label numbering

[Lynn Normington]

Nick I don’t know which sign program you use, but sign lab has an option for serial numbers.

Lynn

[Nick Williamson]

Hi Lynn sign lab 7.1 is it sunny where you are its baking here

[Alan Drury]

There is a free plugin for Corel which can do this, I think it was primarily written for raffle tickets but should work for ordinary labels. It is called number Gen (http://www.unleash.com/jeffh/numbering/index.asp) also look up print merge within Corel – instructions for its use can be found at http://www.macromonster.com or the video from the first link
Alan D

[Nick Williamson]

Thanks again Alan have been trying to get print merge to work but was taking longer than typing each serial number in would have.

Have managed to get signlab to change text line but did involve typing each number in then sending to corel will try your download when customer isn’t standing over my shoulder changing things a fraction to the right etc

thanks again keep smiling Nick

[David Rowland]

M$ word also can do labels too

[Mike Robson]

Apparently there’s an option to do this in Troop v6.0.
It’s in the help file, but the menu doesn’t appear in my version of v6.1

[Jason Xuereb]

You can do this in Versa works.

You need the latest version.

You create your label with the area where the numbers are. You need to create swatches with the values. I forget how to do this off the top off my head. You then create an excel file or cvs with your numbers.

You then use the Variable Data feature on the job in Versa works. I’ve done it before saved me heaps of time.

Pretty sure its explained in the help file in versaworks.

I’m not at the RIP machine at the moment.

[Alex Pirozek]

Flexisign ver 7 has it called Auto Serialize. Works very well as i was looking to do exactly this a few weeks ago. I nearly gave up and was prepared to enter 1000 numbers on a sheet of 610mm to print on a PC-60. Found it by accident 😳

Alex.

[Nick Williamson]

thank you all very helpful job done customer happy checque in post

you can all go back and sit in the sun with a glass of your favorite tipple

thankful of a job well done cheers Nick

[Nicola McIntosh]

what programme did you use to finish job? 😀

nik

[Nick Williamson]

managed to finish the job changed the serial number in signlab 7.1 badges then moved into corel then into Roland versa works I know its a convoluted way to work but cannot get sign lab to print and cut properly with our versa camm keep meaning to try and sort it but never seem to have the time ( to busy reading the forum etc)

had to write every column change in in signlab not the quickest way but don’t get many of these to do only did it as a favor to our local screen printer as he needed a short 400 run and couldn’t be arsed to do it himself

[Jason Xuereb]

Nick,

If your using versaworks:

Printing Variable Data
Variable data printing allows you to replace portion of the image to create outputs with unique text or images per copy. This function is useful when you want to print multiple copies of postcards or tickets changing the mailing address or ticket number per copy.

In order to perform variable data printing, you will need the following files:

A template design file containing variable fields to hold unique text or images
A database file that defines the information (texts or images) to be printed Image files
Image files if you want to print images

This section illustrates the variable data printing method by using the production of a name tag as an example.

Step 1:Create a design template
Step 2:Create a database file
Step 3:Load the files required for variable data printing
Step 4:Configure the variable data printing settings
Step 5:Start printing

Step 1:Create a design template
Create the variable data template in your design application.
On the variable data template, you must create the fields (called "variable field") where the variable (texts or pictures) will be placed. You can create multiple variable fields (up to 20) in each variable data template.

Start your application, create a new file and design your variable data template.
Define the name of each variable field, and then create spot colors named as "VDP_(name of variable field)."
In this example, we assume three spot colors named "VDP_Name," "VDP_From" and "VDP_Photo" were created for three variable fields ("Name," "From" and "Photo").
For information on how to create the spot color, refer to the documentation of your application.
Note

Enter "VDP" in all capital letters. Also, be sure to enter "_"(underscore). If the spot color names are not correctly set, VersaWorks will not recognize the variable fields.
Draw rectangular shapes (rectangle or square) using the spot colors created, at the locations you want to specify the variable fields.
These shapes will be recognized as variable fields in VersaWorks.
Note
Non-rectangular shapes such as circles and trapezoid are not properly recognized as variable fields in VersaWorks.

Save the data.

Step 2:Create a database file
Create a database defines the information to be printed in the variable fields.

Create a database using the application such as a spreadsheet software.
For example, create the data as follows:

Enter the names of spot colors in the first row (NOT first column).
To print an image in the variable field, type the path of the image file.
In this example, we assume the absolute path (e.g., C:\Sample\John.tif) of the image to be placed in the "VDP_Photo" variable field, created in Step 2 of "Step:1:Create a design," is typed in "VDP_Photo" column.
An image file should be in a file format (TIFF (LZW-compressed or uncompressed), EPS, JPEG, PDF or PostScript) that can be directly opened in VersaWorks.
Save the database file as a CSV (comma-delimited), text (tab-delimited or space-delimited) or XML file.

Tip

You can also edit the data in [Variable Data Settings] by clicking in the [Job Settings] window.
Editing the database

Step 3:Load the files required for variable data printing
Add the design template file in the job list, and then load the database file.

