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Databases

Databases can be used as a dynamic data source for label objects. To make the database content accessible and retrievable from the selected object, the database connection must be properly established and configured.

The most time efficient and user friendly way of adding a database to your label data sources is to use the Step-by-Step Database Wizard.

Desktop designer supports a wide selection of database types. The supported database types are listed here.

Supported Database Types

Desktop designer supports multiple types of databases:

Step-by-Step Database Wizard

Database wizard is a guided process that allows the user to configure a connection to a database and to select which tables and fields will be used.

Edit Database allows you to edit all existing connected databases using a wizard.

The wizard additionally allows you to sort, filter records, and to define how many label copies will be printed per database record.

Database Wizard for Excel Files

This section describes how to connect Excel database to an object using the Desktop designer Step-by-Step Database Wizard.

Step 1: Connection Settings

This step defines the database connection parameters.

Note

The available parameters depend on the selected database type.

File name defines the database file location.

Advanced Setup opens the system configuration dialog. Data Link Properties window allows you to set the connection properties. Data Link Properties is a Windows system dialog – read more about its properties here.

Test Connection button starts a connection testing procedure. It checks if Desktop designer can successfully connect to the database.

Click Next.

Step 2: Tables and Fields

This step defines which database table and which fields of this table should be used as a dynamic data source.

Tables group allows you to select which tables of the connected database should be used as a data source.

  • Available tables: available tables in the selected database.

  • Selected tables: tables that are used as a data source.

Click Add > or < Remove buttons to add or remove the tables from the Selected fields.

Note

When editing an existing database, a table cannot be removed if used in a script, function, action, or connected to a label object.

Click Next.

Step 3: Label Copies Per Record

This step specifies the number of label copies to be printed for each database record.

Fixed number of printed labels lets you insert the number of copies manually.

Number of printed labels defined by a field in the database sets the number dynamically using a data source value.

Example 16. Example:

The number of printed labels is defined in the database field of the record that is printed.


Use the same record for entire print job prints out the single selected record on the entire range of labels in a print job.

Click Next to proceed or Finish to continue working with the object.

Read more about how to define the number of printed copies here.

Step 4: Create Objects

This step lets you decide whether new Text objects that display the content retrieved from database fields should be added to a label or not.

Create Objects step is visible when:

  • Starting the database wizard from Data tab ribbon and adding a new database by clicking the database button.

Create Objects step for label designing:

  • Create a label text object for each field: adds a Text object that contains database field content.

  • Do not create any label objects: skips adding new objects.

Note

The number of added objects depends on the number of fields in the database.

Click Next.

Step 5: Data Preview and Other Table Settings

This step gives a preview of the data retrieved from the database. It also offers additional table settings such as filtering and sorting.

Data tab displays a preview of data retrieved from the database file. You can use search controls at the top of the preview section to find a specific record.

Note

Data preview shows up to 1000 rows.

Filter tab filters out the database file records. It allows you to define filtering conditions to be used when retrieving the data.

  • Add condition: specifies single line condition(s) that filters out the content that meets the set criteria.

  • Add group: specifies group(s) of conditions that filter out the content that meets the set criteria.

Sorting tab allows you to sort the retrieved data. Sorting is done for all of the fields that are added to the sorting list. Each field can be in ascending or descending order.

Data Retrieving tab defines how the data should be retrieved from the connected database file. Details on data retrieving settings and options are available here.

SQL tab offers a preview of the generated SQL statements.

Read more details about database table configuration here.

Click Finish. The database is ready to be used as label object data source.

Database Wizard for Text Files

This section describes how to use a text file as your data source in your label objects. A text file is connected to an object using the Desktop designer Step-by-Step Database Wizard.

Step 1: Text File Structure Wizard

Text File Structure Wizard window opens if a structure for a text file you are connecting hasn't been defined previously.

The steps for completing the Text File Structure Wizard are described in a dedicated section.

Note

After finishing this procedure, a text definition .sch file with the same name as the text database file and is created in the same folder. Next time the wizard is used on the same file, this procedure is no longer required.

Step 2: Connection Settings

This step defines the text file path.

File name defines the location of the Text file to be used. Enter the location manually or click Browse to locate it in the system.

Test Connection button starts a connection testing procedure. It checks if Desktop designer can successfully connect to the database.

Click Next.

Step 3: Tables and Fields

Tables group allows you to select which tables of the connected database should be used as a data source.

  • Available tables: available tables in the selected database.

  • Selected tables: tables that are used as a data source.

Click Add > or < Remove buttons to add or remove the tables from the Selected fields.

Note

When editing an existing database, a table cannot be removed if used in a script, function, action, or connected to a label object.

Note

Table selection is not available when adding a text file as a database. The entire text file is treated as a single database table.

Step 4: Label Copies Per Record

This step specifies the number of label copies to be printed for each database record.

Fixed number of printed labels lets you insert the number of copies manually.

Number of printed labels defined by a field in the database sets the number dynamically using a data source value.

Example 17. Example:

The number of printed labels is defined in the database field of the record that is printed.


Use the same record for entire print job prints out the single selected record on the entire range of labels in a print job.

Click Next to proceed or Finish to continue working with the object.

Read more about how to define the number of printed copies here.

Step 5: Create Objects

This step lets you decide whether new Text objects that display the content retrieved from database fields should be added to a label or not.

Create Objects step is visible when:

  • Starting the database wizard from Data tab ribbon and adding a new database by clicking the database button.

Create Objects step for label designing:

  • Create a label text object for each field: adds a Text object that contains database field content.

  • Do not create any label objects: skips adding new objects.

Note

The number of added objects depends on the number of fields in the database.

Click Next.

Step 6: Data Preview and Other Table Settings

This step gives a preview of the data retrieved from the database. It also offers additional table settings such as filtering and sorting.

Data tab displays a preview of data retrieved from the database file. You can use search controls at the top of the preview section to find a specific record.

Note

Data preview shows up to 1000 rows.

Fields tab displays available and selected database fields. The settings configured in "Label Copies Per Record" can be redone on this tab.

Data Retrieving tab defines how the data should be retrieved from the connected database file. Read more about data retrieving here.

Click Finish. The database is ready to be used as your label object data source.