Modifying Text Boxes

To use the print personalization feature, you first define text areas, caption text areas, and/or OMR response grids as variable data placeholders, and then use the Merge Wizard to link them to specific fields in your database file. You can then print your documents with your laser printer, using the Merge Wizard Printing function. The variable data from the database record is printed in the appropriate area; text characters are printed in the text or caption text areas, OMR response grids are pre-slugged with the appropriate data.

The overall process for implementing the print personalization feature is shown in the figure below. This example shows an OMR response grid with a caption above it; the response grid is available only in OMR documents. Click a step in the diagram below to learn more about it.

NOTE: Scantron DesignExpert software does not support print personalization (merge printing), including pre-printing, pre-slugging, and bar coding, for continuous forms, multi-parts, or finished booklets. Merge printing can, in some cases, be performed with booklet pages before the booklet is bound.

Database file types supported by Scantron DesignExpert software are:

• Comma Separated Text - Windows comma delimited file that contains ASCII text with each field separated by a comma. By convention, the extension .csv is used for this file type when you perform a Save As in a program such as a word processor, database, or spreadsheet. You may use a comma separated text file that is in the correct format, but has a different extension, or no extension. The first record MUST contain the database field names used by the Merge Wizard. The names can appear in any order.
• Tab Delimited Text - Windows tab delimited file that contains ASCII text with each field separated by a TAB character. By convention, the extension .txt is used for this file type when you perform a Save As in a program such as a word processor, database, or spreadsheet. You may use a tab delimited text file that is in the correct format, but has a different extension, or no extension. The first record MUST contain the database field names used by the Merge Wizard. The names can appear in any order.
• Microsoft Excel - This file type is from the Microsoft Excel program and has the extension .xls. Use of the "Text" data type is recommended.

TIP: See Merge Wizard Overview for additional information about Microsoft Excel database support, including our recommendation to convert Excel files to either comma separated or tab delimited text files.

• Microsoft Access - This file type is from the Microsoft Access program and has the extension .mdb.

Record numbering is supported via the Merge Wizard database interface for any database type. Specify it using the Merge Wizard Setup Record Numbers dialog. Apply record numbering as a number or as a bar code and as a pre-slugged OMR response grid. Use Caption text as a record number merge field for numbers and bar codes.

Serial numbering is supported via the Merge Wizard database interface, although a database file is not actually used during the operation. Serial numbers are generated according to values you specify on the Merge Wizard Setup Serial Numbers dialog. Apply serial numbering as a number or as a bar code and as a pre-slugged OMR response grid. Use caption text as a serial number merge field for numbers and bar codes.

Print personalization is supported for cut sheets in all Scantron DesignExpert software document types. Features vary somewhat between document types:

• For OMR documents printed at Scantron Print Services

  Load your documents into your local laser printer and print the variable data in the appropriate text, caption text, and/or OMR response grid areas, using the Merge Wizard.

  The printed document can be a stock form or a custom-designed one that was printed at Scantron.

  As an alternative, you can send your database files to the printing facility, and Scantron Print Services will print the variable data onto the appropriate form. Files printed at Scantron Print Services also use additional file types, Scantron DesignExpert underlay (.deu) and Scantron DesignExpert overlay (.deo). These file types enable you to protect the design for the printed base form in an underlay, while using flexible overlays to control the print personalization.

• For OMR documents printed with the PrintFlex option

  Load your plain paper into your local laser printer and print the entire document, including variable data, in the appropriate text, caption text, and/or OMR response grid areas, using the Merge Wizard.

• For OMR Laser Printer Only documents

  Use Scantron DesignExpert stock form number 103188 or 265914 as your paper stock. Load it into your local laser printer and you can print both the fixed shapes of the Scantron DesignExpert document and the variable data from the database records in one pass.

• For OMR Laser Printer Only documents printed with the PrintFlex option

  Use plain paper. Load it into your local laser printer and you can print both the fixed shapes of the Scantron DesignExpert document and the variable data from the database records in one pass.

Print personalization is supported in Text and Caption Text fields and in OMR response grids. Features vary somewhat between them.

