Add Content to a Design in LabelForge

Overview

The tools for adding content to a label design are located in the Object Menu on the left side of the screen. Clicking on one of the buttons will replace the Object Menu with a more detailed menu for that type of object; you can close those menus and return to the main Object Menu by clicking the Close Menu button at the bottom of the menu.

Text

The different options for text objects are available in the Text Details menu. Click the Text menu button to open this menu.

TEXT OPTIONS

In the Text Details menu, you can select basic options like typeface, font size, font styles, and alignment. You can also choose text color (ribbon or label color) or add a rectangular border around the text object.

ADDING AND EDITING TEXT

When you have made your selections, you can add a text object to your label design with the Add Text Item button. A typing cursor will appear, and you can begin typing immediately.

If you want to edit the text in a text object after creating it, simply double-click on the object. The typing cursor will reappear. You can make other changes to the text styling by clicking on the text object and then making new selections in the Text Details menu.

SMART TEXT CONTROLS

At the bottom of the Text Details menu, there is a Smart Text button. Click this button for the following advanced text controls.

FIX WIDTH AND FIX HEIGHT

These options let you set a fixed size for the text object. If a size has been entered in either (or both) of these boxes, the object will stay at that size, and any text that is typed into the text box will be automatically resized to fit.

VERTICAL TEXT

This button toggles a text object between normal letter positioning (reading from left to right) and vertical letter positioning (each letter on its own line, reading from top to bottom.)

ANCHOR TEXT

Ordinarily, a text object is placed by its top left corner, and additional text will expand the object to the right and downwards. With the Anchor Text option selected, the object will be placed by its center, and additional text will expand the object in all directions equally. Text that should remain centered on the label, no matter how long the text is, should use the Anchor Text option.

DATA SOURCES

The ?Data Source? drop-down menu for text provides options for automatically updating text content. These options are discussed later in this guide.

Symbols Library

To add one of the symbols from LabelForge?s huge library, click the Symbols menu button. You will see a list of symbol categories; click on a category to view the symbols in that category or click on ?All? to view all symbols. When you find the desired symbol, click on it to add it to your design. You can move and resize the symbol freely.

Shapes

To add a basic geometric shape to your design, click the Shapes menu button. The Shape Details menu includes several options, so you can choose what kind of shape you would like, as well as the stroke (outline) and fill of the shape. When you have made your selections, click the Add Shape button. You can move and resize the shape freely.

NOTE: The ?Opaque Label Color? and ?Opaque Ribbon Color? fill options will display the label and ribbon colors as selected in the Label Setup window. When printing a label, the actual results will depend on the supplies that are loaded in your printer.

Linear Barcodes

LabelForge offers quick and powerful tools for creating linear barcodes, like the UPCs that appear on the packaging for retail products. To add a linear barcode to your label design, start by clicking the Linear menu button. Make your selections, and add the barcode to your label design with the Add New Barcode button.

DATA AND TYPE

The Data field in the Linear Barcode menu shows the data to be encoded in the barcode. Simply type the desired content into that field.

The Type drop-down menu selects the barcode format that will be used for encoding data. The most common types for custom barcodes are Code 39 (for simple alphanumeric data) and Code 128 (for increased versatility).

Because different barcode formats can encode different information or have limits to the amount of information in a single code, LabelForge will check the entered data against the selected barcode type. If the data will produce a valid code in the selected format, a green dot will appear at the top of the Linear Barcode menu, to the left of the words ?Linear Barcode.? If the data will not produce a valid code, the dot will turn red, and you will not be able to add the barcode to your design.

If you select a barcode type that has a minimum required length, LabelForge may add digits to your entered data in order to meet that formatting. If you select a Data Source (instead of entering data manually) the Data field will be ?grayed out? and unavailable.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

Some barcode types include an option for a ?check digit,? which adds a calculated digit to the barcode that can be checked by the scanner to confirm that the code was read properly. If the option is available, you can choose whether to include or omit a check digit with the Enable Check Digit button.

Several options are included for a human-readable copy of the information in a linear barcode. You can enable or disable this line of ordinary text, and you can also choose its appearance, alignment, and position above or below the barcode.

DATA SOURCES

The ?Data Source? drop-down menu for barcodes provides options for automatically updating data. These options are discussed later in this guide.

2D Barcodes

In addition to linear barcodes, LabelForge can create 2D (or ?grid?) barcodes. A 2D barcode can include more data than a linear code. To add a 2D barcode to your label design, start by clicking the 2D Bars menu button. Make your selections and add the barcode to your label design with the Add New Barcode button.

DATA AND TYPE

The Data field in the 2D Barcode menu shows the data to be encoded in the barcode. Simply type the desired content into that field.

The Type drop-down menu selects the barcode format that will be used for encoding data. The options for 2D barcodes are DataMatrix, PDF417, and QR Code.

As with linear barcodes, LabelForge will check the entered data against the selected barcode type. If the data will produce a valid code in the selected format, a green dot will appear at the top of the Linear Barcode menu, to the left of the words ?2D Barcode.? If the data will not produce a valid code, the dot will turn red, and you will not be able to add the barcode to your design.

If you select a Data Source (instead of entering data manually) the Data field will be ?grayed out? and unavailable.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

There are a few special options for 2D barcodes. Each of these options will be ?grayed out? and unavailable if it does not apply to your selected barcode type.

The ?Special? drop-down menu allows you to add a special command to the code, in addition to ordinary data. The device reading the code must be able to properly understand the command in order for these functions to be useful.

The ?EC? drop-down menu, for Error Correction, allows you to add increasing degrees of automatic error-checking to the code. Higher numbers in this drop-down correspond to codes that can still be read when damaged, but also cause the code to be larger and more complex.

?Row? and ?Column? numbers are available for detailed control of the coding dimensions of a PDF417 barcode. If you do not set these values, they will be determined automatically.

DATA SOURCES

The ?Data Source? drop-down menu for barcodes provides options for automatically updating data. These options are discussed later in this guide.

Import an Image

To add a custom image, such as a company logo, click the Import Picture button. This will open a new window; browse to the file location where your picture has been saved, select the picture file, and click Open to place the image on your label design. You can then move and resize the image. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G to import a graphic in the same way.

More Support Options

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