does NOT work is when importing the text as part of a data merge... instead the unicode characters are completely skipped.