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Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 1 User Documentation 3/11/86 RELIANCE MAILING LIST USER DOCUMENTATION Copyright (c) 1986 William Meacham 1004 Elm Street Austin, Tx 78703 THIS PROGRAM AND DOCUMENTATION ARE HEREBY RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN If you find this program useful, please make a contribution to encourage me to write some more. Thanks! Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 2 User Documentation 3/11/86 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page ------- ---- Chapter One -- Introduction ......................... 4 How to use this manual ............................ 4 Overview of the chapter ........................... 4 Program Overview .................................. 4 Equipment needed .................................. 4 Starting the program .............................. 5 How to enter data ................................. 5 The Enter key ................................... 5 Using the cursor control keys.................... 6 Entering negative numbers........................ 7 Entering dates .................................. 7 Yes/No answers .................................. 8 Correcting mistakes ............................. 8 Press space bar ................................. 8 The first time you run the program ................ 9 Saving the data to disk ........................... 9 Using more than one data diskette ................. 10 Make a working copy of the program ................ 10 Back up your files! ............................... 10 Chapter Two -- Program Functions .................... 12 Overview of the chapter ........................... 12 Starting the program -- Title screen, date and disk drive ............... 12 Overview of the Main Menu ......................... 13 MAIN MENU options: 1 The Set-Up Menu .............................. 15 Overview of the Set-Up Menu SET-UP MENU options: 1 Compute maximum names allowed ........... 16 2 Set up your printer ..................... 17 3 Define selection categories ............. 19 4 Change data file ID ..................... 20 5 Count names used ........................ 20 6 Display system control information ...... 21 7 Print system control information ........ 21 2 Add a name ................................... 22 3 Display or Change a name ..................... 24 4 Delete a name ................................ 25 5 Record contributions ......................... 25 6 Print list of names .......................... 26 7 Print labels ................................. 28 8 Create MailMerge file ........................ 29 9 Change data diskette ......................... 30 Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 3 User Documentation 3/11/86 Chapter Three -- Compiling the Source Code .......... 31 Overview of the chapter ........................... 31 Source code files ................................. 31 To compile for CP/M ............................... 31 To compile for MS/PC-DOS .......................... 32 Data file structure ............................... 32 Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 4 User Documentation 3/11/86 CHAPTER ONE -- INTRODUCTION HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL The program is completely menu-driven, so you can probably get by without reading much of the documentation, but please read Chapter One anyway. It tells you how to use the cursor keys to enter data and other such basic information. Refer to Chapter Two as needed for detailed information about each program function. Chapter Three tells how to compile the program; read it only if you want to modify the program and recompile it. OVERVIEW OF THIS CHAPTER This chapter contains background information you need to know in order to run the program. It does not discuss each program function -- that is left for Chapter Two. At least read "How to enter data" and "The first time you run the program." If you are an experienced computer user you can safely skip the rest, but if you are relatively new to computers, read the whole chapter. PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Reliance Mailing List program maintains a data file of names and addresses and other information. Designed for a political campaign, it can be used by individuals, charitable organizations or small businesses as well. It is extremely easy to use; menus show all program functions. It is available in CP/M and PC-DOS (MS-DOS) versions. It prints two-across mailing labels and creates a "mailmerge" file to export data to other programs. You can select the names to print in a variety of ways and sort them by last name or zip code. EQUIPMENT NEEDED To run the program you will need: * A Kaypro computer (CP/M) with two floppy disk drives or a hard disk and one floppy disk drive. OR An IBM PC, PC-XT or compatible computer with two floppy disk drives or a hard disk and one floppy disk drive. * At least 128K of Random Access Memory (RAM) for IBM, 64K for Kaypro. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 5 User Documentation 3/11/86 * A copy of the Operating System for your computer -- PC-DOS or MS-DOS version 2.0 or greater for IBM, CP/M for Kaypro. * A dot-matrix printer that can print 132 columns in "compressed" mode. * Mailing labels, 2-across, 4" X 15/16" on 9 1/2" pin feed paper -- Avery 4143 or equivalent. * Diskettes, paper, printer ribbon, etc. STARTING THE PROGRAM The program is contained in two files, MAIL.COM and MAIL.000; both must be present on the logged disk and user area (CP/M) or directory (MS/DOS). Floppy disks Start the computer as you usually do with your DOS or CP/M diskette. Put the Mailing List Program diskette in drive A and a data disk in drive B. Type: MAIL and press the Enter key. Hard disk Start the computer as you usually do. Go to the user area (CP/M) or subdirectory (PC or MS-DOS) where you keep your mailing list program and data. Type: MAIL and press the Enter key. NOTE: The Enter key may be labelled "Return" or "Enter" (Kaypro) or show an arrow going down and to the left (IBM). If there are no data files (for instance, the first time you run the program) you are asked if you want to create them. See detailed instructions in Chapter Two. HOW TO ENTER DATA You enter data by filling in blanks on forms that are displayed on your screen. Type the information requested, then press the Enter key. The cursor then moves to the next data entry field. (The "cursor" is the blinking underline or solid block that indicates where the next character you type will be displayed.) The Enter Key Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 6 User Documentation 3/11/86 The Enter key on the IBM PC is the arrow going down and to the left. On the Kaypro it is labeled "Return" or "Enter." To enter data, Type: the data and press the Enter key. Using the cursor control keys You may move around the screen to enter data and make corrections as follows: * To erase a character The left-arrow, the Backspace, the Del key and, on the IBM, the F1 key all erase the character to the left of the cursor. You may also type Ctrl-S (press and hold down the "Ctrl" key and type "S"). * To erase the entire entry Type Ctrl-Y or, on the IBM, the F2 key to erase everything in a data entry field. * To move down one line The Return, Enter, down-arrow and IBM F4 keys move the cursor to the next data entry field. You may also type Ctrl-X. After you type the data requested, use one of these keys to move on. For simplicity we shall refer to all these keys as the "Enter" key. Whenever this manual says "the Enter key," it means one of these keys. (On the IBM the Enter key is an arrow going down and to the left.) * To move up one line The up-arrow or, on the IBM, the F3 key, moves the cursor to the previous data entry field. You may also type Ctrl-E. * To skip to the end of the screen Press Ctrl-C or F8 (IBM) to go immediately to the bottom of the form displayed on the screen. * To skip to the beginning of the screen Press Ctrl-R or F7 (IBM) to go immediately to the first line of the form displayed on the screen. * To cancel data entry Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 7 User Documentation 3/11/86 The ESC, or Escape key cancels data entry. Use this key to throw away everything you have entered on a particular screen and start all over again. * SUMMARY Action Labelled Arrow Ctrl Function key key key (*) key (IBM) DELETE character Del, left S F1 to left Backspace DELETE entire Y F2 entry MOVE DOWN Return, down X F4 a line Enter MOVE UP up E F3 a line FAST FORWARD PgDn C F8 to end of screen (IBM) FAST BACKWARD PgUp R F7 to beg. of screen (IBM) CANCEL data entry Esc (*) Ctrl key: Hold down the "CTRL" key, push the letter key, then release both keys. Entering negative numbers To enter a negative number type a minus sign first, then the number, then the Enter key. For instance, to enter "-123.58," Type: -123.58 and press the Enter key. Entering dates To enter a date enter the month, the day and the year separately. The data entry field looks like this: MM/DD/YYYY For instance, to enter April 25, 1986, do the following: 1. The cursor starts at the Month field. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 8 User Documentation 3/11/86 Type: 4 or 04 and press the Enter key. 2. The cursor moves to the Day field. Type: 25 and press the Enter key. 3. The cursor moves the the Year field. Type: 85 or 1986 and press the Enter key. You may omit the century when entering the year. If you enter "86," the century is added and "1986" is displayed. If you enter a year between 80 and 99 the century is assumed to be 19; if you enter a year between 00 and 79 the century is assumed to be 20. You may enter any century you wish by typing all four digits. For instance, to enter the year 1950, Type: 1950 and press the Enter key. Yes/No Answers Sometimes a question will appear, such as "Do you wish to add another name?" Type "Y" for Yes or "N" for No. You do not need to press the Enter key. In some cases the answer to the question ("Yes" or "No") is already displayed. To accept the answer displayed, press the Enter key. To change the answer displayed, type "Y" or "N" without pressing the Enter key. Correcting mistakes If you make an error, use cursor commands to correct it. The easiest way is: 1. Move the cursor to the line where the mistake is. 2. Press the "delete entire entry" key (Ctrl-Y on Kaypro and IBM, F2 on the IBM). 3. Type: the correct information and press the Enter key. Press space bar . . . When you get to the end of a data entry screen, the following Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 9 User Documentation 3/11/86 message appears: -------------------------------------------------- PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE OR UP-ARROW TO GO BACK -------------------------------------------------- This give you one last chance to review what you have entered and go back and change it if you wish. After you press the space bar, you cannot go back and change it, so be sure everything is correct before you press the space bar. THE FIRST TIME YOU RUN THE PROGRAM . . . Before you enter data, choose Main Menu Option 1, "Set-up Menu," then Option 1 of the Set-up Menu, "Compute maximum names allowed." Use this option to tell the program how much data space you have available on your disk. The program computes how many names you can store and will not let you enter more names than this. (You can use this option to change what you have entered later.) Before you use this option, the program will not let you