Using the Label Designer in DuraSuite

Overview

The Label Designer module is a powerful system for creating customized label designs. The tools in Label Designer make it well-suited for producing templates or sets of labels.

To open the Label Designer module, choose Label Designer in DuraSuite’s opening menu.

Navigating the Label Designer

LABEL DESIGNER TOOLBAR

At the top of the window, just below the general DuraSuite toolbar, the Label Designer module has its own toolbar for common actions.

1. Open: Find and open a saved label design.
2. Change Label Size: Adjust the size and orientation of the current design.
3. Cut: Remove the selected content, to be pasted into place later.
4. Copy: Copy the selected content, to be pasted into place later.
5. Paste: Place the Cut or Copied content onto the label canvas.
6. Undo: Cancel your previous change.
7. Redo: Restore a change that you recently canceled.
8. Import Data: Turn your completed design into a series of labels, using data from a spreadsheet.
9. Set Location/Size: Specify an object’s exact location and size on the label.
10. Center Horizontally: Align an object to the horizontal center of the label canvas.
11. Center Vertically: Align an object to the vertical center of the label canvas.
12. Bring to Front: Make the selected object appear in front of any other objects.
13. Send to Back: Make the selected object hide behind other objects.
14. Align Left Edges/Align Centers/Align Right Edges: With multiple objects selected, move them horizontally so that their left edges, centers, or right edges are aligned.
15. Align Tops/Align Middles/Align Bottoms: With multiple objects selected, move them vertically so that their top edges, middles, or bottom edges are aligned.
16. Font: Choose the font and style for a text object and set the text size in points (as in common word processing programs).
17. Font In Inches: Choose the font and style for a text object, and set the text size in inches
18. Set Text: Type the static contents of a Text Label object.
19. Edit Item List: Edit the sequential contents of a Text Label, Selection Box, or Text Box object.
20. Shapes: Select the type of shape for a Shape object.
21. Set Image: Choose an image file for an Image object.
22. Flip Vertically: Mirror the selected object vertically.
23. Flip Horizontally: Mirror the selected object horizontally.
24. Rotate: Rotate the selected object around its center.
25. Set Line Width: Choose the thickness of the lines on a Polygon or Shape object.
26. Set Polygon Sides: Choose the number of sides for a Polygon object.
27. Set Numeric Range: Choose the range and increment values for a Numeric UpDown object.
28. Barcode Options: Choose a barcode type and enter static or sequential data for barcodes.
29. Transparent: Remove or restore the blank background on the selected object.
30. Negative: Invert the colors of the selected object (white to black, and black to white).
31. Multiline: Toggle the display of multiple lines of text in a Text Box object.
32. Text Alignment: Choose the alignment of text (left, center, or right) in a Text Box, Numeric UpDown, or Barcode object.
33. Text Scaling: Toggle the automatic resizing of text in a Text Label or Text Box object.

LABEL DESIGNER TOOLBOX

In the lower right corner of the window, the Tool Box shows the different objects that can be added to your design.

1. Image: Add a custom image, such as a company logo.
2. Date Picker: Choose a calendar date to be displayed on your label.
3. Shape: Add a simple shape, such as a rectangle or ellipse.
4. Polygon: Add a complex shape, such as a pentagon or octagon.
5. Text Label: Add a single line of static or sequenced text.
6. Selection Box: Create a dropdown menu for your label template, and fill it with text of your choice.
7. Numeric UpDown: Add a numeric counter that automatically increments with each print.
8. Text Box: Add a larger section of static or sequenced text.
9. Barcode: Add a linear or 2D barcode to show static or sequenced data.

The Label Canvas

The main part of the Label Designer window is the canvas, with a white rectangle representing your label and a gray or orange background to give you additional working space.

ZOOM CONTROLS

You can zoom in to see part of your label design in more detail, or zoom out to see more of the design at once. The Zoom slider bar is in the lower right corner of the Label Designer window; slide it to the right to zoom in, or to the left to zoom out. You can also control the zoom level by holding the Ctrl key on your keyboard and scrolling the mouse wheel; scroll up to zoom in or scroll down to zoom out.

NON-PRINTING BACKGROUNDS

For some designs, it may be helpful to have a reference image appear as a non-printing background. To set a background image, right-click on any empty part of the label canvas or border, and choose Set Background Image from the menu. The image will be stretched to fit the size of the label.

To remove the non-printing background image, right-click on any empty part of the label canvas or border, and choose Clear Background Image from the menu.

DESIGN MODE AND EDIT MODE

Label Designer uses two modes to make it easy to create a template, and then modify the label content without accidentally changing the layout.

