Open topic with navigation

Adding Objects to the Template

You use the same basic steps to add any object to the template. However, additional actions or considerations may be necessary, depending on the object type.

ClosedBarcode Object

It is easy to place a barcode on the template, but first, you must determine the best barcode for your needs and the optimal customization of that barcode.

For more information about the types of barcode symbologies and the property pages that are supported by BarTender for customizing the barcode, refer to Barcode Symbologies (opens in an external browser window; requires an Internet connection) and Barcode Properties Dialog.

ClosedTo add a barcode object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to open a list of recently used barcode symbologies. Alternatively, click Barcode on the Create menu. The first time that you perform this step, the Select Barcode dialog is automatically displayed. In this case, go to step 3.

  2. Click More Barcodes to open the Select Barcode dialog.

  3. In the left navigation pane, click the appropriate folder for the symbology type that you want, and then click the barcode that you want from the barcodes that are listed in the results pane on the right. A preview of the selected barcode appears in the Preview area.

    Alternatively, you can enter a barcode name into the search field and then select from the search results, or you can click the All Symbologies folder in the left navigation pane and then scroll through the alphabetical list in the results pane to locate and then click the barcode that you want.

  4. Click Select.

  5. Click the template at the location where you want to add the barcode object.

  6. Open the Barcode Properties dialog to configure the barcode object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

After you select a barcode, it is added to the list of recently used barcodes that appears when you click the icon. You can use this list to easily add the selected barcode symbology to future template designs and to bypass the Select Barcode dialog.

ClosedText Object

The procedure that you use to add a text object to the template varies depending on the type of text object that you want to create.

ClosedTo add a normal, normal wrapped, or transformed text object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display a list of all available text object types. Alternatively, click Text on the Create menu.

  2. Click the type of text object that you want to add to your template.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the text object.

  4. Open the Text Properties dialog to configure the text object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

You can also add a normal or normal wrapped text object to the template by using the Data Edit tool. To do this, click the icon on the object toolbar to turn on the Data Edit tool, and then create the text object by using one of the following methods: 

  • To create a normal text object, click the template at the location where you want to place the text object, and then enter the text that you want.

  • To create a normal wrapped text object, click the template at the location where you want to place the text object, drag the pointer to the width that you want for the text object, and then enter the text that you want.

 

You can also add a normal text object to the template that is already configured for a specific data source. To do this, drag the data source that you want from the Data Sources pane of the Toolbox to the location that you want on the template. For more information about each type of data source that is available in the Toolbox, refer to Available Data Sources.

ClosedTo add a word processor text object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display a list of all available text object types. Alternatively, click Text on the Create menu.

  2. Click Word Processor.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the word processor text object.

  4. Open the Word Processor Text Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedTo add a symbol font character text object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display a list of all available text object types. Alternatively, click Text on the Create menu.

  2. Click Symbol Font Characters to open the Insert Symbols or Special Characters dialog.

  3. On the Font list, click the special symbol font that you want. The symbols that are included with BarTender are installed as "Seagull" fonts.

  4. In the preview images area, click the symbol that you want.

  5. Use the Size option at the bottom of the dialog to select the font size that you want.

  6. Click Insert to close the Insert Symbols or Special Characters dialog. Alternatively, double-click the symbol.

  7. Click the template at the location where you want to add the symbol.

  8. Open the Text Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

Each of the symbols in a Seagull font corresponds to a letter on your keyboard. In some cases where you do not have access to a graphical user interface, you can still insert special symbols into your BarTender document by using these keyboard letters.

When a Seagull font is selected, you can enter the letter that is found in the bottom left corner of the Insert Symbols or Special Characters dialog to insert a selected symbol. For example, if you select Seagull: Warning v.1.0 as the font and then enter the letter "S", the symbol for a stop sign is printed on your items.

ClosedTo add a markup language container text object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display a list of all available text object types. Alternatively, click Text on the Create menu.

  2. Click the markup language that you want to use.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the markup language text object.

  4. Open the Markup Language Text Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

  5. Click the data source that you want to use to populate the text object. In the Embedded Data field, enter the specified markup language code to create the text formatting that you want.

  6. Use the other property pages in the navigation pane to make further customizations to the object as needed.

ClosedLine Object

You can draw a line on the template in any direction and at any angle that you want. After you create a line object, you can format it by modifying its color and styles. To do this, use the Line Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a line to your template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon. Alternatively, click Line on the Create menu.

