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Adding Objects to the Data Entry Form

Several object types can be added to your data entry form. These objects do not support user input, but rather help you design your form by adding structure, organization, and even instructions for different groups of controls within your form.

While the same basic steps are used to add any object to the form, additional actions or considerations may be necessary depending on the object type.

ClosedText Object

There are several types of text objects you can add to your data entry form. They include single line and multi-line text objects, word processor text objects, and special font characters.

ClosedTo add a single line or multi-line text object

  1. In the Data Entry Form view, select Text from the Create menu and select Single Line or Multi-line from the text object types list. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar and select the text object type.

  2. Position your cursor where you want it to be on the data entry form.

  3. Click to add the object.

  4. Double-click on the text object to open the Text Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the text object's context menu.

  5. Select Text from the list of property pages.

  6. In the Text field, enter text for the selected object.

  7. Click Close to close the Text Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a Word Processor text object

  1. In the Data Entry Form view, select Text from the Create menu and select Word Processor from the text object types list. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar and select Word Processor.

  2. Position your cursor at the location on the data entry form where you want to place the object.

  3. Click to add the object.

  4. Double-click on the word processor object to open the Word Processor Text Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the object's context menu.

  5. Select Word Processor from the list of property pages.

  6. In the Text field, enter text for the object. Alternatively, click the Word Processor button to open the word processor and enter the text that you want using the available word processing functions.

  7. Click Close to close the Word Processor Text Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a symbol font character text object

  1. In the Data Entry Form view, select Text from the Create menu and select Symbol Font Characters from the text object types list. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar and select Symbol Font Characters.

  2. In the Insert Symbols or Special Characters dialog, select the special symbol font that you want from the Font dropdown list. The symbols included with BarTender are installed as "Seagull" fonts.

  3. Click on the symbol that you want from the preview images to highlight it. Note that the Size button at the bottom of the dialog determines the size of the images as they appear in the dialog only, not the size they will appear in the data entry form.

  4. Click Insert to close the dialog.

  5. Click on the data entry form to insert the symbol onto the form where you want it. You can subsequently click and drag the symbol to reposition it on the form.

ClosedLine Object

You can draw a line on the template in any direction and at any angle you wish. After you have created a line object, you can format it by modifying its color and styles using the Line property page.

ClosedTo add a line object

  1. From the Data Entry Form view, select Line from the Create menu. Alternatively, select the icon on the object toolbar.

  2. Position your cursor at the location on the data entry form where you want to start the line object.

  3. Click and drag your mouse to add a line object.

  4. Select the icon on the object toolbar to deactivate the "line object" cursor.

  5. Double-click the line object to open its Line Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the line object's context menu.

  6. Select the Line or Position property page from the left Navigation Pane to configure the line object.

  7. Click Close to close the Line Properties dialog.

ClosedShape Object

You can add a shape to a data entry form or combine multiple shapes into a single object to make a more complex design. After you have added a shape to the data entry form, you can format the shape by adding color and styles using the Shape property page.

ClosedTo add a Shape object

  1. Select the icon on the object toolbar to display a list of all available shapes. Alternatively, select Shape from the Create menu.

  2. Click the shape you want to add to your form.

  3. Click on the form to add the shape where you want it.

  4. Double-click the shape object to open its Shape Properties dialog. Alternatively, select Properties from the shape object's context menu.

  5. Select the Shape (Ellipse, Shape, Box, etc.) or Position property page from the left Navigation Pane to configure the shape object.

  6. Click Close to close the Shape Properties dialog.

ClosedTo combine multiple shapes into a single object

  1. Once all of the objects you want have been added to the data entry form and placed in the locations where you want them, select each one while pressing the Ctrl key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can click on an area of the form and drag the cursor across the form to encompass the objects.

  2. Select Group from the Arrange menu.

By grouping the objects together, when you select one object in the group, all will be selected. This enables you to move the design, composed of multiple objects, together as a single object.

For more information about grouping objects together, see Creating an Object Group.

ClosedPicture Object

The data entry form supports many different image formats, and you can add them to your form from a number of different sources.

ClosedTo add a Picture object

  1. Select Picture from the Create menu to display a list of all picture sources. Alternatively, select the icon on the object toolbar.

  2. Select the method that you want to use for importing the image. The following options are available:

For more information about the different methods of importing an image, refer to Picture Source Options.

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