About data-driven graphics
Data-driven graphics make it possible to produce multiple versions of an image quickly and accurately for print or web projects. For example, you can produce 100 versions of a web banner with different text and images, all based on a template design.
You generate the graphics by exporting them from Photoshop, or you can create templates for use in other programs such as Adobe® GoLive® or Adobe® Graphics Server (see Saving templates for use with other Adobe products).
Follow these general steps to create graphics from templates and data sets:
1. Create the base graphic to use as the template.
Use layers to separate the elements that you want to change in the graphic.
2. Define variables in the graphic.
Variables specify the parts of the image that change. (See Define variables.)
3. Create or import the data sets.
You can create the data sets in the template, or import them from a text file. (See Define a data set and Creating data sets in external files.)
4. Preview the document with each data set.
To see how your final graphics will look, you can preview before you export all the files. (See Preview or apply a data set.)
5. Generate your graphics by exporting them with the data.
You can export them as Photoshop (PSD) files. (See Generate graphics using data sets.)
- A.
- Source file template
- B.
- User defines layers as variables.
- C.
- Different versions of the image can be created, each with a different variable data set.