More corel help please

[Bert Kemp]

As most of you know I donate most of my time, labor and materials to Vets and Vet organizations
One of the things I do is engrave anodized dog tags which are attached to the cremation Urn of Fallen Hero's. My problem is I get these long lists of tags to do in an open office doc. When I put the doc in corel draw I can't edit the text the way I want it displayed on the tags. So I have to type everyone over again. Do to my very limited typing abilities this takes me a very long time to do.So is there any way to import the text so I can just edit in corel with out retyping it all. I use x5 but uploaded 9 for you to see my problem. Any help is much appreciated.326654

[William Adams]

Yes, Corel has a mail / data merge feature --- create a template, then import the data into the template.

Alternately, if you could post the file as a .pdf, I could work up an automated typesetting routine which would create a pre-formatted .pdf --- let me know your requirements and I'll work this up gladly, pro bono, one veteran to another.

[Bert Kemp]

Thanks William for your offer, let me try to figure out how to do what you suggested first. I'm not that good in corel when it comes to things like this but this is how I learn. Igonna try to do this templete thing you said . Thanx



Yes, Corel has a mail / data merge feature --- create a template, then import the data into the template.

Alternately, if you could post the file as a .pdf, I could work up an automated typesetting routine which would create a pre-formatted .pdf --- let me know your requirements and I'll work this up gladly, pro bono, one veteran to another.

[Bert Kemp]

I guess Im having trouble understanding this. I receive the list as an open office doc. How do I get the text from the doc into corel so I can edit text font and where the words are in corel.

wait wait wait LOL I think I got it

[Tony Lenkic]

Bert,

Can you post doc. file for us to try what will work.

I'm guessing that if you select all the names in doc file than copy/paste in corel should work.

[Bert Kemp]

I 'm having a lot of trouble copy and paste is what I posted in first file, that won't alow me to edit text. Then I found a way to save as a PDF from corel and that sorts lets me edit but doesn't seem to let me do what I want. Hard to explain but the text is not seperated right and I can only edit sections at a time which then ZI can't aling things right.yikes hard to explain. Now tell me Its an ivalid file to upload doc. weird


Bert,

Can you post doc. file for us to try what will work.

I'm guessing that if you select all the names in doc file than copy/paste in corel should work.

[Tony Lenkic]

Bert,

Often times I copy something to notepad than again copy/paste to corel to get the results I need. Try this and see where it leads you.

[Bert Kemp]

Heres a file I can sort of edit but as you can see its going to be hard to get things in the right font and lined up correctly to fit a dog tag326655

I can't seem to separate the name, dates and service, parts are stuck together and I can't get them apart

[Bert Kemp]

ok will try this now thanx I tried that same problem can't separate and edit


Bert,

Often times I copy something to notepad than again copy/paste to corel to get the results I need. Try this and see where it leads you.

[Brian Leavitt]

What I do is as follows:

1: Copy the text from Office
2: Select the Text Tool in Corel
3: Click somewhere in my Corel document with the Text tool (should see the blinking cursor ready for text input)
4: THEN paste the text (Ctrl+V)

I never have any problems doing it this way. Just trying to paste the text in without first starting a text object rarely works correctly for me.

[Bert Kemp]

OK Brian tring this now thanx

I tried this now , I now can move the text around and change the fonts but having trouble lining text up.
doesn't want to center properly and the line spacing is off. I tried the align fuc but nothing seems to work.
I been sitting here 6 hours now trying to make it easier, I could have typed it all out. LOL I need a break getting headach thanx for all the replies and help I was getting close.



What I do is as follows:

1: Copy the text from Office
2: Select the Text Tool in Corel
3: Click somewhere in my Corel document with the Text tool (should see the blinking cursor ready for text input)
4: THEN paste the text (Ctrl+V)

I never have any problems doing it this way. Just trying to paste the text in without first starting a text object rarely works correctly for me.

[Bert Kemp]

update see my last post

[Michael Hunter]

Roy Brewer of Engraving Concepts produced a good video all about using mail merge.
Well worth watching, but the first time or two mail merge is still difficult - you do need to get the hang of it yourself rather than simply following Roy's instructions.

The FIRST thing to do with your file is to save it as simple text (.txt). Almost all other file types include formatting and other stuff which makes life difficult.
Next is to edit the file, making sure each name is on its own line (with no blank lines). Make sure it is saved as .txt!
Now you can try the mail merge function.

[Brian Leavitt]

I don't know what version of Corel you use, but for me (X5, X6, &X7) it asks if I want to maintain fonts and formatting when I paste. I always choose not to (have it set that way by default, now) as the formatting from Office can get screwed up in Corel.

