If you need to color a geometric object in a VDP job for any reason, you can do this at any time – without having to edit the original Print Item. Proceed as follows:

1. Create the desired object using the VDP Object Creation Tools [24].  In the example, the white placeholder area originally intended for placing a barcode will be colored gray.
2. Open the tab Format [25] and expand the section Fill Color Settings [26] to define the Fill Color.
3. Select the option Color Picker [27].
4. You can either enter a CMYK color value [28], select a color via the Color Picker by clicking the color circle [30] or use a system-wide defined Spot Color [29]. For more detailed information on choosing colors, refer to the Article Create and Edit variable Objects.

Figure 5: The tab Format with a defined color value for the Fill Color

If you want to generate variable Fill Colors for objects or backgrounds, you can do this without using a CSV file. In the following example, the color values will change from record to record as follows:

• Cyan – the color value always increases by 20% each time and resets to 0% after reaching 100%.
• Magenta – the color value always increases by 10% and resets to 0% after reaching 100%.
• Yellow – the color value always increases by 5% and resets to 0% after reaching 100%.
• Black – the color value always increases by 1% and resets to 0% after reaching 40%.

To define these color values, proceed as follows:

1. Create the desired object using the VDP Object Creation Tools.
2. Open the tab Format [31] and expand the section Data Source [32] to define the Fill Color.
3. Select the option String [33].
4. In the input field String [34], you will see the default text «Sample Content». Delete this text from the input field.
5. Click the button Insert Placeholder [35]. In the dialog that appears, select Serial Number. This inserts the string  ${serial_number; start=1; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=0; increment=1}. Add %, to the end of this string to define the Cyan value.
6. Modify the values [37] below as follows to achieve the desired behavior for Cyan:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=20
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
7. Repeat the same process for Magenta, with the following values:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=10
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
8. Repeat the same process for Yellow, with the following values:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=5
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
9. Repeat the same process for Black, but note that only a single % should be added at the end of the string:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=5
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
10. Once completed, your input field String [31] should contain the following definition: ${serial_number; start=0; width=1; batch_count=0; repeat_count=100; increment=20}%,${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 select the correct Color Space [38] from the drop-down menu – in this case, it is CMYK.
12. Finally, click the button Update [36] to apply the color definition and complete the task.

Figure 6: The tab Format with a variable color definition for the Fill Color based on a Serial Number

If you want to create a dashed stroke with a changing color in a VDP job, this can be accomplished with a few additional steps. Follow the instructions below:

1. Open the desired Print Item in the VDP Editor.
2. Prepare the VDP Editor by uploading a CSV file that contains two columns with color codes.
3. Create the desired Stroke using the VDP Object Creation Tools [39]. In this example, the VDP Bezier Curve Tool was used to draw a Bezier path.
4. Select the tab Format [40] and open the section Path Settings [41] to define the Stroke Width. Enter the desired Stroke Width [42] and ensure that it is a continuous line. A solid line is created by setting the second value in the field Dash / Gap [43] to «0».
5. Next, open the section Stroke Color Settings to define the Stroke Color. First, activate the option Data Source [44]. Then select the entry Column Title in the option Data Source [45]. Under Column Header [46], choose the column from the CSV file containing the color values. Under the option Color Space [47], select the color space in which your color values are defined – in this example, CMYK. This completes the creation of a solid stroke whose color changes from record to record.

Figure 7: The VDP Editor with an irregular shape and the values for the Stroke in the tab Format

6. Duplicate the path
   • by copying the VDP object with Ctrl+ C  to copy and then CTrl+ Shift + V to paste it in the exact same position or
   • by using alt (Windows) or option (Mac) to duplicate the object by dragging.  To ensure the duplicated path is precisely overlaid on the original, use the Arrange functions or manually set the X and Y coordinates for the object in the tab Transform & General Settings.
7. Create a dashed line by specifying the value for the gap [49] in the option Dash / Gap. Under the option Column Header [50], select the second color value column from the CSV file for this path. To intensify or reduce the visual effect, choose an appropriate option from the drop-down menu Blend Mode [48].
8. You have now completed the task. Switch between individual records to verify that the visual effect haves as expected.

Figure 8: The VDP Editor with an irregular shape, showing the values used in the Path Settings and Stroke Color Settings within the tab Format