The Date field is made up of  4 OMR zones. Mth is a Random Zone, the other three Matrix. As the Random zone can't be assigned a frame, we will use a combination of frames and graphic objects to create this group.

• Create a "short" zone of 9 choices starting in Channel 16, Row 1. 
• Open Properties and name the choices 10 to 18. 
• Check that the settings are as below.

• On the Frame tab untick all three choices.
• Click OK.

• Select the Random zone tool  from the toolbar. This zone contains 12 choices in two rows, each created with individual clicks. Create two rows of 6, in the order below.

• Name the choices in short month format (Jan, Feb ... Nov, Dec).
• Set the Response shape to the second right from NULL.

• On the Format tab, set Horizontal alignment to Center.
• Click OK.

• Create a "short" zone with 9 choices in Channel 19.
• Open Properties and select Numbers (from 1) in .
• Change the Response shape back to the shape to the right of NULL.
• On the Frame tab, select Border, but untick Dividing lines and Stripes if selected. The Border of this zone will be used to cover the other three zones so the Offsets need to be changed. Change the settings as below.

• In Title line set to Top. 
• Click OK.

• Create a "short" zone of 3 in the empty Channel.
• Open Properties and name the choices 10, 20, 30.
• Click OK.

• Since the zone containing the Frame for the group is a single column, it's not possible to use the Dividing lines in the Frame tab. Two Lines (Graphic Objects) can be used to create the Dividing lines instead. 
• Select the Vertical line tool  in the toolbar. The mouse pointer changes to a cross hair. Draw a line between "Month" and "Day".

• Extend the line to the bottom and top border. You can change the Nudge distance to 1 (300 dpi) for fine tuning the placement. 
• Open Properties and change Plate to Blind.
• Copy and Paste the line, or draw another line, and place it between "Month" and "Year".
• Add three text objects ("Day", "Mth", "Yr") in the title space above the group. If they appear in Red, change Plate to Black in Properties.

• Select . While holding the left mouse button drag across the screen to place your text object. This opens the Text object dialog box (Properties). In Definition type "Student".
• On the Format tab set the Horizontal Alignment to Center.
• Set Plate to Black.
• On the Font tab, set Font size to 12. Click OK.
• Toogle the Alignment toolbar, if not already open, by clicking . This opens the Alignment toolbar . This can be docked in the toolbar menu, or floating.
• Select the "Student" text object and click  , the mouse pointer changes to a hand. This alignment tool uses two clicks to center an object between the two selected points.
• Click the horizontal edges of the Student zone.

   

• The text is now centered over the zone.

• Do the same for Test and Date zone. 

• Use the text tool to create the object. In Definition type the three lines.

• Set Horizontal alignment to right in Format tab. Set the Line spacing to Exact: 60 (300 dpi).
• Set Plate to black.
• Set Font size to 12.
• Click OK.
• With the Text object selected click , the mouse pointer changes to a hand. Select the left edge of the first Q1-Q125 zone. The object aligns with the other zones in the left column.. 
• Click and align the object to the Student zone.

• Copy and paste the text object. The copied object is placed on top of the first object.
• Open Properties and change the Horizontal alignment (on the Format tab) to Left. This moves the text object. If it is too close to the constant text object, use Nudge to move slightly to the right.

• Open Properties again. Change the text to a sample of the text that will appear on the form. 

• Fixed data files have the same data field always at the same location on each line in the data file.
• Delimited data files have their fields separated by a character known as a delimiter.
• Delimited named data files are like the Delimited data files in that the fields are separated by a delimiter. They also have a header line which allows more flexibility in forms design.

• You need the first 4 records of this file, Name, Surname, StudentNo and Test.
• Count the characters (and space) for each field to determine the length of each.
• In the Tools menu, select External data....

• This opens Field definitions dialog box. Click New.

• FoD-OMR asks you what type of input data used. Select Data fields are of fixed size.

• The Field dialog box opens. Type in your first field, "FirstName", and set the length of the first record in the text file. Click OK.

• Click New again and add "Surname". The Start point changes automatically to accommodate the fields created prior.

• Add "StudentNo" and "Test".

• Your fields are now available to link. The symbol to the left of the name is a green "broken link". This signifies that the field hasn't yet been linked.
• Below are the instructions on creating fields as you need them and it's also the method of linking previously created fields to text. Delete the fields created, as we'll recreate them later.

• Open the sample text Properties. Mark the "FirstName" only, and click Link selection...

• This opens the Link to field dialog box. If you have created the fields previously they will appear in the drop down menu.

• Since the fields were deleted, the list only contains the predefined fields (such as Page, Date etc).
• To add a field, click next to Field, this opens the Field dialog box. Type FirstName and change the Max Length to 16.
• Click OK. Click OK in the Link to field dialog box.

• The linked text is highlighted and the field is available in the Linked records list, where you can edit the link (or delete it).
• Link the remaining fields.

