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This tips is for those of you that need to import large Excel data (read: that would extend a single page) in Quark XPress. I did supply it in the General Forum before but thought it should reside here as well.

Platform: Mac and PC
Applications: Quark XPress, Microsoft Excel
XTensions: none

This tip uses the following spreadsheet as an example:

To ease the process of importing a large quantity of data into a Quark table, I have separated the steps into 5 portions:

• Analyze your spreadsheet for table headers and cell data style.
• Prepare your Quark "template" with the apropriate number of "masters" that will reflect on you different spreadsheets (if more than one).
• Add style sheets definition for all of your data style.
• Prepare your Excel document for importing it into Quark.
• Put your final document together.

I know that this might quite cumbersome at first glance but once you get the gist of it, it becomes quite simple. In Excel: For each spreadsheet, do the following: Mark down the names of each column. Determine the style you will want to give the data under those headers.

In this example, I have 3 columns named "Names","Numbers" and "Cities", each requiring its own style sheet

In Quark XPress:
1. Go to the Master page that will contain your first spreadsheet;
2. Delete any "Auto Text" box on that Master Spread
3. Create a Table making sure you select the "link cell" feature.
4. Format The table elements as you wish.
5. Add a text box (or text boxes) to set the "headers" of your tables (facultative)
6. Copy the table and headers to the other page (in your are using facing pages).(facultative)
7. Create a small text box next to the "Chain Icon" at the top of your page.
8. Link the "Chain Icon" to that box.
9. Link the first cell of the table to the small text box.
10. Delete the small text box. (Your table should now be linked to the chain icon.)
11. Repeat steps 7 thru 10 for any other page of that Master Spread. (facultative)
12. Repeat steps 2 thru 11 for each required spreadsheet.
13. Go to the first page of your document.
14. Apply the Master Page (or add a new page based on it)
15. Create a "Paragraph Style Sheet" for your Names (aptly named "Names")
16. Create a "Paragraph Style Sheet" for your Numbers(aptly named "Numbers")
17. Create a "Paragraph Style Sheet" for your Cities(aptly named "Cities")
18. For steps 15, 16 and 17, you might want to associate a corresponding "Character Style Sheet" the each of the "Paragraph Style Sheets";

In Microsoft Excel:

Most of you already know this but Quark allows you to import text containing its own Tags (XPress Tags). That will greatly help you with this task: The only thing you need to do is to append those "tags" to your Excel file prior to saving each spreadsheet as text. You can do this using Excel's Cell Format:


19. Select a spreadsheet;
20. Select the column containing the Names;
21. Set the "Number Format" (under "Custom") to "@Names:"@;
22. Slect the column containing the Numbers;
23. Set the "Number Format" (under "Custom") to "@Numbers:"@;
24. Slect the column containing the Cities;
25. Set the "Number Format" (under "Custom") to "@Cities:"@;
26. Save this spreadsheet as "Text (Tab delimited)".
27. Repeat steps 19 thru 26 for each spreadsheet.
28. Close the Excel document.

In Microsoft Word:
29. Open each "tab delimited" files;
30. Replace every "Tab Character" by "<\b>";
31. Replace every "Paragraph Mark" by "<\b>";
32. Save your files as text;

Back in Quark XPress:
33. Apply the proper Master page to the last page of your document. (You might have to add a new page)
34. With the "Content Tool" select the first text box of your table.
    
35. Select "Get Text" form the "File" menu and locate the appropriate Text File.
36. Make sure that "Include styles" is selected and click "Open".
37. Repeat steps 33 thru 36 for each text files.

Voilà!
There's a few steps but fairly straight forward ones!