User manual

137
Designing Labels
Working with Variable Data
11/29/2011 13857L-003
Using Text File Wizard
Text File Wizard
When the input database file is a plain ASCII text file or formatted CSV (Comma Separated
Val ue s),
Text File Wizard will be started within Database Wizard and it will guide you through
the steps of text data acquire. The main difference between a real database and a text file is in
their data structure information. Databases include all information about their fields (names,
data format, length) and can be automatically used with the application. Text files, on the other
hand, do not have such information, and you will have to instruct the application on how the
data is encoded.
When the Text File Wizard finishes, it will return control to the Database Wizard that will
guide you the rest of the way.
Choose a Data Type
Before you can use text file, you will have to define its data structure. Fields can be delimited
by a separator (tab, semicolon, comma, or some entirely user-defined separator) or can be of a
fixed length.
Figure 72 • Database Wizard –Choosing Data Type
Choose
Delimited, if you know that data fields are separated with a special character. File
preview at the bottom of the dialog box can be helpful if you do not know exactly how the data
is organized.