• Click OK.
• Open External data... from the Tools menu. The "broken link" has now changed to an "unbroken link" symbol.

• If you have added the Fields in a different order to how they appear in the data file, you can change the Order and Max Length in Field Definitions.

• Open Properties of the Student zone.
• Linking a zone to a field is done in the Origin tab of the Zone Properties. Default setting is Constant. To create a new field, click the button and proceed as before when creating a field. As we have already created StudentNo, select it from the drop down menu.

• On Encoding method select 0-9.
• In Encoding value, you can enter a sample value, to see on the form (prior to printing) how the printed form will appear. Enter 6 numbers to "pre-slugg" the zone.
• Select the Standard size of Encoding marks.

• Click OK.

• If the Student number should appear in the Title line of the zone, copy the "Student" text object and place it in the title line. Change the definition to a sample Student Number.
• Link the text to StudentNo.

• It's not possible to change the spacing of the text substituted from a data file, so the Student Number is centered in the Title line.
• Link the Test zone to the Test record.
  

To add a barcode:

• Click , and drag the mouse pointer where you want to place the barcode. The Barcode dialog box opens.

• Set Symbology to Code 2 of 5 int.
• Click Link all... and link to Test.
• Click OK.
• Adjust the size of the barcode if needed by dragging the black handles that appear around the barcode when selected.

• Adjust the position of the barcode if needed.

• Create a single Matrix Zone to the immediate left of the second last Timing Mark.
• In Text type "ID Mark".
• Set the response shape to the shape to the shape immediate right of NULL.
• Set a negative Horizontal offset (-100.00) to place the text to the left of the zone.  
• Untick all choices on the Frame tab.
• Set Plate to Blind. 
• On Origin tab, set Field to Constant, the Encoding Method to Y/N, and set Encoding value to Y.
• Choose Custom in Pre-defined sizes. Set Width to 45, and Height to 23 (the same as the Timing Marks).

• Set Font size to 9.
• Click OK.
  

Binary numbers are used to show data on OMR forms.

To create the 20 Choice "short" zone directly underneath the Question zones, you need three mouse clicks.

• Select from the toolbar. 
• Check the Status Bar to make the first mouse click in Channel 45, Row 36.
• Place the second click to the right (Channel 46), and the final, making the count 20, in Channel 26, Row 36.

• Open Properties and tick White filled if not already selected. 
• Set Offset from mark (both Horizontal and Vertical) to 0.00.
• Check that the Response shape is set to the shape to the right of NULL.

• Click OK.
  

• Open Properties, and select the Origin tab. 
• Select StudentNo from the drop down menu.
• Select BCD 1,2,4,8... in Encoding method, and type in the sample value in Encoding value.

• Click OK.

• Add the Constant text "Binary: Student987654 (6 digit maximum)". Use the alignment tools to place the text.

This is another zone that can be used to show data, or can be marked for single digits in less space.

When both Choices and Repeats are in the same plane (Channel or Row), zones are called "Same Plane Zones". More information can be found in the manual. This is set up in Properties of the zone. 

• Right click to finish the zone.
• Open Properties.
• Set the Response shape to the fourth from NULL .
• In select Binary encoding, 1-2-4-8.

• On the Matrix tab, check the Horizontal origin is set to 3, and Vertical origin is set to 37.
• Leave Choices: Count and Spacing as is, and set Repeats: Count to 6, and Spacing to 5. Make sure Repeats are Horizontal.
• On the Frame tab, leave all three choices unselected. 
• Make sure Plate is set to Blind.
• On the Format zone, set Horizontal alignment to Center and the Line spacing to single.

• On the Font tab, change the Size to 6.
• Click OK.

• Open Properties, and select the Origin tab. 
• Select StudentNo from the drop down menu.
• Select BCD 1,2,4,8 in Encoding method, and type in the sample value in Encoding value.

• Click OK.

• Add the Constant text "BCD 1 2 4 8: Student987654".

The last two rows of zones are best done by using a Random zone. For more information on Random Zones see the manual.

• Select the Random zone icon . 
• With four mouse clicks create a zone of four.

• Right click to complete the zone.

• As this is a Random zone you have to right click and select Properties to open the Properties dialog box. Open Properties.
• Select Binary encoding, 1-2-4-7 in .
• Check the Plate is set to Blind.
• Click OK.
• There is no tab available in Properties to adjust the placement of the zone, so do this manually.
• Copy and Paste the zone until there are 6 groups of 4.
• As this is a random zone, you cannot prefill this from a data file.
• Add the Constant text "BCD 1 2 4 7: Student987654 (as single digit random zone)".

Now that all elements on the form have been defined, it's time to print it with the data file. The linked objects will be replaced by the values in the data file. The data file used is defined in File menu, Print..., (shortcut ctrl + p).

• Select the Merge tab.
• To define the data file used, click and find the .txt file saved earlier.

• Confirm which printer to use, then click Print.