Saving VDP data

4 minutes to read

Customer's Canvas uses an approach where VDP samples are stored in the design file. The saved samples will be applied to the design when rendering previews or print files.

The data is store as the vdpDataSet object, which may look as follows:

{
  "vdpDataSet": { 
    "surfacesData": [ 
      { 
        "surfaceBinding": { 
          "surfaceIndexes": [ 0, 1 ],
          "isSingleBinding": false
        },
        "data": [
          {
            "Address": {
              "text": "Chloe Martin 2222 Cedar Lane Riverwood, TX 10987"
            },
            "Image": {
              "image": "https://example.com/8509328f.jpg"
            },
            "placeholders": {
              "Name": "John Wood",
              "Phone": "555-123-1234"
            }
          } 
        ], 
        "iterateOverSurfacesFirst": false 
      } 
    ] 
  }, 
  "vdpItemsData": null 
}

The endpoint DesignAtomsService_SaveVdpData puts the VDP samples, while the endpoint DesignAtomsService_LoadVdpData reads them.

Variable types

There are the following variable types:

in-string placeholders
interpolation text placeholders
text placeholders
images
image placeholders
barcode placeholders

When creating a dataset, different formats are used for different types:

For text: "Name": { "text": "John Wood" }
For in-string text: "placeholders": { "Name": "John Wood" }
For barcode placeholders: "URL": { "barcodeData": { "BarcodeFormat": "QR_CODE", "BarcodeSubType": "Url", "Url": "https://example.com" }}
For images and image placeholders:
- private images from Asset Storage: "Photo": { "image": "user:<Full path>" }
- public images from Asset Storage: "Photo": { "image": "public:<Full path>" }
- external images: "Photo": { "image": "<externalUrl>" }

Here, "Name", "URL", and "Photo" are the field names. Note that the in-string and interpolation variables are placed in the placeholders collection, and all other variables are placed in the root of the data object.

A VDP dataset allows you to not only change the text and images, but also change their properties. For the complete list of variable properties, you can refer to the ItemData description or to the examples below.

Dataset properties

When a design contains a vdpDataSet object, the project only renders surfaces listed in the surfacesData collection with applied items' data.

The surfacesData contains a list of required surfaces and items' data to personalize these surfaces. This data defines one or more objects that will be applied to render a single design copy. In surfaceBinding, you can refer to the required surfaces by either indexes or names.

{
    "surfacesData": [{
        "surfaceBinding": {
            "surfaceNames": ["Front"]
        },
        "data": [{ ... }]
    }],
    "surfacesData": [{
        "surfaceBinding": {
            "surfaceIndexes": [0,1,2]
        },
        "data": [{
          ...
}

When you provide a number of data sets to render a number of surfaces, you can use the optional property iterateOverSurfacesFirst to configure the rendering order. If this property is true, then copies of the surfaces listed in the surfaceBinding are rendered in the following order:

Render the first surface with the first data set.
Render the first surface with the second data set.
... and so on for every data set.
Render the second surface with the first data set.
Render the second surface with the second data set.
... and so on for every surface and data set.

If iterateOverSurfacesFirst is false (this is the default value), then the personalization order goes over data sets:

Render the first surface with the first data set.
Render the second surface with the first data set.
... and so on for every surface.
Render the first surface with the second data set.
Render the second surface with the second data set.
... and so on for every surface and data set.

ItemData examples

Images with properties

In the following example, we define data to change the content of two image layers, the opacity, border width, and size.

{
    "photo": {
        "image": "https://example.com/centralview.jpg",
        "opacity": 0.8,
        "borderWidth": 1
    },
    "cornerImage": {
        "image": "user:tower.jpg",
        "size": {
            "width": 100,
            "height": 100
        }
    }
}

Image placeholders with transforms

For image placeholders, you can specify how their content should be resized. Also, you can scale, translate, and rotate the content.

{
    "logo": {
        "image": "public:company/logo.svg",
        "contentResizeMode": "original",
        "contentTransform": {
            "angle": -45
        }
    },
    "photo": {
        "image": "https://example.com/castle.jpg",
        "contentResizeMode": "fill",
        "contentTransform": {
            "angle": 0,
            "scaleX": 0.5,
            "scaleY": 0.5,
            "translateX": 100,
            "translateY": 100
        }
    }
}

Barcode placeholders

This example illustrates how you can set up linear barcodes in the EAN-8 format and QR codes for URLs and phone numbers.

{
    "Ean 8": {
        "barcodeData": {
            "BarcodeFormat": "EAN_8",
            "BarcodeValue": "1234567"
        }
    },
    "URL": {
        "barcodeData": {
            "BarcodeFormat": "QR_CODE",
            "BarcodeSubType": "Url",
            "Url": "https://example.com"
        }
    },
    "Phone": {
        "barcodeData": {
            "BarcodeFormat": "QR_CODE",
            "BarcodeSubType": "Phone",
            "Phone": "5551234567"
        }
    }
}

Interpolation placeholders

Let's assume your design contains the following text field.

Dear {{Name}}, your order #{{Order}} is ready.

Here, two interpolation placeholders are defined: Name and Order. To personalize their values, add their name and a new value to the placeholders object.

{
    "placeholders": {
        "Name": "Cristopher Bennett",
        "Order": "200123"
    }
}