Full Version: Import Text (Names)

From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#1]
 25 Jul 2006
To: ALL

All;

The attached macro (ImportText) simply reads lines from a text file (with CR/LF) and inserts them in the current CorelDraw document using the selected text object format.

The user selects the text object, runs the macro, browses for the text file, selects the offset distances (spacing between names), and the number of rows and columns. The user can also elect to insert the longest text string (name) from the file into the selected text object to adjust the frame size accordingly. The macro must be exited to make changes to the text object frame or text properties.

This is NOT a replacment for print merge. Hopefully, it will be only one of the available tools for facilitating data entry. There is a hard coded limit of 500 names. Let me know if you don't think 500 is adequate.

If you need macro installation instructions or help creating a command button for a macro, please see: 4368.1

NOTE: USE THIS MACRO AT YOUR OWN RISK! I have been using this macro on CorelDraw v12 for several weeks and have not experienced any problems.

Comments/flames are always appreciated.

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From: logojohn [#2]
 30 Jul 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#1] 30 Jul 2006

This ones works great for one changing line at a time.
It can be used in combination with your copy xy macro to
also do the non-changing objects/text.

You have to run it again for a second changing line.

Your replace tabs for putting excel tabed exports on separate lines
works great. I had several two column files that worked great.

I got an excel file with 6 columns and it also worked on that.

Sometimes when copying the text from coreldraw to a .txt file, it
puts it on a separate line but puts 3 square boxes at the end
of the first column or every other line of the .txt file. It is not visible in coreldraw.

If you delete it, it will put the second line back with the first line.

Sometimes if you copy/paste between doc types a couple times the boxes disappear without doing it manually.

These are very time saving things and are a hugh benefit. People will eventually thank you when they realize how powerful they are or get enough business where every minute saved in unnecessay busywork is money in their pocket.

I thank you now as it has saved me time already.


.


.

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#3]
 30 Jul 2006
To: logojohn [#2] 31 Jul 2006

You're very welcome.

You lost me in the 3 paragraphs starting with the paragraph that begins: "Sometimes when copying the text from coreldraw to a .txt file,...". Are you copying (exporting) the text that was imported into CorelDraw using my ImportText macro? Those boxes are most likely TABs, CRs, and/or LFs (ie non-printing characters) that are introduced somewhere. I would guess that they are introduced at the beginning of the process, but I could be wrong. How did you create the original TXT file?

Yes, the macros are great time-savers, even when you consider the time spent developing the macros. In addition to time-savings, cut-n-pasting data should also cut down on transposing errors. Hopefully, the original data files are accurate, otherwise, GIGO (garbage in, garbage out).

Have you had a chance to evaluate the Cut-n-Paste macro that I e-mailed to you last week? I realize you had an EXTREMELY busy week, according to your posts to the forum!

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From: logojohn [#4]
 31 Jul 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#3] 31 Jul 2006

I am not using the Import Macro for that. After the replace tabs macro puts the text on different lines in coreldraw, I want to copy and paste it into a simple notepad text file. I started a new notepad file and selected the text from coreldraw. I may have just thought of a better way. If I just export a .txt file from coreldraw it looks like it does not copy the extra boxes and is easier than trying to select longs lists of text.

I laser most things from Xenetech software. I copy the text from notepad and paste it into Xenetech. Some bigger items I may have to paste only one individual item at a time. Others I may need a certain quantity to fit on a big piece of material or individual items laid out on the placement grid.
The new laser will let you also paste a list of names for things that
will be lasered in the same location, one after another on different items. You can send them to the laser all at once and just hit the start button after putting in the new item.

I am having to use coreldraw more now for sublimation and soon for OEM laser transfers as Xenetech only supports common text colors which is why the macros in addition to the replace tabs are so helpful.

Before I only used coreldraw for recreating low resolution logos.

Copying text directly from corel draw to xenetech is to clumsy . . .
Takes too long to open the program.
Harder to select specific text especially multiple lines.
When using the scroll wheel to zoom or the mouse to pan the window
it can zoom out to Pluto or go move way off the page.
Is there a setting that makes the zoom out only go as big as the page and not scroll beyond the page edge and not have the page move while you are working on things unless you move the scroll bar? I have always found that to be a major nuisance. I know there is a zoom to page but then any of the above makes it happen again. Maybe there is an elementary thing I haven't heard of yet to lock the page size or not zoom out smaller than a page.


Just tried the last copy and paste macro and it does work great if the text is in the right order. I just got a new empty text box with the first one. The new one is faster than the import since it looks like you could use several changing lines per item. You can select the part of the text file you need from textpad without making sure you save separate files with the right number of names.

It will also be easier if you have a layout for an award already done.
For example you could select the name, award and year and paste the 3 new lines at once.

I may have forgot, but did you say there was a way to resort the text or objects so they are in order the way they appear on the page?


Many times it is a customer supplied file. If there is a mistake I would rather it be theirs than mine.
I have gotten used to spotting errors based on the method the text file was made with. Obviously spell check won't catch them all.
When typing simple omissions or transposing lettters is common. Or thinking one word buy typing another.( just like that buy should be but)
When OCR scanning text it is similar shaped letters that cause trouble. 1 for l . . .m for rn etc.
When using dictation software, it is similar sounding words. In honor of . . In on her of . . .not to mention names.



.

EDITED: 31 Jul 2006 by LOGOJOHN

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#5]
 31 Jul 2006
To: logojohn [#4] 1 Aug 2006

Excellent! I think you'll be real happy with that one once you find the SortObjects macro that was included with it.



