Need flexible spacing between fields in custom label

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  • January 21, 2016 at 3:53 PM #15717

    L B
    Participant

    I am printing address labels (Avery form) from addresses in TapForms. I created a layout and set my fonts. I dragged in the Fields (Salutation First Name Last Name / Home Address / City State ZIP ). When I print tests, it defaults for each field to the width of the text box I placed. Thus, there are some huge gaps between, say, First and Last names, when the names are relatively short. But if I make the text boxes narrower, then it cuts off the longer names.

    How do I make the fields just print the length of the name, have limited spacing and then go to the next field. I’m not sure the correct printing term, but I want flexible widths, not fixed.

    Thanks!

    January 21, 2016 at 5:32 PM #15718

    Brendan
    Keymaster

    Hi LB,

    One way of solving this problem is to add a Calculation field to your form. Something like a “Full Name” field which concatenates the First and Last name fields together.

    So create a Calculation field, click on the Edit Formula button, then select the Text option for the “Result Type” property in the Formula Editor popover view (it’s at the bottom-left).

    Then make this formula:

    [First Name] + ” ” + [Last Name]

    Please note, the [] are just to represent that these are fields, not plain text.

    Then on your label, remove the First and Last name fields and replace them with the “Full Name” calculation field.

    Thanks,

    Brendan

    January 21, 2016 at 11:02 PM #15719

    Leo
    Participant

    Or…

    just create your labels like this:

    [first name] [last name]
    [address]
    [zip] [place]

    insted of the fields.

    just type the name fields in brackets en every field is flexible and none extra fields are necessary.

    January 22, 2016 at 2:21 AM #15720

    Brendan
    Keymaster

    Hi Leo,

    Oh yes, that’s right. I forgot about that Leo!

    That will work too. Just to clarify, that’s using the “mail merge” feature of a static Text block. That’s the little A tool at the top of the layout inspector panel on the right. You can click on that A button and then drag out a rectangle where you want to put your information. Then do as Leo suggested above.

    Thanks!

    Brendan

    January 22, 2016 at 6:36 PM #15722

    L B
    Participant

    Thank you Bendan and Leo. I solved my problem using the approach Brendan suggested and also expanded on a formula Cliff Tarrance had posted. Now the names and addresses print on the labels in a “normal” fashion, not with huge gaps.

    The other facet of this that initially puzzled me was that when I dragged my formula into the label box, it brought both the name of the formula as well as the names I was trying to print. I finally dragged the text box for the names over the Formula name so that it was hidden. The labels now print as desired. I am not sure if there was a step I missed or is simply burying the Formula Name the correct step?

    Thanks again for the fast help!
    Larry

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    January 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM #15724

    L B
    Participant

    New Problem:

    If I change an address by updating the individual fields, the address in the label, created through my formula (in the post above), is not updated. I expected that because the formula creating the label is based on the individual fields, including those that I updated, that the address in the label would have been updated.

    How do I get the label address to upate as the fields are updated?

    Thanks!

    Larry

    January 22, 2016 at 7:04 PM #15725

    L B
    Participant

    Here is the detail for the Field based on that formula:

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    January 22, 2016 at 9:11 PM #15728

    L B
    Participant

    Problem seems to have resolved itself. After a long delay, the changes already reflected in the individual fields showed up in the label.
    Larry

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