Adobe Illustrator CC 2015 - Manual (Page 520)

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Automating tasks
Last updated 6/5/2015
Data sets
A data set is a collection of variables and associated data. When you create a data set, you capture a snapshot of the
dynamic data that is currently displayed on the artboard. You can switch between data sets to upload different data into
your template.
The name of the current data set is displayed at the top of the Variables panel. If you change the value of a variable so
that the artboard no longer reflects the data stored in the set, the name of the data set is displayed in italic type. You can
then create a new data set, or you can update the data set to overwrite the saved data with the new data.
Create a data set
❖ Click the Capture Data Set button in the Variables panel. Alternatively, choose Capture Data Set from the
Variables panel menu.
Switch between data sets
❖ Select a data set from the Data Set list in the Variables panel. Alternatively, click the Previous Data Set button or
the Next Data Set button .
Apply the data on the artboard to the current data set
❖ Choose Update Data Set from the Variables panel menu.
Rename a data set
❖ Edit the text directly in the Data Set text box. Alternatively, double-click the words Data Set: (to the left of the Data
Set text box), enter a new name, and click OK.
Delete a data set
❖ Choose Delete Data Set from the Variables panel menu.
About variable libraries
In a collaborative environment, coordination between team members is essential to the success of a project. For
example, in a company that creates websites, the web designer is responsible for the look and feel of the site, while the
web developer is responsible for the underlying code and scripting. If the designer changes the layout of the web page,
those changes must be communicated to the developer. Likewise, if the developer needs to add functionality to the web
page, the design may need to be updated.
Variable libraries enable designers and developers to coordinate their work through an XML file. For example, a
designer can create a template for business cards in Illustrator and export variable data as an XML file. The developer
can then use the XML file to link variables and data sets to a database and write a script to render the final artwork.
This workflow can also be reversed, where the developer codes the variable and data set names in an XML file, and the
designer imports the variable libraries into an Illustrator document.
To import variables into Illustrator from an XML file, choose Load Variable Library from the Variables panel menu.
To export variables from Illustrator to an XML file, choose Save Variable Library from the Variables panel menu.