Printing narrow 2-up Dymo labels, etc...

[Fred Boer]

Hello all!

Now, it might help if I make a confession first... I've never enjoyed
making reports and labels. I've mostly used the wizards, gratefully
accepting the defaults wherever possible, and then I scurry back to working
with forms (now *they* are fun!) as soon as possible... I've always found
reports (and especially labels!) rather trying, so my skills are
particularly weak in this area! <g> (And no wisecracks about how weak they
are elsewhere, either!)
My question(s) involve using a Dymo label printer (LabelWriter 330
Turbo), to print labels from my library database. I have managed, (mostly by
flailing away uncomprehendingly until it worked), to create barcode labels
for book circulation, and spine labels for books.
My problem involves creating labels for the spines of Talking Book
cases. (Talking books are recorded books on cassette tapes.) These cassettes
are are stored in plastic holders/cases. The spines of these cases are about
half an inch wide. I want to create labels which I can apply to the sides of
these containers. These labels will have the author's name and title on
them, so that shelved books are identifiable at a glance. The only Dymo
labels thin enough are 2-up file folder labels, 14 mm x 87 mm. So, I want to
print the author on the first of the two labels, and the title on the
second.

1. Has anyone ever used these with Access? I've spend two days, and
still haven't come close to creating a label that works... I am floundering
with margin sizes, layout issues, column and row sizes, and more... In
particular, I have a situation where a label has been created, and it
contains the appropriate text, but it stops halfway across the width of the
label. Setting margins to zero, changing every conceivable number
innumerable times has no effect. It just stubbornly refuses to place text
more than half way across... Usually, my changes are ignored and replaced
with other numbers automatically.
2. I would like to have a process which would, for a single record,
print the author on one of the 2-up labels and the title on the other one,
i.e. two fields from the same record, rather than one field from two
records. Possible?

Thanks for any suggestions...

Fred Boer

 

[Fred Boer]

Ok... taking a smaller chunk... I get an error message which says (roughly):
"The margins overlap or they are off the paper. Enter a different margin
size." I try entering different numbers, but on closing the dialogue box,
the numbers I have entered are ignored and replaced with the previous
numbers. What is causing Access to ignore the changes I make? I *know* that
I need to change the margins, but the program won't *let* me... sigh..

Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred!

Shot in the dark here.
Multi-column report here??

Access as polite as possible is saying, "Fred, I'm adding
the width of the x columns together AND the margin widths
(both sides) and getting a number greater than the size of
the paper."

(I think)

Example on a single column report:
Page Setup screen:
Margins - Left = .5 inches
Margins - Right = .5 inches
Page - Size = Letter (8/12 x 11) Portrait Style
Columns - Number of Columns = 1
Columns - Width = 7.5 inches

So Access goes, "OK, I have one column multiplied by 7.5
inch width equals 7.5. Now add that to the width of the
right and left margins and I equal 8.5 inches. I'm happy."

Now take an example of a two column report that can't fit:
Margins - Left = .5 inches
Margins - Right = .5 inches
Page - Size = Letter (8/12 x 11) Portrait Style
Columns - Number of Columns = 2
Columns - Width = 4 inches

So Access goes, "OK, I have two columns multiplied by 4
inch width equals 8. Now add that to the width of the
right and left margins and I equal 9 inches. NOT happy."

You also need to make sure your Detail section width of
the report does not exceed the width you specified in the
Column Width area.

Probably not telling you anything you don't already know,
but I hope that helps a little.

Jeff Conrad
Bend, Oregon

 

[Fred Boer]

Hi Jeff!

You are telling me lots that I don't know.. As I said, I know next to
nothing about reports...

I have to go away and read what you've written here, but an immediate
question:
You say:

You also need to make sure your Detail section width of
the report does not exceed the width you specified in the
Column Width area.

So is the "Detail section width" the width of the gray area I drop controls
on? Right? And I set the column width in the "Page Setup" dialogue boxes?
Pretend you are helping your sweet aunt Edna create a report! <g>

Also... it seems almost invariably true that Access is setting one of the
margins to a big number - and it refuses to change that number no matter how
much I scream at it...

Off to do the reading...

Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred,

You are telling me lots that I don't know.. As I said, I
know next to nothing about reports...

I have to go away and read what you've written here, but
an immediate question:
You say:

So is the "Detail section width" the width of the gray
area I drop controls on? Right?

Yes, for the most part. You can also drop controls onto
the Page Header, Page Footer, Detail section, as well as
many Sorting/Grouping Headers/Footers, but I digress.

The width of the "gray area" as you say is determined by
right-clicking the tiny box in the upper left corner to
get to the REPORT'S Properties. There is a line in the
report's properties that says "Width." That gives you the
exact number. You can adjust the width here or manually by
using the mouse pointed at the edge of the gray area. You
can use the ruler at the top as a guide as well.

