Illustrator Tutorial for Data-Driven Graphics

Streamline graphics with variable libraries.

When you have graphics, such as business cards or Web headers, that require the same design with different text, graphics or data, you do not want to create a new file for each set of information. Adobe Illustrator's Variables panel allows you to create a template and store dynamic elements. This means that the information will update based on the information stored in data sets. Data-driven graphics are useful for collaboration between designers by allowing each to work on the same graphic without interfering with the other team member's work.

Instructions

1. Create a template that contains all of the elements that you want in your data-drive graphic. Any dynamic text must be in separate text boxes.

2. Click on the "Window" menu, then select "Variables" to open the Variables panel.

3. Select the elements that you want to convert to a dynamic element. You can create text, graphs or linked files dynamic.

4. Click on the "Make [item] Dynamic" button that is located on the bottom of the Variables panel.

5. Click on the Variables panel fly-out menu. Select "Capture Data Set."

6. Change the dynamic elements to reflect the next set of information. Select "Capture Data Set" from the fly-out menu. Repeat this for the rest of the data.

7. Click on the "Data Set" drop-down menu. Select the desired data set to change the information without changing the graphic layout.

Tips & Warnings

• Save an XML file of the variable library and add data sets using a text editor. Select "Save Variable Library." Edit the XML file by changing the data set number and the information between "<v:sampleDataSet dataSetName="Data Set #">" to "</v:sampleDataSet>." Load the variable library into Illustrator.

References

• Designer-Info; Variety - Data Driven Design; Tom Arah
• Adobe: Use data-Driven Graphics to Streamline Design Work