00Overview

Label Designer creates labels from a table. Each row represents a different label, and the first column determines the number of pieces to produce. The following columns contain the text or codes to include in the layout.

The application updates the preview as you work, so you can immediately check the effect of a change before opening the browser print window.

Recommended workflow

1. Enter data in the table or import a CSV, ODS, XLSX or XLS file.
2. Load a logo and background if required.
3. Define the grid and arrange fields, images and codes.
4. Check the label preview and correct individual exceptions.
5. Set up the sheet or roll, dimensions, margins and spacing.
6. Review the print preview and print a test page.

01Label data

The table in the first section is the source for all labels. The number of copies column sets the quantity; zero excludes that row from printing. The remaining columns become fields that can be used in the layout and renamed.

Manual entry

• Add row inserts a new empty row.
• Duplicate row copies the row containing the cursor; if no row is active, it copies the last completed row.
• Add column asks for the new field name and makes it available in the layout.
• Trash buttons delete the corresponding row or column. If data is present, the application asks for confirmation.
• Remove empty rows deletes rows with no printable data.

Importing data

Select a file with Choose CSV/ODS/XLSX file, then press Import CSV/ODS/XLSX. The application reads the first worksheet or the CSV contents. The first row must contain column headings; the first column is reserved for the number of copies and must be followed by at least one printable column.

CSV files separated by commas or semicolons are detected automatically. Decimal values are preserved as text, including the original separator: both 12,5 and 12.5 remain unchanged. You can edit values directly in the table after importing. Export CSV/ODS/XLSX saves the current table in the format indicated by the filename extension: .csv, .ods or .xlsx. If no extension is entered, an XLSX file is created.

Preparing a compatible CSV file

You do not need to change Windows regional settings. To minimise ambiguity, use UTF-8 encoding, a semicolon as field separator and double quotation marks as the text delimiter. Label Designer also accepts comma-separated CSV files.

LibreOffice Calc

1. Select File → Save As and choose Text CSV (.csv).
2. Enable Edit filter settings.
3. In the export window select Unicode (UTF-8), field separator ; and text delimiter ".
4. Keep Save cell content as shown enabled to preserve decimal commas and visible formatting.

Microsoft Excel

1. Before exporting, format columns containing codes, EAN values or leading zeros as Text.
2. Select File → Save As and, where available, choose CSV UTF-8 (.csv).
3. Excel saves only the active worksheet. Depending on regional settings, the separator may be a comma or semicolon; Label Designer accepts both.
4. There is no need to change the Windows list separator. In a comma-separated CSV, a value containing a decimal comma must be enclosed in quotation marks, for example "12,5"; Excel normally does this automatically.

References: CSV export in LibreOffice and importing and exporting CSV files in Excel.

New label project

New label clears the table and removes custom settings applied to individual labels. General layout and print settings remain available; to restore those as well, use Restore defaults in the Settings menu on the top bar.

02Images and logo

Use Choose logo to load an image from your device. The application automatically optimises its dimensions and stores it in the browser for later sessions. The selected filename appears next to the buttons.

The Fit logo menu determines how the image fills its assigned area:

• Contain shows the entire logo while preserving its proportions.
• Cover fills the available area and may crop the excess.
• Stretch uses the entire area without preserving the original proportions.

Once loaded, the logo becomes an element in the grid. You can move and resize it in the preview or set exact values in the advanced table. Remove logo deletes the stored image from the application.

Additional images

Choose one or more images loads several files in one operation. Each image becomes an independent element that can be moved and resized like the logo. If All labels is selected, the image is used in the common layout; if one or more labels are selected, it is assigned only to those rows.

03Background image

The background is placed behind text, logos and codes. After selecting the image, you can change its visibility, fit, colour mode and opacity without reloading the file.

• Show background temporarily hides or displays it.
• Fit background provides Contain, Cover and Stretch modes.
• Black and white background converts the image to greyscale.
• Opacity adjusts visibility from 0 to 100 percent. The initial value is 15 percent.

Use All labels to set the common background. When one or more labels are selected in the preview, the image and its settings become specific to those rows; Reset this label removes the exceptions and restores inheritance from the common background.

For readable text, barcodes and QR Codes, use simple images with low opacity, normally between 5 and 20 percent. Always verify the final result on a physical print.