enter any names, so do this first. Before you print your mailing list or labels, select "Set up your printer," Option 2 of the Set-up Menu, to tell the program how to make your printer print in "compressed print" (132 characters on 8 1/2" wide paper). The program comes set up for Epson and compatible printers, so if you have an Epson you do not need to do this. You may also wish to use "Define selection categories," Option 3 of the Set-up menu, to enter the labels that will appear on your data entry screen for selection categories. All these menu options are explained in more detail later. SAVING THE DATA TO DISK The program saves the data onto disk whenever you return to the Main Menu (unless you have thrown it away by pressing the Escape key.) There is no menu option for saving your data. To be sure your data is saved, always return to the Main Menu before exiting the program. Caution Please do NOT reset or turn off your computer before you exit the program, or you may lose some of the data you have entered. The operating system keeps the data you have entered in an internal area, called a "buffer," in the computer's memory and only Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 10 User Documentation 3/11/86 periodically actually writes it to disk. If the power should fail before the data were written, you could lose it. For safety's sake, always exit the program before turning off your computer. USING MORE THAN ONE DATA DISKETTE You can use more than data diskette, but you must use Main Menu Option 9 to change diskettes. In the CP/M version of the program, this resets the disk system so you will be able to write on the new diskette. In both CP/M and PC/MS-DOS, this reads in the appropriate system control information for the new diskette. If you change diskettes without using this menu option, you may lose data, so always use this menu option to change diskettes! MAKE A WORKING COPY OF THE PROGRAM Before using the program make a working copy (for computers with two floppy disk drives) or copy the program to the hard disk if you have one. The program is contained in two files, MAIL.COM and MAIL.000; both must be on the logged disk and user area or subdirectory to run the program! You will also need one or two blank diskettes for your data files, one if you are using a computer with a hard disk drive, two if you are using a computer with two floppy disk drives. Two floppy disk drives If you are using a computer with two floppy disk drives, make a copy of the program diskette that we send you (we call this the "distribution diskette"). Use the copy for everyday use. Store the distribution diskette in a safe place, free from dust, magnetism and extremes of heat or cold, so you can always make another copy if your working copy becomes damaged. The operating system manuals that come with your computer will tell you how to make a copy of the distribution diskette. Hard disk If you are using a computer with a hard disk, copy the program files from the distribution diskette to your hard disk and always run the program from your hard disk. Store the distribution diskette in a safe place, free from dust, magnetism and extremes of heat or cold, so you can always make another copy if your working copy becomes damaged. BACK UP YOUR FILES! Always make a backup copy of your data files after you have run the program and entered data! Store the backup diskette Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 11 User Documentation 3/11/86 separately from your everyday data diskette. If something should happen to your data diskette, make a copy of the backup diskette and use it. Diskettes are cheap; your time and data are not. Always make a backup copy of your data files! Use the copy program or operating system command that comes with your computer, such as "PIP" or "Copy." You may also copy the whole data diskette using a "Copy" or "Diskcopy" program. The data files all have the extension RML. If you use PIP or the Copy command, specify the files to be copied as "*.RML." This specifies all files with the extension "RML." Note -- if your data files occupy more than half of a data diskette, you may not be able to copy them with PIP, because PIP, when it copies a file to diskette which already has a file of the same name on it, writes a new copy of the file on the diskette before erasing the old copy. If the file is too big, there will not be enough room for both the new and the old copy. In this case, you should copy the whole diskette using a "Copy" program that copies the whole diskette. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 12 User Documentation 3/11/86 CHAPTER TWO -- PROGRAM FUNCTIONS OVERVIEW OF THIS CHAPTER This chapter explains each program function. Use it as a reference when you need more information than is given on the screen. STARTING THE PROGRAM -- TITLE SCREEN, DATE AND DISK DRIVE The title screen identifies the program; press the Space Bar to continue, or press ESC to cancel and return to the operating system. You are asked for the current date. This date appears on all printed output. You cannot enter an invalid date, but it is up to you to enter the correct date. You are asked where your data files are. On a system with two floppy disks this would normally be drive B, although you may keep the data on your program disk (drive A) if you wish. On a hard disk, this would normally be drive C. Valid drives are A through P, but if you enter a non-existent drive the program will crash. You can use the cursor keys to move between the entries on this screen or press ESC to cancel and return to the operating system. The first time you run the program If the program does not find all the files on the drive you enter, it displays a message: ------------------------------------- DATA FILES DO NOT EXIST ON DRIVE X Do you wish to create them? (Y/N) NO ------------------------------------- "No" is displayed because that is the default answer if you just press the Enter key. If you type "N" or just press Enter you return to the operating system. If you type "Y," new data files are created. You are asked for a descriptive ID for these data files; you would use this to identify, for instance, different data diskettes. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 13 User Documentation 3/11/86 THE MAIN MENU Next the Main Menu appears: -------------------------------------------------- RELIANCE MAILING LIST MAIN MENU xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Please select: 1 Set-Up Menu 2 Add a name 3 Display or Change a name 4 Delete a name 5 Record contributions 6 Print list of names 7 Print labels 8 Create MailMerge file 9 Change data diskette ESC Exit the program ==> _ -------------------------------------------------- Overview of the Main Menu 1. The SET-UP MENU allows you to enter and change global or system information, such as how much disk space you wish to use for your data, how to make your printer print in compressed print, etc. You MUST select this option then select the first item on the Set Up Menu, "Compute maximum names allowed," before you can add any names. 2. ADD A NAME. Just what it says. 3. DISPLAY OR CHANGE A NAME. This allows you to view information that you have already entered and to change it if you wish. You can browse the file; after you select a name to view, you can view the next one or the previous one. If you don't remember how to spell a name, you can still find it with this option. 4. DELETE A NAME. Just what it says. 5. RECORD CONTRIBUTIONS. A subset of changing information for an existing name, this option lets you enter the most recent date and amount of contribution or payment. The program computes the total amount of contributions. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 14 User Documentation 3/11/86 6. PRINT LIST OF NAMES. You can select which names to print in a variety of ways and how to sort them, by last name or zip code. 7. PRINT LABELS. Prints two-across, 4" X 15/16" labels. You can select which names to print in a variety of ways and how to sort them, by last name or zip code. 8. CREATE MAILMERGE FILE. This creates a file usable by the MailMerge function of WordStar. You select which information to put in the file, which names to use and how to sort, as well as the file name. 9. CHANGE DATA DISKETTE. You MUST use this option if you want to change data diskettes. Do NOT change data diskettes while you are in the program except by using this option. When you use this option the program reads in the system control information for the new set of data files and, for CP/M, resets the disk system. If you change data diskettes without using this information you risk damaging your data! ESC EXIT THE PROGRAM. The ESC key always gets you out of whatever function you are in. In this case it gets you out of the program altogether. You are asked if you really want to quit, so don't worry about hitting the ESC key accidentally. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 15 User Documentation 3/11/86 THE SET-UP MENU (Main Menu Option 1) This menu allows you to enter and change a number of system control data items. -------------------------------------------------- SET-UP MENU Please select: 1 Compute maximum names allowed 2 Set up your printer 3 Define selection categories 4 Change data file ID 5 Count names used 6 Display system control information 7 Print system control information ESC Return to Main Menu ==> _ -------------------------------------------------- Overview of the Set-Up Menu 1. COMPUTE MAXIMUM NAMES ALLOWED. You tell the program how much disk space you have available for data and the program tells you how many names you can enter. You MUST do this before entering any names. 2. SET UP YOUR PRINTER. Install your printer so the program can make it print in compressed print. 3. DEFINE SELECTION CATEGORIES. Enter a label or description for each of eight categories used to select names for printing. 4. CHANGE DATA FILE ID. Change the descriptive ID entered when you first create data files. 5. COUNT NAMES USED. Find out how many names there are in your data files, based on a variety of selection criteria. 6. DISPLAY SYSTEM CONTROL INFORMATION. This shows at a glance how many names are allowed and how many are used, what the printer installation is, etc. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 16 User Documentation 3/11/86 7. PRINT SYSTEM CONTROL INFORMATION. This prints the same information as Option 6. Following is an explanation of each of these options. COMPUTE MAXIMUM NAMES ALLOWED (Set-Up Menu Option 1) This tells the program how many names, maximum, you want to enter, based on how much disk space is available. The data entry screen looks like this: -------------------------------------------------------------- How many "K" are available on drive X for your data files? ___ You may have a maximum of _____ names. Is this satisfactory? (Y/N) ___ -------------------------------------------------------------- When you enter the number of K available the program computes the maximum number of names. (A "K" is 1024 bytes -- a standard IBM DOS 2.x diskette contains 360K; a Kaypro single-sided disk is 191K and a double-sided disk is 390K.) The program will not let you enter more names than this; this prevents you from filling up the disk and then crashing the program. However . . . It is up to you to make sure you have all the space you say you have! The program does not check to see that enough space is available. Also, the program uses up space as it goes; it does not allocate it all at once. When you first start, you will not fill a disk by any means. Just be sure you don't put other files on your data disk. Hard disk users must make sure there is always enough space on the disk. Before you enter anything on this screen the maximum number of names allowed is zero, so you cannot add any names at all. That is why you have to enter this data before you add names. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 17 User Documentation 3/11/86 SET UP YOUR PRINTER (Set-Up Menu Option 2) Use this option to install your printer. The program prints 132-column labels and lists. To fit on 4" wide 2-across labels, it must print in compressed print. Most dot matrix printers and a few daisy wheel printers can do this; the program has to send the printer special non-printing control codes to make it do so. Use this option to enter these codes. The data entry screen looks like this: -------------------------------------------------------------- SET UP YOUR PRINTER This program prints mailing labels and lists in compressed print. Please enter the codes needed to control your printer. INITIALIZATION: Enter the decimal equivalents of up to four control codes to turn ON compressed print: ==> 15 ==> ___ ==> ___ ==> ___ RESET: Enter the decimal equivalents of up to four control codes to turn OFF compressed print: ==> 18 ==> ___ ==> ___ ==> ___ -------------------------------------------------------------- The codes are the decimal equivalents of the control characters used for your printer. The program comes set up for the Epson printers (FX-80, etc.); the codes shown above are just like entering /015 and /018 in Lotus 123. Your printer manual should list the control codes to put your printer into compressed print, and then back to normal print. They are often found as part of a BASIC program to control the printer, like this: 10 LPRINT CHR$(15); REM TURN ON COMPRESSED PRINT The number you want here is 15. (Note -- the actual number or numbers will differ from printer to printer; this is only an example.) Sometimes the codes are listed in a table as the names of the characters to be sent to the printer, like this: ESC "P" 16.5 lines per inch In this example you should send two characters, first the Escape character, then an upper-case "P." You will have to find the Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 18 User Documentation 3/11/86 decimal equivalents of each character and enter them; do not try to enter the characters themselves. Look for an ASCII chart in the printer manual which lists all the characters and their numeric equivalents (use decimal equivalents, not hexadecimal). To test the printer, go to "Print Labels" on the Main Menu and start to print some labels, just on plain paper. Before the labels are printed the program prints a test pattern. If the test pattern looks OK, you have the right codes installed. You can cancel before actually printing all the labels. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 19 User Documentation 3/11/86 DEFINE SELECTION CATEGORIES (Set-Up Menu Option 3) Selection categories are a way for you to print only part of your file of names. There are eight categories, and for each name in your file you can enter "Yes" or "No" in each category. When you print the names you can select only those who have a "Yes" in Category 1, for instance, or only those who have a "Yes" in Category 1 or 2. This program option allows you to define the meaning of each category. The data entry screen looks like this: ------------------------------------- DEFINE SELECTION CATEGORIES 1 ____________________ 2 ____________________ 3 ____________________ 4 ____________________ 5 ____________________ 6 ____________________ 7 ____________________ 8 ____________________ ------------------------------------- On each line, enter a label that describes the selection category. You can change these at any time, but be aware that there is no inherent link between what you enter here and the "Yes" or "No" you enter in the name information. Suppose you define category 1 as "Republican" and 2 as "Democrat", then enter names, some with "Yes" for 1 and some with "Yes" for 2. You could then come back to this screen and change "Democrat" to "Republican" and vice versa. But this would not change the "Yes" in the name information. All the people that used to be listed as Republicans would now be listed as Democrats and vice versa! Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 20 User Documentation 3/11/86 CHANGE DATA FILE ID (Set-Up Menu Option 4) The data file ID is the descriptive information you enter when you first create your data files. Use this option to change it if you wish, for instance to correct misspellings. COUNT NAMES USED (Set-Up Menu Option 5) You can count the total number of names you have on file or the number of names that meet certain criteria. The criteria are displayed as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------ SELECT FOR OUTPUT 1 All the names 5 Those who have contributed 2 Only certain categories since a certain date 3 One precinct 6 Those whose total contribution 4 One zip code is at least a certain amount ------------------------------------------------------------------ Depending on which one you select, you are asked to define the selection further. If you select "one zip code," for instance, you are then asked to enter the zip code; if you select "those whose total contribution is at least a certain amount," you are asked to enter the amount. If you select "only certain categories," you are asked to type a "Y" or an "N" for each category. The program counts the names which have a "Yes" in one or more of the categories you select. In other words, you select an "OR" criterion. Suppose you type a "Y" for category 1 and a "Y" for category 3. The program counts all the names with a "Yes" for category 1 or a "Yes" for category 3 or a "Yes" for both of them. You cannot select "1 or 3 but not both." Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 21 User Documentation 3/11/86 DISPLAY SYSTEM CONTROL INFORMATION (Set-Up Menu Option 6) PRINT SYSTEM CONTROL INFORMATION (Set-Up Menu Option 7) These options display or print the information that you have entered in the Set-Up Menu. Here is a picture of the display: -------------------------------------------------------------- SYSTEM CONTROL INFORMATION xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Today's date: MM/DD/YYYY Disk space available for data: ____ K Maximum names allowed: ____ Number of names used: ____ Number of names left: ____ Printer: Selection categories Turn compressed print ON: 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 3 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 4 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Turn compressed print OFF: 5 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 6 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 7 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 8 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -------------------------------------------------------------- There is no data entry for these options; they are merely a quick way to get a summary of the status of your files, particularly how many more names you can enter. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 22 User Documentation 3/11/86 ADD A NAME (Main Menu Option 2) Use this menu option to add names to your data file. When you select this option, the data entry screen appears: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ADD A NAME Last Name: ______________________________ Contributions First Name: ____________________ Last amount: $ ____________ Last date: MM/DD/YYYY Title: ___________ Total amount: ____________ Salutation: ___________ Selection categories Address: _________________________ 1 ____________________ XXX _________________________ 2 ____________________ XXX City: _______________________ 3 ____________________ XXX State: __ Zip Code: _________ 4 ____________________ XXX 5 ____________________ XXX Home Phone: ______________ Precinct ___ 6 ____________________ XXX Work Phone: ______________ 7 ____________________ XXX 8 ____________________ XXX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fill in the blanks to enter the information requested. You must enter something for the last name; you can skip everything else. Use the cursor control keys to move back and forth around the screen to correct mistakes. Most of the data fields are self explanatory. Title is, for example "Ms." or "Professor." Salutation is how the person would be addressed in a letter. John Harker might be addressed as "Dear Jack," so you would enter "Jack" for the salutation. (Note -- this program does not print letters; this field is available if you wish to use the MailMerge file output with a word processing program to print letters.) Selection categories are a way for you to print only part of your file of names. When you print the names you can select only those who have a "Yes" in Category 1, for instance, or only those who have a "Yes" in Category 1 or 2. The selection categories are "Yes/No" entries. Type a "Y" to include this name in the category; type "N" or just press the Enter key to leave it out of the category. When you get to the end of the data entry screen, the following message appears: Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 23 User Documentation 3/11/86 -------------------------------------------------- PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE OR UP-ARROW TO GO BACK -------------------------------------------------- This gives you one last chance to review what you have entered and go back and change it if you wish. After you press the space bar, you cannot go back and change it, so be sure everything is correct before you press the space bar. You are then asked if you wish to save the information. Type "Y" to add the name to your data file or "N" to cancel and not add it. You are then asked if you wish to add another name. Type "Y" to get a fresh data entry screen or "N" to quit and return to the Main Menu. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 24 User Documentation 3/11/86 DISPLAY OR CHANGE A NAME (Main Menu Option 3) Use this option to display a name, to browse through the file of names, and to change the information recorded for a name. You are asked for the name you wish to display or change. ----------------------------------------- DISPLAY OR CHANGE A NAME Press ESC to cancel Last name: ______________________________ ----------------------------------------- If the program cannot find the name you enter, the following message appears: ----------------------------------------- NAME NOT FOUND Do you wish to view the closest one found? (Y/N) ___ ----------------------------------------- If you type "Y," or if the program found the name you entered, the data entry screen appears. At the bottom of the screen, the following choices are displayed: ----------------------------------------- SELECT: 1 Display previous record 2 Display next record 3 CHANGE this record ESC Cancel ==> _ ----------------------------------------- You can now browse forward and backward through the file. When you find the name you wish to change, enter "3;" the cursor moves to the data entry portion of the screen, where you can move it around and change the information displayed. If you do not wish to make any changes, press the ESC key; you can then enter another name to look up or go back to the menu. Note -- the names are stored alphabetically by the first five characters of the last name. If you look up Joanna Johnson, you might find James Johnson instead, or Johnston or Johns. The ability to browse forward and backward lets you move to the one you want. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 25 User Documentation 3/11/86 DELETE A NAME (Main Menu Option 4) Use this option to remove a name you no longer wish to have in your data file. It works just like changing or displaying a name. First you enter the name, then you get to browse through the file to find the exact one you want. When you find the one you want, enter "3" to delete it or ESC to cancel and not delete it. RECORD CONTRIBUTIONS (Main Menu Option 5) This option makes it easy to keep track of who has contributed money to your organization, how much and when. You could use the Change option to record each contribution, but then you would have to add up the total contribution yourself. With this option the program adds it up for you. To select a name for whom to record a contribution, first enter the name, then browse through the file to find the exact one you want, just like in the Display or Change option. When you find the one you want, enter "3." The following appears: ----------------------------------------- Previous total: $ 999999999.99 Contribution: ------------ New total: 999999999.99 Date: MM/DD/YYYY ----------------------------------------- The previous total is displayed. When you enter the contribution, the new total is added up and displayed. After you enter the date, the "Press space bar ..." message appears, then you are asked if you wish to save the information. At any point before you press the space bar you can press ESC to cancel. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 26 User Documentation 3/11/86 PRINT LIST OF NAMES (Main Menu Option 6) This prints the names you have in your data file. The report is 132 columns wide, so if your paper is 8 1/2 inches wide you must print in compressed mode, and you must set up your printer using Set-Up Menu Option 2 before you print. Before you print the list you must select which names to print. First the following choices appear: ------------------------------------------------------------------ SELECT FOR OUTPUT 1 All the names 5 Those who have contributed 2 Only certain categories since a certain date 3 One precinct 6 Those whose total contribution 4 One zip code is at least a certain amount ------------------------------------------------------------------ Depending on which one you select, you are asked to define the selection further. If you select "one zip code," for instance, you are then asked to enter the zip code; if you select "those whose total contribution is at least a certain amount," you are asked to enter the amount. If you select "only certain categories," you are asked to type a "Y" or an "N" for each category. The program will print the names which have a "Yes" in one or more of the categories you select. In other words, you select an "OR" criterion. Suppose you type a "Y" for category 1 and a "Y" for category 3. The program will print all the names with a "Yes" for category 1 or a "Yes" for category 3 or a "Yes" for both of them. You cannot select "1 or 3 but not both." Next you are asked how to sort the names: ----------------------------------------- SORT BY: 1 Last name 2 Zip code ==> _ ----------------------------------------- Sorting by last name sorts by the first five characters of the last name, so Joanna Johnson might be printed before Bill Johns. Sorting by zip code prints the names alphabetically within each zip code. After you choose how to sort, the following appears: Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 27 User Documentation 3/11/86 -------------------------------------------------- PLEASE PUT PLAIN PAPER IN THE PRINTER PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE OR UP-ARROW TO GO BACK -------------------------------------------------- You can go back and change your selection and sort choices now; after you press the space bar you can't. When you press the space bar, the list of names starts to print. To stop before it is finished, press ESC. You will be asked if you really want to quit, so don't worry about pressing ESC by accident. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 28 User Documentation 3/11/86 PRINT LABELS (Main Menu Option 7) The program prints labels two across. It is designed for Avery 4143 labels or the equivalent; each label is 4" wide by 15/16" high. The procedure is the same as for printing the list of names; first you choose which ones to print, then how to sort them. When you press the space bar to start printing, a test pattern is printed and the following message appears: ------------------------------------------ PRINTING TEST PATTERN Use the test pattern to align your printer Please select: 1 Print test pattern again 2 Print the labels ESC Cancel and return to menu ==> _ ------------------------------------------ Use the test pattern to make sure the labels will be printed properly. Adjust the printer and print the test pattern again until you get it the way you want it. Since you can cancel at the point without printing any names, you can use this option to test your printer set-up. If the test prints small enough to fit across 8 1/2" wide paper, your printer is set up correctly. Once the labels are printing, you can press ESC to stop. You will be asked if you really want to quit, so don't worry about pressing ESC by accident. