MultiLabel 3.5 Shareware Version Help LICENSE INFORMATION This is the unregistered version of MultiLabel 3.5. MultiLabel is a shareware program. You may try this copy of the program for a period not to exceed 30 days to determine whether or not it is suitable for your needs. After that time, if you continue to use the program, you must register your copy with the author. To register, use the OsoSoft Program Info command in the Help Menu to print the registration form. The Registration fee for this program is $20. You can also register with a Visa or MasterCard by calling OsoSoft at (805) 528-1759 during normal West Coast business hours. Credit card orders incur a $4 shipping and handling fee for each order, regardless of how many programs are ordered. OsoSoft programs may also be registered on CompuServe in the SWREG forum. Registrations will be charged to your CompuServe account. Registered users receive the very latest version of the program, a printed manual, automatic notification of major upgrades, and support. In addition, when you register, you'll always be entitled to upgrade to new registered versions at no charge on the OsoSoft BBS at (805) 528-3753. Registered users are entitled to unlimited free support by telephone, fax, on the OsoSoft BBS, and on Compuserve. Unregistered users receive only a minimum of support, limited to some installation help, if necessary, and are not entitled to telephone support. If you call the OsoSoft voice number for support as an unregistered user, you will be asked to register at that time by credit card. Users of this program, along with traditional shareware distributors may distribute copies of the shareware versions of this program, but only under the terms described in the VENDOR.DOC file included with this copy of the program. All commercial distributors MUST read that file and abide by the distribution rules contained in that file. Violations of the distribution license in VENDOR.DOC may result in prosecution under appropriate copyright laws of the United States and other countries. MultiLabel and all associated files and documentation are Copyright 1991-1994, by OsoSoft. ASP OMBUDSMAN NOTICE This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting that member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49422-9427 USA FAX 619-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. USING MULTILABEL Multilabel uses command buttons and drop-down list boxes to perform many functions. Most commands you need to create label designs are right on the screen. Traditional Windows menus offer other commands. Shortcut keys are available for most functions. RIGHT CLICK HELP Right-click on any on-screen or command to see a help line in the Title Bar EDITING AND DISPLAY WINDOWS At the top is the text-editing window. Here, you'll enter and edit all the text to be included on your label. Below that is another window, where a WYSIWYG display of your label appears. You can't edit directly in this window. Editing Text in Multilabel Simply type your text in the box, pressing to move to a new line. To position the cursor in your text, use the cursor keys or click the mouse pointer where you want to type. If you select text by dragging with the mouse, new text you type replaces the selected text. The WYSIWYG display updates when you press or perform any formatting command. You are limited to 80 lines of text in Multilabel. NOTE: It's very important to remember that MultiLabel depends on line numbers for its formatting. Before performing any formatting operation, select the line of text you want to format, by positioning the cursor in the text window. LEFT SIDE COMMAND BUTTONS The Text Group [Edit]--This button returns the cursor to the text editing box. [Click to Move Text]To use this check box, position your cursor on the line of text you want to move. Then click this command. Now, click on the WYSIWYG display where you want the upper left corner of the text to appear. To move the same text, repeat the process above. [TxtColor]-- To choose a color, first place your text box cursor on the line you want to change. Then click a color bar. The Label Group [Update]--This button updates the WYSIWYG display. [Clear]--This button clears your current label from the screen and from memory. [Grid]--This button overlays a grid on the WYSIWYG display, to help you position text and graphics. [Zoom]--This button can help you see the large size label formats added in this version. While you can't edit zoomed labels, you can view them and scroll the WYSIWYG display to see the entire label. [Scale]--This displays the current magnification of your WYSIWYG window. If the value is anything other than 100%, you can use the [Zoom] button to see an enlarged view. RIGHT SIDE COMMANDS Text Attributes (Whole Line) [Line]--Displays the current line number, as determined by the position of your cursor in the text box. [Dupe Previous]--This button repeats the formatting of the line above the current line. All line attributes will be duplicated. When typing, pressing automatically copies the previous line's formatting. [Font]--This drop-down list box displays the current font, and allows you to change a line to another