Years ago, when I worked, (yes...Granny!) this used to be called a "Stop Code". I need to send same letter to many people. Want to avoid retyping the whole letter many times over and just insert variables in each letter.
MacBook Pro with OSX Yosemite 10.10.2
MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10)
Hi snailspace,
If you are looking for a "form letter" in Pages 5 (automatically insert variables from a database) here is the bad news. I don't know how to do it. And Numbers '09 (Numbers 4.3) wasn't much better.
If you are looking for Placeholder Text in Pages 5, do this.
Type a standard letter.
Select the text that you want as a variable and Menu > Format > Advanced > Define as Placeholder Text:
When you click on the Placeholder, it will show as orange fill.
Repeat for each variable.
Here is an example letter.
Menu > File > Save as Template
To create a new letter, open the Template (New from Template Chooser), click on a Placeholder and type the details.
Regards,
Ian.
Hi snailspace,
If you are looking for a "form letter" in Pages 5 (automatically insert variables from a database) here is the bad news. I don't know how to do it. And Numbers '09 (Numbers 4.3) wasn't much better.
If you are looking for Placeholder Text in Pages 5, do this.
Type a standard letter.
Select the text that you want as a variable and Menu > Format > Advanced > Define as Placeholder Text:
When you click on the Placeholder, it will show as orange fill.
Repeat for each variable.
Here is an example letter.
Menu > File > Save as Template
To create a new letter, open the Template (New from Template Chooser), click on a Placeholder and type the details.
Regards,
Ian.
You are asking for Mail Merge.
This works much better with Pages '09, but there is an AppleScript that can be made to do something similar with a bit of fiddling in Pages 5.5.2.
Which are you using?
Peter
Hello Y.B.
Thank you very much for the info. I want method two that you cited. The first way would be way beyond me. I will try the Placeholder Text as soon as time allows and will come back and let you know if it worked. You are kind to take the time to advise me. Much appreciated.
I have Pages 5.5.2. A mail merge is above my skills level. I am going to try a "Placeholder Text" as soon as I can. Here's hoping it works. Will let you know, and THANK YOU so much for your time in assisting me!!
Mail Merge is easy in Pages '09.
Make a Group or select a bunch of VCards in Contacts and drag them onto the document in Pages '09, it then generates a document for everyone of your Contacts, in seconds.
You will have to make multiple copies of your documents to use the Placeholders and fill in every instance of every placeholder in everyone of those documents.
Peter
Hmmm...well, I will go a check out Pages 09, I guess. I didn't know it existed until today, so don't know the diff. between 5.5.2 and 09. Will check it out. TY.
Pages '09 is the prior vastly more capable version.
iWork '09 is available from Amazon.com for under US$20 and has hundreds of features that are missing in the current rather incompatible versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote.
Peter
I am finally back at my little task of sending out multiple letters. Yellowbox, that "Define As Placeholder Text" feature is just was I was looking for.
Thanks very much for your assistance.
Thank you for taking the time to message me about my question, PeterBreis0807. I ended up using the "Define As Placeholder Text" feature because I didn't want to download a second Pages app. You were kind to try to help me, and i do appreciate it.
in Pages how to create stopping point for insertion of variable information? (Mac/OSX Yosemite)
