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In many cases, a single data source is all that you need to specify the printed data for an object, but you can also concatenate multiple data sources into a single object. This makes it possible for you to place information from two or more data sources into a single object so that they become a single string when printed. This process is sometimes referred to as string concatenation.

For example, suppose that you want a text object on your document to include the string "Date: {current system date}," where "Date: " is an Embedded Data data source and {current system date} is a Date data source, the value of which is retrieved from your computer when the document is printed. You can create this string concatenation by adding both of the data sources to the object so that they appear as a single string on the printed item, as follows.

To concatenate data sources for an object, simply add the data sources that you want to the object. For more information about how to do this, refer to Adding a Data Source to an Object.

You can also create concatenated Embedded Data data sources for a text object when you apply different font styles to selected characters of the embedded data value. Each uniquely styled set of characters is subsequently identified as a separate Embedded Data data source for the object when you view the data sources in the Object Properties dialog. To apply a font style to selected characters of embedded data, select the characters that you want to modify, and then click the font style that you want on the text toolbar. Alternatively, you can use the secondary mouse button to click the selected characters and then click Font on the context menu to open the Fonts dialog, where you can specify the font styles that you want to apply to the characters.