Design Mode (the default) allows you to add, move, and resize objects on the label. When Label Designer is in Design Mode, the background around your label will be dark gray.

Edit Mode allows you to change the content of Text Box, Date Picker, Selection Box, and Numeric UpDown objects without allowing you to move or resize them. When Label Designer is in Edit Mode, the background around your label will be orange.

To switch between Design and Edit modes, click the Edit Label button on the DuraSuite main toolbar, select Edit Mode from the Edit menu at the top of the screen, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E.

File Controls

While the other modules of DuraSuite work with internal databases of information, Label Designer creates an individual file for each design, much like common word processing software.

STARTING NEW DESIGNS AND OPENING SAVED DESIGNS

When you start the Label Designer module, a smaller window will appear, prompting you to set a new label’s dimensions or open an existing label. To start designing a new label, enter the desired details and click OK; to open a saved label, click the Open button.

To create a new label when the Label Designer module is already running, click the New Label button on the DuraSuite main toolbar, select New from the File menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + N. If there are unsaved changes to the current design, you will be prompted to save them.

To open a saved label when the Label Designer module is already running, click the Open button on the Label Designer toolbar, select Open from the File menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + O. Again, if there are unsaved changes to the current design, you will be prompted to save them.

SAVING A DESIGN

To save the current label design, click the Save Label button on the DuraSuite main toolbar, select Save from the File menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + S.

If you have not already saved the label, or if you choose Save As from the File menu, a new window will open for you to enter a file name and choose the file’s location.

Designing a Label Template

Every new label design is blank. The contents of the label will be added as objects from the Tool Box, and then moved, modified, and filled in.

BASIC OBJECT CONTROLS

To add an object to your design, drag it from the Tool Box onto the label. The new object will appear with placeholder information.

To select an object that has been placed, simply click on it. The object that is currently selected will be surrounded by a selection box. You can also select more than one object at a time by holding the Ctrl key on your keyboard while you click on the objects you want to select. To deselect all objects, click in an empty space on the design.

To move an object, drag the top or left edge of its selection box. The mouse cursor will change to show a four-direction arrow. You can move several objects together by selecting them all first.

To resize an object, drag the bottom or right edge, or the lower-right corner, of its selection box. The mouse cursor will change to show a two-direction arrow. Only one object can be resized at a time.

You can also set the exact size and position of an object with the Set Location/Size tool. Select the object and click the Set Location/Size button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Location/Size from the menu.

To remove an object, select it and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Objects on the Label

Each type of object is used for a different purpose and has slightly different controls.

IMAGE

An Image object can be a custom image or graphic, such as a company logo or a pictogram. A freshly placed Image object will appear as a black square. To set the source file for an image, select the object and click the Set Image button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Image from the menu. To set an image, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.)

DuraSuite can use the following image formats: .BMP, .JPG, .JPEG, .JPE, .GIF, .TIF, .TIFF, .PNG, .ICO, .SVG, .WMF, and .EMF.

DATE PICKER

A Date Picker object shows a calendar date in a consistent format, and lets you easily choose different dates for different labels.

A freshly placed Date Picker object will show the current date (as it is set on your computer). To change the date, you need to be in Edit Mode (with the orange border around your label design). Once in Edit Mode, you can type new numbers into the month/day/year fields, or click the arrow button to choose a date from a calendar.

To change the font or text size, select the Date Picker object and click the Font button or the Font In Inches button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Font or Font In Inches from the menu.

SHAPE

A Shape object adds a basic geometric shape to the design, which can be helpful for creating borders or attracting attention. Shapes are available as rectangles, ellipses, or triangles, and can be filled or unfilled.

A new Shape object will be an unfilled rectangle. To change the shape, select the object and click the Shapes menu button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Shapes from the menu. Each of these approaches will show a list of shapes to choose from. You can also adjust the thickness of the shape’s outline; click the Set Line Width button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Line Width from the menu. To make these selections, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.)

POLYGON

A Polygon object adds a more complex geometric shape to the design, with a designated number of sides. Like Shapes, a Polygon can be filled or unfilled.

A new Polygon object will be an unfilled pentagon. To set a different number of sides, select the object and click the Set Polygon Sides menu button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Polygon Sides from the menu. To choose a filled or unfilled shape, right-click on the object, choose Shapes from the menu, and select either Filled Polygon or Polygon (unfilled). You can also adjust the thickness of the polygon’s outline; click the Set Line Width button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Line Width from the menu. To make these selections, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.)

TEXT LABEL

A Text Label object shows a single line of text, such as a header or title. Text Labels can also be sequenced, making them change automatically from one label to the next.

A new Text Label object will show the phrase “Blank Label.” To change the text, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.) Select the object and click the Set Text button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Text from the menu.