  2. Click the template at the location where you want to add one end of the line object, and then drag the pointer to the location where you want to add the other end of the line object.

  3. Open the Line Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedShape Object

You can add a shape to a template or group multiple shapes into a single object to make a more complex drawing. After you add a shape to the template, you can format it by modifying its color and styles. To do this, use the Shape Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a shape to your template

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

  2. Click the shape that you want to add to your template.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the shape.

  4. Open the Shape Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedTo group multiple shapes into a single object

  1. After you add the shapes that you want to the template, hold down Ctrl while you click each one.

  2. On the Arrange menu, click Group.

After you group the objects, all objects in the group are selected when you click one object. You can then move the objects together as a single object. For more information, refer to Creating an Object Group.

ClosedPicture Object

You can add a picture object to your template in a variety of ways. For more information about the different methods of importing an image, refer to Picture Source Options.

ClosedTo add a picture object to your template

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

  2. Click the method that you want to use to import the image. The following options are available:

For a list of the image formats that are supported by BarTender, refer to Supported Image Formats.

ClosedTable Object

Add a table object to your template when you want to print information in a dynamic table format that contains other template objects and/or a record set that is returned from a connected database. For more information about table objects, refer to Table Object.

ClosedTo add a table object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display the table options. Alternatively, click Table on the Create menu.

  2. Drag the pointer across the interactive cell selector panel to highlight the number of rows and columns that you want, and then click the selector panel. Alternatively, click Insert Table, specify the number of rows and columns that you want by using the Insert Table dialog, and then click OK.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the table object.

  4. Open the Table Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedTo add a table object that has dynamic data to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display the table options. Alternatively, click Table on the Create menu.

  2. Click Create Table from Database.

  3. Complete the Database Connection wizard to connect to the database that you want. For more information about the types of databases that you can connect to, refer to Supported Database Types.

  4. Use the Database Setup Dialog to configure additional properties to define the record set that you want from the database, and then click OK to close the dialog.

  5. Click the template at the location where you want to add the table object.

  6. Open the Table Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedLayout Grid Object

Add a layout grid object to your template to create a dynamic grid that has rows and columns that are resized automatically in response to the size of the objects that you place in the grid cells. For more information about layout grid objects, refer to Layout Grid Object.

ClosedTo add a layout grid object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display the layout grid options. Alternatively, click Layout Grid on the Create menu.

  2. Drag the pointer across the interactive cell selector panel to highlight the number of rows and columns that you want, and then click the selector panel. Alternatively, click Insert Layout Grid, specify the number of rows and columns that you want by using the Insert Layout Grid dialog, and then click OK.

  3. Click the template at the location where you want to add the layout grid object.

  4. Open the Layout Grid Properties dialog to configure the object. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

ClosedEncoder Object

Required drivers (all encoder objects)

Drivers by Seagull™

When you add an encoder object to your template, you can place RFID, magnetic stripe, and smart card technologies onto the printed item.

ClosedTo add an encoder object to the template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to display a list of available encoding technologies. Alternatively, click Encoder on the Create menu.

  2. Click the encoding technology that you want to add to your template. The Encoder Properties dialog opens so that you can configure the object.

  3. Click Close. The encoder object appears in the design area. To make further changes to the object, double-click the object. Alternatively, right-click the object, and then click Properties.

For more information about the technologies that encoder objects support, refer to Magnetic Stripe Technology and RFID Encoding Technology.

ClosedWatermark Object

When you add a watermark object to your template, you can place a watermark version of a barcode symbol or other object onto the background of your template so that your data is encoded over the entire background surface of your printed items but is hidden. You can also add a corresponding visible barcode symbol that carries the same data as the watermark.

BarTender supports the Digimarc watermark technology.

ClosedTo add only a watermark object to your template

  • On the object toolbar, click , and then click Digimarc under Watermarks.

ClosedTo add a watermark object and a corresponding visible barcode to your template

  1. On the object toolbar, click the icon to open a list of recently used barcode symbologies. Alternatively, click Barcode on the Create menu. The first time that you perform this step, the Select Barcode dialog is automatically displayed. In this case, go to step 3.

  2. Click More Barcodes to open the Select Barcode dialog.

  3. In the left navigation pane of the Select Barcode dialog, click Digimarc.

  4. Select the symbology that you want to use, and then click Select.

  5. Click the location on the template where you want to place the visible barcode.

Related Topics