Following Jim's suggestion, I wrote down an Python-code that does what I wanted to do.
Even if it is more Python oriented, I think it might be interesting to post the answer here.
(Since we're TeXer here, and maybe not Python-ers, there are 'for dummies' explanations - sorry for length.)
Needed files
You need following files in your working directory :
- A python-file named
routine.py containing the code herein below,
A csv-database named database.csv, with following structure:
Employee ID, Last Name, Fist name, Telephone number, Additional informations
001, Dylan, Bob, 012345, Some stuff
007, Doe, John, 01452,
002, Doe, Jane, , "A lot of \emph{informations} with \LaTeX commands, and commas as well. \newline It can be displayed on several lines. \begin{itemize} \item fus \item ro \item dah! \end{itemize}"
(Note that there is a header - the python routine will then skip the first line)
- One picture per employee. This picture should be named according to following pattern :
EmployeeID.extention (E.g. in this example, you need three pictures : 001.jpg, 002.png, 007.jpg - note that the format might not be the same over the pictures)
The Python code
Considering Dirk's suggestion, you have two options : either you generate one PDF-file per business card, or you generate one PDF-file with all the business card. You'll find both versions of the Python-routine herein below.
Please look at embedded comments for explanations.
To create one PDF-file per business card
The global operating is following :
- the routine reads a row of the
.csv database,
- generates a customized LaTeX code,
- and compiles this.
- Then, it repeats the process (steps 1 to 3) for each row.
###== imported packages ==###
import csv
import subprocess # cf "http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19683123/
# compile-latex-from-python" for original example
###== Definition of the LaTeX template (with "blanks") ==###
# caution : you need to escape backslashs with backslashs
# blanks are filed with %(Name)s
# Name are here two letters
# 's' means the variable is a string
LatexContent = '''\\documentclass{scrartcl}
\\usepackage{graphicx}
\\begin{document}
\\includegraphics[width=1cm,height=3cm]{%(Id)s}
{\\sffamily %(Fn)s \\textsc{%(Ln)s}}
\\newline
\\section{Phone}
{\\tiny Phone number: %(Ph)s}
\\newpage
%(Ot)s
\\end{document}'''
###== Look at the database ==##
# open the database into python
my_db_file = open("database.csv","rb")
# read the database
my_db = csv.reader(my_db_file, delimiter=',',skipinitialspace=True)
###== TeX files processing and generating ==###
#skip the header of the database
my_db.next()
#then for each row of the database
for row in my_db :
## Assign the items of the row to the variables that will fill up the
## blanks of the LaTeX code
ID = str(row[0]) #caution, first item of a row = index '0'
LastName = str(row[1])
FirstName = str(row[2])
Phone = str(row[3])
Other = str(row[4])
#define the TeX file name
TexFileName = ID + '.tex'
## create a new LaTeX file with the blanks filled
#create a new file
TexFile = open(TexFileName,'w')
#fill the blanks with the previously read informations
TexFile.write(LatexContent %{"Id" : ID, "Fn" : FirstName,
"Ln" : LastName, "Ph" : Phone, "Ot" : Other })
#close the file
TexFile.close()
## compile the file you've just created with LaTeX
subprocess.Popen(['pdflatex',TexFileName],shell=False)
##repeate for each row
#close the database file
my_db_file.close()
###== imported packages ==###
import csv
import subprocess # cf "http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19683123/
# compile-latex-from-python" for original example
###== Definition of the LaTeX template (with "blanks") ==###
# caution : you need to escape backslashs with backslashs
# blanks are filed with %(Name)s
# Name are here two letters
# 's' means the variable is a string
LaTeXpreamble='''\\documentclass{scrartcl}
\\usepackage{graphicx}
\\begin{document}'''
LaTeXcodePerBusinessCard='''\\includegraphics[width=1cm,height=3cm]{%(Id)s}
{\\sffamily %(Fn)s \\textsc{%(Ln)s}}
\\newline
\\section{Phone}
{\\tiny Phone number: %(Ph)s}
\\newpage
%(Ot)s
\\null'''
LaTeXinBetween='''\\newpage'''
LaTeXcolophon='''\\end{document}'''
###== Look at the database ==##
# open the database into python
my_db_file = open("database.csv","rb")
# read the database
my_db = csv.reader(my_db_file, delimiter=',',skipinitialspace=True)
###== TeX files processing and generating ==###
#skip the header of the database
my_db.next()
#create a new textfile
#define its name
TexFileName = 'businessCards.tex'
#create the file
TexFile = open(TexFileName,'w')
#copy the preamble
TexFile.write(LaTeXpreamble)
#close the file and re-open it in 'append' mode
TexFile.close()
TexFile = open(TexFileName,'a')
#then for each row of the database
for row in my_db :
## Assign the items of the row to the variables that will fill up the
## blanks of the LaTeX code
ID = str(row[0]) #caution, first item of a row = index '0'
LastName = str(row[1])
FirstName = str(row[2])
Phone = str(row[3])
Other = str(row[4])
## add a piece of code with the blanks filled
#fill the blanks with the previously read informations
LaTeXcodeToAdd = LaTeXcodePerBusinessCard %{"Id" : ID,
"Fn" : FirstName, "Ln" : LastName, "Ph" : Phone, "Ot" : Other }
#append this code to the .tex file
TexFile.write(LaTeXcodeToAdd)
#append the 'in-between' code to separate two business cards
TexFile.write(LaTeXinBetween)
##repeate for each row
#append the colophon to finish the .tex filed
TexFile.write(LaTeXcolophon)
#close the file
TexFile.close()
## compile the .tex file with pdfLaTeX
subprocess.Popen(['pdflatex',TexFileName],shell=False)
#close the database file
my_db_file.close()
How to process?
- Open your terminal
- Browse to the directory containing aforementioned files
- Execute the command
python routine.py
That's all !
Best Answer
You can store the names in a comma delimited list and then iterate over it, using the LaTeX kernel command
\@for.So the names are stored as:
And iteration is achieved as shown in the minimal below.
Have a look at https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/15338/963 for a bit of a longer explanation as to how to manipulate such lists (including alpha-numeric sorting).