Using Copy Input
Copy input is a feature in the XGW software that allows us to import text files right into a layout. If used correctly this is a powerful tool and can save quite a bit of typing on your behalf. However, for copy input to work correctly, some conditions regarding the text file must be met.
The text file has to be set up correctly. This means that each line cannot have extra spaces, tabs, punctuation or anything else of that nature.
At the end of each line there has to be a “hard return”. This way the software knows where the end of each line is and will input the data properly. The term “hard return” simply means at the end of a line, press <Enter> on the keyboard to move the cursor to the next line.
The file has to be in text file format. This means the file extension has to be .TXT.
Take a look at the examples below of what to look for when dealing with text files.
Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Example 1 is the typical text file. Looking at it this way it seems to be just fine and ready to import. But let’s position the cursor at the beginning of the first letter on the first line and highlight the entire thing.
Now, if we take a look at Example 2 we can see that there are a lot of extra spaces and tabs at the end of each line. If we use copy input with the file like this, we will have a lot of extra spaces and tabs in the layout and we don’t want that. With the text file set up like this, we would have to go to each line individually and remove any extra tabs and spaces.
Example 3 shows what the file should look like after the extra spaces and tabs are removed. This is how it should look prior to using copy input.
Of course, the customer does not know about these conditions when they hand you a disk with 100 names all carefully typed and spell checked. In the following example, we will use Microsoft Word to search and replace the extra characters from a text document. This will leave us the text file in the proper format for copy input.
Let’s assume the customer gives us a Microsoft Word document with names for a layout. After opening the document, we realize that the customer has used commas and tabs to separate each of the different areas of a layout. See the example below.
We will use Microsoft Word to remove the extra punctuation and set up the text document for copy input.
Using the Find and Replace Feature in Microsoft Word
With the use of this feature, will locate the commas and tabs and replace them with line breaks. Let’s do the commas first.
From Microsoft word, choose Edit | Replace… This will open the Find and Replace dialog.
Click on the More button to open the rest of the dialog.
Click in the Find what field and place a comma there.
Now click in the Replace with field to place the cursor.
Click on the Special button. You will notice quite a few items we can replace the commas with. For this example choose manual line break.
Now select replace all. All of the commas will be removed from the document and in place of them a line break will be placed. Microsoft Word will display a dialog like the one below letting you know how many replacements were made.
Now our document will look like this:
Next we need to remove the tabs from the document as well. So to do this we will follow the same procedure as we did above, only this time in the Find what field, use the Special button to select Tab Character and in the Replace with field, select Line Break.
Click on replace all and all of the tabs will be converted to line breaks. Now the document will look something like this:
That’s all there is to it. Now all we have to do is save the document as a txt file and we will be ready to use it in XGW.
Select File | Save As…
Choose the directory in which you wish to save the file.
In the Save as type field select TXT format.
Name the text file and click Save.
Now we are ready to open the text file in XGW.
Start Xenetech
Set up the plate to the desired size.
Select Misc | Copy Input…
From the Copy Input dialog, choose the text file and click Open.
And this is the result.