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 29 User Documentation 3/11/86 CREATE MAILMERGE FILE (Main Menu Option 8) You can create a disk file of your name and address information in a format that the MailMerge function of WordStar can use. (Need I say that "MailMerge" and "WordStar" are trademarks of MicroPro International, Inc.?) PC-Write (tm Quicksoft) and many other programs can also use this format to read data, so this is a way you can transfer your information to other data bases or word processing programs. The file is in ASCII format, with each name and address record on one line of text. Each data item (such as first name, last name, etc.) is separated from the next by a comma. If the data item contains a comma, it is enclosed in double quotes (""). You must read the manual for the program to which you are transferring the information to find out how to use this file. The procedure is much like printing names or labels; first you select which names to write to the file, then how to sort them. There is an additional step, however. You must select which data items to include in the mailmerge file and what to name the file. To do this, the data entry screen appears with a Yes/No choice next to each data item. Type "Y" to include the item in the mailmerge file or "N" to leave it out. At the bottom of the screen you enter the name of the file to create. You can enter any valid file name that contains nothing but letters and numbers; no special characters are allowed. Please note -- the program does not check to see if there is enough disk space to create the mailmerge file. If there is not, the program will crash. The mailmerge file will be much smaller than the Reliance Mailing List data files, so you can most likely fit it on your A drive with your program files. If the program does crash, you will not lose any data; the program is only reading, not writing, your data files. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 30 User Documentation 3/11/86 CHANGE DATA DISKETTE (Main Menu Option 9) To change data diskettes while running the program, you must use this option. When you use this option, the program reads the system control information from the new diskette, so it knows how many names have been used and how many are left, what the selection categories are called, etc. In the CP/M version of the program, it resets the disk system so you can write on the new diskette (this step is not necessary under MS/PC-DOS.) If you change diskettes without using this option, you may damage your data files. When you select this option, the following instructions appear: ------------------------------------------ Put in the new data diskette, THEN press the space bar . . . ------------------------------------------ Do just what it says; when you press the space bar, the program reads the new system control information. Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 31 User Documentation 3/11/86 CHAPTER THREE -- COMPILING THE SOURCE CODE OVERVIEW OF THIS CHAPTER This chapter is for those who want to know how the program is compiled so they can make changes. You do not have to read this chapter just to run the program. SOURCE CODE FILES The program is written in Turbo Pascal, version 2.0 for CP/M and 3.0 for MS/PC-DOS. Version 3.0 does not use BCD reals or the 8087 support. The program uses the Turbo Access routines found in the Turbo Database Toolbox. Most of the procedures are overlayed, so the object code is in two files, MAIL.COM, the root, and MAIL.000, the overlay file. The program source code is contained in the following files: MAIL.PAS The main program ACCESS.BOX, GETKEY.BOX, Turbo Access routines -- not ADDKEY.BOX, DELKEY.BOX included with the program -- you must buy them from Borland International IO20.INC Formatted input/output routines MAILDATE.INC Reading and writing dates MAILGLOB.INC Global declarations MROOT1.INC, MROOT2.INC Miscellaneous routines that are called by more than one procedure MINIT.INC Routines to initialize the program when it is first started MSETUP.INC The Set-Up menu MADDETC.INC Add, change, delete a name and record contributions MPRINT.INC Print list of names and labels MAILMERG.INC Create mailmerge file TO COMPILE FOR CP/M In file IO20.INC, comment out the version of procedure KEYIN that is for MS/PC-DOS and un-comment the version that is for CP/M, specifically the Kaypro. In file MINIT.INC, make sure that the two calls to the BDOS procedure are NOT commented out. These are the only places the source code differs between CP/M and MS/PC-DOS. This is one of the many reasons I like Turbo Pascal so much -- the code is very portable. Compile to a COM file with the End address set to $D440. This Reliance Mailing List ver. 2.0 Page 32 User Documentation 3/11/86 leaves plenty of room for different size operating systems. TO COMPILE FOR MS/PC-DOS In file IO20.INC, comment out the version of procedure KEYIN that is for CP/M and un-comment the version that is for MS/PC-DOS. In file MINIT.INC, make sure that the two calls to the BDOS procedure are commented out (they are plainly marked). These are the only places the source code differs between CP/M and MS/PC-DOS. You probably do not have to overlay the program for MS/PC-DOS, although I have done so just to ensure source code portability. The overlay procedures are in files MINIT.INC, MSETUP.INC, MADDETC.INC, MPRINT.INC, and MAILMERG.INC. Search for the keyword "overlay" and delete it before compiling. DATA FILE STRUCTURE There are four data files, defined in MAILGLOB.INC: SCR.RML File of one record, the System Control Record. This is read at the beginning of the program and when the user changes diskettes using Main Menu Option 9 and is written only when the information changes. MASTER.RML The master file containing the name and address records. It is of type Datafile, defined in the Turbo Access routines. INDEX1.RML Turbo Access Indexfile, containing the last name index, which is the first five characters of the last name, purged of blanks and made all upper case. INDEX2.RML Indexfile containing the zip code index, the zip code plus the last name key. The program can print records in name or zip order without resorting because it keeps both indexes current.