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CatalogMergeShapes Collection

Represents the shapes contained in the catalog merge area of the specified publication.

Using the CatalogMergeShapes Collection

Use the CatalogMergeItems property of the Shape or ShapeRange objects to return the contents of the catalog merge area. The following example tests whether the specified publication contains a catalog merge area. If it does, it returns a list of the shapes it contains.

    Sub ListCatalogMergeAreaContents()
 
    Dim pgPage As Page
    Dim mmLoop As Shape
    Dim intCount As Integer

    For Each pgPage In ThisDocument.Pages
        For Each mmLoop In pgPage.Shapes

            If mmLoop.Type = pbCatalogMergeArea Then

                With mmLoop.CatalogMergeItems
                    For intCount = 1 To .Count
                        Debug.Print "Shape ID: " & _
                            mmLoop.CatalogMergeItems.Item(intCount).ID
                        Debug.Print "Shape Name: " & _
                            mmLoop.CatalogMergeItems.Item(intCount).Name
                    Next
                End With

            End If

        Next mmLoop
    Next pgPage

End Sub

  

Use the AddToCatalogMergeArea method of the Shape or ShapeRange objects to add shapes to a catalog merge area. The following example adds a rectangle to the catalog merge area in the specified publication. This example assumes a catalog merge area has been added to the first page of the publication.

    ThisDocument.Pages(1).Shapes.AddShape(1, 80, 75, 450, 125).AddToCatalogMergeArea
  

Use CatalogMergeItems(index), where index is index number, to return a single catalog merge area shape. The following example removes the first shape from the catalog merge area.

    ThisDocument.Pages(1).Shapes(1).CatalogMergeItems(1).RemoveFromCatalogMergeArea
  

Use the RemoveFromCatalogMergeArea method of the Shape or ShapeRange objects to remove shapes from a catalog merge area. Removed shapes are not deleted, but are instead placed on the publication page containing the catalog merge area. The following example tests whether the specified publication contains a catalog merge area. If it does, all the shapes are removed from the catalog merge area and deleted, and the catalog merge area is then removed from the publication.

    Sub DeleteCatalogMergeAreaAndAllShapesWithin()
    Dim pgPage As Page
    Dim mmLoop As Shape
    Dim intCount As Integer
    Dim strName As String
    
        For Each pgPage In ThisDocument.Pages
            For Each mmLoop In pgPage.Shapes
            
                If mmLoop.Type = pbCatalogMergeArea Then
                    With mmLoop.CatalogMergeItems
                        For intCount = .Count To 1 Step -1
                            strName = mmLoop.CatalogMergeItems.Item(intCount).Name
                            .Item(intCount).RemoveFromCatalogMergeArea
                            pgPage.Shapes(strName).Delete
                        Next
                    End With
                mmLoop.RemoveCatalogMergeArea
                End If
                
            Next mmLoop
        Next pgPage
       
 End Sub

  

Remarks

The catalog merge area is automatically resized to accommodate objects that are larger then the merge area, or that are positioned outside the catalog merge area when they are added.

Shapes inside the catalog merge area are automatically resized or repositioned if the catalog merge area is decreased in size or moved.

The catalog merge area can contain picture and text data fields you have inserted, as well as other design elements you choose.