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Frequently Asked Technical Questions

These are the most frequently asked questions about our software products. This list will be updated as we receive more support questions.

General Questions


TicketBench Plus, Pro, and Enterprise


TicketBench Pro and VenueBench


In registering my software, why am I getting the message that my key is invalid? I have just purchased the software.

First, make sure that there are NO spaces in the registration key or user name fields, especially at the very beginning or end. The user name is the email address just above the registration key sent to you in the TicketBench Registration Key email. To avoid errors, please copy and paste this information into place. Make sure you have copied everything EXACTLY the way it was sent to you. If you have typed the key in, make sure you have put in the dashes, and that all zeros are the number O, not the letter. Try restarting the program, and if that does not clear it up, try rebooting your computer. Finally, if these suggestions do not work for you, please contact us for assistance at: 406.534.4160 or email support@elkriversystems.com.

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Why does it say "Sample" on my labels?

When you print from Print Preview, each document will always have 'Sample' written across it. This is to prevent someone from attempting to use one of your "test" documents as a real document. To print without this safeguard, you must print through the main print window. You will be able to print through the main print window after you purchase and register the software.

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Why isn't my entire form or label printing?

Most likely, part of the document lies outside the printable area on your printer. You will need to determine your printer margins and enter them into the Printer Margin Layout window. Visit the Help section under Printer Margins Layout to guide you in testing your printer margins. Then make sure that your entire document lies within the printable area (the blue rectangle) on the workbench.

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Will all of the work I did in the Evaluation Version still work in the Registered Version?

Yes. All the work that you have done is completely compatible with the registered version.

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How can I get additional help?

If you have checked our help files and still have questions, we provide limited free phone support at 1(406)534.4160. Or you can email your questions to support@elkriversystems.com. It is often helpful for us to know some information about your computer. You can view information about your computer by clicking on the Help menu and selecting System Properties.

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Where can I find example or template forms and labels?

Our software comes with a variety of sample projects that are installed with the software. In addition to those projects, we also a repository of sample or templates for forms, labels and other document designs online.

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Where can I get images for my documents?

Our software comes bundled with several images. These images can be found in a directory named 'images' under the directory you installed the software to (for example: 'C:\Program Files\TicketBench Plus\images'). See our additional resources for more sources of clip art.

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Do I have to purchase the software to print my documents?

If you wish to print the document yourself, then you do have to purchase the software to unlock the full printing capabilities. If you would like Elk River Systems to print your document for you, however, you do not need to purchase the software. Simply design your document in Evaluation mode, then send us the project file and any images that are used in it. We will respond as soon as possible to arrange a price to print your documents.

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What kind of paper do I need and where can I get it?

Our software is flexible enough to print to eight standard paper sizes: Letter, Legal, Tabloid, Executive, A3, A4, A5, and B5. In addition to these sizes, TicketBench Pro, TicketBench Enterprise, TicketBench Pro and VenueBench allow you to define whatever size paper you desire. You can use any weight of paper compatible with your printer (we suggest 65# cover stock). If you require perforated paper, you can order it from our PerforatedPaper.com site.

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How do I register TicketBench?

After purchasing TicketBench, you will receive an email with your registration key in it. Close all running copies of TicketBench then reopen TicketBench. A window informing you that you are in evaluation mode will open. Press the button labeled 'Enter Key'.

Copy and paste the username and registration key that were emailed to you into the corresponding Name and Key fields. Be sure both values are entered exactly as they were given to you. There should be NO spaces at the beginning or end of the field. Once you have entered the values, press the OK button. If all values were entered correctly, you should get a message stating that you entered a valid key. If you received an error message, it means that the values were entered incorrectly. Press the OK button and try again.

After entering the correct key, all the printing capabilities will be unlocked. You only need to enter the key once.

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I don't see the type or size of document I need in Project Wizard. What do I do?

The Project Wizard is a guide to use when making your documents. To set your own size, click on File, then Page Layout. Change the columns and rows to divide the sheet to make the size ticket you need.

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How do I change the background color of my document?

You can change the background color of the document on the Workbench to simulate the paper color it will print on by clicking on the View menu and selecting Paper Color. Select the color you want the background to be and click OK. Note that this only changes the background color on the screen, not when you actually print.

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How do I print a border around my document?

It depends on the type of print run you are doing. If you are printing a test sheet from Print Preview, simply check the Show Borders option. If you are printing from the main print window, you need to draw a rectangle the same size as the document and send it to the back of the document. Be sure you don't make the rectangle too big, or it won't show up when it is printed.

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The document I was working on disappeared! Where is it?

Don't panic, it's probably not really gone. First, check to see whether you accidentally scrolled away from the ticket. Click on the View menu, then Zoom, and select 100%. The ticket should appear in the center of the window.

If your document did not appear, check to see if you switched to a different project. TicketBench allows multiple projects to be open at the same time. Click on the Window menu and see if there are multiple project open. A list of all the open projects appears at the bottom of the menu (they are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on). Click on each project to switch to it and see if it is the one you were working on.

If you still haven't found the document, it is possible that you closed the file. Try re-opening the project you are looking for.

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How do I print two matching random numbers on each individual Form or Label?

