Data Sources Pane

The Data Sources pane in the Template Design view lists all of the data sources that are available for use on your template, including database fields, named data sources, and global data fields. You can use this pane to assign any of these data sources to existing objects by dragging them to the object that you want. Alternatively, you can create a new object on the template by dragging a data source to a location on the template.

The Data Sources pane groups the data sources by the following types:

• Embedded Data: Populates the contents of an object with data that you enter into an object directly from the keyboard.

• Time: Creates a Clock data source that is configured for the time.

• Date: Creates a Clock data source that is configured for the date.

• Serial Number: Creates a serial number and opens the Serialization dialog so that you can configure serialization properties.

• Database Fields: Populates the contents of an object from a field in an external source, including databases, delimited text files, spreadsheets, and ODBC or OLE DB sources.

• Table Data Fields: Populates the contents of an object with data from a field of a table object's configured source, such as database records or data that is returned from Visual Basic Script. For more information about how to create a table object that displays dynamic data, refer to Creating Tables that Use Dynamic Data.

• Data Entry Fields: Populates the contents of an object with data from a data entry control on the data entry form.

• Named Data Sources: Populates the contents of an object from the value of a named data source that is saved as part of the document. For more information about named data sources, refer to Using Named Data Sources.

• Global Data Fields: Populates the contents of an object from a global data field that is retrieved from the BarTender System Database.

• Object Values: Populates the contents of an object by using the value of an existing object in your document.

• Print Job Fields: Populates the contents of an object with data about the print job, such as page numbers, application versions, document comments, or total number of pages.

• External File: Populates the contents of an object from an external file, which you can use to import binary and text data.

• Visual Basic Script: Populates the contents of an object that is based on a user-defined VBScript.

• Printer Code Template Fields: Populates the contents of an object with data that is received from an external print system such as a keyboard terminal, XML-enabled printer, or enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

If a data source is used on the template, you can modify it in the Data Sources property page by double-clicking it in the Data Sources pane. In situations where a single data source is attached to multiple objects, editing the data source this way updates the values for all connected objects.

Use the Data Sources pane in the Date Entry Form view to link data sources and objects on a template to data entry controls on a form. By using the Data Sources pane, you can view the data sources that are available on your template and connect an existing data source's value to a control on the data entry form by dragging the data source from the pane onto the control.

To link a data source to a control by using the Toolbox

The Data Sources pane groups the data sources by the following types:

• Print Dialog Data Sources: Links the number of copies, the available printers (for some controls), or the number of serialized items to a control on the data entry form. When you bind these options to controls on the data entry form, the print operator can enter the choice for the option at print time.

  • Copies per Serial Number: Specifies the number of identical copies of the document that are printed.

  • Printer: Specifies the printer that is used to print the document.

  The printer cannot be changed during the course of the print job. Any changes that are made to the printer's data source on the first printed item are in effect for the entire print job.

  
  

  • Serial Numbers: Specifies the number that serialization starts from.

• Named Data Sources: Links an existing named data source to a control on the data entry form.

• Template Object Data Sources: Links the value of an object on the template to a data entry control.