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 [23].  In the example, the white placeholder area that was intended for affixing a barcode should be colored gray.
2. Select the Format tab [25] and open the Fill Color Settings area [26] to define the Fill Color.
3. Select the Color Picker option [27].
4. Therein, either enter a CMYK color value [28] or select it by clicking on the color circle [30] in the color picker or use system-wide Spot Color definitions [29]. 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 [31] and open the Data Source settings area [32] to define the Fill Color.
3. Select the String option [33].
4. In the input field String [34]  the sample text "Sample Content" is present. Delete this text from the input field.
5. Click the Insert Placeholder button [35]. 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}. Additionally enter %,. Now you have the defined the value for Cyan.
6. To make the Cyan value change as planned, change the following values [35]:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=20
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
7. Proceed in the same way for the Magenta value. Change the following values:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=10
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
8. Proceed in the same way for the Yellow value.  Change the following values:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=5
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
9. Proceed in the same way for the Black value. Change the following values:
   • Start – start=0
   • Increment – increment=5
   • Repeat after – repeat_count=100
10. When you have completed the operation, the following definition will appear in the String [31] 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 select the respective color space in the Color Space [38] drop-down menu. In this case, it is CMYK.
12. Click the Update [36] button to successfully complete the task.

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

In case you want to create a dashed stroke 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 Object Creation Tools [39]. Here, the VDP Bezier Curve Tool was used to create a Bezier path.
4. Select the Format tab [40] and open the Path Settings [41] area to determine the line thickness. Enter the desired Line Width [42] and make sure that it is a continuous line. Continuous lines are created if the second value in Dash/Gap [43] is set to "0".
5. Then open the Stroke Color Settings area to define the Stroke Color. First activate the option Data Source [44], then select the entry Column Title in the Data Source option [45]. Then enter the first value for the color in the option Column Title [46]. Subsequently determine the color space in the Color Space [47] option. In this example, the color values are given in CMYK. You have now created a continuous 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 Format tab.

6. Duplicate the path
   • by copying the VDP object with Ctrl+ C and pasting it again at the original position CTrl+ Shift + V or
   • by moving it while holding down the alt (Windows) or option (Mac) 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 [49] in the Stroke/Gap option and selecting the second value for the color definition in the CSV file in the Column Title option [50]. To strengthen or weaken the effect, you can also select a value from the Blend Mode [48] 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 shape showing the Path Settings and Stroke Color Settings on the Format tab