Variables - NOT MAIL MERGE - in Corel?

Lorrieann
over 2 years ago

I've been using CorelDraw since Version 3.0 (a very long time ago).   So I'm not new to this, but certain quirks have always frustrated me.   This is one. 

Is there, or has there ever been, or will there ever be. . .  a place to store a value with a document which could be read to fill in variables on a document.  I am not talking about mail merge, as that is absolutely NOT what I need to do. 

I use Corel at work to make specification drawings for labels.  There are many labels that are nearly identical except for things like the "drawing number" and a couple of other things.   When I need a new one, I generally begin with an existing document, change the things I need to change and call it good.  You can imagine the danger in forgetting that one spot where the document number forgets to change.   I would love to be able to change  "Doc number" in ONE place, and have all the places on the drawing where "Doc Number" appears to change at one time, rather than going through to find each instance.  

I'm spoiled with the likes of Solidworks and other Cad programs that have that capability, but there's no way I'm going to try to make artwork for labels in Solidworks (as they used to do and were SHOCKED when no one could get camera-ready (vector) artwork from them.  Silly people)  

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I will add that "Find and Replace" is unreliable and near completely unusable.  I'd rather use a table.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    One of the Macro people may have a suggestion. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I think I understand the sort of functionality you would like to have - text content that is variable in nature, and is driven by some sort of table stored inside the document, with some user interface to edit part of that table. I'm not aware of a native CorelDRAW capability that would do exactly that.

    One approach you might consider would be to use Print Merge with only one record:

    Preparation:

    1. Create a print merge with the appropriate number of fields, and only one record. Assign placeholder values for all of the fields. Save this print merge as an .RTF file.
    2. Lay out a document to use as a template, using the print merge fields where necessary in Artistic or Paragraph Text shapes.

    Using it:

    1. Open the document created earlier.
    2. Load the print merge (.RTF file) created earlier.
    3. Edit the print merge that was just loaded, replacing the placeholder values with the desired values.
    4. Merge to a new document to put the appropriate text content into all of the print merge fields that were in the original document.

    Short demonstration: