Designer offers multiple dialogs that help you configure and manage the active document and connected data sources. Read the following topics for detailed instructions:
Label Properties editor selects the printer, sets label dimensions, and defines the printing paper properties.
The label properties settings are listed below and appear as dialog tabs:
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Label Property |
Description |
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Selects the preferred printer. |
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Defines the Unit of measure and label dimensions. |
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Defines the printing paper properties. |
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Defines the label style parameters. |
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Inserts the label description. |
Tip
To open the Label Properties Editor, double-click the design surface.
Dynamic Data Manager is a dialog that enables the user to manage the dynamic data sources for label objects.
Label objects can be connected to multiple variables, functions, and databases.
To open the dialog, click the Dynamic Data Manager button in the Designer ribbon.
Read more about how to define the data sources in the following sections:
Use the Dynamic Data Manager ribbon commands to efficiently manage your data sources. If you want to delete, copy or cut/paste your data sources, always use the commands in the Dynamic Data Manager ribbon.
Dynamic Data Manager ribbon consists of the following functional groups:
General group provides access to the following actions:
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Undo: undos the entire sequence of actions since the last file save. The range of actions is selected from the dropdown list.
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Redo: repeats the requested range of actions. The range of actions is selected from the dropdown list.
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Copy: copies the selected data source to the clipboard.
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Cut: cuts the selected data source to the clipboard.
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Paste: pastes the clipboard data.
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Delete: deletes the selected data source.
Add group gives access to dynamic data sources:
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Add New Variable: allows defining multiple types of variables.
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Internal Variables: adds system and user related variables. Their role is to identify the label, system name, user, or file revision number.
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Add New Function: button opens the selection of available functions. Select the appropriate one to start editing it.
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Database Connections: button opens the selection of supported database types. The New Database Connection Properties dialog opens.
The step-by-step Database Wizard group is the entry point for database wizards:
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All Databases allows adding all types of supported database types.
Variables group gives access to the Prompt Order dialog. This dialog defines the order under which the variables are prompted at print time.
Import and Export group enables you to import or export the data model used in a Lighthouse for MAX document.
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Import Data Sources: allows you to import data sources from an external label.
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Export Variables: allows you to export variables from an existing labelfile into a .NLVR file.
Variables from an existing label files can be reused in another document. The Export Variables option allows you to export all variables into a variable export file (.NLVR extension). This makes the variables reusable in any other Lighthouse for MAX document.
Tip
The exported variables can be included in another Lighthouse for MAX label using the Import Data Sources option.
To export variables, go to Dynamic Data Manager > Import and Export ribbon group and click Export Variables.
Note
Only variables without any references to other data sources can be exported. Each export ends with a report containing a list of exported and non-exported variables from the file. The reason for potential variable export failure is always included in the report.
The definition of variable export (.NLVR) file is available in the section Variables Export File Definition.
The Dynamic Data Explorer performs two roles. It serves as a shortcut for adding new variables, functions, and data sources and gives an overview of the data sources that are currently in use.
To toggle between the two explorers, click the appropriate tab:
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Dynamic Data tab activates the Dynamic Data Explorer.
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Add new variable: adds an additional variable to the label data sources. There are four default variable types available. Their values are defined via dialogs described in dedicated sections
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Variable: a type of variable that obtains value when a label is printed.
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Current date: displays the current date in the requested format.
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Current time: displays the current time in the requested format.
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Counter: displays a counter value.
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New function: adds a new function that serves as a dynamic data source.
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Database wizard: starts the wizard that adds a new database in a guided process.
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Internal Variables: displays the list of available internal variables.