Automatically Updating Content in LabelForge

Overview

Often, a set of labels will be needed, with each label following the same basic design but including different information. Serial numbers, time or date stamps, and asset tags all follow this format. LabelForge allows you to set up a label with information that changes automatically, using Data Sources. Text Objects, Linear Barcodes, and 2D Barcodes can all use these elements.

Data Sources

At the bottom of the Text and Barcode menus, there is a drop-down menu for Data Source. Each option represents a specific type of information: the current time or date, for example. When you set up a Merge, new Data Sources will appear in addition to those described here, representing the columns of data from your spreadsheet.

NONE

This is the default selection for a Data Source, and it simply means that the content of the object will be set manually; you will type in the text or barcode data for that object.

_SEQUENCE

This Data Source ties the object to a customized Sequence, described later in this guide.

_ROW

This option has the selected object display the current row from a spreadsheet, as determined by your Merge settings, described later in this guide.

_DATE, _DATES, _DATEX

The object will display the current date, in one of three formats:

• _DATE will display a common, abbreviated format, such as “Wed Dec 31 2014”
• _DATES will show a shorter, numeric format, such as “12/31/2014”
• _DATEX will use an extended, spelled-out format, such as “Wednesday, December 31, 2014”

The date shown will be your system’s current calendar date, updated when the label is printed.

_TIME

The object will include the current time, in a numeric, 24-hour format (such as “14:45:30”). The time shown will be your system’s current clock time, updated when the label is printed.

_SPECIAL

This Data Source allows you to use a combination of manually-entered information and automatically-updating data in the same text object or barcode. With this option selected, you can type the percent sign, the name of your chosen Data Source, and another percent sign into a line of text or the barcode’s Data field. That string of characters will be replaced with the information from that Data Source. For instance, if you typed:

Today’s date is %_DATEX%.

in a text object, the result might appear on the label as:

Today’s date is Wednesday, December 31, 2014.

Several separate Data Sources may even be used in the same text object or barcode, simply by including more than one Data Source (with percent signs around each one) in your typed content.

Sequence Controls

A sequence keeps track of a numeric value, with a set beginning and end. Each time you print a label from the sequence, the number is increased by an amount you choose. Sequences are perfect for creating serial number labels. To set up your Sequence, start by clicking the Sequence button.

START, END, AND CURRENT POSITIONS

These values indicate the range of your intended sequence, along with the current position in that range. The Start value should be set to the lowest number you want to use, and the End value should be set to the highest number.

PREFIX AND SUFFIX

If you would like some other information to appear along with the automatically changing number, you can enter that information in the Prefix (which appears before the number) or the Suffix (which appears after the number).

INCREMENTS AND ZERO PADDING

The Increment value is how much the sequence will increase in value on each print. The default value is 1, but you can also have the sequenced number count up by 2, or 5, or any other value.

When making a long sequence, you may want to have the same number of digits in every number. LabelForge can “pad” the sequenced number with leading zeroes, so that the sequence always includes at least as many digits as are specified in the Zero Pad field. With the Zero Pad set to 3, for example, a sequenced label might show the number “009,” followed by “010.”

APPLYING A SEQUENCE

You can apply a Sequence to an existing Text Object, Linear Barcode, or 2D Barcode through the Sequence menu by selecting the object and clicking the Convert Item to Sequence button.

You can also use the Data Source selection in the Text Details, Linear Barcode or 2D Barcode menu; just select your object and choose “_SEQUENCE” as the object’s Data Source. You can make this selection before or after adding the object to your design.

PREVIEWING AND PRINTING A SEQUENCE

To preview different labels in your set, click the left or right arrow buttons at the bottom of the Sequence menu. You can also skip to a specific label by manually entering a “Current” value at the top of the menu.

When you print a label that includes a Sequence, you will have an option to print only the current label, or to print the entire sequence—that is, one copy of every label, from the Start value to the End value.

Merge Controls

A Merge allows you to create a single label design and have LabelForge “fill in the blanks” with assorted data from a table. These tables can appear in a data file, like a spreadsheet. Merges are perfect for creating sets of labels, like item labels showing an item number, description, and specific barcode.

You can also use an ODBC connection to pull data from a variety of database systems. This is an advanced option and will be covered at the end of this section.

One of the Data Sources available as a selection when you create a text object or a barcode is “_ROW,” which replaces the content of that object with the number of the current row from your selected table. When you set up a Merge, other Data Sources will be added to the list as well, named after the column headers from your table (if headers are present) or named alphabetically (if no headers are present). To set up your Merge, start by clicking the Merge button.

SELECTING, CONNECTING, AND VIEWING A TABLE

To tell LabelForge which table to use, select a file format with the “Select Table” dropdown menu. Choose a file type “With Headers” if your table uses the first row for column headers, or “Without Headers” if your table’s first row includes data instead of column headers. Then, click the Connect to Database button, browse to your data file, select it, and click “Open.” (Tables that you have chosen recently will appear at the bottom of the “Select Table” dropdown menu for quick selection.)

To view the table from your data file, click the View Database Table button. This will open a new window, showing how LabelForge has identified the contents of the data file.

If your data file did not include column headers, you may need to use this button to see which letter (“A,” “B,” “C,” and so on) is assigned to a given column of information.

START, END, AND CURRENT POSITIONS

LabelForge will read the selected data file and automatically fill in a Start Row and End Row (the first and last rows of content in your table.) You can also enter these values manually, if you would like to use only a section of the table. The Current Row shows which row of data will be applied to the current label.

APPLYING A MERGE

You can apply a Merge to an existing Text Object, Linear Barcode, or 2D Barcode through the Merge menu by selecting the object, choosing the appropriate Data Source from the bottom of the Merge menu, and clicking the Apply Selected Data Source button.

You can also use the Data Source selection in the Text Details, Linear Barcode or 2D Barcode menu; just select your object and choose the desired Data Source, as previously described. You can make this selection before or after adding the object to your design. The “_SPECIAL” Data Source, described earlier, can be useful when creating complex labels.

PREVIEWING AND PRINTING A MERGE

To preview different labels in your set, click the left or right arrow buttons at the bottom of the Merge menu. You can also skip to a specific label by manually entering a “Current Row” value at the top of the menu.

When you print a label that includes a Merge, you will have an option to print only the current label, or to print the entire merge—that is, one copy of every label, from the Start value to the End value.

ADVANCED: USING ODBC CONNECTIONS

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) lets developers and programmers pull data from a database management system and use that data in other software. LabelForge can accept information this way as part of the Merge process. Because ODBC connections require additional software, check with your IT department if you have questions.

Start by selecting ODBC from the “Select Table” drop-down menu and click the “Connect to Database” button. This will open a new window where you can set up your ODBC Connection. In this window, you can choose from a list of User DSNs or System DSNs, specify a File DSN, or write a Connection String. Click the “Test Connection” button to ensure that your settings are correct or click the “Options” button to set further detailed options (such as a username and password, or a port setting). When you click “OK,” LabelForge will attempt to connect to the database system using your settings.

Once the ODBC connection is in place, you will be able to preview the table and assign Data Sources as already described.

More Support Options

If you have any questions about using LabelForge label design software, get help from Graphic Products’ world-class support team by calling 800-788-5572 or visiting GraphicProducts.com. We’re here to help with all your labeling needs!