How to Print on Index Cards Using OpenOffice and a Lexmark Z11 Printer
There may be times you want to print on index cards. Perhaps you use them for recipes, for filing information, or, if you're a freelance writer, for submitting greeting card or other short copy to publishers. While printing on regular index cards is more difficult than printing on labels or on sheets designed especially for printers, the good news is that the most difficult part is getting everything set up in the first place. Once you set up a template, which is something you will only have to do once, then the actual input and printing is fairly easy.
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Instructions
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Create an OpenOffice Template
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1
Open an OpenOffice text document.
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Click on "Format" in the menu that goes across the top of the page. Select "Page" from the drop-down menu. This will bring up a box called "Page Style: Default." Tabs run across the top of the box. If the "Page" tab is not already selected, then click on it.
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3
You'll see the heading "Paper format" on the top left of the box. Select "User" in the "Format" box. Set the width to 3 inches and the height to 5 inches. Select "Landscape" as the orientation.
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4
You will see a picture of a white rectangle on the upper right of the "Page Style" box. This represents the page you have just set up. Inside the rectangle are lines that represent the margins. The margins may be wider than you wish. You can change them by changing the numbers in the "Margins" boxes in the lower left. You can use the arrows to change the numbers, or you can type the numbers in. When you change the settings for the margins, you will see the margins change in the white rectangle. That gives you a way to visually judge if your margins are where you want them to be. When you are finished adjusting the margins, click "OK."
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5
The "Page Style" box will close, and you will be brought back to the input area of your document. You will see a white area, which represents a single index card.
Set Up Printer Settings
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Working in the same document you were using in Section 1, click on "File" from the upper menu, and then select "Printer Settings." Click on "Properties," and then click on "Advanced." Under "Paper/Output," click on "Paper Size." This will open up a box. In the box, select "Index Card - 3x5in." Click "OK" three times to save your settings and return to the document.
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The template is now complete. Save it, by clicking on "File," then selecting "Templates" and "Save." Give your template a name, and select a category where you would like it to appear.
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Unless you want to print cards right now, you can close the file.
Use Your Template
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Open your template by clicking on "File," selecting "New," selecting "Templates and Documents," selecting "Templates" in the left pane, and selecting "My Templates" (or whatever folder you chose earlier) in the right pane. Double-click on the template name to open it. Alternatively, if you have an OpenOffice tray icon, you can right-click the icon, select "From Template," and then select "Templates" in the left pane, and the folder and your template in the right.
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10
Type into the box. The box represents one index card. When you want to go to the next card, hit Control and Enter--that will bring up another box. You can switch between boxes using the Page Up and Page Down keys, or by using the cursor.
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11
If you have any paper in your Lexmark printer tray, remove it. Take a small stack of index cards and place them against the right-hand side of the paper tray. The side of the card that you want to print on should be facing towards you. The cards should be placed in the tray vertically, so that the short side is parallel to the floor.
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There is a paper guide on the left side of the paper tray. Two pieces stick out, pointing towards you. Squeeze them gently together with your fingers. This will unlock the paper guide and allow you to move it. Slide it slowly to the right. It may stick a bit, but don't force it. Just slide it gently. It may help to guide it, from the left, with a finger. Move the paper guide all the way over to the right until it is snug against the stack of index cards.
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Go back to your document. Select "File" and "Print." Your cards will now print. If you use up all the cards in the printer, add more.
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When you are done printing, slide the printer guide back over to the left. Go back to your document. You may save your work or discard it. The blank template will be ready to use again the next time you want to print on cards.
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