In case you would like to color a geometric object in a VDP job, you can do this at any time without having to edit the actual Print Item. Proceed as follows:

1. Create the desired object using the VDP Object Creation Tools [19].
2. Select the Format tab [20] and open the Fill Color Settings area [21] to define the fill color.
3. Select the Color Picker option [22].
4. Therein, you can either enter a CMYK color value [23] or select it by clicking on the color circle [25] in the color picker or use system-wide spot color definitions [24]. Read more about selecting colors in the Article Create and Edit variable Objects.

Figure 5: The Format tab with defined color values for the fill color

In case you would like to create variable Fill Colors for objects or backgrounds, you can do this without a CSV file. In the following example, the color value should change as follows from record to record:

• Cyan - the color value always increases by 20% and starts again from 0% when the 100% color value is reached.
• Magenta - the color value always increases by 10% and starts again from 0% when the 100% color value is reached.
• Yellow - the color value always increases by 5% and starts again from 0% when the 100% color value is reached.
• Black - the color value always increases by 1% and starts again from 0% when the 40% color value is reached.

To create this color definition, proceed as follows:

1. Create the desired object using the VDP Object Creation Tools.
2. Select the Format tab [26] and open the Data Source settings area [27] to define the fill color.
3. Select the String option [28].
4. In the input field String [29]  enter 0%,0%,0%,0%, by which you have defined the color definition for the CMYK value Cyan=0; Magenta=0; Yellow=0 und Black=0.
5. Select the number 0  (value of Cyan) and press the Insert Placeholder button [31]. In the dialog that appears, select Serial Number, which will insert the string  ${serial_number; start=1; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=0; increment=1} instead of 0.
6. To make the Cyan value change as planned, change the following values:
   • start=0
   • repeat_count=100
   • increment=20
7. Proceed in the same way for the Magenta value. Change the following values:
   • start=0
   • repeat_count=100
   • increment=10
8. Proceed in the same way for the Yellow value.  Change the following values:
   • start=0
   • repeat_count=100
   • increment=5
9. Proceed in the same way for the Black value. Change the following values:
   • start=0
   • repeat_count=40
   • increment=1
10. When you have completed the operation, the following definition will appear in the String [29] input field: ${serial_number; start=0; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=100; increment=20}%,${serial_number; start=0; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=100; increment=10}%,${serial_number; start=0; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=100; increment=5}%,${serial_number; start=0; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=40; increment=1}
11. Now  press the Update button [30], for successfully completing the task.

Figure 6: The Format tab with variable color value definition for the Fill Color

In case you want to create a dashed contour which changes its color in a VDP job, you can do so with a few detours. Proceed as follows:

1. Open the desired Print Item in the VDP Editor.
2. Prepare the VDP Editor by adding a CSV file containing two columns of color codes.
3. Create the desired Stroke using the VDP Object Creation Tools [32]. Here, the VDP Bezier Curve Tool was used to create a Bezier path.
4. Select the Format tab [33] and open the Path Settings [34] area to create the line thickness. Enter the desired Line Width [35] and make sure that it is a continuous line. Continuous lines are created if the second value in Dash/Gap [36] is set to "0".
5. Then open the Stroke Color Settings area to define the Stroke Color. First activate the option Data Source [37], then the entry Column Title in the Data Source option [38] and then the first value for the color in the option Column Title [39]. You have now created a continuous stroke whose color changes from record to record.

Abbildung 7: Der VDP-Editor mit unregelmäßiger Form mit den Werten für die Kontur im Reiter Formatierung

6. Duplicate the path by copying the VDP object and pasting it again at the original position. Duplicate the object by moving it while holding down the alt or option key.  To make the path overlap the previously created path and be in the same position you can use the Arrange functions and enter the X and Y coordinates for the object in the Transform & General Settings tab.
7. Create a dashed line by specifying the value for the gap [41] in the Stroke/Gap option and selecting the second value for the color definition in the CSV file in the Column Title option [42]. To strengthen or weaken the effect, you can also select a value from the Blend Mode [40] option.
8. You have now completed the task. Switch between individual data sets to check the effect again.

Figure 8: The VDP Editor with an irregular, dashed shape with its Stroke values in the Format tab