To change the font or text size, select the Text Label object and click the Font button or the Font In Inches button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Font or Font In Inches from the menu. You can also toggle the Text Scaling option to automatically squash or stretch the text to fit in its box; select the object and click the Text Scaling button, or right-click on the object and choose Text Scaling from the menu.

SELECTION BOX

A Selection Box object lets you select one line of data from choices that you have typed in. Selection Boxes can also be sequenced, making them change automatically from one label to the next.

A new Selection Box object will be blank. To add new options, you will need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.) Right-click on the object and choose Edit Selection Box Item List from the menu. Each selection will appear on its own line in this window, with a new option added each time you enter information and press Enter. You can use the buttons on the left side of this window to move an option up or down in the sequence, or to delete an option.

To choose which option is shown, you will need to be in Edit Mode (with the orange border around your label design.) Once in Edit Mode, you can use the election box as a drop-down menu, by clicking on the down arrow and then selecting your desired line of text.

To change the font or text size, select the Selection Box object and click the Font button or the Font In Inches button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Font or Font In Inches from the menu.

NUMERIC UPDOWN

A Numeric UpDown object shows a numeric value. By default, Numeric UpDown objects are sequenced, making them count up automatically from one label to the next.

A new Numeric UpDown object will show 0, and then count up to 10 (with an increment of 1) as labels are printed. To set the range and increment, select the object and click the Set Numeric Range button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Range from the menu. To set these details, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.)

The object will automatically count up when you print a label, but if you would like to set it to a different point, you need to be in Edit Mode (with the orange border around your label design.) Then, you can type a new value in the box, or use the up and down arrows to choose a current setting.

To change the font or text size, select the Numeric UpDown object and click the Font button or the Font In Inches button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Font or Font In Inches from the menu.

TEXT BOX

A Text Box object displays a section of text that can span more than one line. Text Boxes can also be sequenced, making them change automatically from one label to the next.

A new Text Box object will show the phrase “Text Box.” To change the text, you need to be in Edit Mode (with the orange border around your label design.) Once in Edit mode, click anywhere in the text box and type your desired text. You may need to return to Design Mode (with the gray border) to adjust the size of the object, as text that will not fit cannot be shown.

By default, Text Boxes are set to “Multiline,” which makes text continue on a new line when it reaches the end of the box; if you only want one line of text to appear, disable the Multiline option by clicking the Multiline button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Multiline from the menu.

To change the font or text size, select the Text Box object and click the Font button or the Font In Inches button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Font or Font In Inches from the menu. You can also toggle the Text Scaling option to automatically squash or stretch the text to fit in its box; select the object and click the Text Scaling button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Text Scaling from the menu.

BARCODE

A Barcode object encodes data to be readable with a scanner or computer system. Barcodes can also be sequenced, making them change automatically from one label to the next.

A new Barcode object will show the number 1, using the Code 39 barcode type, and with a human-readable version of that data displayed below the code. To change any of these elements, you need to be in Design Mode (with the gray border around your label design.) Select the object, click the Barcode Options button in the Label Designer toolbar, and choose Data Editor, or right-click on the object and choose Edit Barcode from the menu. This will open a new window. You can type the desired information on the left side of this Barcode Configuration window, and choose barcode options on the right, with a preview in the lower part of the window. Because labels with barcodes are often needed in a sequence, this window can accept different lines of information for different labels, as described in the section on Automatically Updating Content later in this guide.

DuraSuite can use the following barcode formats: Code 39, Code 128, PDF 417, QR Code, Code 128 A/B/C, and DataMatrix.

Additional Object Controls

In addition to moving and resizing objects by hand, Label Designer allows for more advanced controls.

CENTERING OBJECTS ON THE DESIGN

To move an object to the horizontal or vertical center of the label design, select the object and click the Center Horizontally or Center Vertically button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Center Horizontally or Center Vertically from the menu. If multiple objects are selected, these functions will center the group as a whole, not each item individually.

ORDERING LAYERS OF OBJECTS

When objects on the design overlap, it may be necessary to adjust the stacking order of those objects. To pull an object in front of any others, select it and click the Bring to Front button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Bring to Front from the menu. To push an object behind any others, use the Send to Back button in the toolbar, or the Send to Back option in the object’s right-click menu. If multiple objects are selected, these functions will reorder all of the objects.

ALIGNING OBJECTS TOGETHER

To align a group of objects so that their edges or centers line up, select the objects that you want to move. Then, click one of the group alignment buttons on the toolbar: Align Left Edges, Align Centers, Align Right Edges, Align Tops, Align Middles, or Align Bottoms. The objects will shift to match your choice; you may want to move the group as a whole once the objects are aligned.

