Creating Data Entry Controls

For those times when you need to enter data into your template at print-time, you will need to enable BarTender's data entry feature. This allows you to create an object, such as text object or barcode, on your template; when a user executes a print job, BarTender will prompt the user for the data that prints in the specified object.

Suppose you received a shipment of perishable items. You have already designed the product label, but you need to enter the date each time you print your product label; this way, your customers know the date you received the shipment. With BarTender's data entry feature, you can enter the date into the data entry form at print-time, and the date entered will be printed on your product labels.

Depending on your preferences, you can create controls and customize the data entry form from either the Template Design View or by directly designing the Data Entry Form.

Creating a Data Entry Control from the Template

  1. On your template, insert a new barcode, text, or picture object. The value of this object will be determined by the user at print-time.

    For picture objects, the user will need to enter the path and file name of the image file.

  2. Double-click on the object to open the Object Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the object's context menu.

  3. Select the desired data source from the Navigation Pane to view the Data Source property page.

  4. Select the Transforms tab.

  5. Next to Data Entry Control, select the icon to open the Data Entry Control dialog.

  6. Under Data Entry Control, select Create to open the Create Data Entry Control dialog.

  7. Select the desired type of data entry control. A data entry control defines the type of object that will be displayed on the data entry form at print-time, such as a text box, check box, or dropdown list. For a complete list of available data entry controls, see Introduction to Data Entry Controls.

  8. Click the Create button to close the dialog and create the selected control.

  9. To customize the control, click on the Properties button.

  10. If you selected Text Input Control, Radio Button List Control, List Box Control, or Dropdown List Control, enter the instructions for the user input in the Label text box. This text will appear as a label in front of the selected data entry control.

  11. From the Frequency dropdown list, select how often you want the data entry form to appear during a print job.

  12. Click the Close button to enable data entry on the selected object.

  13. On the Data Source tab of the Data Source property page, modify the Default Reply as necessary.

  14. Click Close to apply your changes.

Creating a Control from the Data Entry Form

  1. In the Controls pane of the Toolbox, select the desired data entry control that you want to appear on the data entry form. A data entry control defines the type of object that will be displayed on the data entry form at print-time, such as a text box, check box, or dropdown list.

  2. Click on the data entry form to place the control at the cursor location.

  3. Double-click on the control to open the Control Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the control's context menu.

  4. From the list of available property pages, select Linked Data Source.

  5. From the list of data sources on the Linked Data Source property page, select the one that will be linked to the selected control. When you enter a value into the data entry control at print-time, this data source will be replaced with the user input.

  6. Click the OK button to close the Control Properties dialog.

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