MultiLabel is a shareware program. This is the unregistered version. You may use this version for a trial period of 30 days. After that time, you must register your copy. Registration costs $15. Registered users receive a copy of the latest registered version and are entitled to full support.
REGISTRATION
To register, send a check for $15, drawn on a US bank, to:
George Campbell
1472 Sixth Street
Los Osos, CA 93402
Use the handy order form in the OsoSoft Program Info command in the Help menu.
The current shareware version is always available on the OsoSoft BBS. Call (805) 528-3753, 300-2400 bps, 8/N/1.
THE MultiLabel INTERFACE
When you start MultiLabel for the first time, you'll have a short delay while the program creates its font list and prepares the rest of the program. From then on, the program loads its font list from a file. If you add or delete fonts, MultiLabel will automatically update its font list when you start the program again.
Flashing Scroll Lock
Due to a missing feature in Visual Basic, I was forced to flash your Scroll Lock LED on and off. On some systems, this may cause difficulty with text editing. If this happens, simply add the parameter NF to the command line entry in the Program Manager's Properties dialog box. Put a space between .EXE and NF. Example: C:\ROCKFORD\ROCKFORD.EXE NF
This will solve the problem, but you'll have to press a key to force MultiLabel to update the line number when you move the cursor with the mouse.
Editing Text in MultiLabel
MultiLabel's editing box works just like your Windows word processing program. You can simply type your text in the box. The program is always in insert mode. To position the cursor in your text, either use the cursor keys or click the mouse cursor where you want to type. If you select text by dragging with the mouse, text you type replaces the selected text.
When you press <Enter> to get a new line, all formatting from the previous line is duplicated on the new line.
Normally, to save time, MultiLabel only updates the WYSIWYG display when you press <Enter> or change formatting in any way. If you want continuous updates, click the File menu and click on the Auto Updating Enabled command. You are limited to 36 lines of text in MultiLabel
LEFT SIDE BUTTONS
On the far left of your screen is a vertical row of buttons, in three groups. These buttons handle basic file and printing operations.
The Text Group
This group has just two buttons:
[Edit] -- This button returns the cursor to the text editing box. MultiLabel normally returns control to this box, so you'll rarely need to click this button.
[Exit] -- Click this button to leave MultiLabel You'll be asked to confirm this choice.
The Label Group
Several buttons make up this group, which deals with your label designs as a whole.
[Update] -- This button updates the WYSIWYG display. Any time you want to see an updated version of your label, click this button.
Note: Normally, typing new text does not update your label, unless you select the Auto-Update option in the Edit Menu.
[Clear] -- This button clears your current label from the screen and from memory.
[New] -- This button clears your current label and prepares MultiLabel for a new label.
[Open] -- The Load command lets you retrieve an existing label design from your hard disk. You'll see a typical Windows file opening dialog box, listing the files available.
[Save] -- Saves the current label with the current filename. No prompting takes place, and the design on the screen at the time of the save overwrites any previous data. All aspects of the label are saved.
[Save As] -- Allows you to assign a new name for a label design. If you're creating several variations of the same label, be sure to use this command to prevent overwriting a previous design. If you enter a filename without an extension, MultiLabel will add the .LAB extension.
[Print] -- This button prints your labels. You'll be asked how many sheets to print. If you use serial numbers, print only one sheet at a time.
[AddArt] --This button opens a dialog box for loading graphical images. You'll see a list of files in the BMP (Bitmap) format, including clip art files shipped with your copy of MultiLabel.
[Serial #] -- This button inserts a code which is a self-incrementing serial number. First, however, you'll be asked to enter a serial number to start the series. It automatically updates as you print, so save serialized labels after printing to preserve the sequence. When you load a label design, the serial number is reset to the next number. You can include any text you want before and after a serial number.
NOTE: Serial numbers line up reliably only when the line containing the Serial number is Left-aligned!
The Layout Group
[Format] -- This button opens a dialog box which lets you choose from any Avery Laser Label, by Avery Product number.
[Margins] -- This button lets you set customized margins for your label. These margins affect only the top and sides of your label.
RIGHT SIDE COMMANDS
On the right side of the editing and WYSIWYG screens are three other groups of commands. These deal with text formatting and graphics.
Text Attributes (Insert Within Line)
HINT: You'll get the best results if you use these inserted commands sparingly. If you want to format an entire line, use the commands in the next group of commands. You cannot place two formatting codes next to each other. At least one character or space must separate formatting codes.
[Normal] -- This inserted <Norm> code shuts off all other codes.
[Bold] -- Inserts <Bold> in your text. Any font may be boldfaced.
[Ital] -- Inserts <Ital>.
[Underline] -- Inserts <Under>.
[Subscript] -- Inserts <Subs>.
[Superscript] -- Inserts <Supr>
NOTE: You cannot use any of the above buttons on lines which have the Split at Tilde attribute.
[Bullet] -- This button inserts a standard bullet character at the current cursor position in the text editing box.
Text Attributes (Whole Line)
These commands affect an entire line. Use these commands whenever possible, rather than the inserted commands.
[Line] -- Displays the current line number, as determined by the position of your cursor.
[Dupe Previous] -- This button allows you to repeat the formatting of the line above the current line. All line attributes will be duplicated.
[Font] -- This drop-down list box displays the current font, and lets you change a line to another font. You'll see a sample of your selected font in a box.
[Size] -- Displays the current size for the font used on the current line. Click the arrow to drop down a list of available font sizes for the line. Sizes range from 4 to 36 points, in one-point intervals for the smaller fonts. If you want a font size not in the list, just enter the number in the size display.
