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MakeVars is program which creates a list of variables and formats the list as
needed by various engraving and/or printing programs. For instance, a list of
names that represent the recipients of an award.
Advantages MakeVars has over the Notepad or other text editor:
Forced Case:
All Upper Case
"Proper" Case (1st letter capitalized)
Leave as entered
Special case "variables":
Constants (same on all plates---MakeVars does not prompt for
these after they are entered once)
Serial Numbers One file handles all variables including
serial numbers
Place: 1st Place through 9th Place spelled out with just a
single keystroke (1-9)
Variable "carries forward"
Example: Car show awards with names, 6 places and 12 flights! With MakeVars you
type a repeated variable (place, flight, etc.) in only once and it is carried
forward to next plate. Actually all fields are carried forward and selected,
which means if you want to keep it just tab forward otherwise the first
character entered replaces old variable.
Even with a simple list of names MakeVars advantage over Notepad is that you can
tell it how many names you have to begin and it "counts" as you input data
making it more difficult to leave out or duplicate an entry.
MakeVars is more useful the more complex the variables are. For instance, with
several variables in the same layout, MakeVars allows you to assign a title to
each variable which makes it easier for most to verify their input. MakeVars
then displays data entry screen and keeps up with the plate and variable
numbers.
While its functionality has expanded MakeVars was written originally as a
Xenetech "plug in." MarkVars main purpose is to provide a
"controlled" entry of variable information to be inserted into the variables of
an engraving layout. The user defines the number of plates,
assign names to the variables and then is prompted to enter the data.
This creates a "safer" environment than the notepad especially when using
several variables and/or when the list is very long; there is much
less likelihood of skipping a line of information.
Key Benefits
 | Number of plates & variables verified and properly capitalized |
| "Sub" lines can be combined (not otherwise possible in XGW) |
| Also creates a CorelDRAW file in the Print Merge format |
| Imports comma delimited file so one can easily take data out of Excel and
format it for most engraving programs. |
| Paste directly into XGW or save as a file for Copy Input |
| Automatic "Place" insertion (Champions, 2nd Place, 3rd Place...) |
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