• Text

  Variable text fields can be added to Text and linked to your database via the Merge Wizard.

  The variable text placeholder is {VARIABLE_field}, where "field" is a name of your choosing. For example, {VARIABLE_student} or {VARIABLE_customer}.

  One or more variable text placeholders can be embedded within a text block. For example, you can insert a name from your database into a paragraph.

  A variable text placeholder can be the only text within a text block. For example, you can print an entire text block from your database.

  Merge text style controls can be applied in your database to enable you to vary font, color, style, and so forth on a sheet by sheet basis. See Modifying Text Styles.

• Caption Text

  Caption Text can be defined as a variable text field and linked to your database via the Merge Wizard. For example, {Name}. Note that the field name is enclosed in braces.

  Caption Text can be defined as a serial number field controlled via the Merge Wizard. For example, [Serial]. Note that the field name is enclosed in square brackets.

  Caption Text can be defined as a record number field controlled via the Merge Wizard. For example, <Record>. Note that the field name is enclosed in angle brackets.

  A Code 39 bar code font can be used for a variable text, serial number, or record number field if the information merged from your database must be interpreted by a bar code reader.

  Merge text style controls can be applied in your database to enable you to vary font, color, style, and so forth on a sheet by sheet basis. See Modifying Text Styles.

• OMR Response Grids

  OMR response grids can be defined as pre-slug fields and linked to your database via the Merge Wizard so that response bubbles are automatically marked during printing.

Scantron DesignExpert supports the following Merge Data Types:

• Numeric (0-9)
• Alpha, no space (A-Z)
• Alphanumeric (Space, A-Z, Special Characters)
• Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) (1-2-4-8-P)
• Binary/Litho-code
• 1-Digit Response (1-9)
• 2-Digit Response (01-99)

There is no Merge Data Type for custom response designators and special character pre-slugging. However, standard Merge Data Types and your database can be adapted for this purpose. See Creating a Response Grid using the Grid Wizard or Modifying Response Grids for additional information.

When text style for a merge field is controlled by the merge field placeholder on your form, the appearance of text printed on every form is the same. For example, if a merge field on your form is defined as Times New Roman, 14 point, then text merge printed on every form for this field will be Times New Roman, 14 point:

See Modifying Text Boxes or Modifying Caption Text for details on setting text attributes on placeholders.

When text style for a merge field is controlled by a tag in the merge database, the appearance of text printed on each form can differ.

Text Style Control attributes include Bold, Italic, Underline, Font and Size, Color and Screen percentage:

These controls can be applied singly or in any combination. For example,

NOTE: Merge field (placeholder) text attributes Bold, Italic, and Underline override text attribute tags in your database. For example, if your merge field is Bold, your printed text will be Bold even if the <Bold/> tag is not included in your database.

The following chart displays the available text attributes, the tag for each attribute, an example of how the tag is applied in the database for a merge field called "Name" and an example of what the printed results will be with the application of this tag. An explanation of tag formatting requirements follows.

Tag Formatting Requirements

• Tags are case sensitive, as shown in the chart above.
• Tag syntax is as shown in the chart above.

Display Tag Formatting

If you need to print a tag that is included in your database, place the tag <Escape> before and after the tag to be printed. For example:

Database Example	Printed Result
<Bold/><Escape><Bold/><Escape> Name	<Bold/> Allan Barnes

• The Merge Wizard and the MergePrint Utility support Merge Text Style Control with all Scantron DesignExpert supported database types.

TIP: See Merge Wizard Overview for additional information about Microsoft Excel database support, including our recommendation to convert Excel files to either comma separated or tab delimited text files.

Text and caption text box sizes are fixed in your design. If you are merge printing either type of text, make sure that the text box is large enough to fit the largest amount of text you expect to merge from your database. If the box is too small, the text that doesn’t fit will be truncated.

CAUTION: If you are merge printing caption text or paragraph text that will be read with the optional RealTime Character Recognition component of Scantron ScanTools Plus software, see ScanTools Help for font recommendations.