Databases

Connect your database to your label design to avoid manually typing your content and minimize user errors.

You can connect to:

• Databases stored in Control Center Documents:

  • Microsoft Access

  • Microsoft Excel

• External Microsoft SQL Database

Connecting to Access or Excel database

To connect your label to a database stored in Documents:

1. Click the Data icon to open the Data Sources menu.
   
   

2. Expand the Add database drop-down menu, then click From Documents.

3. Navigate to the location where your database is stored, click your database, then click Select.

   

4. Your label connects to the database, and the database Properties window opens on the left side of your label design. You can change the name of your database connection (which doesn't affect the actual database file name in Documents), add your description, and select the table.

   

5. You can define or change table fields properties. Click on the field to open the field properties window.

   

   In the Data section, you can limit the length of the database value and set the Provisional value.

   Provisional value is a value you use when you design your label. For example, you want to define the maximum size of your Text object on the final print. You use the longest expected value (string) as a Provisional value to make sure your printed text is not out of your label.

6. Now, you can connect your text objects, barcodes, and pictures to your database fields.

   1. Place the label object on the design surface.

   2. Click the object to open the object properties.

   3. In the Source section, select your database field.

      

   Your label object now presents the prompt variable value.

To delete the database connection, first delete all label objects that are connected to your database. Then right-click your database and select Delete.

Connecting to Microsoft SQL database

1. Click the Data icon to open the Data Sources menu.

2. Expand the Add database drop-down menu, then click From Microsoft SQL Server.

   

3. Add New Database Connection window opens. Insert your SQL Server and database details, then click Select.

   

   You can also enter the connection string if you click Show connection string:

4. Your label connects to the database, and the database Properties window opens on the left side of your label design. You can change the name of your database connection, add your description, and select the table.

   

5. You can define or change table field properties. Click on the field to open the field properties window.

   In the Data section, you can set the Provisional value.

   Provisional value is a value you use when you design your label. For example, you would like to define the maximum size of your Text object on the final print. You use the longest expected value (string) as a Provisional value to make sure your printed text is not out of your label.

6. Now, you can connect your text objects, barcodes, and pictures to your database fields.

   1. Place the label object on the design surface.

   2. Click the object to open the object properties.

   3. In the Source section, select your database field.

      

   Your label object now presents the prompt variable value.

To delete the database connection, first delete all label objects connected to your database. Then right-click your database and select Delete.

To use database values with your label objects:

1. Place the label object on the design surface.

2. Click the object to open the object properties.

3. In the Source section, select your database field.

   

Your label object now presents the database field value.