Yes, it was included with the new Cut-n-Paste. It's called SortObjects. Select the text objects you want sorted and then run the macro. It's fun to watch (okay, just the first time, maybe). It will sort ALL (ie multiple columns), but when you use the Cut-n-Paste macro, you'll need to select the text in columns. The SortObjects macro does not sort in sequential order by columns (ie top down by columns).



Shift F4 - Zoom to page

and

F4 - Zoom to all objects
Shift F2 - Zoom to selected

and use F3 to zoom out.

Thanks for the update!

EDITED: 31 Jul 2006 by CSEWELL

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From: logojohn [#6]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#5] 1 Aug 2006

Thanks, this just gets better all the time.

:-) 

.

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#7]
 1 Aug 2006
To: logojohn [#6] 1 Aug 2006

Of course, it was YOUR idea!

Let me know if you have any problems with the two macros. If you think others will benefit from them, I'll post them. I'm concerned that it has become a 4-step process: 1) create the plate layout; 2) CopyXY the layout, 3) SortObjects the text, 4) Cut-n-Paste the data (okay, 5 if you call Cut and Paste each one step). And step 4 would have to be repeated for multiple columns. I guess if that becomes a 'standard' procedure, we could roll all the macros into one. And the sort could be improved to sort the columns in one-step. Or, perhaps Shaddy's object naming macro could be used to eliminate the SortObjects.

It sure is a lot easier, faster, and more accurate (hopefully) than manually entering the data. Now, if I can only get my customers to supply the data in electronic form! Would customers balk at paying 10 cents (20?) per letter for data entry? Or, would they see a benefit in supplying electronic data if it saved them 20 cents per letter and ensured the accuracy.

I'm not seeing a lot of feedback on the macros, but a few people are downloading them. Hopefully, they are beginning to see the benefits. And you certainly can't beat the price!

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From: Mike (MIKEN) [#8]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#7] 1 Aug 2006

Carl:

I thank you for your efforts and will try them as soon as possible. As I mentioned earlier some solution to print merge would be very valuable.

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From: logojohn [#9]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#7] 1 Aug 2006

You can lead a horse to water . . .


How about that for "stunt" quoting.
But after creating toolbars for the macros in coreldraw the 4 steps would be very quick with a little practice. . .and a lot faster than pasting 20-30 lines in one at a time like I sometimes had to.
Now you figured out why I do most of my work in Xenetech. It does do all than in 1 or 2 steps. And it will even create multiple pages will multiple items on each that can be printed or sent to the laser at once. And you can customize your right click menu so the things you use most are always there.

A few years ago it was rare to get an electroinc file and even printed lists weren't the norm.
Lately it has gotten a lot better. A lot of people are emailing orders so they usually have a file or if they type it in the email you can copy and paste from that.

Our prices were set before it was possible for most people. Luckily in this market the per letter price is high enough to cover the typing and setup if needed. We do require it for some double wholesale with lots of names if they want the lower price. Either/or pricing is sometimes a problem. For example if someone sends you a list
and it is Lastname, Firstname, and an initial they don't want and they want it lasered in all caps and the list is Upper/Lower, is that going to save much time?

Many of the great inventors were rediculed at first for things that became essential later.

.

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From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10]
 1 Aug 2006
To: logojohn [#9] 1 Aug 2006

Sounds like a good place for a macro. ;-) 

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#11]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10] 1 Aug 2006

Naw, you could probably do it quicker by importing it into Excel as comma delimited file, deleting the middle initial column, changing the column order, and converting all to upper-case. Far too easy for a macro.

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From: logojohn [#12]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10] 1 Aug 2006

Even I thought that was a stretch.
Luckily it doesn't happen real often, mostly names on a sports team so there are usually under 20.

Corel x3 can change the case.


.

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#13]
 1 Aug 2006
To: logojohn [#9] 1 Aug 2006

LogoJohn;

So your satisfied with the way the Cut-n-Paste macro works? Have you tried it in v12 and X3?

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From: logojohn [#14]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#11] 1 Aug 2006

I have copied and pasted a whole excel column to a different place before processing. Worked pretty good.

I really meant the times where it is just typed in a single column like they did before computers.

Lastname, Firstname I.

.

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From: logojohn [#15]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#13] 1 Aug 2006

It works great in ver 11 and x3.

.

EDITED: 1 Aug 2006 by LOGOJOHN

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From: MR C (MOSHE) [#16]
 1 Aug 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10] 1 Aug 2006

If a customer calls and wants to come in, I ask them to first email the text.

If a customer is in the shop, I ask them to email the file when they get back to their computer

I tell them that it is more accurate, there is no room for typos

If a customer is in a rush, I have them email the text.
If we are too busy and they are in a big rush, I have them type it on the front computer.

It is very easy to convert all caps to caps and small in the Xenetech or in Word

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#17]
 1 Aug 2006
To: logojohn [#15] 1 Aug 2006

And it was developed on v12.

Thanks for the excellent idea on which the macro is based! I'll tidy it up a bit and post it for the forum. It's definitely not a replacement for Print Merge, but I think it's a couple of steps closer. If nothing else, it's an improvement over manual methods.

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From: Mike (MIKEN) [#18]
 2 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#17] 3 Aug 2006

Carl:

Just got around to trying your import text macro--by necessity--I might add.

If you want to know how it worked--next time you're in St. Louie dinner's on me.

Thanks very much.

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From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#19]
 3 Aug 2006
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#18] 3 Aug 2006

Excellent. You're very welcome. Thanks for the feedback.

Now, just out of curiosity, would that dinner be McD's, TGI Friday's, or someplace that I'd have to buy new clothes to go to? ;^)

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From: Mike (MIKEN) [#20]
 3 Aug 2006
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#19] 3 Aug 2006

Carl:

I'm more of a good food, old clothes guy.

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