font. [Size]--Displays the current size for the font used on the current line. HINT: Changing the font size of a blank line affects line spacing. Use this trick to adjust line spacing in 1-point intervals. [Align]--This control affects the alignment of the selected line. You can choose left or right aligned, centered, split lines, or set a customized horizontal and vertical position. HINT: When using customized line positions, apply these to lines at the bottom of the label's text to avoid later misalignments. Split Lines--For split lines, insert a tilde (~) in the text box where you want the line to split. You cannot insert internal formatting codes in split lines. [Style]--Four check boxes control text attributes for the entire line. You can select more than one style for any line. [Normal] removes all other style settings. [Rev.]--This option prints the current line in white type on a black background. You cannot use this option on split or rotated lines or when using inserted formatting commands. [Rotate]--Displays the Rotate Dialog box. Use scroll bars to set a rotation angle, then click [Accept] to apply the rotation. TIP: Combine rotation with the [Click to Move Text] feature to position rotated text. The Clip Art Group [AddArt]--Opens a dialog box for loading .BMP or .PCX clip art images. To see a preview of an image, click once on the filename. To load the image, double-click the file or click OK. [HideArt]--Removes all clip art and line drawing art from the WYSIWYG display. When clip art is hidden, a dotted box shows its location for alignment purposes. Clicking it again will redisplay your graphics. [Delete]--Removes the currently-selected clip art image. [Option Buttons]--Selects one of the two clip art images. You must select an image before acting on it. Options are PIC 1 and PIC 2. When selected, a thin border will appear around the image. [Scale]--Resizes a selected clip art image. For small changes, click the arrows. Click between the arrows for larger changes. The image always stays in proportion. HINT: Avoid major changes in clip art image size, to avoid image degradation. If you need to enlarge or reduce an image very much, do so in a paint program like Windows Paintbrush. Moving a Clip Art Image You can move a clip art image by dragging it around the screen with the mouse. To do this, first select the image you want to move by clicking the appropriate option button in the Clip Art Group. With the image selected, click the left mouse button somewhere outside of the image. The image will instantly move, with its upper, left corner at the position where you clicked. You can drag the image to a new location. The new location is stored with the label when you save. The Line Drawing Group [Object]--Allows you to select an individual object for editing. Each line, box, or circle gets an object number, which appears near the object. [Width]--Controls the width of line drawing elements. If you change the current setting, it will affect the current object, if present, or the next object you draw. [Draw]--Enables line drawing. Click it before creating an object. Multilabel will automatically select the first available object number. [Filled]--This check box appears only when you've drawn or selected a box or circle. If you check it, the box or circle will be filled with the same color used to draw the box. NOTE: Some printers always draw a solid black box around the object. TIP: MultiLabel can print text inside filled boxes. Use this technique to create boxes filled with one color, then use a contrasting color for the text. [Line], [Box], [Circle]--These options determine the type of object you want to draw. [LnColor]--Sets the line and fill color for either a new object or for an existing object picked from the object list. The same color is used for both the lines and fill. Drawing an Object To draw an object in the WYSIWYG screen, first select the type of object ([Line] [Box] [Circle]), then set the width for the lines used to draw the object, and the color for that object. Next click on the [Draw] checkbox. Move the mouse pointer inside the WYSIWYG display. While holding the left button down, drag the mouse pointer to a new location. When the object is the right size, release the left mouse button to place your object on the screen. NOTE: Multilabel does not check to make sure your object is within the boundaries of the label. That's your responsibility. TIP: MultiLabel automatically converts all lines drawn at small angles to either horizontal or vertical straight lines. [Move], [Size] Options--These two options determine whether the scroll bars (see below) move or size the current object. [Scroll Bars]--Horizontal and vertical scroll bars control positioning of graphical elements. You can move or scale all graphical objects in .005 inch increments. Moving an Object Start by selecting the object in the [Object] list box. Next, click on the [Move] option button. To move the object in .005" increments, click on the [Up], [Down], [Left], or [Right] arrows on the appropriate scroll bar. To move the object in .05" increments, click the scroll bar regions between the arrows and the position button on the scroll bar. Scaling an Object First, select the object you want to resize, then click the [Size] option button. Then use the scroll bars as described above to alter the size of the object. Erasing and Restoring Line Drawing Objects [Erase Selected]--This button erases the current image, as identified in the [Object] list box. [Erase All]--This button removes all graphical elements from the screen. MENU COMMANDS FILE MENU New Label Design--Clears the current label and sets up for a new design. Open Label File--Opens an existing .LAB label design file. Save Current Label--Saves the current label with the current filename. The current file will be overwritten without warning. Save Current Label As...