04Label layout

The layout uses an invisible grid. Number of columns and Number of rows define the available cells, while Cell spacing sets the gap between elements. The grid is used for positioning and is not printed.

Choosing the code

In the Barcode group, select the format and the value source. A code can be generated from one column, all data in a row or custom fixed text. Text below code shows or hides the human-readable value.

Advanced adjustment

Open Manual row/column adjustment to display one row for every field, logo and code. When customised labels are selected in the preview, their specific text and images also appear, marked as specific.

• Show includes or excludes the element.
• Row and column identify its starting cell.
• Width and height determine how many cells it occupies.
• Underline adds a line below the element.

This table remains useful for hiding an element and entering exact coordinates. Ordinary moving, resizing and formatting can be performed directly in the preview. If you reduce the number of rows or columns, the application automatically brings positions back within the new grid limits.

05Label preview

The single-label preview lets you edit the layout with the mouse. Drag an element to move it; drag its lower-right corner to make the same text occupy one or more grid cells. The mouse wheel controls preview zoom without changing print dimensions.

Selecting and aligning text

Click an element to add it to the selection. To select several elements quickly, drag a selection box from an empty area of the label or use Select all; Clear selection clears the selection.

The first three arrow buttons align text to the left, centre or right of its cell or cell group. The next three place it at the top, centre or bottom. Alignment is applied to all selected text elements at once without moving their boxes.

Font, style and size

The Font and Style menus immediately change one or more selected text elements. Underline also works with text created using Add text box. In addition to system fonts, Open Sans, Montserrat, Lato, Nunito, Merriweather and Playfair Display are included and are also available in exported PDFs. Default restores normal Arial.

Enter a point size in Size and press Apply. If selected elements have different properties, the relevant menu or field displays mixed values until you choose a new common value.

Ctrl, Shift and Cmd remain available as optional ways to add or remove individual elements from the selection, but they are not required. Every position remains snapped to the grid rows and columns.

Global, individual and multiple changes

With All labels selected, changes apply to every row. You can select one or more labels from the list and apply positions, formatting, text and assets to all those rows at once. All and None speed up selection; the arrow button expands or collapses the list. Customised labels are marked with a dot; Reset selected labels removes exceptions from all selected entries.

Free text boxes

Add text box creates text that is independent of the imported data. If one label is selected, the box belongs only to that label; otherwise it is added to the general layout. Click a box without dragging it to edit its contents. Leaving it empty removes the box.

Appearance

The barcode text font and the label border are selected in the top bar of the preview. Font, style and size for other text are applied directly to selected elements.

06Templates and general commands

Fixed top bar

Commands used throughout the workflow remain visible in the top bar: Undo, Redo and Save configuration. When space allows, the bar also displays the number of valid rows and the total number of labels.

The Settings menu contains less frequent operations: exporting and importing the JSON configuration and restoring default values. Restoring defaults removes layout customisations but does not delete table data.

Commands within sections

Specific commands appear next to the relevant content. Base preset is in Layout; data import and export are in Data; selection and alignment are in Preview; Print and Export PDF are in Printing.

The ? button in each section heading opens a complete summary and provides a direct link to the relevant manual chapter.

Starter templates

The gallery provides five ready-made layouts: Product, Warehouse, Price, Shipping and Codes. Selecting one rearranges common fields and configures a suitable code as a starting point. It does not delete data, images or personal templates and can be reversed with Undo.

Preparing an Excel, ODS or CSV file

The first row must contain headings. The first column must always be number of pieces, meaning the number of labels to create for that row. The following columns are assigned to the template in their existing order.

Extra columns are still imported but remain hidden in the starter template. If the expected code column is missing, Label Designer uses the first available data column.

number of pieces;Description;Code;Variant;Batch;Price
2;Thermal mug;MUG-001;Blue;B2401;12.50
1;Bottle;BOT-007;Green;B2402;18.00

Personal templates

Name and save the current configuration, load an existing template or delete it. A template stores layout, print settings, text, logo, background, additional images and individual label customisations; table rows remain separate. The application also restores the last selected template when reopened.

07Print settings

Label Designer can prepare complete sheets or individual labels for a roll printer.

