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Set up a database document to make return address labels. These directions assume you will want each label to look the same.
1. Start a database document and create one field (you have to, to start a database document).
2. Measure the top and left margins of your label stock. Then go to the "Format" menu and choose "Document". Set the top and left margins according to your measurements, and set the right and bottom margins to zero.
3. Under the "Layout" menu, choose "Layout".
4. Under the "Layout" menu, choose "New Layout", click on the label option and choose your label type from the pull down list. 5267 is 1/2 x 1-3/4 inch (4 columns of 20), 5160 is 1 x 2-5/8 inches (3 columns of 10), 5161 is 1 x 4 inches (2 columns of 10), for instance.
5. Choose the field you created to insert in the database (this is required before you can go further).
6. You should now be in "Layout" mode, with grey lines showing you the limits of the label.Click on the field box to select it, and press delete to delete it. Take care to not move the horizontal 'body' boundary, as this determines the vertical spacing of your labels. The vertical boundary (right edge of the label) is set when you specify the label type, and cannot be moved.
7. Click on the Text tool ('A' or 'T' depending on your version of AppleWorks), then drag to create a text frame. Type the return address, then format it exactly as you wish it to appear. This has an advantage over using the database fields because you have greater visual control over the spacing of the lines. Make sure everything fits inside the grey lines.
7a. Graphic elements may be added to the label at this time by pasting them in, then resizing and dragging to the palce you want them. Note that graphics may overlap the grey boundary lines, but those parts outside the boundaries will not print.
8. Under the "Layout" menu, choose "Browse". You will see a single copy of your return address on the page. AppleWorks creates one label for each (visible) record in the database document, so you now need to create enough new (empty) records to fill the page. Under the "Window" menu, choose "Page View" so that you can see exactly how the page will print, then press command-R repeatedly until you have enough labels to fill the page.
9. Print a sheet on plain paper and make sure they line up with the labels (this is more critical if you use the labels that are 80 to a page, because you have a smaller amount of white space around the label info to work with). Note that when you print with the bottom and right margins set to zero, you will get a warning that your document may be clipped because the margins are smaller than allowable by your printer. As long as you know that all of your print falls within the allowable margin, you can ignore this.
10. If the test sheet is not positioned as you want it, you can increase or decrease the top and left margins in "Format-->Document" or change the position of the text and/or graphics in "Layout" mode.
11. Print your labels, and enjoy!
A couple of comments:
In setting the margins, you do not have to set the bottom and right margins to zero. The purpose for doing so is if you wind up ooching the top and left margins up or down a bit for positioning purposes, you don't have to worry about also adjusting the bottom and right margins.
The three sizes of labels I have used all come with a half-inch margin top and bottom. Some printers have a minimum bottom margin of .58 inches. If this is the case with the printer you are trying to print labels on, be aware that you will need to allow for it in positioning text or graphics on your label or business cards. If the label is small enough, as with the 5167/5267, you may prefer to sacrifice the last row of labels.
When it comes time to make a different set of labels, you do not have to recreate the whole data base. For same size labels, just duplicate the existing layout, then go to Layout mode and replace the information in the text frame with the information for the new labels. Name each layout (eg. with the name of the person or the address on the labels) so that you can easily choose the set you want to print. For a different size label, choose the appropriate label type from the pulldown menu when creating a new layout.
Another typical use of this technique is for business cards.
Thanks to Barry for proofing and making suggestions.
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