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Loadstar 128 #33
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q33side2.d64
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t.postal barcode
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2022-08-30
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12KB
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320 lines
P O S T A L B A R C O D E R
Program and Text by Bob Markland
Everyone seems to be talking about and touting Email, but the fact
remains that "snail mail" is a necessary part of our everyday lives. There
are things like the LOADSTAR Letter and mailings to anyone who doesn't have
an Email address that are better handled by the much maligned US Postal
Service.
Despite its shortcomings the USPS is making large capital investments
to automate mail sorting, including POSTNET Bar Coding. A piece of mail can
now get from the originating post office to the carrier at its destination
without being touched by human hands.
This equipment first scans for a Delivery Point Bar Code (DPBC),
consisting of a five digit ZIP code, +4 code, two digit Delivery Point
code, and checksum character. With a DPBC the piece can be machine sorted
to a point where it reaches the proper state, city and carrier, in the
order it is delivered along a street.
Failing this the sorter scans for a six character bar code consisting
of the five digit ZIP code and a checksum or attempts to optically read the
address and match it with a huge database, then sprays the DPBC if
possible. When nothing useful is found or if the address is handwritten,
the mail piece gets kicked out and human intervention and sorting is
required.
USING POSTAL BARCODER
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
This program is entirely menu driven with numerous options. You may
wish to print this text and refer to it as you progress, and you will most
certainly need to refer to what the USPS calls "address anomalies."
From the main menu the following options are available:
LABELS
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
As the name implies, this option enables you to print one or more
standard (15/16" x 3-1/2") labels. The sub-menu gives you the following
choices:
New Label
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
This clears the work area and allows you to enter the required label
information. There are five lines and you may move around freely to type in
the required information. The first two may be used as you wish, but the
last three must contain specific information.
The USPS has definite addressing standards and POSTAL BARCODER follows
their conventions, including a preference for ALL uppercase characters, so
the program gives you no other choice. Although they are accepted, the Post
Office prefers that commas and periods be omitted.
TITLE: Also referred to as ATTN line. It is normally used when you have
a four line address and is usually the person within a company who is to
receive the mail. For a three line address, leave this blank.
NAME: This can be either the company name in a four line address, or the
person's name in a three line address.
ADDRESS: This line will contain the street address, PO box number, rural
route address, etc.
CITY/STATE/ZIP: This line is self-explanatory and should be entered
without punctuation. You will receive an error message if there is no ZIP
code, or if you type an incorrect number of characters. With ZIP+4 be sure
to include a hyphen after the fifth digit.
DELIVERY POINT: To print a label with the full Delivery Point Bar Code
you must determine the required two digit number and enter it here. To do
this, refer to the "Rules for DPBC Derivation and Address Anomalies." These
are in a separate text file, readable from the LS 128 menu.
If you notice a typo at this point, cursor to it and overwrite the
incorrect information. When everything is correct, press [ESC] to exit.
Typical labels might look like this:
TITLE: FENDER TUCKER
NAME: LOADSTAR
ADDRESS: 606 COMMON ST
C/S/Z: SHREVEPORT LA 71101-3432
DP: 06
TITLE:
NAME: BOB MARKLAND
ADDRESS: PO BOX 1535
C/S/Z: GILLETTE WY 82717-1535
DP: 35
Edit Label
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
If you discover an error after you have exited the edit box, use this
option to go back and make the necessary corrections.
Load List
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
The program can read an address list then print a series of labels. To
use this option you must first create your list with any word processor
capable of saving a sequential (SEQ) file with PETASCII characters. I have
tested EDSTAR II, published on various issues of LOADSTAR for the C-64, and
The Write Stuff. Both work equally well.
In order for POSTAL BAR CODER to properly process list information each
address entry must contain exactly six lines and begin and end as follows:
>>>>>
TITLE or <
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
DELIVERY POINT or <
(Blank Line)
TITLE or <
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
DELIVERY POINT
(Blank Line)
<<<<<
DO NOT USE COMMAS ANYWHERE! The Post Office doesn't like them and they
interfere with reading the file.
The >>>>>, used once at the beginning, marks the start of your list.
Any address which does not use the TITLE line must be marked with a <
symbol.
To facilitate printing of a complete list, foreign addresses and addresses
with no ZIP code may be included. At print time a label will be printed
WITHOUT a bar code. If the ZIP code lacks the +4 digits, the short bar code
will be printed.
If you don't have a ZIP+4 code to work with or for foreign mail mark the
DELIVERY POINT line with the < symbol.
Following the last address, mark the end of the list with five less than
signs (<<<<<).
When you have finished, save the list on another disk as a PETASCII
SEQuential file. Use the prefix LST., followed by any name you choose.
The Load List option will check the directory for LST. prefixed files
and allow you to make your choice from a menu. Once the list is in memory
you will return to the sub-menu.
Print Label
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Use this option to print an individual label or a series of labels you
have read from a list. Make certain that your printer is loaded with labels
and that they are properly aligned before you invoke this function.
FT's NOTE: Labels are more expensive than paper, especially used paper. I
recommend always printing to a piece of scratch paper to get the alignment
just right before printing to a sheet of labels. With a little bit of trial
and error, you can get to know your printer (and the program) so that you
waste very few labels to improper alignment.
When printing from a list you may press [ESC] to abort printing.
However, data may have already been sent to your printer so it may not stop
immediately. To make your printer stop immediately, take it off line or
turn it off.
Main Menu
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Use this option to return to the Main Menu.
ENVELOPES
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
You may print addresses directly on envelopes, including your return
address. From the ENVELOPES sub-menu you have the following options, which
make reference to the corresponding LABEL options and function in an
identical manner:
New Addressee
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Refer to "New Label" above.
Edit Addressee
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Refer to "Edit Label" above.
Return Address
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Select this option to enter the information for your return address. It
functions just like the other edit boxes. However, you need not be
concerned with the Delivery Point.
Load List
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Refer to "Load List" above.
Print Envelope
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Refer to "Print Label" above. Make certain you have an envelope
properly positioned in your printer before invoking this function. When
printing from a list the program waits after each envelope, and you may
abort by pressing [ESC].
Main Menu
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Use this option to return to the Main Menu.
HOUSEKEEPING
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
This sub-menu allows you to adjust the print position on labels and
envelopes, and customize the printer driver in the event your printer does
not accept standard Epson codes.
Printer Spacing
{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}{SHIFT-*}
Label Left Margin: This applies only to labels. Increase the number to
move printing to the right on your label, or decrease it to move left. In
rare cases you may have to move the tractors on your printer.
Addressee Offset: This applies only to envelopes and sets the left
margin for the bar code and addressee lines. The present setting is for #10
business envelopes.