Automating tasks in Omega?

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

I've looked in the huge manual and don't think what I'm trying may be feasible, but can't hurt to ask.

The situation is: I'm running several orders for sports decals for school teams. (I'm using an illustration of a softball for this example).

What I have to do is put each team members name above the softball in arc by fitting text to path. Same at bottom of ball with team name or school.

Additionally, I'm placing their indiv. player numbers in center of ball.

Right now, I am doing each of these manually - one at a time, and it's beginning to feel like suckin' spit. What might be the most advanced way to ratchet these projects up? (For instance, in Macromedia Fireworks I can "script" a series of tasks from a History panel and apply them with a mouse click whenever I want to repeat the steps to duplicate a job).

What is the closest I can come in Omega to that possibility? (I might add that while I've been a Gerber user since 1982, I've never done jobs like these before - just in case somebody is gonna hit me with an obvious solution that was right under my nose all the time!). Also - I don't want to DO the art in Fireworks and import it to Omega because of fonts that were chosen. Like I said, I wanna know how I can get closest to it. Thanks.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I don't think you can do it Dave. Logically you should be able to set it up as an auto-serialize for the number and then just change the name. Unfortunately, in doing the repeat / auto-serialize, the text attributes are lost and you cannot change the name.

I would probably do it using the duplicate command (Control +9) which preserves the ability to change the text.

 

[Jeizzavelle]

I was thinking duplicate or copy/paste. I was hoping there was a magic solution I didn't know about cause I am a Gerber user also.

 

[Cadmn]

dave is there an ability to create Macros in gerber? that is what most programs call them any way & not knowing gerber at all was just a thought.

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

dave is there an ability to create Macros in gerber? that is what most programs call them any way & not knowing gerber at all was just a thought.

Nope... and it's kinda TIME for that in software that costs over two grand. It's the first time I've explored for this capability, but ya can't set up a template either to plug changing info into and have it apply a few effects for ya.

I figured several people would point out the Duplicate command thinking I was referring to that... and I am - I just want it to duplicate and have effects set I can simply change the info in without having to absolutely start over on each dang one! Kinda time consuming if yer doin' several hundred sports decals with arched copy top and bottom. And as I said - because of fonts they chose, (gerber fonts), I can't do it in a program with those capabilities and import it to Gerber. Like I said - it's time, and is definitely a feature that will decide if I stay with Gerber after 25 years or hafta choose another.

 

[Tony Teveris]

Does the arc fit the curve of the ball?

Why not setup an autotext operation with 3 lines per player.

school
player number
player

Set up autotext with

&1 (text arc custom up radius of ball)
&2 (normal text in middle of ball)
&3 (text arc custom down radius of ball)

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

Does the arc fit the curve of the ball?

Why not setup an autotext operation with 3 lines per player.

Yes - it fits curve of ball. I'll explore what you're saying... might not work for this round, but I can try and design the next order to utilize this capability.

I got three school districts' athletic dept.'s orders avalanched on me because of one small decal I did for a friend's child. I overdesigned the daylights out of it for fun and ended up with this dilemna (but it's a nice problem to have!).

 

[Disciple]

Does the arc fit the curve of the ball?

Why not setup an autotext operation with 3 lines per player.

school
player number
player

Set up autotext with

&1 (text arc custom up radius of ball)
&2 (normal text in middle of ball)
&3 (text arc custom down radius of ball)

This will work just fine for what you are looking for. Just make sure you hit ctrl+shift and size the &1 &2 &3 to size you are looking for on each of them. Then click the keep text set size and it will all go to that size. Saves you the time of size each and everyone of them. After you fill out how you want it to repeat them select your text file then hit ok and it should be ready to print

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

TONY (or others) Spoon Feed Me...

Does the arc fit the curve of the ball?

Why not setup an autotext operation with 3 lines per player.

school
player number
player

Set up autotext with

&1 (text arc custom up radius of ball)
&2 (normal text in middle of ball)
&3 (text arc custom down radius of ball)

I've read the manual and can't seem to find the steps to do what you're saying here (yes... I AM dense when it comes to manuals - sorta like stopping to ask directions!).

Can ya give me a "Readers Digest condensed" version of how to do this? THANKS VERY MUCH in advance!

 

[Jeizzavelle]

I use Omega too and had trouble following...please explain to us newbies!

 

[Tony Teveris]

I'm going to explain it to Dave over the phone and make him repeat / write the Signmakers response.