Label Planet
How to make sure your label templates are compatible with your software.
What Do We Mean By “Compatible” Software & Label Templates?
Standalone label templates (i.e. files that you download and are not part of your software) come in various file formats. For example, Label Planet supplies templates in .docx and.pdf file formats.
File format: technical standard used to encode information for storage in a computer file.
Standalone label templates must be in a file format that works with (is compatible with) the software you want to use to design your labels.
Most software supports multiple file formats. Specific types of data can be stored in different file formats and so software will support a selection of formats to allow it to handle that type of data (regardless of the format it is stored in). For example, word processing software is designed to handle text and will therefore support file formats designed to store text (such as .docx, .rtf, and .txt).
Issues can arise if your software can read but not edit a certain file format. This would allow you to open and view a file BUT not to make any changes (such as adding a design to a template). Likewise, some software might not support a particular file format but will offer to convert your template into a similar file format that it does support. This can be a great workaround BUT can result in minor changes being made to your template (as the software replaces elements that it cannot read/edit with elements that it can). You may find that you cannot edit certain elements of your template or that its measurements have changed. This may make it impossible to add your design / to print your labels accurately.
So how do you know if your label templates and software are compatible?
Finding File Formats – In Label Templates & In Software
If a template download doesn’t list a file format, you can identify the format of a template by checking its file extension. This is a set of letters / numbers found at the very end of a FULL file name (after the last full stop). Most extensions are three characters long (but may be between 1-4). File extensions are usually hidden by default, so you need to:
WINDOWS
- Open the file manager (Pre-Windows 8: Windows Explorer / Windows 8 onward: File Explorer) by clicking the icon above.
- Navigate to the folder containing your template (downloads usually save to the “Downloads” folder in Favourites).
- Right click on your template and select “Properties”. The file extension is listed as “Type of File” in the General tab.
MAC
- Open the file manager (Finder) by clicking on the icon above.
- Navigate to the folder containing your template (downloads usually save to the “Downloads” folder in Favourites).
- Right click (hold the Control key as you click) on your template and select “Get Info”. The full file name is listed under “Name & Extension” in the Information Window.
Always check extensions via file information. Malicious files may use file names that appear to show an extension (effectively obscuring the actual file extension, which can only be found by viewing the full file name). For example, “FileName.docx” appears to be a normal Word document. However, checking the file information would reveal the full file name is “FileName.docx.exe”, making it an executable program that should not be opened.
Once you know the file format of a template, you can check if it is compatible with your software. Some software lists compatible file formats; alternatively, check the software developer’s / supplier’s website.