EasyCatalog ODBC Data Provider Module for InDesign

Description

Connect EasyCatalog directly to your database with the generic ODBC Data Provider. Get up-to-the minute information as often as you need using the power of SQL.

The EasyCatalog ODBC Data Provider Module for InDesign works by taking a snapshot of data that can be updated at any time. This overcomes the need to have a constant connection to your database and means you to carry on working during periods where the database is unavailable and even work at home or on the move!

Bi-directional Link

The Data Provider is also bi-directional, so any changes to linked content in InDesign can be updated straight back into the database. The Data Provider knows when a field has changed and efficiently applies any updates back into the database.

Spotted an error in your data? Update it on the document and send the change back to the database to prevent the error being repeated in future.

Multiple views of your Database

Any number of data sources can be configured at one time, each with it’s own SQL statement, allowing a virtually unlimited view of your database. As with all EasyCatalog panels, you can create new views at any time — each with their own sorting, grouping and filtering configurations.

Supported Databases

Support for your particular database is dependent on the availability of ODBC client drivers – Windows users usually get these at no extra cost from their database vendor.

Other add-on modules are available for more advanced features including:

• Relational for working with multiple data sources
• XML Data Provider for importing data directly from an XML file
• Pagination, which is required for doing advanced paginated layouts
• and Scripting, which, like InDesign, works with JavaScript, AppleScript, and Visual Basic

All that’s needed to make the Data Provider work is a simple select statement or call to a stored procedure.

EasyCatalog for InDesign is a Plug-in (for both Mac and Windows) that offers a truly simple, intuitive drag-and-drop interface. As the name implies, EasyCatalog is easy to set up and use. Simply connect to a datasource, insert placeholders into your document from the EasyCatalog Panel, apply formatting as you usually would to design elements, group related elements together into a “Product Style,” store your Product Styles in an EasyCatalog Library, and then populate copies of your product styles with records from your database.