Add text, image or bar code frames

You can create documents with variable data. The variable data is retrieved from an external data source.

• Text frames

  For each text frame, you can use static text in combination with the variable data. You can use the variable data in multiple frames. The settings of each frame are valid for all rows in the data source. A frame can be positioned partially outside the page. For example, to use variable data on [Bleed tabs].

  You can add multiple text frames to the same page.

• Bar code frames

  You can create multiple bar codes each containing different information and you can create page ranges. You can assign a bar code to each page range. In this way, you can process each page range differently on your finishers.

  You can also add multiple bar codes to the same page when you use multiple finishers. Each finisher requires its own bar code to automate the post-printing actions. For example: you use a perfect binder and a 3-side trimmer to create books.

  You can generate bar codes from:

  • Variable data retrieved from an external data source. You can use static text in combination with the variable data.

  • A counter in combination with static text and the print date and print time.

  The settings of the bar code frame are valid for all rows of the data source or the counter. The bar code is never clipped to fit the bar code frame.

• Image frames

  Create an image frame to display variable images retrieved from an external data source.

  You can add multiple image frames to the same page.

Content of this topic

The specific settings for each type of frame are described in the chapters "Content" and "Bar code settings":

• Content for the text, image and bar code frames

• Bar code settings for the bar code frames

Then, the generic settings are described, for example, the size and position of a frame.

Add a frame

You can define the frame when you have selected a data source or created a counter.

1. Select tool [Select area with rectangle].

   You can draw a selection rectangle using your mouse. The selected area is visible by a dotted line around the selected area.

2. Click [Variable data]. Add a text, image, or barcode frame.

   Define the frame settings, see the chapters in this topic for the descriptions of the settings.

3. Click [OK].

   The frame is added to the document on top of the page content. The frame is added on top of any existing frames.

If you select another data source after the frames are defined, the frames remain valid when:

1. The new data source type is identical to the used data source type.

2. The new data source contains the same fields as used in the frames.

3. The field types in the new data source are identical to the field types in the used data source.

Content

• Use variable images for image frames:

  Setting	Description
  [Field]	The drop-down list contains the available column headers of the selected data source. Select one or more column headers from the data source. For each selected row, the variable data is taken from each field of the selected column. The variable data is printed on the master document. You can use fields of type: Image NOTE If you select a field type other than "Image", a red cross is displayed in the frame in the preview view. The image field must contain: The name of the image. The absolute path to the image or the path relative to the image folder. Images of type BMP, GIF, TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG and EPS are supported.
  [Image folder]	Click the [Browse...] button. Browse to the image folder. You can define one image folder per image frame. NOTE If you select a folder that does not contain images, a red cross is displayed in the frame in the preview view.
  [Transparency]	You can define the transparency of the image.

• Use the variable data or the counter in combination with static text for text frames and barcode frames:

  Setting	Description
  [Insert field]	The drop-down list contains the available column headers of the selected data source. Select one or more column headers from the data source. For each selected row, the variable data is taken from each field of the selected column. The variable data is printed on the master document. You can use fields of type: String Number Date and time
  [Insert row number]	You can add the number of each row in the data source to the variable data. [Number format] Select the format for the row numbers. [Insert total number of rows] Select this option to add the total number of rows of the data source to the row numbering. The row number is displayed as: <current row number>/<total number of rows>. [Number of digits] You can define a fixed number of digits to express the row number. Leading zeros are used to pad the row number. If the defined number of digits is too small to express the number of rows, the actual number of rows is used.
  [Format number]	This button is available when you select a field of type "number". [Integer digits] You can define a minimum number of digits to express the numbers from the selected field(s). Leading zeros are used to pad the number. If the defined number of digits is too small to express the number, the actual number from the field is used. [Decimal digits] You can define the number of digits displayed behind the [Decimal separator]. You can define the [Decimal separator] and the [Thousands separator].
  [Format date/time]	This button is available when you select a field of type "date/time". You can define the [Time format] and the [Date format].
  [Insert "Print date/time"]	You can add the print date and print time as a stamp to the variable data. Click [Format date/time] define the [Time format] and the [Date format].
  [Insert counter]	This button is available when one or more counters are available. Select the counter that you want to use from the drop-down list and click OK. The counter is added to the text field. You can configure the font and text attributes for each counter.
  [Remove lines with empty fields]	A line of text in the frame can contain only one field from the data source. An empty line is displayed when the value in the data source is empty. Enable this option to remove the empty line from the variable data document. The lines below the empty line are moved up. If a line consists of more than one field, the line is removed only if all fields are empty. This option does not remove an empty line created by the operator. For example, the operator can add an empty line in the frame by pressing the "Enter" button. Example Business cards can display a fax number. Enable this option to remove the line containing the fax number when the concerning field has no value.
  Text	The text in the text box is added to the frame. Click [Insert field] to insert one or more fields from the data source. You can also type text directly in the text box. You can configure the font and text attributes at character level for fixed text and for each field. The [VDP] workspace does not offer automatic font detection. You must determine yourself which font is used in the master document. The [VDP] workspace does not offer a color picker. You must determine yourself which color is used in the master document. You can define the transparency of the text.

Bar code settings

• Readability of the bar code

  Four settings ensure the readability of the bar code: checksum for [1D bar code] or error correction for [2D bar code], minimum size of the bar code, quiet zone and resolution.

  • Quiet zone

    In bar code technology, a quiet zone is the blank margin on either side of a bar code that's used to tell the bar code reader where a bar code's symbology starts and stops. The purpose of a quiet zone is to prevent the reader from picking up information that does not pertain to the bar code that is being scanned. The blank margin will not send a scanning signal, hence the name "quiet".

    The horizontal and vertical margins form the non-printable area, or quiet zone, around the bar code. The default value is 3 mm. When the bar code is rotated, the minimum values for the quiet zone are rotated accordingly.

    • [1D bar code]

      A 1D bar code should have a quiet zone of at least 6 mm on each horizontal side and at least 1.6 mm on each vertical side.

    • [2D bar code]

      A 2D bar code should have a quiet zone of at least 2 mm on each side.

  • [Resolution]

    The default value for the resolution is 300. Possible values: 300 or 600. An unsupported value is ignored and 300 is used instead.

Configure the bar code:

Pages

You can create page ranges to specify bar codes with different information per page range. In this way, you can process each page range differently on your finishers. To create a page range, select value [Selected] for option [Pages]. Select the pages to which you want to add the frames:

Use multiple bar codes per sheet range where each bar code can contain different information. In this way, you can process each sheet range differently on offline finishers

• To select a page range: select a page in the structure view, press the <Shift> key, then select another page.

• To select non-sequential pages: select a page in the structure view, press the <Ctrl> key, then select several non-sequential pages.

Colors for the borders and the fill

1. Click [Edit] to select the border color of the frame.

2. You can define the line of the border.

Size and position of the frame

• You can define the width and height of the frame.

  You can also change the size of the frame with your mouse in the [Preview] view.

• [Horizontal shift] / [Vertical shift]

  You can define the exact position of the frame on the page(s).

  You cannot rotate the frame.

Scale and position

1. You can scale the image or barcode within the frame:

2. • [None]

   • [Fit to frame]

     The barcode is scaled up or down to fit the frame.

   • [Shrink to frame]

     The barcode is scaled down if the barcode is larger than the frame. The barcode is not scaled up.

   Option [Keep ratio] enabled: The barcode is scaled relative to its original size.

3. Use the arrows or the central dot to position the image or barcode in the frame.