Repeat labels VFP 6

[Phil Thoms]

Hello,
I have created multiple address labels before but now I need to print return address labels which are all the same. My label sheets contain 65 labels, so does this mean that I have to create a database with 65 records OR is there another way of achieving this.

Thanks.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

You define a normal FRX and set detail band dimensions to a label size. In the page layout tab of the report properties you set a number of columns (eg 5) and the records will print on each label, so yes, you'll create 65 records for 65 labels. That's the simplest solution. They'll print from top left to bottom right.

Is there any difficulty to repeat a record for example 10 times? You do an insert in one place, or an APPEND BLANK followed by a REPLACE or GATHER, if you're writing legacy style code. Put that in a loop FOR i = 1 to N .. ENDFOR, and you repeat the same record N times.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Mike Lewis]

I agree with Olaf, except that I would prefer to make it a label file rather than a report. So you only create one label, rather than a whole sheet of them.

It's very easy to create a table with 65 records. You don't even need to put any data in the records, and it doesn't matter what fields it contains. You can place the return address directly in the label file. As long as the 65-record table is selected when you run the labels, you will get 65 of them printed.

You've also got the option of making it a cursor rather than a table, which is slightly easier, because you don't have to worry about cleaning up afterwards, and there is no risk of two users trying to create the same table at the same time.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

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[Olaf Doschke]

Mike,

in an FRX set to a number of columns you also only define one label in the detail band.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Good point, Olaf.

Mike

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Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

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[Phil Thoms]

As I thought plus some very useful information. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

My label sheets contain 65 labels

The challenge you have, regardless if you use a Label or a Report Form, is how to print on the remainder of the Label Stock.

Lets say you did not need to print a full 65 labels.
For discussion sake, lets say that you printed only 27 labels which you then took off the Label stock sheet.
Now you have a sheet with 27 labels missing and 38 still usable.

How do you print on the remaining labels, skipping over where the used ones used to be?
Well, if you know how many labels have been already removed, your ReportData cursor could begin with that many blank records followed by the needed populated records.

Maybe this is a non-issue for your situation, but if so, you might want to consider how you want to handle it.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Olaf Doschke]

I did that feature of choosing a start point for a customer and they use it more seldom, since stuck labels within the printer can cause more costs than the number of labels wasted for not printing full sheets.
Consider doing such prints with full sheets only. The way you describe it sounds like you have lots of labels with your own return address anyway. So just print full sheets on provision and you don't have waste.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Mike Lewis]

It's a good point, JRB. But my understanding is that these labels will be used for a return address, which is presumably always going to be the same. If that's right, he could simply keep the excess labels until next time they are needed.

Then again, depending on how many labels are used in total, it might be more economical to have them pre-printed commercially, or even to have the envelopes pre-printed with the return address. But maybe he's already considered that.

Mike

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Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

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[Phil Thoms]

Hello,
Thanks for your further comments. Mike is correct in saying it is a return label, therefore I would print 1 sheet of 65 which would probably last a month or so and then another when required, leaving no wasted labels or printer jams.