Units of measurement

Select Millimetres (mm) or Inches (in) in the Measurement unit field. When you change the unit, Label Designer automatically converts all physical measurements using 1 inch = 25.4 millimetres. The choice is stored in settings and label models.

Conversion applies only to page format, label dimensions, margins, spacing, roll width and cell spacing. Data imported from CSV, ODS or XLSX remains exactly as entered: decimals and fractions are not interpreted as measurements or converted.

Printing on sheets

Choose A4, A3, A5, Letter, Legal or Custom. For a custom format, enter page width and height. Orientation can be portrait or landscape.

Then set label width and height, left and top margins, column and row spacing, and the number of page columns and rows. The maximum labels per page equals columns multiplied by rows.

Printing on rolls

In Roll mode, each label is prepared as a separate page. Roll width defines the available width, and Inner margin leaves free space around the content. Page height is derived from the label height.

Direct PDF export

Press Export PDF, enter the filename and confirm. The document is created and downloaded directly; no browser extensions or special Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari settings are required.

The PDF uses the selected physical dimensions and the same page breakdown shown in the preview. Measurements are calculated internally in millimetres even when the interface displays inches. Text, borders, linear barcodes and QR Codes are generated as vector elements; Data Matrix and PDF417 are inserted at high resolution, while logos and backgrounds retain the resolution of their original files. The browser saves the document in its download folder or asks where to place it, depending on user preferences.

Checking dimensions

Before using final adhesive sheets or rolls, print a test on plain paper. In the browser print window, set scale to 100 percent, disable headers and footers, and make sure the paper format matches the one selected in the application.

08Print preview

The lower preview shows all labels on the expected pages. In Sheet mode it indicates the page number; in Roll mode it displays one page for each label. The quantity in the data is already converted into the correct number of copies.

The mouse wheel zooms this view for easier checking. Zoom affects only the on-screen view and does not alter real print dimensions.

Check the first and last pages, the longest text, distance from edges and code readability. If content exceeds the available area, return to Print settings or Layout before continuing.

09Barcodes and two-dimensional codes

Each format accepts different values. When content is incompatible, the preview displays an error instead of the code.

Choosing the content

The Generate barcode from menu can use one table column, all row data, fixed text entered in the dedicated field or one of the boxes created with Add text box. If several manual boxes are present, each appears separately with its name and a content preview. The selected source is also used for QR Code, Data Matrix and PDF417.

Code 39 converts text to uppercase and accepts letters, numbers, spaces and the minus, period, dollar, slash, plus and percent symbols. Data Matrix and PDF417 are generated locally in the browser: no data is sent to external services.

10Saving and local data

The table, settings, customisations, logos, backgrounds and additional images are stored exclusively in the browser on the device in use. Images and templates use the browser's local IndexedDB storage. No working content is uploaded to the server or sent to a central archive. Data may be lost if you clear browser storage, use private browsing or switch computers.

Configure the browser to retain data

Always use a normal window, the same browser and the same browser profile. Firefox, Edge and other browsers maintain separate storage: a template saved in one browser does not automatically appear in another. Private or InPrivate browsing normally removes cookies and site data when the window is closed.

Firefox

1. Open Settings → Privacy & Security and find Cookies and Site Data.
2. Disable automatic deletion on exit, or add https://ldlabeldesigner.com to Manage Exceptions and choose Allow, not “Allow for Session”. Use http://localhost:3131 during local testing.
3. If clearing history on exit is enabled, make sure cookies, site data and site settings are not removed.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Clear browsing data.
2. Under Choose what to clear every time you close the browser, keep deletion of Cookies and other site data disabled.
3. Do not use an InPrivate window for work that must be retained.

Label templates

In the Templates section, name and save the current configuration. A template stores layout, print settings, free text, logo, background, common additional images and label-specific assets, but does not include table rows. A saved template can be loaded, updated by saving again under the same name or deleted.

Keeping a project

• Export the data as CSV, ODS or XLSX.
• Save the layout as a local template or export the settings as JSON.
• Keep the original image files separately.

To resume work on another computer, first import the data, then the JSON configuration and finally reload the images. Always check the preview after importing and before printing.

11Online activation

A connection to the service is required to start the application and keep it open. Verification sends only session tokens and technical metadata—never label text, codes, tables, images, templates or settings.