[Kev Williams]

Short version: Corel's merge feature sucks. Period. It's overly complicated, and if you don't put the longest name in first (unless they've fixed it) then any names longer than it will be chopped off.

I have a simple solution for you, Bert: Email me the list of names and the Corel job (I use X4) with one name how you want it laid out, and give me a plate matrix you can use, like 4 across/6 down...

Within a few minutes I'll email you back a DXF file ready to engrave... -- no charge, and any time...

(this is one area where Gravostyle shines :) )

[Bert Kemp]

Thanx Kev sent you PM I just about have them typed out I gave up on all the other stuff wasted 6 hours trying to make it easy Oh Well

Short version: Corel's merge feature sucks. Period. It's overly complicated, and if you don't put the longest name in first (unless they've fixed it) then any names longer than it will be chopped off.

I have a simple solution for you, Bert: Email me the list of names and the Corel job (I use X4) with one name how you want it laid out, and give me a plate matrix you can use, like 4 across/6 down...

Within a few minutes I'll email you back a DXF file ready to engrave... -- no charge, and any time...

(this is one area where Gravostyle shines :) )

[Mike Null]

Bert

Copy several names from your pdf file. Open a Corel page and under the edit menu select "paste special" Select text. That will paste the names to the corel page but in paragraph format. In order to do what you want you have to right click on the names and convert them to artistic text. At that point you can change the font and the font size to whatever you want. Then use the pick tool to select a name, then using the text tool separate it, add spaces and use the delete and enter key to move a line down. You can then justify to the left by using control L.

There is no typing to be done using this method.

Because of the format your receive the list in I don't believe mail merge will work.

[Bert Kemp]

OK I got it I think I broke the text apart thank you thank you thank you:)

Ok I've been trying again BUT when I get to the part where you say use pick tool to pick a name all The names are selected. Do I want to Break text apart or convert to paragraph text or convert to curves


Bert

Copy several names from your pdf file. Open a Corel page and under the edit menu select "paste special" Select text. That will paste the names to the corel page but in paragraph format. In order to do what you want you have to right click on the names and convert them to artistic text. At that point you can change the font and the font size to whatever you want. Then use the pick tool to select a name, then using the text tool separate it, add spaces and use the delete and enter key to move a line down. You can then justify to the left by using control L.

There is no typing to be done using this method.

Because of the format your receive the list in I don't believe mail merge will work.

[Mike Null]

Select those names and hit control K and that will break them apart. Then you can pick one at a time.

Sorry I omitted that little step.

Do not convert to curves or to paragraph text. You must use artistic text to do what you want.

Just curious, were you able to open my screenshot video?

[Bert Kemp]

Mike I didn't see video where was it posted?
Thanks everyone for all the help. You all probably told me how to do this I'm just slowww on the pick up LOL:D anyway its all done ready to engrave


Select those names and hit control K and that will break them apart. Then you can pick one at a time.

Sorry I omitted that little step.

Do not convert to curves or to paragraph text. You must use artistic text to do what you want.

Just curious, were you able to open my screenshot video?

[Mike Null]

I attached it to an email.

[Bruce Clumpner]

I size my documents to the output size of the document you're engraving. Be it plaque plates or name tags they all work. You should always select to merge to a new document. Then you can edit away and make any individual page/text string fit as needed. I've been using Corel's merge function for years, and while it is a bit complicated, it works great in conjuction with the pagination feature in the print preview mode. Able to get multiple up on whatever page size you end up working with.

[Walt Langhans]

Just and FYI Bert. CorelDraw has a help forum http://community.coreldraw.com/talk/ just pick which version of corel you are using and ask your question. Their forum is world wide and there is almost always some expert there to help asap. There are a lot of talented people here in the creek with corel, but just keep that in your back pocket for when you need it. I've had nothing but positive experiences anytime I've ever posted there.

[Bert Kemp]

Awesome tip Walt :)thanks I'll check that out


Just and FYI Bert. CorelDraw has a help forum http://community.coreldraw.com/talk/ just pick which version of corel you are using and ask your question. Their forum is world wide and there is almost always some expert there to help asap. There are a lot of talented people here in the creek with corel, but just keep that in your back pocket for when you need it. I've had nothing but positive experiences anytime I've ever posted there.

[Michael Doyle]

I don't want to complicate this any more than it already is, but Excel has a Text to Column function that works pretty good for seperating a line of text int separate parts.
There are a number of free Office clones out there if you don't have Excel.