And I set the column width in the "Page Setup" dialogue
boxes?

Yes, there is also a checkbox on the column tab that
says "Same as Detail." But, make sure your detail section
is the correct width if you check that!

Pretend you are helping your sweet aunt Edna create a
report! <g>

Aunt Edna at this point would be saying, "We didn't have
any of this fancy-smancy techno mumbo-jumbo......"

Also... it seems almost invariably true that Access is
setting one of the margins to a big number - and it
refuses to change that number no matter how
much I scream at it...

That's odd.
Which margin to be exact and what is the number?
This may be because of the paper size you selected???
I don't have any familiarity with the label printer you
are using.

Jeff Conrad
Bend, Oregon

 

[Fred Boer]

Hi Jeff!

Yes, there is also a checkbox on the column tab that
says "Same as Detail." But, make sure your detail section
is the correct width if you check that!

Yes, I have this checked. and the size is right off of the box of labels.
Confirmed with a measuring stick!

"Time for your medicine now Aunt Edna." <g>

That's odd.
Yup

Which margin to be exact and what is the number?

Well, it depends on how I orient the label. However, as an example: I am
using a two-up label (two labels immediately beside each other, each label
9/16ths x 3 7/16ths (14 mm x 87 mm). So, about .5 inches x 3.5 inches.
Access insists on setting the right margin of the label to just over 2
inches.. and it won't take no for an answer!

This may be because of the paper size you selected???

Maybe. In creating page setup, I choose the label printer, and it pops up
with a dialogue box that lists all of its standard label format. The label I
am using is listed, but changing it has no effect. After leaving the
dialogue box, it is reset to a different label size.

I don't have any familiarity with the label printer you
are using.

And I am getting *way* too familiar with it! Grr.. Now, to add insult to
injury, the software that came with the printer can do a mail merge with my
access tables and print out exactly what I need! But (insert whiny voice) I
want to make Access do it!!!

Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred,

Sorry for the delay, got real busy in the afternoon.
I'll try and work on this in the morning.

Jeff Conrad
Bend, Oregon

 

[Fred Boer]

No problem, Jeff... I won't be able to get to it myself until lunchtime
today anyway. I'm going to try ignoring the Dymo printer, and just try to
create the appropriately sized labels using the HP Laserjet as the
printer...

cheers!
Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred,

Can you fill in the blanks here for me so I can test on
this machine?

Page Setup Screen:

Margins Tab:
Margin - Top =
Margin - Bottom =
Margin - Left =
Margin - Right =

Page Tab:
Orientation =
Paper Size =
Source =
Printer for Report =

Columns Tab:
Number Of Columns =
Row Spacing =
Column Spacing =
Column Size - Width =
Column Size - Height =
Same As Detail Checkbox =
Column Layout =

The width of your report by going to the Properties area
of the report itself =

Thanks,
Jeff Conrad
Bend, Oregon

 

[Fred Boer]

Hi Jeff!

Well, I *could* fill in that info, but I don't need to... I solved the
problem! <g>

Here's the longwinded (and hopefully clear) answer:

It was one of those "conceptual" problems. I was confused about what a
"column" was with respect to 2-up printing. I assumed that since I was using
2-up labels, I was dealing with one label with 2 "columns" (wrong), rather
than two completely separate labels (correct).

In my own defence....if you look at the "Page setup" dialogue box, and set
the number of columns to "2", the diagram at the bottom is enabled and
allows you to select whether to go across and then down or vice versa. Well,
that was exactly what I *expected* that I needed to do, so I just *knew*
that the number of columns had to be 2. I was wrong. As far as the Access
and the Dymo printer are concerned, I am printing a single column label, and
*the printer* deals with the fact that the labels are 2-up.

So, my bad...

Now, solving *this* problem leaves me with my *second* issue... and I'm not
sure if this needs its own thread:

How do I set manage the printing process so that rather than printing the
same field from two *records* per page, I can make the printer print two
fields from the *same* record? Do you see what I mean? Any ideas?

Anyway, many thanks for your willingness to help! I really appreciate it!

Fred

 

[Fred Boer]

Well, both problems are solved now...

Dealing with problem two was quite simple, in the end (after much stress and
strain!<g>). The answer was to design a *report*, not a label. The page size
of the report was set to be the same length but twice the width of the
narrow labels. Now the computer and printer *think* they are printing on one
"big" label, but they are actually printing on two "small" labels. The
report has the two required fields (author and title) positioned so that
when printed, the title falls completely within the first label and the
author falls within the second label.

Thanks to Jeff Conrad for his kind help!

Cheers!
Fred