--Lets you save the current design under a different filename. Insert Graphic File--Lets you select a clip art image for insertion in your design. Print Sheet(s) of Labels--This command prints your current labels on the selected label stock. Print Sheets of Current Merge Label--Use this command to print whole sheets of the current label you created with the Address Book module's fields, as shown with the Preview command. Print Single Test Label--This command prints a single label on plain paper. The label will appear in the top left label position for your label stock. Multiple Copies--If your printer, like most laser printers, supports internal multiple copies, printing goes much faster if you select the number of copies here. If your printer does not support this feature, MultiLabel will still print multiple sheets, although the process will take longer since the program actually executes the print command as many times as you specify. Print Color Sample--Every printer handles color differently. Use this command to print samples of text in all the colors shown on the color bar chart. NOTE: If some of the colors print as black on color printers, change the Dithering setting in your Printer Driver, using the Printer Setup command. Printer Setup--Use this command to alter printer settings or to change printers. Update Font List--Relists currently available fonts. You probably will never need to use it, since the program rebuilds its font list, if necessary, each time it starts. Exit--Quits Multilabel, with a confirmation box. EDIT MENU Cut--Removes selected text from the editing box, then stores it in the clipboard. Copy--Sends a copy of selected text to the clipboard. Paste--Copies text from the Windows clipboard to the current cursor location. Insert Special Character--Pops up a grid showing all the special, foreign, and symbolic characters available in the currently selected font. Hold down the left mouse button over a character to see an enlarged view. Double-click on a character to add it to the box at the top of the screen. Click the Insert command, to insert characters at the current cursor location. Edit Current Picture--Starts Windows PaintBrush and loads the picture selected with the option buttons for editing. When you exit PaintBrush, you'll return to Multilabel. To use the altered image, delete the current image, then use [AddArt] to reload the image from disk. VIEW MENU Zoom/UnZoom--Works just like the Zoom/UnZoom button on the left side of the screen. LAYOUT MENU Rotate Current Line--Displays the text rotation dialog box for the current line. Show Grid--Like the [Grid] button. The grid disappears when you give the command again. Standard Label Formats--Displays a list of the most commonly used Avery Laser Label types. To select a label format, click on the Avery number or choose by size if you're using another brand. Other Label Formats-- Displays a list of other formats, including name badges, post cards, etc. Click on the appropriate item. Custom Formats-- MultiLabel lets you create, save, and load customized templates for non-standard labels. If you select the Design Custom Format option, you'll see a series of dialog boxes. Enter the information requested, using a ruler to measure the actual dimensions on your labels. Measurement System: Normally, you'll enter dimensions in inches (1.5, 2.33, etc.), but you can use any system of measurement by adding an abbreviation after the measurement. The abbreviations are: mm for millimeters, cm for centimeters, pt for points and pi for picas. abbreviations can be in upper or lower case, but must follow the number, with or without a space. Valid Examples: 2mm, .21 cm, 2PT, .5 PI. Saving a Template: Use the Save Current Design as Template command under the Custom Formats command to save the label template. Type just the filename...MultiLabel will add the MLT extension and store the file in its home directory. You can save a template at any time, even if you've typed in text. Loading a Saved Template--Once you've saved templates, you can load them quickly with this command under the Custom Formats menu. Margins--Sets left or top margins separately. Choose the appropriate subcommand. Small changes have big effects, so start with small margin measurements. The default is .1 inch. You may use any measurement system, as described above. NOTE: Margins affect only text, and can be overridden by either the Click to Position Text or Custom Alignment options. Use this command to set margins to compensate for pre-printed areas on