Auto positioning of text within a box

[hobodog2]

Hello, I am using CD12 and X3.

I have a page 18" x 12" with a grid pattern of boxes that I want to create and/or place text within the boxes - nametags, for example. These nametags will be cut on a laser engraver.

I would like the text to automatically be centered horizontally and vertically within each box so I don't have to go back and align each label within each box.

Is this doable please. thanks for any help. Pete (hobodog2)

[sallybode]

What I would suggest is that you would approach this a merge project, that way you set the data field up once and then you have your source file for your data external to DRAW most often in Excel or Lotus and sometimes Word or Word Perfect.

There are two free videos you can watch on how to use this function in DRAW by Jeff Harrison available at unleash.com. And there is also a free download so you can do all kinds of variable data such as numbered tickets. Although the utility is designed for numbers, I think it could be pursuaded to create what you need. http://www.unleash.com/jeffh/numbering/index.asp

However, you could also create the fields as a custom label in which case you would have many pages of names and then the grid which could be in another file but designed to be able to cut these names apart, to coordinate the two files together. If you chose to use a lable template, there are some you can make custom which would be right up your alley. And then you just copy and paste your text information in the right place and do an over type to correct the name which retains the formatting and position. For example, would make most sense to center stack the lettering, then overtyping would work quite well.

There are often a variety of ways to do any project, you consider the options and choose the one which makes the most sense to you.

There was another thread which was similar and you could find those topics by doing a search in TalkGraphics. That is located on the blue horizontal toolbar.

[hobodog2]

Sally, thanks very much for the information. I think the merge is what I need and I will check that out. I have thought of using that before, but never took the time to learn it. And the link you provided led to some interesting add-ons for Draw. Thanks again. Pete

[sallybode]

There are other topics under "merge" also at unleash.com. Foster has written some tutorials and they are available for a nominal fee. Any and all tutorials I've done from that site I've paid for have been well-worth the money.