[en] New in Designers

[en] NiceLabel periodically checks if a newer version is available online. The availability of a newer version is announced on the Landing page (the first page you see after starting the Designer) and on the About page. The link takes you to the download page of NiceLabel website.

[en] NOTE: Check for updates is not supported in NiceLabel LMS products yet.

[en] If the installation filename contains identification of the product edition to be installed, you no longer see product selection dialog during the installation. Product edition can be configured in the installation file name if the file name contains “_Pro”, “_Express”, or similar identifiers.

[en] Each time you start NiceLabel 2017.3, a new landing page is displayed providing shortcuts to useful information sources, frequently used commands and NiceLabel news.

[en] Figure 1: Useful shortcuts and information sources are available on the landing page

[en] The same set of information is also accessible once the Designer is already running. Open it using “Start” panel on the File (Backstage) tab.

[en] A new setting is available on the “Printer usage” page to configure NiceLabel applications on the workstation to use exclusively reserved printers. Reserved printers have a seat license bound to them and are guaranteed to be always available.

[en] This setting is valuable on the locked-down production floor, where printing can be done on approved printers only.

[en] Figure 2: Allowing NiceLabel applications to only use reserved printers

[en] You can enable the option “This workstation can only use reserved printers” on multiple workstations and they will all be able to print to the same reserved printers. Additionally, you can pre-configure a custom list of reserved printers for the entire printing environment. All workstations in such environment use printer seats from the same pool of licenses.

[en] NOTE: For more information on pre-configuration of reserved printers, see help or user guides.

[en] Datamatrix 2D code is a cornerstone of efficient AutoID solutions that became widely used in applications of various industries, healthcare and distribution segments. Datamatrix usually consists of a square-shaped 2D code, although six rectangular extensions were available already, but only with minor data capacity (6 to 72 alphanumeric characters).

[en] The new Datamatrix Rectangular Extension adds twelve new rectangular high-capacity shapes. These shapes solve identification issues caused by insufficient available space for Datamatrix symbol in the following areas:

[en] NiceLabel 2017.3 fully supports all DMRE codes.

[en] Figure 3: Extended rectangular DataMatrix code with a module size 8×64 (image source: www.dmre.info)

[en] NOTE: Product editions NiceLabel Designer Pro or above are required for this feature.

[en] In NiceLabel Designer, you can easily control label object’s visibility. For example, under some circumstance, the object must print and, in other cases, it must not print.

[en] Each object has a property “Visible” that determines whether it should be printed.

[en] In previous versions, object visibility was triggered by a variable being EQUAL (=) to some control value in the condition. In NiceLabel 2017.3, the variable can also be NOT EQUAL (≠) to the control value.

[en] Figure 4: You can control object visibility with EQUAL and NOT EQUAL relations

[en] NOTE: Product editions NiceLabel Designer Pro or above are required for this feature.

[en] Data sources in a NiceLabel document define values for objects with dynamic content. NiceLabel 2017.2 release provided an easy method for label designers to consolidate and re-use data sources from existing documents. A label designer could import data sources into a new label or solution and easily re-use them. This helps maintain consistency across portfolio of label templates as well as saves time by allowing easier re-use of already configured functions and database connections.

[en] NiceLabel 2017.3 can additionally import variables from the Oracle WMS file that enables label printing directly from within the Oracle Warehouse Management environment. NiceLabel 2017.3 imports variables and their provisional values from this specific type of XML file. Provisional values help you preview sample data values during the label design process.

[en] Users of Oracle WMS system benefit significantly by direct importing. The result is much faster label design process as the import of all necessary variables from Oracle application into a label becomes available.

[en] The Import Data Sources button is available in Dynamic Data Manager.

[en] <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>

[en] <!DOCTYPE labels SYSTEM "label.dtd">

[en] <labels _FORMAT ="material.nlbl" _QUANTITY="1" _PRINTERNAME="" _JOBNAME="Material">

[en] <label>

[en] <variable name= "item">O Ring</variable>

[en] <variable name= "quantity">2</variable>

[en] <variable name= "lot">123</variable>

[en] <variable name= "uom">Ea</variable>

[en] <variable name= "organization">A1</variable>

[en] </label>

[en] </labels>

[en] Figure 5: Example of Oracle WMS XML-formatted set of data for label printing

[en] NOTE: Product editions NiceLabel PowerForms or above are required for this feature.

[en] The default printing mode in NiceLabel 2017 is “session print”. In this case, all labels belonging to the same print batch are sent to printer in a continuous print stream. This ensures smooth printout without printer “hiccups” and the fastest possible throughput. NiceLabel strives to enable session print automatically whenever possible. Some events, such as label change or printer change, stop the session print.

[en] With NiceLabel 2017.3, you can manually enforce the ongoing session printing to stop. You can use “Send Custom Commands” action with the SESSIONEND command. The next label that must be printed will be sent separately in a new print job.

[en] NiceLabel 2017 applications, such as Designer, Print or Automation, rely on the NiceLabel Proxy 2017 Service. This is a service that runs in the background and enables communication between various NiceLabel components.

[en] If NiceLabel Proxy Service 2017 is not running, NiceLabel software cannot function anymore. NiceLabel 2017.3 displays a warning message notifying the users about the erroneous situation and suggests a possible solution.

[en] Figure 6: New warning message informing that a vital NiceLabel component does not run

[en] Relative positioning support in NiceLabel allows the objects to dynamically change their position based on the position and/or size of other label objects.

[en] Figure 7: The object can be linked to the position of object from the other label side

[en] With this release, object can change its position based on the object that is located on the opposite label side. A list of available objects to which the current object can be link with now contains objects from both label sides. Each object contains additional label side identifier for easy identification.

[en] The database of stocks (predefined label formats) that ships with NiceLabel now includes new stocks for SATO Horticultural labels. These tags, labels and signs are designed for the horticulture industry to withstand their use in harsh environments, and to be used for several years under most conditions. Stocks for metric and imperial units of measure are part of standard NiceLabel stock collection.

[en] Figure 8: New stocks available for SATO Horticultural labels