TicketBench Pro and TicketBench Enterprise both have the capability of generating random numbers. If you want the two random numbers on your printed document, you will need to do the following:

  • Add them both to the workbench.
  • Double click on one of them.
  • Check the 'Lock Seed' box.
  • Write down or copy the seed number.
  • Press OK.
  • Double click on the other random number.
  • Check the 'Lock Seed' box.
  • Type or paste the seed number from the other random number into the current random number's Seed Numbe Field.
  • Press OK.

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Why doesn't the graphic image (JPEG or GIF) print?

TicketBench Pro and VenueBench cannot print images with transparencies. You will need to open the image in an image editor (such as Photoshop or Illustrator) and save it without transparencies.

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When I try to type a number, I get a 'ding' sound instead. Why?

On some systems, numbers entered using the number key pad on the right of the keyboard, are blocked as invalid characters. To get around this problem, please use the number keys across the top of the keyboard. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

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How do I change the background color of a document?

Select the Rectangle tool from the horizontal tool bar and make a rectangle the same size as the document. Then edit the fill color of this rectangle to be the color you wish the document to have. Select the rectangle and click on the Send to Back tool. This is a handy way to emulate colored stock. Be sure to remove the colored background before you print, or else you'll use up a lot of ink by mistake.

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Why can't I see the graphic objects on my document?

Very often, when the document has a large graphic object it covers up other objects. Try sending the large items to the back with the 'send to back' action tool. This often happens when you have a rectangle that is the same size of the document whose color you have changed - it covers up everything else until it is sent to the back of the z-order.

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How can I make gutters (horizontal and vertical space) between my documents?

This assumes that you have used a rectangle object to give your document a border. If you made the rectangle the exact same size as the document, then your documents will join each other at their edges. To get a gutter (space between your documents), just reduce the size of the documents by resizing the documents from the lower right-hand corner of the documents up and to the left just slightly. You may have to adjust the placement of some items on your documents. Your documents will be a little smaller but you will have space between the documents when they are printed on a page.

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How can I find the margins of my printer's printable area?

This information applies to TicketBench and VenueBench software only!

From the main window, click on the File menu and select Open Project. Once in the Open File window, double click on the examples folder. Inside the examples folder, open the project called testmargins.tkb. Print one page. Measure the margins on the page and set the printer margins accordingly (using the Printer Margins Layout in the Layout Menu).

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Why are my documents being chopped off at the bottom of the page when I do a test print?

This information applies to TicketBench and VenueBench software only!

From the main window, from the File Menu, Open a Project. Once in the Open File window, double click on the examples folder. Inside the examples folder, open the project called testmargins.tkb. Print one page. Measure the margins on the page and set the printer, margins accordingly (using the Printer Margins Layout in the Layout Menu for TicketBench.) For TicketBench PLUS, select Printer for TicketBench.) For TicketBench PLUS, select Printer for TicketBench.) For TicketBench PLUS, select Printer Margins Layout in the Printer Menu. Please refer to "How can I find the margins of my printer's printable area?" above.

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When I am creating a document, I'm working within a visible document boundary. Why don't I see this boundary when I do a print preview or when I go to print a page of documents?

We purposely do not print this boundary because there may be situations where you do NOT want that boundary printed. If you do want a boundary, it's easy to do. After you have completed the desired look of the document, from the Main window, select the rectangle tool and place a rectangle on the document. Size it so that it is the exact same size as the document. If you just want a boundary and you don't want to have the background colored, use the Send to Back tool to send the white rectangle to the background. If you want a colored background, before sending the rectangle to the background, change the Fill Color of the rectangle to the desired color.

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I changed the shape of my document, but when I do a Print Preview, the shape didn't change. Why is that?

You very likely have created a border by using a rectangle and sending it to the background. If you have changed the shape of your document, you need to also change the shape of your rectangle to match the new size of the document. This will solve the problem.

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I would like a transparent fill.

This can be accomplished by changing the stacking order of elements. Say you want to place an oval around some text. But when you place the oval around the text the text disappears. Just use the Send to Back tool on the Tool Bar, to put the oval behind the text.

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Can I add fonts to TicketBench Pro and VenueBench?

Yes. Simply install the font on your computer and the software should see it the next time it is started.

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How can I rotate text?

Right click while your cursor is over the text or number to be rotated. From the pop-up menu, select 'rotate' and enter the amount of rotation in degrees, e.g., 90, 180, 270, 321. Rotation goes counter-clockwise.

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Can I get landscape page orientation?

Yes. Go to the Layout Tab and click on Landscape.

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Can TicketBench Software and VenueBench print on all Avery label sizes?

Yes. By choosing a paper size, and adjusting margins, columns, and rows you can make any size of uniformly arrayed rectangles, i.e., you can fit all of Avery's paper products using our software. For example, we make our own business cards using this product. We use the Avery 5371 paper. To make 2" x 3.5" cards, set columns to 2 and rows to 5. Then set the left and right margins to .75, and the top and bottom margins to .5.

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While printing Stacked Output my printer jammed. How do I recover, i.e., print the remainder of the job?

In VenueBench, you can use the Partial Stacked feature on the Print window. Set the Pages to Print to be the size of the original run you are trying to recover from. Select the Partial Stacked print run. Enter the Start Page and End Page numbers for the portion of the stack you wish to print.

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