Merge DOCXs – Typefi Support

The Merge DOCXs workflow action combines the content from several Microsoft Word documents (DOCX) into a single Content XML file (CXML). CXML is the data format used by Typefi to encode content.

Merge DOCXs works like this:

Transform each DOCX input file to a corresponding CXML file.
Merge the CXML files into one.

Merge DOCXs is divided into four tabs: General, Links, Indexing, and Advanced:

The General tab is the main tab. Use it to specify the input and output files.
Use the Links tab to choose whether to extract embedded links and configure the path to the links.
Use the Indexing tab to include an index and specify the page number format.
Use the Advanced tab to choose whether to validate the output and specify the whitespace mode of the output CXML file.

TIP You can also use workflow variables to specify input fields. To insert a workflow variable, click the lightning bolt icon and choose a variable from the pop-up menu.

General ↩

Use this tab to specify the input and output files.

Merge DOCXs, General tab

Field	Description
Input	The input DOCX files. Click the Choose File icon and choose a file from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, enter the filename; for example, Input/my-input.docx.
Output	The consolidated output Content XML file. Enter a name, or click Choose File to choose a file from the pop-up menu. The default output name is output-1.cxml.

Links ↩

Use this tab to choose whether to extract embedded links and configure the path to the links.

Merge DOCXs, Links tab

Field	Description
Extract embedded links	If selected, any embedded inline graphics in the Word document will be extracted into either a custom folder you specify or the Links folder inside the job folder. NOTE Using embedded inline graphics gives little control over how images are placed in a generated InDesign document. Extract embedded links is selected by default. NOTE Extract embedded links does not impact how the image path is configured.
Preserve original links, Copy to job folder, or Use custom folder	Choose how to manage links. Options include: Preserve original links keeps the original image path in the output CXML file. NOTE Preserve original links must also be selected in Create InDesign Document. Choose this option to take 100% control of image paths yourself. Some scenarios might be: Typefi Desktop: You use Typefi Writer to browse for absolute image paths on your local machine. The links don't need to be touched at all, all the way to InDesign. Typefi Workgroup: If you use images located outside the Typefi Filestore. For example, you might use a shared image server. Copy to job folder (default) rewrites the image path to the Links folder inside the job folder; for example, Links/my-image.jpg. If you publish within Typefi Writer and the Links folder does not yet exist, it will be automatically created. Use custom folder rewrites the image path to a custom folder; for example, my-custom-folder/image.png. To use this option, you must run the workflow from the Typefi Server interface. NOTE You must upload the images to the custom folder before running the workflow.
Custom folder	If you chose Use custom folder, enter the path to the custom folder where images are stored; for example, /my-custom-folder.

Indexing ↩

Use this tab to choose to include an index and specify the page number format. Formatting the page numbers in an index makes it easier to read:

A complicated index can sometimes be made easier to read by using different type styles or fonts...Page references to illustrations might be in italic type and references to the principal treatment of a subject in boldface.

—Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition, paragraph 16.140

NOTE Microsoft Word index page numbers can appear in Bold, Italic, or Bold Italic.

Merge DOCXs, Indexing tab

Field	Description
Include index	Choose whether to convert index entry (XE) fields to CXML `<index>` elements. Include index is selected by default.
Page number format	This section contains page number formatting settings for the index. Microsoft Word index page numbers can appear in Bold, Italic or Bold Italic. The settings in this section correspond to the character styles in the Typefi-ready template file (.indd).
Bold	The character style to be applied when an XE field contains the `/b` switch.
Italic	The character style to be applied when an XE field contains the `/i` switch.
Bold Italic	The character style to be applied when an XE field contains both `\b` and `\i` switches.

For more information about indexes in Microsoft Word, see Create and update an index.

Advanced ↩

Use this tab to choose whether to validate the output and specify the whitespace mode.

Merge DOCXs, Advanced tab

Field	Description
Validate output	Choose whether to validate the output CXML file. The schema version used is CXML 3.1. Validate output is deselected by default.
White space mode	Choose how to handle white space in the output CXML file. Options include: strict (default), and preserve.
Format and indent	Choose whether to pretty print (format and indent) the output CXML file. Format and indent is deselected by default.
Include page breaks	Choose whether to pass through forced page and column breaks as CXML `<break>` elements. Include page breaks is deselected by default.

NOTE Do not choose preserve and select Format and indent. Doing so will result in extraneous whitespace in the output CXML file.

If you have any questions about using the Merge DOCXs workflow action, please contact us. We're here to help.

General ↩

Links ↩

Indexing ↩

Advanced ↩

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