Add the design template file in the job list.
Select and double-click the job from the job list.
The [Job Settings] window appears.
Click , and then select [Enable Variable Data Printing].
The preview image of the design template file is displayed in the layout area and the [Attributes] dialog box appears. Also, the names of the variable fields (spot color names with the prefix "VDP_" removed) created in step 2 of "Step:1:Create a design template," are displayed in the first row of the list in [Variable Data Settings].

Click .
The [Open] dialog box appears.
Select the database file created in "Step 2:Create a database file," and then click [Open].
The content of the data appears in the list.
Clicking the cursors at the bottom of the layout area displays the previews for each data set.

There are two types of variable fields: [Image] and [Text], and the type of each variable field is displayed in the [Type] list box in the [Attributes] dialog box. When loading the database file, data starting with strings such as "C:\," which denotes paths, are recognized as [Image], otherwise are recognized automatically as [Text].
Tip

You can resize the layout area and the settings area by dragging the portion highlighted in the screen below to the left or to the right.

Step 4:Configure the variable data printing settings
Configure the following settings as necessary.
When the configuration is completed, click [OK] to close the [Job Settings] window.

Setting the attribute and size of a variable field
Follow the procedure below to configure the font size, font type or the layout of the image.
Select the field to be configured.

To apply the same setting to all data
Click the first row (variable field name) in the list.
The settings will be applied to all data.

To apply the setting to the selected data
Click each cell in the list.
The settings will be applied to the selected data only.

The border line and the name of the selected field appear in the layout area.

Set the data attribute in the [Attribute] dialog box.

When [Type] is [Image]
Fit Select whether you want to fit the image in the variable field.

Original image
None
Places the original image without resizing.
Fit to Fields
Changes the size of the image to fit in the variable field.
Fit proportionally
Changes the size of the image proportionally to fit either in height or width in the variable field

Alignment Select the alignment of the image in the variable field.
Opacity Set the opacity of the image. Set 0% to make the image transparent.
Draw on White Background Select this to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.

Color Set the background color inside of the variable field.
If you click the square, the [Color Settings] dialog box appears.
In [ColorSpace], select RGB, CMYK or Transparent.
When you select RGB or CMYK, use the slider bar or type the value to specify each color value.

When [Type] is [Text]
Font Select the font type.
Font Size Select the font size.
Tracking Adjust the spaces between two characters. Setting to 100 makes the spacing one-character wide.
Auto Sizing Select this to automatically adjust the font size to fit the text in the variable field when the text is larger than the variable field.
Alignment Select the alignment of the text in the variable field.
Opacity Set the opacity of the entire variable field. Set 0% to make it transparent.
Draw on White Background Select this to print the background object on top when the background object and the variable field overlap.

Effect Click the following icons to set the text effect.
Italic
Bold
Underline
Shadow
Outline

Offset Set the offset widths of shadow characters in percent.
Stroke Set the stroke widths of the outlined characters in points.
Color Set the color of the text and the background color inside the variable field.
1 Text color
2 Shadow
3 Outline
4 Background
If you click the square, the [Color Settings] dialog box appears.
In [ColorSpace], select RGB, CMYK or Transparent.
When you select RGB or CMYK, use the slider bar or type the value to specify each color value.
Tip

You can always change the type of the variable field from the [Type] list box in the [Attributes] dialog box by clicking the first row (variable field name) in the list in [Variable Data Settings].

Configure the size and location of the variable field.
Perform one of the following:

Configuring in [Field Settings]
X and Y set the distance from the top left corner of the job to the top left corner of the variable field.
W and H set the width and height of the variable field.
Dragging the mouse in the layout area
Pointing to the selected field changes the pointer to a . Drag the field at this point to move it.
Pointing to the squares on the border line of the selected field changes the pointer to a . Drag the square to adjust the size of the variable field.
Tip

To undo or redo the operation, use or .
Selecting [Show All Variable Data Fields] displays the border lines and field names of all variable fields in the layout area.

Editing the database
Follow the procedure below to edit the text in the database you loaded or to add a new data using the list in [Variable Data Settings].

To change texts or images
Double-clicking the cell which you want to change allows you to enter the text.
On fields with the [Image] attribute, right-clicking and selecting [Browse] displays the [Open] dialog box, allowing you to change the image file.
To add a data
Click to add a new row at the bottom of the list. Select each cell and enter the text or the location of the image.
To delete a data
Click the data number to be deleted, and then click .
To save the data list
Click .
In [File type], select CSV (comma-delimited), Text (tab-delimited or space-delimited) or XML, and then click [Save].
Tip

The cell color changes if the attribute of the data in the cell does not conform with other data.

Step 5:Start printing
Start printing.

Select the job from the job list, and then click .
Rip’ing and printing are performed.

It’s in the help file. Would of saved you a lot of time.

[Nick Williamson]

geeee thanks that’s a very comprehensive and helpful answer I will try that and thanks again for bothering to take the time if your passing the beers on me cheers Nick

[Jason Xuereb]

Don’t thank me. It’s in the versaworks help file 😀

Cheers

[Nick Williamson]

ok thank you versa works help file

[Kreatorbg]

Yeap, Jason if right. This function in Versa is very useful. It only looks hard and difficult, but it is actually quite easy. Especially if you are making 120000 different labels.