About a month ago I asked:
I have a QSL labels file from QSL9 that I'd like to print to Avery 5160
labels (1x2 5/8 -- 30 labels per sheet) on a laser printer. Has anyone
found a simple way to do it?
The answers fell into a few categories:
1. Import the data into another logging program and use that program to
make the labels. Downside: it usually will make labels for either ALL
QSOs, or only needed (i.e. DXCC) QSOs. It won't usually select to make
labels for just new band/mode contacts with a particular station (one of
QSL9's strengths).
2. Import the data into some sort of database program and manipulate it
that way.
3. QSL9 is supposed to recognize the -THREEUP switch, but that switch
doesn't work in the current version.
I ended up importing the QSL labels from QSL9 into Microsoft Word as a mail
merge database, and printed them out as address labels. It was a little
work cleaning up the .LAB file first (to remove blank lines within a single
label), but the labels came out looking OK.
Here are the actual responses I received. Sorry if the formatting is a
little off.
===========================================================================
From: "Barry Kutner" <w2up@mindspring.com>
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 08:36:51 +0000
You can import them with QSL flag off, then using a DX4WIN function, flag
needed QSOs (setting date parameters, etc.)
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 06:58:39 -0500
From: Joe L Blackwell <aa4nn@juno.com>
It may sound like a hassle, but really isn't. Import your QSL labels file
into Microsoft Works as a database. Get into the label wizard, specify
Avery 5160, position the database <fields> in the label work area and
you're printing labels like crazy.
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 07:11:02 -0600
From: Paul Hellenberg K4JA <w9ja@contesting.com>
We did it through DX4WIN and it worked really good. I merged both modes of
ARRL and got up to 5 contacts per label,
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 08:11:55 -0500
From: Ed Parish <k1ep@brownell.com>
I used to do that a few years ago, but haven't tried it in a while. I just
tried it again and it was tough. Basically what I did was run the qsl9
routine to create the XXX.lab file. Then I ASCII edited that file to
create records and fields. The field being the five lines of the labels
and the records being the individual labels. Then I used the mail merge
feature of WORD to create mailing labels. AS I remember it from a while
ago, it was easier, but I don't know what changed. I now use DxBase98.
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 15:37:18 +0000
From: alsopb <alsopb@gloryroad.net>
The problem I've had with typical label files is that they are one
across. I've solved this problem by importing the files into
WordPerfect, putting the data two or 3 across columns and then use the
WP label print capability to get the spatial locations of the data
correct for printing. A bit of a pain, but it works.
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 21:11:03 -0400
From: Brian McGinness <n3oc@wirelessinc.com>
Here's a "not so simple" way to do it!
First, the qsl9 has the data already formatted. That won't help
get it into the laser label world...
Here is what I do. I do a writelog, then take the ASCII log file,
(n3oc.log?) and import it into Excel.
Once in Excel, you can remove the headers, remove fields you don't need,
and clean up the data.
Then you can save it in multiple formats, including a DBF file.
I save it to a dbf file, then use Avery Laser Pro which can do a mail
merge from a dbf file onto labels. I can make nice color labels based
on the QSL data, and it will print the whole batch.
It probably would work with the mail merge function of other word
processors and label programs. The key is getting it into excel first...
73, Brian N3OC / V26OC
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 21:43:27 -0500
From: "Jan A. Heise" <k4qd@juno.com>
I never could get the QSL9 program to work for three up labels. I
generated the labels in CT and then used MS Word for my VP8CRB labels. I
took the CT9 one up output file and did some format changes to get rid of
the unwanted carriage returns and get it into a comma delimited file.
Then I imported it into a Word table. I then used the Word mail merge
program to generate the labels. I generated about 6400 labels this way.
The only problem I had was that on the final run I used the wrong version
of QSL 9 and had the labels off several hours. That was my own fault. I
did not double check and printed over 200 pages of labels - ouch. We
found it out when I had eight local hams here to help me process cards.
We sent out several hundred that way, then I reran them.
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 12:21:51 +0000
From: dj7aa-wil@t-online.de (Wil DJ7AA)
Hy everybody, another good tool is the QSL-Handling program from
Ben DF3CB, what allows you to import simply from many contest
and logging software, including CT vers. 8 and 9. You can use a
laserprinter and it allows you to printing multilabel. Also at maximum 6
QSOs per label are possible. You find this software on the BCC hompage
for download.
===========================================================================
To: <ct-user@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 10:41:51 -0500
From: RNotarius@chester-engineers.com (Ron Notarius)
I'd import the data into a real database & manipulate the
data from there.
I import my CT data into my logs, which I keep in a dBase IV
(soon to be Visual dBase 5.5) system I half wrote (I still
have to write the other half). I can then extract the data
I want for whatever stations I need to send cards to, sort,
and then print the labels using a report format to print
multiple QSO's on a label. It's fairly easy & straight
forward -- it's harder to type & explain than to do.
CT's a very nice program for contests, but for manipulating
mailing labels, it's a very nice program for contests. This
is not a knock by any means! But maybe we expect too much
from the software.
IMHO. I could be wrong.
===========================================================================
--
Jim Reisert AD1C <jjreisert@alum.mit.edu> http://jjr.ne.mediaone.net/
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