3-4. Variable Text

Description

The Variable Text feature automatically replaces specific codes entered in text objects with corresponding data. It supports incrementing serial numbers, current date/time, and sequential data from CSV files. This is ideal for automating tasks such as serial number generation and time-stamping.

This article provides a tutorial on creating serial numbers. Please follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Enable Variable Text

1-1. Add a text object. In the text object panel, locate the Variable Text field and toggle it on.

1-2. Once Variable Text is enabled, select the desired type: Serial Number, Current Date/Time, or CSV.

• Serial Number: Supports Arabic numerals.

• Current Date/Time: Uses your system’s current date and time (format depends on system language).

• CSV: Allows you to import a CSV file and populate values sequentially by row and column.

1-3. Enter an offset to adjust the value relative to the current base value.

• Offset is only available for Serial Number and CSV types.

• For example, if the current serial number is 2 and the offset is 5, the final output will be 7.

• When using the Array tool, each duplicated object automatically increases by 1. The order of increment follows left-to-right, then top-to-bottom.

1-4. Click the Settings button to configure additional options for the variable text.

Step 2 – Variable Text Format Codes

Enter the corresponding format code based on the selected variable text type.
Please refer to the table below for the available format codes.

Sequence Number

#Example:
Enter the following text in Beam Studio:

ddddd

The above format represents a 5-digit code.
The system will convert the current value into a 5-digit format. If the current value exceeds five digits, only the last five digits will be displayed.

For example, if the Current Value is 123 and the Offset is 0, the output will be:

123

Current Time

#Example:
Enter the following text in Beam Studio:

YY/MM/DD dddd HH:mm

The system will display the current time based on the detected system language. The output:

25/05/27 Tuesday 16:12

To display the weekday in English, please change the system language to English and restart the software.

CSV

When using the "CSV" variable text format, the system will automatically combine specific formatted text input and replace it with the corresponding data from the current row of the CSV file.

The % symbol is used to indicate fields, with field numbers starting from 0, in sequence: %0, %1, %2, and so on.

Row numbers also start from 0, and the current value determines which row's data will be displayed.

#Example:

The fields in the CSV data are as follows:

Enter the following text in Beam Studio:

%0:%1,%2. 

Represents: Column 1 — Column 2 — Column 3.

If the current value is 0 and the offset is 0, the output will be the first row:

Student：Subject,Point.

If the current value is 1 and the offset is 0, the output will be the second row:

A:History,90. 

Step 3 – Configure Variable Text Parameters

After clicking the settings button, the variable text settings window will pop up. The parameter definitions are as follows:

If Auto-advance is enabled in the variable text settings, the value will automatically advance by one step each time a job is sent. If Auto-advance is disabled, it will remain at the current value.

Others - Code Generator 

After selecting 'Variable Text' in the code generator tool, you can enter the text in the specified format, and it will be converted in real time when the job is sent.

Note: If the variable text in the code generator contains a format not supported by the selected barcode—for example, if the barcode only supports English characters but the converted content includes Hebrew—a conversion error will occur. Please check the content and make the necessary adjustments.

If the variable text is not converting correctly, please check the following:

1. Whether the selected variable text type matches the input format.

2. Whether the variable text settings are correct, and whether the CSV file is properly uploaded.

3. Whether all input values are in half-width English characters — full-width characters cannot be recognized.