Dynamically Changing

Objects at Print Time

using VB Script
Using BarTenders Document-Level
Scripts to Change Text, Barcode,
and other Objects at Print-Time
The World's Leading Software for
Label, Barcode, RFID & Card Printing
White Paper
Page 2
Contents
Overview ............................................................................................ 3
Object Automation ............................................................................ 3
Programmatically Modifying Label Object Properties ............................... 3
Document-Level VB Script Support ................................................ 3
List of New Document-Level Events ........................................................... 4
On-the-fly Modification of Object Properties .................................. 4
Support for Data-Sourced VB Script ........................................................... 5
Sample Document......................................................................................... 5
White Paper: Dynamically Changing Objects at Print Time using VB Script
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Overview
By combining two features, Object Automation and Document-Level VB Script
Support (both introduced in version 9.3 and described below), you can create labels
that dynamically change the appearance of objects during a print job depending on
the data being printed.
Object Automation
When we talk about automating BarTender, we refer to the general process of
controlling BarTender from within other software. When we talk about object
automation, we are referring more specifically to the process of manipulating
individual objects on the label, such as barcodes and text. This is in contrast to
application automation functions, such as loading a label format or printing it.
Programmatically Modifying Label Object Properties
BarTenders automation commands to support changing an objects position, size,
color, and visibility under programmatic control. These commands can be issued
from inside BarTender using VB Script or issued from outside of BarTender using
our ActiveX Automation interface. This interface lets you change properties like:
Position
Color
Size
Visibility
Font
For full documentation on all object properties, see the Automating BarTender
section in the BarTender online help system.
Document-Level VB Script Support
BarTender supports the execution of VB Script in response to a variety of document-
level events, including open, close, save and a variety of print-time events. You can
call the Object Automation functions from within this VB Script to programmatically
modify BarTender label objects before and even during print jobs. To access the
document-level VB Script, select Label Format Options from the File menu, and
view the VB Scripting tab.
White Paper: Dynamically Changing Objects at Print Time using VB Script
Page 4
List of New Document-Level Events
The VB Scripting tab provides access to the VB Script assistant where you can
define scripts for the following document-level events:
OnOpen
Executed when the document is opened.
OnClose
Executed when the document is closed.
OnSave
Executed when the document is saved.
OnPrintJobStart
Executed when the document is begins printing.
OnNewRecord
Executed during printing, each time a new record is read from the database.
This is the event that will most often be used to change objects during the
middle of a print job.
OnSerialize
Executed during printing, each time there is an opportunity for a serial number
to change.
OnIdenticalCopy
Executed during printing, each before every label that is printed, even
identical copies.
OnPrintJobEnd
Executed when the printing of the document ends normally.
OnPrintJobCancel
Executed when the printing of the document is canceled.
On-the-fly Modification of Object Properties
A common use case for this feature would be to change objects in response to the
data coming from a database. In this case you would write a script for the
OnNewRecord event. You could change the color of a text object, depending on
whether or not a warning condition was indicated. For example, you could write the
following script for the OnNewRecordEvent.
Set Notice = Objects(Notice Text)
If (Field(Condition) = Warning) Then
Notice.TextColor = btColor.Red
Else
Notice.TextColor = btColor.Green
End If
White Paper: Dynamically Changing Objects at Print Time using VB Script
Page 5
If you wanted to have a field in your database contain the name of a color like red
or yellow, you could use the code below to set the color of an object.
Objects(Box 1).FillColor = BtColor.FromName(Field(Color))
You can hide or show objects based the data that is printed. You can either use an
objects Visible property, or you can simply move it on or off of the design area,
using its X and Y properties. For example:
Set RedBar = Objects(Red Bar)
If (Field(Weight) >= 50) Then
RedBar.PrintVisibility = True
Else
RedBar.PrintVisibility = False
End If
Support for Data-Sourced VB Script
You can even feed VB Script into BarTender from external sources, such as a
database or a program that is controlling BarTender. For example, you could have a
field in a database contain VB Script code. Then, when BarTender reads the data
record that contains that field, VB Script code in BarTender can use the VB
Execute statement or the Eval function to execute the imported VB Script code.
This could be done to let a field in a database source the color for an object on the
label. For example, if you had a field in your database that was supposed to contain
the color for a line object, you could use the following code to treat that field as VB
Script code.
Objects(Condition Bar).LineColor = Eval(Field(Condition Color))
Then the Condition Color field in your database could contain values like
BtColor.FromRGB(255,0,0) or BtColor.Red.
Sample Document
The GHS_Demo.btw file that is installed with BarTender is a good example of a VB
Script that changes objects size, color, and moves them on and off of the design
area to control visibility.




Version: 2012-09-12 15:00 Copyright 2012 Seagull Scientific, Inc.

Available Seagull White Papers
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The Advantage of Drivers by Seagull
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Printer Maestro: True Enterprise Print Management for Windows
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Whats New in the Latest BarTender
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Using BarTender with Remote Desktop Services and Citrix XenApp
Integration with Oracle's WMS and MSCA
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Integration with SAP
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Weighing Scales
Dynamically Changing Objects at Print Time using VB Script
GHS Compliance Labeling
Licensing for BarTender's Automation Editions
Printing International Characters Using BarTender
BarTender Software Activation
Using BarTender's Application Identifier Wizard
Optimizing Output Performance
Status Monitor Overview
Silent Install
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