Printing DYMO labels

[wbrells]

Jossi,

I'm hoping to automate the label printing process via a small Python program. Using that approach it seems easier to just close TextMaker via Ctrl-Q (followed by Tab & Enter to keep the original DOCX file from being modified). Then, if the user wishes to print another label, restart TextMaker via the command "C:\Program Files\Softmaker Office 2021\TextMaker.exe" "path to DOCX file". Again, to make life easier for a user, all of the label printing process except for selecting the address record that is too be printed, should (hopefully) be done under program control. I'll let you know how this works out...

Again, thanks for all your help,

Wayne

[wbrells]

Jossi,

I've almost got everything working, but I'm having a problem when I try to include a small graphic (of a mailbox!) on the address label (which is a single-cell table). I'm doing an Insert > Picture > From file and then adjusting the size and angle of the PNG image. I can (sometimes) get the image to show in Print preview, but when actually printing the label on the Dymo printer the image shows up as either a black vertical line or as a gray box! Is there some problem with having a picture inside the cell of a table? If so, is there any way to solve that problem?

Thanks,
Wayne

P.S. One of my problems with Insert recipient (Ctrl-E) was caused because I didn't realize that both the recipient's record and the associated checkbox have to be selected in order to reliably have the proper record inserted. (I had thought the checkbox was sufficient...)

[wbrells]

Jossi,

Problem solved! I had to insert a 2-cell table inside the main label table. I then inserted the PNG image as an embedded object in the first cell of this sub-table and the associated text (the return address) in the other cell of the sub-table. This new 2-cell table only takes up part of the main label, the remainder of which contains the destination address. I've attached a sample label which I'll probably "polish up" a bit... Also, if possible, I'm hoping to add a postal bar code below the address.

Thanks again for your help,
Wayne

[Jossi]

I'm glad the result is now as desired.

Cheers
Jossi

[wbrells]

Jossi,

I know it is unlikely, but is there any way in TextMaker of storing a postal bar code in a database so it might be inserted in an address label?

Thanks,
Wayne

[Jossi]

Wayne,

I'm afraid TextMaker databases can only store text and numbers, no graphics. At least, I didn't find a way.

Sorry,
Jossi

[wbrells]

Josssi,

Apparently a Postal Barcode can be represented by a series of capital letters that can then be transformed into a barcode that is printed via the USPS Bar Code font. The details are a little unclear, but apparently there is add-in for Microsoft Word that allows barcodes to be printed on labels. I'm afraid the complexity of doing this, particularly with TextMaker, makes the printing of barcodes too complicated to consider (and not required by the Post Office).

Wayne

[wbrells]

Jossi,

I think there is a fairly simple way of putting Postnet barcodes on an address label. The smartystreets.com web site provides a service that checks & corrects mailing addresses. That is a useful feature in itself, but as part of this process a so-called delivery_point_barcode value is created. After a minor modification this value can be printed using the free POSTNET true type font to create a Postnet barcode. I've attached an image showing a sample of this process. (Note: I plan to store the modified delivery_point_barcode value as an entry in my CSV datafile that I'm using to print Dymo labels.)

Wayne

[Jossi]

Wayne,

that's a great workaround!

Kudos
Jossi

[wbrells]

Jossi,

All now seems to be well EXCEPT for a TextMaker problem ("bug"?) that I posted as a separate question on this support forum. Specifically, it seems that TextMaker does not recognize the default printer but rather defaults to the last-selected printer! This behavior is making it difficult to automate label printing since I can't programmatically force TextMaker to use the Dymo labeler. This is NOT a problem with PlanMaker - it DOES seem to recognize the default printer...

I haven't received any responses to my question about this, and I just wondered if you might have some thoughts about it?

Many thanks,
Wayne

[Jossi]

Wayne,

AFAIK that's the way TextMaker works. Maybe the SoftMaker support people will have more to say in the other thread.

Cheers
Jossi

[wbrells]

Jossi,

It just seems strange that TextMaker works differently from PlanMaker (and from MS Word)...

Wayne

[martin-k]

Actually, all our applications should behave the same way. Yes, they behave differently in this aspect from Microsoft Office, but that is on purpose.