Designing a label at run-time
(The discussion below may be followed by running the demonstration program supplied with the component and selecting Designer from the Edit menu.)
When the Labels.NET component is added to a project no design-time interface is available. Label design may be accomplished either completely through programming, or by providing a facility (typically a menu item or push button) to call the Labels Designer at run time, e.g.
Private Sub Design_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Design.Click
Alabel11.ShowLabelDesigner()
ShowLabel()
End Sub
The Label Designer may be operated with drop down menus, pop-up menus, or both. The illustrations below show the pop-up menus with the “new” XP interface, and the drop-down menus using the “classic” Windows interface. The programmer may select the menu type available using the useMenuBar, useRightMenus and allowMenuChoice properties.
When the ShowLabelDesigner() method is called the end-user can design labels using the visual interface.
Initially a blank window appears
Version 3 of Labels.NET also provides a Toolbar in the Label Designer window as shown below:
Right-clicking on the client area pops-up the main design menu which allows the creation of new text, picture and barcode elements, the adjustment of the label size and the magnification of the designer image and the associated design grid.
Label sizes