Dynamic data bindings

Dynamic data bindings link the creative elements of a dynamic ad with information in a data feed.

A data binding has three parts:

• Element ID - The element affected by the dynamic data.
• Attribute - The element attribute determined by the dynamic data.
• Data schema object – The part of the data feed that contains the dynamic data for this element attribute.

View data bindings

You can see any data bindings in the Bindings tab of either the Dynamic panel or the Dynamic properties dialogue.

Use the drop-down to filter the list:

• All – Display all bindings.
• Current page – Display bindings for elements on the current page.
• Selection – Display bindings for selected elements.

Add a data binding

Before binding an element, it's helpful to give it a unique ID in the Properties panel.

1. Create a new binding using one of the following methods:
   • In the Dynamic panel:
     • On the Bindings tab, click the Add dynamic bindings button at the bottom of the panel.
   • On the stage:
     • Right-click the element that you want to bind and select Dynamic bindings... from the pop-up menu.
2. If you haven't yet selected a data schema, you'll be asked to do so.
3. Select the Element for the data binding. You can browse your document structure to find the element that you want or start typing to filter the list of elements.
   • If you don't see the element that you want, change the Show drop-down at the top of the dialogue.
4. Select the Element attribute. The available attributes depend on the element type (see the list of bindable attributes).
5. Select the Data schema object. The available objects depend on the data schema.
6. Optionally, apply a filter to reformat the data.
7. Repeat the steps above to add another binding or click OK when you've finished.

Edit a data binding

1. Open the Dynamic properties dialogue for the binding that you want to edit:
   • Double-click the binding in the Bindings tab of the Dynamic panel.
   • You can also right-click the binding in the panel, then click Edit from the pop-up menu.
2. Click the field that you want to change and make your edits.
3. Click OK.

Delete a data binding

• In the Dynamic panel:
  • In the Bindings tab, select the data binding that you want to delete, then click the Delete dynamic binding button at the bottom of the panel.
  • You can also right-click the data binding, then click Delete from the pop-up menu.
  • To delete multiple bindings, select them in the panel, then use either method above.
• In the Dynamic properties dialogue:
  • In the Bindings tab, click the X at the end of the row for the binding that you want to delete.

Select a bound element

1. In the Bindings tab of the Dynamic panel, right-click the data binding for the element that you want to select.
2. Click Select element from the pop-up menu.
   • If the bound element is hidden or locked (or has a hidden or locked parent element), the pop-up menu will have the option to Show and select element or Unlock and select element.

Selecting elements from the Dynamic panel

• If you select a bound element on a different page, the stage will switch to that page.
• You can't select multiple bound elements at the same time.

Attributes available for binding

See the list of element types with attributes that you can bind to dynamic data.

Filters for dynamic data

If an element attribute needs data in a different format than the data in your feed, you can apply filters to the data.

Example: Your ad includes a data binding for the font size of a text element. Your feed provides a number with no units. Use the Add pixel units filter to append px to the number in your feed and provide a pixel value.

Find out more about dynamic data filters.