# data merge question



## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

I am setting up a file for a data merge using indesign CS6. Some of the data fields will be empty. In the picture below (example only) if address 2 was not there, it would remove the empty space and shift everything else up. Can I set it to move down so the bottom line always stays in the same position?


----------



## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

You could put a character on the line that you don't want to move up (after the merge field), and color the character white so it doesn't print.

Better yet, if you want to be absolutely sure the geometry doesn't change, add a non printing character to the end of each line, so if you are missing a postal code for example, it doesn't slide up the item(s) below either.


----------



## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

I want there to be no blank space if there was nothing in address 2. I did find the answer. Going to Object>text frame options, then change vertical justification to bottom instead of default top.


----------



## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

wonderings said:


> I want there to be no blank space if there was nothing in address 2. I did find the answer. Going to Object>text frame options, then change vertical justification to bottom instead of default top.


Yes, that's another way of doing it, bit the side effect is that the top line will change its position depending on the number of line in the address, so the positioning on the page will be variable


----------



## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

CanadaRAM said:


> Yes, that's another way of doing it, bit the side effect is that the top line will change its position depending on the number of line in the address, so the positioning on the page will be variable


For the job I was doing, it was more important to line up on the bottom then the top, so having everything move down was not an issue in this case.


----------

