File: How to Create Mailing Labels in Version 2.0

ID: Q40765


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft File, version 2.0


SUMMARY

This article explains how to create mailing labels using Microsoft File version 2.0.


MORE INFORMATION

Most mailing labels are 1-inch high, but File 2.0 can accommodate any label height and width. File can also print labels in multiple columns on any page size.

To Create the Form for the Mailing Labels

  1. Start File and create a new data file.


  2. In the Form window, enter the field names First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, and ZIP Code as Text fields by typing the field name and pressing return twice.


  3. From the Form menu, clear the List Helper option. (If List Helper has a check mark beside it, the option is selected or turned on. To clear it, click it.)


  4. Drag the hide line down to the mark on the ruler that corresponds to the height of your mailing labels. (The height of a mailing label is measured from the top edge of one label to the top edge of the next label.)


  5. In the mailing label form, use the mouse to drag and rearrange the fields as desired. Make sure you do not move any of the fields you want to print below the hide line.


  6. Click between the City and State fields and type a comma. You may need to adjust the position and size of the box containing the comma after it is created. Use the mouse to resize the box and drag the box so that it is positioned between the City and State fields.


  7. Now that your form is complete, enter the data for your mailing list. Once all the information has been entered, you are ready to print the labels.


To Print the Mailing Labels

  1. Open the form.


  2. Double-click the first field. Under Style, clear the Border check box. Choose OK. Repeat this step for all the fields (including the comma).


  3. Close the form.


  4. From the File menu, choose Custom Setup.

    1. Enter the width and height of the mailing labels.

      If you are using multiple-column labels, the width is measured from the left edge of one label to the left edge of the next label.

      If you are using single-column labels, the width of the label is measured from the left edge to the right edge of the label.

      The label height is measured from the top edge of one label to the top edge of the next label.


    2. Enter the margin information.

      If you are printing to an ImageWriter, the left margin is measured from the left edge of the label to the perforation, and the margin must be at least 0.25 inch.

      If you are printing to a LaserWriter, the top margin is measured from the top of the first label to the top of the page, and the left margin is measured from the left edge of the label to the left edge of the page. The margins must be at least 0.5 inch.


    3. Enter the number of columns across, and under Compress Blank Space, select both Horizontally and Vertically. Choose OK.




  5. If you are printing to an ImageWriter, choose OK in the ImageWriter dialog box.

    If you are printing to a LaserWriter, in the LaserWriter Page Setup dialog box, select Portrait orientation, select the paper size, and choose OK. The predefined page lengths are:
    
          US Letter                 8.5 by 11 inches
          US Legal                  8.5 by 14 inches
          International Fanfold     8.25 by 12 inches
          A4 Letter                 8.25 by 11 2/3 inches 


  6. If you are printing to an ImageWriter, choose Page Setup from the File menu. Select Portrait orientation, select the paper size, select No Gaps Between Pages, and choose OK.

    (If you are printing to a LaserWriter, this step is unnecessary.)


  7. From the File menu, choose Print Custom. If you are printing to a LaserWriter, choose Print. If you are printing to an ImageWriter, select Best or Faster and then Choose OK.


By using the procedures outlined in this Application Note, you should now be able to set up your data files to print mailing labels. Your mailing labels print in the same order as they are displayed on the computer screen. If you only want to print certain records, use the Find command to find these records. If you want to sort the mailing labels before you print them, use the Sort command.

NOTE: When the No Gaps Between Pages option is selected and top and bottom margins are set to 0 (zero) on the ImageWriter, one blank page is ejected at the start of the print job. Therefore, the first page of labels is wasted (that is, not used). You may want to set the top margin to 1 inch to avoid wasting a page of labels. A 1-inch top margin wastes only one row of labels on each page.

Additional query words: 2.00

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Version : :2.0
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Last Reviewed: October 26, 1999
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