Address Labels - How do I insert the data

[emjayh]

Using the Help topic 'Printing Address Labels' I have created a document with the correct label format and inserted the data field place holders and selected the data source records. At Item 12 in the Help it says, "On the Table Data bar, click the Data to Fields icon."

My problem is - I can't find the Data to Fields icon (what does it look like?) and I am not sure that the Table Data bar is actually on the screen - how can I display it?

Grateful for help in words of one syllable. Thanks.

Mike

[kabing]

The Table Data Bar is the toolbar that appears in the Data Source View. Here is a picture of it, with the Table to Fields button circled.:



If the Data Source View isn't visible, go to View and select Data Sources. If the Table Data Bar isn't visible, try turning off/hiding the Data Source View and then having it display again.

If the Table Data Bar is still not visible, you will probably need to close OOo and the QuickStarter, rename the "user" directory and restart OOo. When I had to do this, I was able to narrow the problem down to the "registry" directory/folder inside the "user" directory/folder, meaning that's the only one I had to rename. (I did lose some settings doing this).

I can't tell you precisely where to find the directory, as that varies by Operating system (Windows, Linux, or Mac).

kabing

Edit: I corrected some grammar issues in my post.

[emjayh]

Hello Kabing

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation. I will go through it slowly in the morning when my brain has had a rest.

Thanks.

Mike

[emjayh]

Hello Kabing

I have tried again today but there is no way my desktop machine will put up the Table Data bar and it seems impossible to manually select it.

As a last resort I thought I would try the operation again, but this time on my laptop machine. Marvellous, the Table Data bar came up on screen as intended but then I struck another problem. My labels are 14 on a single laser sheet so the first 14 names and addresses filled the first sheet but then I couldn't find any way to run the rest in - there are 66 in this particular file and I made sure they were all selected in the data source table view. I assume that the label document should have as many pages as are required to hold all the data.

Mike

[resistorguy]

I'm suffering the same problem! I haven't found a user name/file to change. I use Win XP. Is the user name a registry file or is it somewhere else?

[acknak]

The database operations require that Java is installed and working on your system. If Java is not there, or if there is some problem and OOo and Java aren't getting along, OOo will simply not offer any database functions--the menu items are missing. If you do File > New > Text Document, then hit F4 and no data explorer panel comes up, then you probably don't have a working Java installed.

Also, the data panel can be hidden--it may be only a tiny, thin strip at the top of the editing area. Hit F4 2-3 times slowly and watch the top edge of the editing area for any change. F4 will eventually open the panel, if it's functional, but it can take 3 tries if the panel is hidden.

[JohnV]

My labels are 14 on a single laser sheet so the first 14 names and addresses filled the first sheet but then I couldn't find any way to run the rest in - there are 66 in this particular file and I made sure they were all selected in the data source table view. I assume that the label document should have as many pages as are required to hold all the data.

You only need one page to do multiple pages of labels. Open the label document, click the Print icon and answer 'yes' to the 'form letter' query. In the next dialog "all" is the default but you can also select records if you want only some of the records.

[gleweliz]

I'm having the same problem. The Table Data toolbar will not display, which means I have no Data to Fields button to click.

I would like to follow this advice from a previous post,

If the Table Data Bar is still not visible, you will probably need to close OOo and the QuickStarter, rename the "user" directory and restart OOo. When I had to do this, I was able to narrow the problem down to the "registry" directory/folder inside the "user" directory/folder, meaning that's the only one I had to rename. (I did lose some settings doing this).

but I don't know how. What is the QuickStarter and how do I close it?
I can't find the "user" directory / folder to rename.

I have OOo 2.3 running on Windows XP on a desktop. Java seems to be working fine.

Thanks!
Elizabeth

[JohnV]

The QuickStarter, if turned on, displays as an OOo icon in the system tray which is in the status bar displayed at the bottom on the screen. Right click it and Exit QuickStarter.

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\OpenOffice.org2\user
That's from memory as I'm on a Win 98 machine at the moment which is different. FWIW, Applicatiion Data may be a hidden directory so you need to set up Windows to display them.

[foxcole]

The QuickStarter, if turned on, displays as an OOo icon in the system tray which is in the status bar displayed at the bottom on the screen. Right click it and Exit QuickStarter.

I recommend disabling it altogether: Tools> Options> OpenOffice.org> Memory> [uncheck] Load OpenOffice.org during system startup.

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\OpenOffice.org2\user
That's from memory as I'm on a Win 98 machine at the moment which is different. FWIW, Applicatiion Data may be a hidden directory so you need to set up Windows to display them.

Your memory is perfect. That's the right path.

Yes, hidden files and folders do need to be visible in order to see the Application Data folder. On Win XP, you'd find this in Control Panel> Folder Options> View tab, "Show hidden files and folders."

[JohnV]

On Win XP, you'd find this in Control Panel> Folder Options> View tab, "Show hidden files and folders."

Thanks for the assist, I definitely couldn't remember this one which is also valid for W2K where I am today.