Simtel MSDOS 1992 June

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21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page i page PROGRAM DESCRIPTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 LICENSE AGREEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 [+] FORWARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 [-] REVERSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 [e] EDIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 [n] NEW RECORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 [s] SEARCH FOR NAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 [#] SEARCH FOR TEL # . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [&] SEARCH FOR COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [d] DELETE RECORD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [t] DELETE TEXT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [ ] TIMER ON/OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [!] ADD TO OWES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [$] ADD TO PAID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [0] ZERO TIMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 [f] FORMAT BOOKLET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 [p] PRINT MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 [l] LABELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 [b] BOOKLET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [r] TRANSACTION REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [*] DEFAULT MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [a] Name, [b] Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [c] Tel #, [d] Tel # . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [e] Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [f] City, [g] State, [h] Zip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [i] Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [j] Timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [k] Owes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [l] Paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [m] Expiration Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [r] City, [s] State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [t] Name in Booklet Masthead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [u] Hourly Wage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [v] PG File Extension for Booklet Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [w] Printer Control Code for Dot Matrix Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [x] Printer Control Code for Laser Printers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [=] CATEGORY MENU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [PgUp], [PgDn] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [n] New. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [d] Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [s] Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 [m] Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 [c] Clear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 [e] Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 [/] EXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 1 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Database Publisher is a unique computer publishing program that is especially suited to organizing people and/or products for a profit. Database Publisher keeps track of up to 2000 people and/or products. Create a catalog of people, services, products, software, etc. Using any dot matrix or laser printer, set to condensed mode, print a booklet on both sides of 8.5 x 11 paper. Descriptions of products or services can be up to 60 words. Using a dot matrix printer, a typical catalog containing 200 people and/or products cost just 15 cents to print. The same catalog sent to a printer would cost 40 or 50 cents each. And you wouldn't have the flexibility of being able to make additions and changes at any time. Print 2 or 2000. It's tough to wear out a dot matrix printer. Database Publisher is also the simplest mailing list manager on the market. People with no computer experience whatsoever can immediately enter, edit, and print mailing labels, without having to read this documentation. Mailing lists can be categorized, by including any key word in the Category field. Then you'll be able to print selected categories. Also people can easily linked to multiple categories. But Database Publisher is much more than a mailing list manager. Using any text editor, or word processor set to save files in ASCII format, you can add articles to the booklet, thus making the format very much like a magazine. If you're putting a catalog of products together why not include an order form. Leave the last page blank and you won't even need an envelope. If you're charging for subscriptions just enter the expiration date and the mailing labels will only print if that subscriber is current. Database Publisher also has two numeric fields for each person/product. Keep track of monies owed and paid. Ideal for a pledge drive. Keep track of stock on hand and amount sold. Then there's the transaction report that list each transaction, and an optional comment. There's even a timer for telephone consultants. Define hourly wage, and the elapsed time and dollars are automatically displayed. A single keystroke and the dollar amount is moved to the owes field. Datapub is adaptable to your design. Rename all the field labels to suit your business. Whether you're already in business or just getting started Database Publisher will allow your IBM-PC or compatible to pay for itself. LICENSE AGREEMENT This program may be copied and shared with others. A nominal distribution fee is acceptable. Shareware is a relatively new concept is software distribution. You're welcome to try the program for free. If you use this software you're expected to purchase the program, by becoming a registered user. Without the high cost of advertising and distribution, shareware authors are able to offer quality software at modest prices. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 2 Support Shareware and the further development of this program. Become a registered user by sending a check for $59 to: Neil Albala PO Box 2346 Tucson, AZ 85745 (602) 884-1177 Registered users receive: * The latest version. * An instruction manual * Telephone Support * Notice of updates [+] FORWARD Forward will display the next person or product. If one or more categories are selected then the next person or product displayed, will be from one of these selected categories. (See [*] Category Menu) Each time you press the "+" key another record will be retrieved and displayed. Do try holding down the "+" key. The person or products name will be previewed. Release the key and that record will be retrieved. [-] REVERSE Reverse will display the next person or product. If one or more categories are selected then the next person or product displayed will be from one of these selected categories. (See [*] Category Menu) Each time you press the "- key another record will be retrieved and displayed. By holding down the "- key, the records will be previewed. Release the key and that record will be retrieved. [e] EDIT This is how you edit an existing person or product. Once you enter the edit mode you will be prompted for input at each line. To leave the edit mode quickly, just hold down the carriage return key. [n] NEW RECORD This is how you enter a new name or product into the system. Very Simple. Nothing to it. [s] SEARCH FOR NAME This function will search the Name field for the person or products name and bring up that record. Remember capital letters are different from small letters. Example If you looking for "John Doe" and you entered "john doe" you'll not find the record you're looking for. You'll need to enter "John Doe" with the capitals. You will also find the record you're looking for if you enter just "John". If there are more than one "John" in the system, you'll be prompted, "next occurrence y/n" . In response to this prompt a carriage return is the same as a no. