How to Duplicate Varying Number of Labels Per Record

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0
• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6
• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6

SUMMARY

While article Q106030, "How to Print Multiple Copies of the Same Label", describes a method to produce a fixed number of duplicate labels, this article addresses those situations where the number of times each label is to be duplicated must vary.

MORE INFORMATION

This example uses the following files:

   XLABEL.DBF - label data records with an additional count field (DUP)
   DUPLIX.DBF - database that holds the duplicated records; recreated each
                session
   DUPLABEL.LBX (and .LBT) - label layout form referencing DUPLIX fields
   DUPLABEL.PRG - program that fills DUPLIX database with duplicates

1. Create (or modify) the data file (XLABEL.DBF) structure to contain a numeric field (DUP) that will hold the number that indicates how many times each label is to be copied.

2. To create DUPLIX, issue this command:

         CREATE duplix
   

   DUPLIX contains those fields from XLABEL.DBF that will be used by the label form. If you want all the fields, issue the following commands, and then remove the count field DUP from the DUPLIX structure:

         USE XLABEL
         COPY STRUCTURE to DUPLIX
   

3. Issue the following command, using the fields found in DUPLIX:

         CREATE LABEL DUPLABEL
   

   In Visual FoxPro, add the DUPLIX table to the Data Environment of the label.

4. Issue the MODIFY COMMAND DUPLABEL command, and then enter the following code:

         SET TALK OFF
   

         * Open databases.
         IF USED('DUPLIX')
            SELECT duplix
         ELSE
            USE duplix
         ENDIF
         SELECT 0
         IF USED('XLABEL')
            SELECT xlabel
         ELSE
            USE xlabel
         ENDIF
   
         * Create blank merge file.
         SET SAFETY OFF
         SET TEXTMERGE TO hold
         SET SAFETY ON
         SET TEXTMERGE ON NOSHOW
   
         * Cycle through labels, outputting each to the HOLD file
         * for the number of times stated in XLABEL.DUP field.
         SCAN
            FOR i=1 TO xlabel.dup
               \\<<xlabel.co>><<xlabel.contact>><<xlabel.addr>>
               \
            ENDFOR
         ENDSCAN
         * NOTE: The double backslash prevents an initial carriage return,
         * which would result in the first label being blank when printed.
   
         * Close the merge file.
         SET TEXTMERGE OFF
         SET TEXTMERGE TO
   
         * Prepare the DUPLIX database to receive the new labels.
         SELECT duplix
         SET SAFETY OFF
         ZAP
         SET SAFETY ON
   
         * Add in the new labels to the blank DUPLIX database.
         APPEND FROM hold.txt TYPE SDF
   
         * Send out the labels.
         LABEL FORM duplabel PREVIEW