labels or other stock. Fudge Factors--This command displays a submenu you can use to alter the dimensions of your printouts slightly. Use it to compensate for slight differences between printers. In the submenu, select the option you want to change, then enter a value in the resulting dialog box. Both positive and negative numbers are allowed, and all measurements should be in decimal inches or in another system as described above. Measurements are added to or subtracted from the current settings. Use the Save Offsets as Defaults to make your changes the defaults, once you're satisfied. If you set incorrect fudge factors or change your printer, select the Delete Saved Offsets command under the Fudge Factors menu to remove all settings. Left Align All Lines--Sets all lines on a label to the left margin. Center All Lines--Centers all lines on the label. Right Align All Lines--Sets alignment for all lines to the right margin. Insert Formatting Codes--The commands in this submenu insert special codes in your document which allow you to alter the appearance of just part of a line. Whenever possible, use the whole line formatting tools instead. Normal--Inserts in the line. This code returns the line to normal. Bold--Inserts in the line, boldfacing the following text. Ital--Inserts in the line, italicizing the following text. Underline--Inserts in the line, underlining the following text. Superscript--Inserts in the line, superscripting the following text. Subscript--Inserts in the line, subscripting the following text. NOTE: You cannot use inserted codes in Rotated Text or in lines which have their alignment set to Centered, Right-Aligned, or Split at Tilde. This would cause misalignments. Insert Serial Number--Inserts a code for a serial number at the current cursor location. When you give this command, you'll be asked for the starting serial number. Enter only the number in this dialog box. After entering a starting number, you'll be asked if you want to enter a "formatting string." Leave this blank if you just want to print the number as-is. Here are some examples of formatting strings, with the results as they will print, if you entered the starting number as 1: Formatting String Result No formatting string 1 000-000-000 000-000-001 Use for Leading Zeros #### 1 Prints only numbers that exist 101-000-000 101-000-001 Numbers in string print as-is \A\B0000-000-000 AB0000-000-001 Precede literal characters with backslash NOTE: Serial numbers are stored when you save a label. If you print serial numbered labels, be sure to save them before exiting MultiLabel to preserve the sequence. OPTIONS MENU Make Current Font Name Default--This command sets the current font, as highlighted in the font menu, as the default for all blank lines in your label. Make Current Font Size Default--As above, but sets the current font size as the default. AutoFit Enabled--Turns on the AutoFit function for Merged Labels, as described below. Save Default Settings--Stores the Font, Size and AutoFit settings. Use this command to save these settings for use in most labels. Delete Default Settings--Deletes the default settings file. MERGE MENU Opens the MultiLabel Address Book. See the Using the Address Book section for details. HELP MENU Help with Multilabel --This command opens a new window. On the left is an index of topics. To get help on a topic, just click on the topic's name. You can scroll through the list or type the first letter of your topic. About--Displays information about Multilabel, including the current version number and support information. OsoSoft Program Information--OsoSoft offers several other programs which may interest you. This command displays a window that lets you learn about these other programs and lets you order OsoSoft products. To view information on a program, click the [Info] button next to that program's name. To order, enter the quantity desired for each product. Then fill out your name and address information and mark the appropriate disk size box with an X. Click the [Print] button to print the form or the [Cancel] button to return to Multilabel. NOTE: You can always order OsoSoft products with your Visa or MasterCard as well. Just call (805) 528-1759 to order. MERGE: USING THE ADDRESS BOOK The Address Book menu command opens a new window in MultiLabel, containing an address book database you can use to store and select addresses for use on your labels. When you first open the Address Book, with the Merge//Address Book command, you'll see an empty list box. Creating Address Book Files You can store up to 750 addresses in each address book file, but you may have as many address book files as you like. To create your first address book file, select the [Edit] or [Add] button, then type in the information you want to enter in the fields that appear. If you type more than 60 characters, the entry will be truncated. Enter the data as you want it to appear on the labels. For best results, fill out the lines in order, avoiding blank lines between two full lines. Click the [Add] button to create additional entries. When you've finished entering data, select the [Save] button, then enter a file name. Using the List View After selecting a