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 3 [#] SEARCH FOR TEL # The Search for Tel # function works exactly the same way as the Search for Name function only this one searches both Tel # fields. [&] SEARCH FOR COMPANY The Search for Company function works exactly like the Search for Name function only the search is on the Company field. [d] DELETE RECORD This command will deleted the entire record including the text portion from the entire system. [t] DELETE TEXT This command will deleted only the text portion of the record from the system. You'll be able to enter new text through the Edit command. [ ] TIMER ON/OFF The space bar turns the timer on and off. As soon as the timer is turned on you'll see the seconds ticking away on Timer on/off line of the screen. If you have set a hourly wage you'll also see the dollar amount displayed. (See [=] Default Menu) [!] ADD TO OWES Here you can add any dollar amount less than 100,000 to the amount a person owes or has pledged. When you receive a check enter that amount into the Paid field and that amount is automatically subtracted from the Owes field. If you were selling products, you rename the Owes field to "Stock on Hand" and the Paid field to "Amount Sold". When you received new stock you'd add that amount to Stock on Hand. When you sold something you'd enter that into Amount Sold and that amount would automatically be subtracted from Stock on Hand. (See [*] Default Menu about redefining the label) [$] ADD TO PAID The Paid field keeps track of the all time amount of money a person has paid you, or the all time quantity of that item sold. You can clear this field by adding the negative of the total amount. [0] ZERO TIMER This is used at the end of the phone call. This function will set the timer back to zero, calculate the amount due for the consultation by multiplying the length of the call, by your hourly wage (See [*] Default Menu), and adding that amount to the Owes field. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 4 [f] FORMAT BOOKLET This command formats the Database information into a booklet. You'll be prompted for "Month" and that date will be placed above the masthead. This is what happens next. The database information is converted to pages, but not printed pages. Disk pages, stored as files. Because a sheet of 8.5x11 paper folded in half has 4 pages (both sides) the amount of pages formatted to disk will always be multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, etc. 4 pages is one sheet of paper printed on both sides. 8 pages is two sheets of paper printed on both sides, etc. The Print Booklet command (See [p] Print Menu) will take these page files and print them in the right sequence, so that you when put together, all the booklet pages will be in order. In between the time you use the Format Booklet command to format the booklet and the Print Booklet command to print the booklet you can add to or edit the booklet pages. Use any text editor or word processor set to save text in ASCII format. (All word processors have this option.) When editing the PG or page files set the line width to be 52 characters per line, with no margin. Using this feature you can add additional text or articles to the empty spaces in the booklet. Empty spaces happen two ways. One, if there is not enough information in the database to fill the last sheet of paper. Two, when formatting a categorized booklet, new categories always start on a new page and there is often empty space at the bottom of the previous page. (See [*] Category Menu) Be careful. If you've formatted and edited a booklet version you want to keep, go into the default menu and change the PG File Extension, otherwise the last booklet version of the same extension will be erased. Also, if you're going to be sending the catalog through the mail, do leave the last page empty, or partially empty. Just staple the booklet closed, and use that last page for addresses add postage. [p] PRINT MENU [l] LABELS Mailing labels are always sorted by zip. Before the actual printing starts you will be prompted, "Space bar to test <cr> to begin". Use the space bar to advance the labels one line at a time. Adjust the labels so that the printing will begin on the top line of any label and all the rest will follow suit. If you have selected one or more categories (See [*] Category Menu) then only people or products with that category in the Category Field will be printed. Also be aware of this feature: When an Expiration Date is present, that label will only be printed if the date is current. When you're keeping track of subscriptions, place the expiration date in the Expiration Date field and when the subscription expires there will be no mailing label. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 5 [b] BOOKLET This selection begins the printing of the booklet(s). You will be prompted, "How many?" A carriage return defaults to one. You can enter as many as you like though be careful not ask for more booklets than you have paper. If you're going to be printing 1000 booklets print them in groups of 100. [r] TRANSACTION REPORT This selection will begin the printing of the Transaction Report. Each time you add to the Owes or Paid field, or Zero the Timer an entry is made to the report file. (REPORT.DP) You'll notice that every time a money or math field is changed you'll be prompted for a comment. This is optional. Your comments will appear on the Transaction Report. The Transaction report is a log of all transactions. This is used for record keeping and referencing exactly what happened when. The transaction file is called REPORT.DP. Entries are not deleted until you use the DOS command: DEL REPORT.DP [*] DEFAULT MENU Listed below are each of the selections on the Category Menu and a description of each. Selections "a" thru "m" are merely labels. These labels are displayed when the program is installed. They're just default labels and may be changed. Note: for the purposes of this instruction manual all references to commands are made by their default name. [a] Name, [b] Company This are both 30 character fields. The Name field could possibly be changed to "Full Name" or if your primary focus is on Companies you might want to define this field as "Company" and then define the Company field as "Attention:". These are just examples. You can define these field as any way you want. [c] Tel #, [d] Tel # These two fields are both 20 characters each, so there is not only enough space for an area code but also and extension. If you you'd need two fields for telephone numbers then redefine the label and use one or both for something else. [e] Address This field is 36 characters. If you're keeping track of products you might want to define this field as "Supplier". [f] City, [g] State, [h] Zip City is 16 characters, State 2, and Zip 10. These field labels may also be redefined. [i] Category This field is 30 characters long. This is just the label for the Category field. For a detailed explanation of categories, their definition, and use, See [*] Category Menu. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 6 [j] Timer The timer not only keeps track of seconds, and minutes, but hours too. The only way to access this field is by using the space bar as an on/off switch. If you like you may redefine this label. [k] Owes The maximum amount for this field is 100,000 whether that be dollars, units or whatever. You may want to redefine this label to "Pledged" [l] Paid The maximum amount for this field is 100,00 whether that be dollars, units or whatever. You can redefine this label too. [m] Expiration Date The date field is 8 characters. Example 01-01-88. This field label may be redefined. [r] City, [s] State This is not a field label. This is an actual city and state. Tucson, AZ is the default. When you're entering or editing data you do not have to type the same city and state over and over again. Just hit return and as long as you put in the zip code the default city and state will be inserted into the record for you. These two selections allow you to change the default city and state. [t] Name in Booklet Masthead Place your business name here and that name will be printed out in the booklet masthead. [u] Hourly Wage Set you hourly wage here and when the Timer is turned on the dollar amount will be calculated and displayed. If you want to turn off this feature set the hourly wage to zero. [v] PG File Extension for Booklet Pages As was mentioned in the [f] Format Booklet section, once a booklet is formatted to disk you can make additions and changes with any text editor or word processor set to save files in ASCII format, 52 characters per line. Once you've put the work into editing these booklet editions you'll want to save them. If you don't change the PG File Extension the next time you go to Format a Booklet the previous edition with your changes will be lost. When you want to save an edition, change the PG File Extension before doing a Format Booklet. Use any three letter extension. Here are some examples: Jan, Feb, Mar, etc. Or if you're publishing weekly editions use numbers: 1, 2, 3, etc. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 7 [w] Printer Control Code for Dot Matrix Printers This is important. Before your booklets will print correctly, you must set the decimal code that sets your printer to print 132 characters per line. You'll need to look this up in your printer manual. The default is 15 for IBM and compatible printers. [x] Printer Control Code for Laser Printers If you have a laser printer you'll need to enter the decimal codes that set the printer to 132 characters per line. This will probably be an escape, decimal code 27, and some other number. You'll need to check your manual for the full sequence. [=] CATEGORY MENU Use full names when defining category names because these will be printed as booklet headings. Only when selections are made will booklets be categorized. When prompted for category in the main screen, you can use the full name, though only the first four characters are required. Remember, upper and lower case letters are different. When categories are selected only records which include one of those categories will be displayed or printed. All selections are saved. Remember, if you can't find a record just clear all selections. If a record is to be selected a being part a category you must include the category name, or the first four characters of that name,in the category field of that record. [PgUp], [PgDn] The screen lists 20 categories at a time. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to jump to the next or previous 20 categories. [n] New Use this command to define a new category name. [d] Delete Use this command to delete a category. Follow the prompts. You'll first use the Up and Down arrows to position the pointer on the category you want to delete. When this is done then hit return and the category will be deleted. If you change you mind just hit the Escape key. [s] Select This is the function that allows you to select particular categories. When one or more categories are selected then only those categories will be displayed, or printed. For records to be displayed or printed they must have the selected category name, or the first four letters of that category name, in the Category field exactly as it is defined on the Category Menu. When ever you're creating or editing a record you're prompted for Category. That's the Category field. Remember upper case letters are different from lower case. 21-SEP-87 DATABASE PUBLISHER by Neil Albala page 8 To select categories follow the prompts. Use the Up and Down arrows to position the pointer on the category you want to select. Then tap the space bar and that category will be highlighted, and thus selected. Tap the space bar again, and that category will be unselected. Once you've selected a category you may continue to use the Up and Down arrows and the Space Bar to position the pointer and select or unselect other categories. When you've got all the categories selected as you want them, hit return and you'll be back at the original Category Menu. [m] Move When you make selections by way of this menu the booklet is formatted by category. The order in which these categories are printed is controlled by this move function. The first selected category will be printed first, the second second, and so forth. To move a category follow the prompts. First you position the cursor next to the category you want to move. A return will highlight that category. Then use the Up and Down arrows to move the category. [c] Clear If you have a number categories selected and you want to unselect all categories this one command will do that. All highlighted categories will instantly be unhighlighted, unselected, or cleared. But not deleted. [e] Exit There are three ways to exit the Category Menu. An "e" or a carriage return will save all selections and bring you back to the main screen. An escape will retain all selections for the duration of the session though they will not b e saved to disk so the next time you start the program your original selections will be intact. [/] EXIT This is the command you use to exit the program.