Select Data to Display in Label Design

You can specify what data to show in fields when a label template or a reusable object is displayed in Label Design . You can use default data that you specify in the Default Value properties, placeholder data For a Variable Text field, the series of digits 1234567890, repeated until the maximum number of characters allowed for the field is displayed. For a barcode field, a sample barcode that adheres to the specified properties. For an image field, a sample image. Whether placeholder data is used in Label Design is controlled by the selection for Design Data. provided by Loftware Enterprise SP, or data from a live data set A collection of data (names and values) that was retrieved from a data source and is specific to a label template or a reusable object. A data set can be used to populate fields displayed in Label Design, in a preview, and when test printing. drawn from a Database data source, an Alternate data source, or a Date/Time data source.

Your choice affects what is displayed in the Label view for a label template or a reusable object, as well as what is displayed when you preview or print a label in Label Design . More specifically, this option affects what is displayed in text fields, barcode fields, and variable image fields.

Displaying placeholder data can help you evaluate the size of the field when the maximum character limit is reached. Using a snapshot of live data from a database can help you evaluate the appearance of a label or a form using typical data.

Display Default, Placeholder, or Live Data in Label Design 

To change the source for data displayed in Label Design , use the following procedure.

1. In Label Design , click View.
2. In Design Data, select one of the following:
   • Default Value: The values specified in the Default Value property for each field are used.
   • Placeholder: The data used for each field is placeholder data For a Variable Text field, the series of digits 1234567890, repeated until the maximum number of characters allowed for the field is displayed. For a barcode field, a sample barcode that adheres to the specified properties. For an image field, a sample image. Whether placeholder data is used in Label Design is controlled by the selection for Design Data. provided by Loftware Enterprise SP.
   • Live Data Set: If configured, values from a live data set A collection of data (names and values) that was retrieved from a data source and is specific to a label template or a reusable object. A data set can be used to populate fields displayed in Label Design, in a preview, and when test printing. obtained from a Database data source, an Alternate data source, or a Date/Time data source are used. You can also add data map entries to the data set manually.

Tip: If the Default Value property or the value from a live data set is empty or contains only a space and that option is selected, then a placeholder value is displayed in the Label view or Form view in Label Design . No visible indication of the field is displayed when you preview or print in Label Design .

Add Data to a Live Data Set from a Data Source

To add data map entries to a data set by querying a Database data source or an Alternate data source, use the following procedure.

1. In Label Design , click View > Data Sources and Data Sets, and arrange the boxes so both are visible.
2. In the Data Sources pane, click a Database data source or an Alternate data source.
3. Click to query the selected data source and save the data to a live data set.
4. Click File > Save or click the Save button on the toolbar to save the label template or reusable object.

   Important! A data set is part of a label template or a reusable object. If you do not save the label template or reusable object, the data set that you created will be discarded.

In the Data Sets pane, a data map entry or data map entries is added using data retrieved by querying the data source.

Import Data to a Live Data Set from a File

To add data map entries to a data set by importing data from an XML file or a CSV file, use the following procedure.

1. In Label Design , click the title bar of the Data Sets pane in the right column to expand it if it is collapsed.
2. In the Data Sets pane, click the item that should be the parent of the new data map entries, such as the Live data set.
3. Click to open the Import Data dialog box.
4. In the Import Data dialog box, select whether you are importing data from an XML file or a CSV file.
5. If you are importing data from a CSV file, specify the following information about the source data.
   1. Select whether the source data is tabular data or key/value pairs (data map entries).
   2. For Text Qualifier, enter the character that can be used to enclose the data of one cell in the source data. By default, this is a double quotation mark (").
6. Select the XML or CSV file to import, and then click OK.
7. Click File > Save or click the Save button on the toolbar to save the label template or reusable object.

   Important! A data set is part of a label template or a reusable object. If you do not save the label template or reusable object, the data set that you created will be discarded.

Manually Change a Data Set

To manually add a data map entry A name (key) and value pair in the data map for a job. to a data set or to alter a data map entry in a data set, use the following procedure.

1. In Label Design , click the title bar of the Data Sets pane in the right column to expand it if it is collapsed.
2. To add a new data map entry to a data set, do the following.
   1. In the Data Sets pane, click the item that should be the parent of the new data map entry, such as the Live data set.
   2. Click to create a new data map entry.
   3. In the Add Entry dialog box, enter a name and a value for the data map entry, and then click OK.
   4. Repeat for any other data map entries to be added.
3. To delete a data map entry from a data set, do the following.
   1. In the Data Sets pane, click the data map entry that you want to delete from the data set.
   2. Click to delete the selected data map entry and its children, if any.
   3. Repeat for any other data map entries to be deleted.
4. To change a data map entry in a data set, do the following.
   1. In the Data Sets pane, click the data map entry that you want to change.
   2. Click to edit the data map entry.
   3. In the Edit Entry dialog box, change the name and value as needed, and then click OK.
   4. Repeat for any other data map entries to be changed.
5. Click File > Save or click the Save button on the toolbar to save the label template or reusable object.

   Important! A data set is part of a label template or a reusable object. If you do not save the label template or reusable object, the data set that you created will be discarded.