file, you'll see the List View, with the first field in each record appearing in the list box. The list is unsorted. Selecting Records To select a record, just click on the line for that record. Most often, you'll want to select multiple records for use on your labels. You can drag the mouse over multiple records, or hold down the key and click on individual records to select non-adjacent records. Editing Records To edit a record, click the [Edit] button to move to the record editing display for the currently selected record. Adding Records To add a record, click the [Add] button. The Address Book will find the first blank record in the file and move to the record editing field. Deleting Records To delete a record, click the [Delete] button. After you confirm your decision, that record will be removed. Finding Records To search for text, select the [Find] button. Enter the text to find in the dialog box and click [OK]. Only the first field is searched, and the search is not case-sensitive. To find the next occurrence, select [Find Next]. Using the Edit View When you give the [Add] or [Edit] command, you move to the edit view, with the five fields for a label displayed. Press or to move to the next field, and - to move backward. Four new buttons appear in this view. Select [Return to List View] to return to the list view after editing. Select [Next] or [Previous] to scroll through the records, one at a time. The [Dupe Current Record] button adds another copy of the record on the screen. Use this to create duplicate entries, then edit only the information that is different. . Importing Data from Other Programs MultiLabel's address book can import data from any program which can export a database in standard comma-delimited format. To import a database file, click the [Import] button in the Address Book Menu. For complete, step by step instructions on importing a file, click the [Instructions] button in the Import Dialog Box. TIP: If you want your records from an imported file sorted in a particular way, such as by zip code for a mailing, sort the records before exporting the data to a comma-delimited format. Selecting Records for Use in Labels Record selection must be done in the Address Book's List View. Use the selection techniques described above, with click and drag, or -click to select the records you want to include on your labels. You can clear your selections by clicking on a single record. When all records are selected, click [Return] to return to the main MultiLabel window. You'll see a dialog box asking if you want to save your data if you've made any changes. Next, you'll be asked if you want to use the data in your labels. Answer [Yes] to use the data, [No] to return to the main window, or [Cancel] to return to the Address Book. Using Address List Data in Labels After using the Address Book database, click the [Return] button to resume working in the main MultiLabel window. When you return, you can drop down the Merge menu to use that data. Merge//Insert Field--When you click this menu item, you'll see a sub-menu used to insert field codes in the text editing box. Click any of these entries, or press the associated function key to insert the appropriate code. CAUTION: Don't put any other text on a line containing a field code; It will be ignored when you print. You can include any other text you wish on other lines. You can align code lines any way you like, apply formatting like boldfacing, italics, etc., and choose fonts and font sizes. You can also use the automatic formatting options in the Format menu to center lines or make them all left or right aligned. Merge//Preview--Select the View Next Label command in the Preview menu. You'll see your label with the data from the first record in the Address Book database. Give this command again to view additional labels from your series of addresses. This can help you with alignment. To return to the field display, choose the Show Fields command in the Preview menu. Printing Address List Labels Once you are satisfied with your label, just use the normal print command to print all the labels you selected. If you've selected less addresses than will fit on a label sheet, the remaining labels will be blank. If you've selected more addresses than will fit on one sheet, additional sheets will print. You'll be told how many sheets you'll need before beginning to print. Printing a Whole Sheet of One Address Book Entry You can also print full sheets of a single entry from the address book. Use the View Next Label command to find the label you want, then select Print Sheets of Current Merge Label in the File menu. AutoFit MultiLabel can automatically shrink Address Book text which would not normally fit on your label. This valuable tool lets you ignore the length of text when laying out your labels. To turn this feature on, select the AutoFit command in the Options menu. EDITING YOUR DESIGNS Editing Text The easiest way to replace existing text with new text is to highlight existing text by dragging over it with the mouse, one line at a time. Once the text is highlighted, just type your new text, which will automatically replace the highlighted text. Controlling Line Spacing To make fine