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, or split lines.
NOTE: For split lines, insert a tilde (~) where you want the line to split.
[Style] -- Four check boxes control text attributes for the entire line. The Normal box, when checked, overrides all the others.
[Rev.] -- Reverses all text on the line, with white letters on a black background. Increase the width of the black section by adding spaces.
The Graphics Objects Group
This group controls line drawing, plus positioning and scaling of both line drawing objects and inserted clip art images.
[Object] -- This drop-down list box allows you to select an individual object for editing. As a default, the word PIC shows in the display area, identifying a clip art image as the current object. If you do line drawings, each line, box, or circle gets an object number, which appears on the WYSIWYG screen with the object. You may create up to 12 line-drawing objects.
[Width] -- This box controls the width of line drawing elements. Widths range from 1 to 24 pixels on the screen, which translates roughly to point measurements on the printer.
[Draw] -- This check box enables line drawing. Click it before drawing, but after selecting the draw options below.
[Line], [Box], [Circle] -- These options determine the type of object you want to draw.
Draw [Black] or [White] Options -- These options control the color of the object you are going to draw, or change the color of an existing object. Black is the default.
[Move], [Size] Options -- These two options determine whether the scroll bars (see below) move or size the current object.
[Scroll Bars] -- Both horizontal and vertical scroll bars are available to control positioning of graphical elements. You can manipulate objects in .005-inch increments.
[Erase Selected] -- This button temporarily erases the current image.
[Restore] -- This button restores objects deleted with the [Erase Selected] button. Objects remain in memory unless removed by the [Clear] button, the [Draw] command is given, or until a new file is loaded.
[Erase All] -- This button temporarily removes all graphical elements from the screen.
MENU COMMANDS
Some, but not all button and list functions are duplicated in traditional Windows menus. Other functions, less-often used, are offered only in menus.
FILE MENU
New Label Design -- Clears the current label from memory.
Open Label File -- Open an existing label design file.
Save Current Label -- Saves the current label.
Save Current Label As... -- Allows you to 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 one or more sheets of labels.
MULTIPLE COPIES
The print option allows you to print multiple copies, using your printer's built-in multiple copy command for increased speed. Just enter the number of copies you want.
If you use serial numbers, print only one sheet at a time, or numbers will be duplicated on each sheet.
Update Font List -- This command updates your font list. Use the command whenever you add or delete fonts in Windows.
Exit -- Quits MultiLabel, with a confirmation box.
EDIT MENU
To use commands in this menu, first highlight text in the text-editing box by dragging the mouse over the text you want to use.
Copy -- Sends a copy of selected text to the Windows Clipboard. Use <Ctrl>+<Ins> as a shortcut.
Cut -- Removes selected text from the editing box, then stores it in the clipboard. <Shift>+<Del> is the keyboard shortcut.
Paste -- Copies text from the Windows Clipboard to the current cursor location in the editing box.. Shortcut: <Shift>+<Ins>.
Auto-Updating Enabled -- This command, referred to above, is normally off. Click it to enable updating whenever you change lines in the text editing box.
LAYOUT MENU
This menu duplicates the buttons in the Layout group.
Label Format -- You'll see a list of available formats. Click on the one you want. If you select the Custom option, you'll fill out input boxes with all the information MultiLabel needs to print your labels. Since the Custom sizes are saved with your label, you can save an empty label to act as a template.
Margins -- Changes the margins for your design.
Printer Fudge Factors -- This command displays several additional choices. These options allow you to add or subtract measurements, in inches, to customize your labels for a specific printer. Since these measurements are saved with the label, be sure to save blank labels to act as templates.
DeskJet users should use the top margin fudge factor, set to -.25 to compensate for that printer's top margin settings.
FORMAT MENU
Make Current Font Default -- this command sets all empty lines of a label design to the font currently shown in the font selection list box.
Insert Character Styles in Line -- This command opens another menu, which allows you to insert character formatting commands inside text lines.
Insert Serial Number -- This command is identical with the [Serial #] button.
PICTURE SCALING MENU
Scaling Percentages -- The functions in this menu are not duplicated with on-screen buttons. Scaling percentages affect the image as it currently appears -- not the original image.
Custom Scaling -- This button brings up an input box which lets you enter a customized scaling percentage for your clip art image. Values ranging from 25% to 250% are most useful.
HELP MENU
Help with MultiLabel <F1> -- Calls up this help file.
About -- License and Registration Information
Other OsoSoft Products -- Information on other programs from OsoSoft for DOS and Windows.
Editing Text
To replace existing text with new text, the easiest way 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
You can make fine changes in the spacing between lines of text. To do this, 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. You can make changes in 1-point (1/72") intervals. MultiLabel does not accept fractional font sizes.
Placing Text Beside Clip Art Images
You'll often want to position text next to or around clip art images. To do this, use the [Alignment] options. For example, to position text to the right of an image, choose the Right Aligned alignment option, then add spaces after the text to move it left to the position you want.
To wrap text on both sides of an image, insert a tilde (~) where you want the text to break, then choose the Split at Tilde alignment option. Pad the text with spaces to achieve the position you need.
Working with Split Lines
MultiLabel's ability to split lines lets you position blocks of text on both sides of the label. Normally, the right half of the line is left-aligned, while the right half is right-aligned. Use spaces to pad the text until it's aligned just the way you want. Click the [Update] button to view your changes.
Printing Samples
When working with complex label designs, it's a good idea to print occasional samples of your design for checking. Your printed image may vary slightly from the image in the WYSIWYG screen.
