[Dxbase] Label Comment

Fri Sep 21 01:53:54 EDT 2007

I contune to be amazed at the little things I discover in DXbase from time 
to time. Today, as I was entering some recent QSL card receipts into DXbase 
2006, I suddenly noticed a line on the Previous QSO's window that says 
"Label Comment Over-Ride" . Despite having used this window thousands of 
times before, I had never noticed or paid any attention to this line. Then, 
all of a sudden, I noticed there was an entry field box just to the right of 
the wording. Again, I had never noticed this box before. It got me 
curious.
A quick check of the Help file revealed this entry field could be used to 
override the default Label Comment entered via the User Options screen, 
Labels tab. I had a default comment entered there, but it never showed up 
on any of my QSL labels when I printed them out. Still curious, I went into 
Tools/Design Labels... and made an amazing discovery. The reason my default 
comment wasn't showing up was because the Comment variable wasn't placed 
anywhere on the label template!
A bit of experimenting with the Comment variable and its placement soon 
produced my default comment message on my QSL labels. Now, by using the 
"Label Comment Over-Ride" field as I enter QSL card receipts, I can enter a 
brief personal note to someone if it was a particularly memorable QSO, to 
note their good operating style, etc. Previously I had to enter such 
comments by hand on the card after printing the QSL label. This will be 
much easier!
I am now in the process of reviewing my most used QSL label templates and 
modifying them to print the default Comment variable on the label. Then I 
can use my newly discovered utility in DXbase to replace the default comment 
with a custom comment when desired. What a neat program this is! The only 
thing is now I'm wondering what else is available that I'm failing to take 
full advantage of in the program? Guess I'd better slow down and actually 
read all the info in the various screens!
73,
Gary AL9A 