FLIPPING AND ROTATING OBJECTS

To flip or mirror an object, select it and click either the Flip Vertically button or the Flip Horizontally button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Flip Vertically or Flip Horizontally from the menu. To rotate the object, choose a rotation from the Rotate menu button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose a rotation from the Rotate options in the menu. If multiple objects are selected, these functions will flip or rotate each item individually, and not the group as a whole.

MAKING OBJECTS TRANSPARENT OR NEGATIVE

Most objects appear with a white background in their selection boxes. To clear an object’s white background so that other objects can show through, select the object and click the Transparent button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Transparent from the menu. You can also choose to invert the colors of the object, turning white to black and black to white; for this, select the object and click the Negative button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Negative from the menu.

Automatically Updating Content

The real power of the Label Designer module is in automatically creating batches of labels that use a single design, like the arc flash labels or the GHS labels in those modules. To accomplish this, Label Designer lets you create “sequences,” which make an object show one piece of information on one printed label and a different piece of information on another label.

The different objects that can have dynamic values are noted in the Tool Box as “Sequenceable.” Text Label, Selection Box, Numeric UpDown, Text Box, and Barcode objects are all sequenceable.

There are two ways to set up the information that will change from one label to another. You can manually enter the information for each object on the design that needs to change, or you can import data from a spreadsheet or other data source.

MANUALLY SETTING UP A SEQUENCE

Each sequenceable item can have its sequence set manually, using an object-specific menu.

For Text Label, Selection Box, and Text Box objects, select the object and click the Edit Item List button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Edit Item List from the menu. A new window will appear, where you can type the content for each label on its own line. You can also rearrange the lines using the arrow buttons on the left, or remove unwanted lines with the “X” button. Press Enter on your keyboard to start a new label’s content. When finished, click Done.

For Barcode objects, select the object, click the Barcode Options button in the Label Designer toolbar, and choose Data Editor, or right-click on the object and choose Edit Barcode from the menu. This will open a new window for the assorted barcoding options. Here, you can type the content for each label on its own line. You can also rearrange the lines using the arrow buttons at the bottom of the list, or remove unwanted lines with the “X” button. Press Enter on your keyboard to start a new label’s content. When finished, click Finish.

For Numeric UpDown objects, the data is simply a number that counts up. To set the range and increment, select the object and click the Set Numeric Range button in the Label Designer toolbar, or right-click on the object and choose Set Range from the menu.

IMPORTING DATA FROM A SPREADSHEET

Rather than entering sequenced data manually, you may import data from a spreadsheet or similar data source. This is especially helpful when multiple elements need to change from one label to the next. For this type of import, DuraSuite can accept spreadsheets in .CSV (Comma-Separated Values), .XLS (Microsoft Excel), or .MDB (Microsoft Access) file types. DuraSuite can also use an ODBC connection to pull data from a variety of database systems, although this advanced connection option may require assistance from your IT department.

Before you start the import process, ensure your spreadsheet is formatted properly. It is often best to use the first row of data for column headers; after that, each new row should correspond to a specific piece of equipment, with no blank rows. Your label design should also be complete, with objects in place for all of the data that you want the label to include. It is often helpful to use filler information to ensure that the template will hold all the information you need.

When ready to import data, click the Import Data button in the Label Designer toolbar. Select the file or connection type, and click the Choose Source button to select your spreadsheet or data source. If you are using the ODBC option, you will need to select a user or system Data Source Name (DSN) or enter a connection string.

On the next screen, you will see your design on the left, with each sequenceable object marked with a selection box. On the right will be a list of column headers from your data source, with the information from your data source shown at the bottom of the window. Drag and drop each column header to the sequenceable object where that data belongs. Some column headers may be used more than one, and others may not be used at all, depending on your label design and spreadsheet contents. When finished with this step, click the Next button to continue.

A sample label will show you how data has been imported, so you can check that information is going to the right places. If something is wrong, you can use the Previous button at the bottom of the window to go back a step and correct the problem. Use the directional arrows at the bottom of the window to preview different labels. When finished with this step, click Finish to continue. DuraSuite will automatically create a sequence for your chosen objects with the selected data.

CHOOSING A LABEL AND PRINTING

Once a sequence has been created, the arrow buttons on the DuraSuite main toolbar will be active. You can click on the arrow buttons to cycle through the labels in your sequence. If an item is selected, the arrow buttons will change only that item.

When ready to print, go through the File menu to Print as normal. If you want to print more than one of your labels at once, use the “Page Range” option to choose the labels in the sequence that you want to print, such as “1 through 4.”

More Support Options

If you have any questions about using DuraSuite 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!