Using InDesign, you can read metadata from the placed files and include it on your layout. Sounds pretty vague, but let’s say you’re creating a photography portfolio, and need to include information such as Camera, Shutter Speed, Exposure Time, ISO Speed below the image, such a feature will come in very very handy!
Setup
Before we can begin, we need to create some Text Variables to read and hold metadata values from the placed files.
- Choose Type > Text Variables > Define > New.
Define Text Variables
- Enter a Name, choose Type as Metadata Caption, and choose an appropriate value from Metadata.
- Add prefix and suffix if required.
- Repeat for all metadata that you need to capture.
Insert Variables into Layout
Now that variables are set up, the next logical thing is to insert them into the layout.
- Choose the Text tool and create a text box, and place the cursor inside.
- Choose Type > Text Variables > Insert Variable > [var name ]
Variables placed on the layout
- The text variables get inserted. It says, “No intersecting link”, but read on, the mystery will get cleared.
Place Image set up captions
Now, we want to place the image. And, we need a way to tell InDesign, where to read the data from.
- Choose File >Placeand place the image on the layout.
Placed image and variables
- Now, to populate the variables to the image, move or resize one of the frame so that they have a slight overlap and Voila!
Populate the variables
#1 by Anne-Marie Concepcion on August 23, 2011 - 6:17 pm
Excellent tip! So the choices for the Metadata caption variables are exactly the same as the ones in the Live Caption Setup dialog box … except they’re listed in a diff order.
And the same Live Caption tricks apply .. after you create your text frame w/the variables, you can add it to a Library for easy reuse in other INDD files. And to get it to show data for a picture without having to overlap the image, just Group the frame with the image frame.
#2 by Ben Kreunen on December 18, 2011 - 4:59 am
Very useful tip. Is there a way to set up a text variable to get the metadata from the InDesign document itself? I’m trying to set up a template that “encourages” people to edit the File Info by using text placeholders for the document Title, Author and Subject/Description. If there is a way it might be useful to distinguish between the two.