About Date Variables
What is a date variable?
A date variable allows you print the date and/or time on a label according a format and preferences that you set up. This is often referred to as a “date and time stamp.” The date variable is populated by data from the computer clock or from the printer clock.
Why use a date variable?
Date and time stamps are often added to a label to track when an item was manufactured, packaged or shipped, or to imprint the “use by” or expiration date of the product.
Creating a Date Variable
Properties of date variables
LABELVIEW and CODESOFT provides you with several options for adding a date variable to your label:
- Select from a list of common date formats
- Create your own custom date format
- Set options, such as time unit of measurement and language
Procedure
To create a date variable:
1. In the Data sources window, right-click the Date data source, and click Add. The Variable dialog box appears displaying a new date variable in the default format of dd/mm/yy. The new date variable appears with a system-assigned name (such as Date0).
2. In the Name box, type a new name for the variable.
3. Select the desired date format from the scroll list of predefined formats.
4. To create a custom date format, select (last item in scroll list). A text box and format drop-list appears.
5. Create your custom date format by either typing directly in the text box or by selecting date/time elements from the drop-list to the right of the text box. For example, to enter a custom format that reflects this format Wednesday, 04/11/2014, 09:13 AM, enter the following in the text box: ddddd, mm/dd/yyyy, hh:ss am|pm.
6. Click the Options tab.
7. Notice that you can add a fixed number of time units (months, days, hours, or minutes) to the date/time stamp that you created.
For example, if you want to set up an expiration date that is one year from the current date, you can select Fixed, enter a value of 12, and select Months as a unit of measurement. This results in a date stamp that is 12 months later than the current date.
For example, if you want to set up an expiration date that is one year from the current date, you can select Fixed, enter a value of 12, and select Months as a unit of measurement. This results in a date stamp that is 12 months later than the current date.
8. Notice that you can add a variable to be included in the date/time stamp.
9. Notice that you can select the language in which the text portions of the date/time stamp will appear.
10. If available, the Settings according to printer check box allows you to have the date/time stamp applied based on the printer clock, instead of your PC/system clock. Use the printer clock if you want the value to reflect the time the labels were printed, as opposed to the time they were sent to the printer.
11. If you want to include the date value in the printing logfile, click the Include in the log file check box.
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