changes in the spacing between lines of text, make sure there's at least one blank line between the lines you want to change. Then, position the cursor on a blank line and change the font size for that line. Placing Text Beside Clip Art You'll often want to position text next to or around clip art images. To do this, use the [Alignment] options or the Click to Position Text check box.. Overlaying Graphics with Text You can print text on top of clip art graphics, but you cannot view this text on the screen. To see text which will overlay a clip art image, click the [HideArt] button. HINT: Try using a contrasting color for text which overlays a graphic. Creating Columns in MultiLabel It's easy to create columns for text. To do this, select a custom alignment or use the Click to Move Text command for the first line in the column, positioning it exactly where you want it to appear on your label. Then, either enter new text on subsequent lines or click the [Dupe Prev] button on subsequent lines. All lines will line up with the first line. TIP: When creating columns of text, it's best to place this text at the bottom of the text in the text window. Working With Rotated Text If you want to use rotated text on a label, it's best to add the text to the bottom of the text box text. Before typing the text to be rotated, click the Click to Move Text check box, then click in the WYSIWYG window where you want the top left of the text to appear. Then type the text and click [Update]. Printing Samples When working with complex label designs, it's a good idea to print occasional samples of your design for checking. MULTILABEL TIPS Printing Printing takes time. Multilabel and Windows have to compose graphical pages before a page emerges. Multilabel can handle color clip art images, but the final output will depend on how your printer interprets the colors in your clip art. HINT: If some colors print as black on a color printer, change that printer's dithering settings in the Printer Setup dialog box. Notes for HP DeskJet Users You will probably have to set Fudge Factors to get proper alignment with standard label sheets. Print a sample sheet of labels with text in the upper left corner, then set Fudge Factors to compensate for misalignment. When your labels are properly aligned save your Fudge Factors as the defaults. Watch your bottom margins. On some label formats, text too close to the bottom of a label may cause the printer to eject pages rather than printing the last row of labels. Try setting the paper size to Legal if your printer ejects pages and doesn't print the bottom row of labels. DeskJet color printers may print some of the colors as black if Dithering is set to Standard. To fix this, set the printer for any other Dithering type in the Options section of the Printer Setup dialog box. Load label sheets face down in your DeskJet's paper tray! Clip Art Tips Very thin lines often don't print well. Large black areas sometimes don't reproduce as completely black. Reducing a large image to label logo size often results in loss of detail. Increasing the size of tiny images usually results in jagged lines on your printout. Lines, Boxes, and Circles You cannot draw a graphical element that extends into a clip art image. The line will end at the edge of the image. You can, however, overwrite text with a line graphic. Let the WYSIWYG display be your guide. Be careful not to let lines, boxes, or circles extend past the label's borders. Always check the WYSIWYG display for conflicts. You can draw boxes or circles, with fills, around existing text on your design. Try using a filled box or circle to set off text. Use a light color with black or dark colored text or a dark color combined with white text for special effects. Reversed Text Overlaying white text on a black filled box is the best way to create reversed text. SPECIAL LABEL FORMATS Name Badges MultiLabel supports all the name badge products from Avery and other suppliers. If you need name badges for a reunion, meeting, or trade show, use the Address Book to create lists from any source, then print all the name badges in one pass. Rolodex Cards MultiLabel supports two styles of Rolodex cards produced by Avery. Post Cards Post cards are a valuable form of advertising, and MultiLabel can create them quickly and easily, in either vertical or horizontal format. Print your cards on pre-scored card stock or on plain card stock (67 lb. max for laser printers. NOTE: Print post cards in two passes....one for your message, then another pass on the other side, using the Address Book to do an automatic mail merge for your customer list. TROUBLESHOOTING Reversed Printing and Shaded Text Don't Print Correctly--Change your printer settings with the Printer Setup command to enable the Print True Type Fonts as Graphics check box. Clip Art Images Don't Print--Exit MultiLabel, then run Windows Setup from the icon in Program Manager. Change to a graphics driver which displays 256 colors or less. Some high-color display drivers are incompatible with MultiLabel's graphics printing methods. Labels Print in The Wrong Place on The Sheet--Use the Fudge Factors command in the Layout menu to adjust MultiLabel for your printer.