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1987-12-31
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Membership List Program Documentation
- Copyright Ernie Nelson 1987
5651 Cielo Ave
Santa Barbara Ca. 93117
Shareware Development NAC
This is an unfinished but useful program that I created one long
weekend
to provide my wife with the capability to create and manage a mailing
list for her womens' club of 450 members. The program provides the
capability to create mailing lists, sort the list by name, zip code,
termination date, or group identifier. It is a bit rough, but it saved
us a lot of typing time, and eliminated many mistakes too! After it
was working, we thought that others may have Amigas and clubs that need
mail lists; so here is an offering for you. It works! It seems to be
easy to use (my wife does not understand computers and uses this
program). If there is enough interest out there, perhaps I can make
this program even more useful!
The Membership List Program is not "freeware"!
The Membership List Program is not public domain!
The Membership List Program is CopyRighted Software!
All Rights are Reserved to Author!
However, permission is granted to freely (with no charges) distribute
to prospective users, who (I hope) will send a fee of $15.00 to
register their use and obtain support. If you don't use it, make a copy
for a friend. If you do use it, let me know how you like it, whats
wrong with it, and register. If you would like the source or
modification, register and make a request. We can evaluate your
request; possibly even provide you with custom code, for a custom fee!
Send your check or Money Order (made payable to E. R. Nelson) to:
E. R. Nelson
5651 Cielo Ave.
Santa Barbara Calif. 93117
If you distribute the program to others, include this file, letting all
who obtain a copy know of its origin and nature.
The Membership List Program is distributed "as is" without warranty or
guarantee that it is suitable for use or will work as expected by any
one.
Membership Program Documentation
The program is a CLI based program that is strictly mouse driven,
the Amiga keys have not been implemented. It can be started from CLI
by typing the directory path name and the program name "names"; or, it
may be started by modifying a workbench disk to include the program,
your membership data file, and appending the startup commands in file
"run.names" to your startup-sequence. Also the program is not a
membership data base editor, you must provide an ASCII file of your
membership as described below and shown by example in the "names.list"
file provided. Once started, use the mouse to select menu options.
Each one is also described in the following paragraphs.
Getting Started
Before running the Membership Program, you will need to prepare
your membership list data base. Use your favorite editor or word
processor to create a file with entries of members as follows:
First Line <Membership Date> <Membership Number> <Group ID>
Second Line <Name Last name first> <,> <First name or names>
Third Line <Street Address or P O Box>
Fourth Line <City><,> <State> <ZipCode>
Separate each four line entry with at least one blank line. Of course,
each line has a certain format, so the program may read the values. Do
not worry about the order of entering the names list, you can sort then
with the Membership Program. Each of the brackets above represent a
field entry. The entries are separated by blanks, except where a comma
appears, much like the way secretaries type addresses. Examine the
example file to obtain a clearer picture of the data format. However,
here is an attempted description in words too!
First Line: The date is two numbers separated by a slash for
example, 9/89, for September, 1989. The membership
number is a 7 digit integer such as a phone number.
The group ID is a one character code used
to identify sub-groups within the membership.
Second Line: The name is entered last name first with a comma
then a blank and any number of first names (up to a
40 character limit?).
Third Line: The street address is entered as you would type it
on a letter. This all one field of ASCII
characters.
Fourth Line: The city name, state name, and zip code are each a
separate field. The city name must be followed by
a comma and at least one space before the state
entry. The state entry may be an abbreviation or
spelled out in full, followed by at least one
blank. The zip code must be a 5 digit zip code
only.
The format was developed for our use. Perhaps it fits
your use too. However, it is expected that the first line has extras
that you do not wish to use. Please at least enter something in each
field to prevent the possibility of crashing the program. It was never
tested without all the fields, for obvious reasons. Your welcome to
try. If you have a serious need for other formats, write a letter with
your registration fee and we can discuss customizing the program for
your group.
Save your list of members in a file without any word processor
unique commands or embedded special characters other than carriage
returns or line feed characters. You should now be ready to run the
program with your data.
Summary of Menu Options
When the program starts, an information window opens. This window
has the title of the program, and provides the user with a status
message of commands expected. The first one is "Select Menu",
indicating that the user must use the menus to select program commands.
Use the mouse and the menu button to select the menu in the menu bar at
the top of the screen. The full menu appears, with most of the choices
ghosted. Only two choices are allowed, "Read Names" and "Quit".
Selecting "Quit" or the message window close gadget with end the
program and leave you in CLI. The other option opens a directory
selector window to allow you to choose your data file. It should be
self explanatory.
The "Directory Selector" window presents the user with several
gadgets to allow selection of a file for action by a program. By the
way, this was wholly written by myself, any similarity to other
directory selectors is due to their influence during my learning to
program the Amiga system. To select a file that you see, move the
mouse pointer to its line and click the gadget mouse button. The file
name will appear at the bottom of the window. Use the scroll bar to
view the full directory. When the desired file has been selected,
click on the "Accept" button to retrieve the file. The other buttons
allow the user to select other volumes and directories. Your file need
not be on your boot disk!
Once you leave the "Directory Selector" the program loads the
names list, notice the message window indicates "Reading Names". When
it again shows "Select Menu", you may select any of the other options.
The Options are briefly:
"Sort Names" by any of the following fields, Date,
Group,Name, or Zip code.
"Names to Screen" lists the membership to the screen for
preview.
"Print Names" sends the membership list to the printer. This
is not in mailing label format. We use this list to
maintain the membership by making multiple copies, giving
them to the officers, who make changes on the lists. These
changes are the basis for modifying the membership data base.
"Save Names" sends the membership list to the specified file
in mailing label format. We then type this list to the
printer with labels loaded to print the stick on labels for a
mailing of the newsletter. You get a select window here too!
It lets you enter a file name for saving the labels list.
This may be a full path name. If you enter an existing file
name, you get a warning. If you enter a directory name, you
get asked to enter another file!
"Output Format" opens a window with an integer gadget, which
is used to identify the number of additional blank lines
between each mailing label. We use small 15/16 inch labels
that are closely spaced. Two blank lines are sufficient for
this type of label. One additional blank line is used to set
the label spacing for this label. The default is set this
way. Your labels may be different, experiment with the short
example file to determine the best setting. By the way, no
checking is done for this setting. You may set this number
large, and get one label every hundred feet! Be careful
here! If this setting is set to zero, you get one blank line
between each entry in the "Saved Names" file.
"About Names" is my notice with registration information.
"Quit Names" and the close box on the "Membership List"
information window exit the program to CLI. Sorry, this
program is not Workbench oriented! We don't do Icons, just
windows!
Well that's the Membership List Program for your evaluation. Try
it; use it for one month. Make a mailing with it. If you like it, let
me know. If its not the right format, we can negotiate modifications.
If you have other ideas, use them. But do not copy this document or
the associated code and sell it to anyone. Pass it on, freely with no
fees ("It" refers to the code, example address data base, and this
documentation as one unit). If fees are charged, you require a
separate authorizing letter for such transfers! Lets keep the spirit
of cheap software going, support your local Authors, send money! Lets
also reimburse those souls who create useable programs for their
labors, they work real hard!
Author Ernie Nelson
Copyright 1987