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BULK.MAN
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1990-09-26
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Bulk v1.9 Owner's Manual
(c)1990 Cool Baby Software & Mark K. Krieg
Disclaimer: You undertake to use BULK at your own risk. The
author assumes no liability for damages of any kind resulting
from your use of BULK.
BULK may be freely used and shared with others; there is no
required registration fee. (If you like BULK and find it useful,
please do consider sending a contribution! If you can't afford
it, don't worry about it ... it's free. I would appreciate a note
telling about your thoughts on Bulk and how you're using it!)
Bulk features full mouse support ...
Table of Contents:
I. What is Bulk?
II. Bulk requires the following information from you:
* An INPUT file name.
* An OUTPUT file name.
* The output TYPE.
* Large field name.
* Zip field name.
* State field name.
(Optional) * Create a configuration file (Y/N)
* Hearer Labels (Y/N)
* 200 Record Check (Y/N)
* Text Information Screens (Y/N)
* Input Screens (Y/N)
III. Tips ...
IV. History of Bulk ...
I. What is Bulk?
Bulk is a bulk mail utility. It sorts a dBase III (+) database
file into the proper order required by the U.S. Postal Service.
Bulk will not make any modifications to your original database.
Instead, Bulk creates a duplicate database (including group
headers) and saves this in the proper record order. There is no
need for indexes. Just output the new database to reports, labels
or envelopes.
You do not need dBase in order to use Bulk. Any program that will
export data to a .DBF (dBase III file format) will do.
Bulk was designed to be part of a larger effort by Cool Baby
Software called MList which should be appearing soon on the
Freeware market. It will include an integrated mailing list
manager available in MS-DOS, Windows and Macintosh environments.
Bulk is also Freeware ... meaning it's FREE! Enjoy ...
II. Bulk requires the following information from you:
An INPUT file name.
The name of the .DBF you wish to process. Bulk will add in the
extension for you. Again, this database does not have to come
straight from dBase. Any application that will export to dBase
III will do. Make sure that the extension is .DBF when you export.
An OUTPUT file name.
The name you wish to call the resultant file. The extension is
automatically added. .DBF for dBase file format, .SDF for fixed
length ASCII and .TXT for delimited. (See below for more details
on these file types)
The output TYPE.
( ) dBase compatible (.DBF) file
( ) SDF - fixed length ASCII (.SDF)
w/ carriage returns & line feeds
( ) Delimited - in the form: (.TXT)
"data","data","data" ...
(any combination of the above can be selected using an 'X')
Large field name.
Bulk writes headers to show where the groups separate. This field
should be 20 characters or larger. If it is smaller ... the names
will truncate. This could be a Last Name field or an Address
field, etc ...
Zip field name.
Bulk needs to know the name of your Zip field. Bulk only takes
the first 5 digits of the zip. If you have a separate field for
the Plus 4, that's fine. Just give Bulk the name of the field
containing the first 5 digits.
State field name.
Bulk needs to know the name of your State field. (If you have no
state field, all states will be placed with Mixed states in Zip
Code order. You can then hand sort just the mixed states to
extract any state matches)
Create a configuration file (Y/N)
This allows you to create a BULK.INI file. This file is loaded
with descriptive comments. This file will be created with the
'default' values you enter in the input fields. At this point
after selecting GO, you will receive another input screen
allowing you to changes other attributes of Bulk to be recorded
in the BULK.INI file.
This file can, at any time, be edited with an ASCII editor or
word processor (just make sure that you save it as ASCII or Text
Only) to change the values.
If a BULK.INI file already exists and you desire to create
another, Bulk will rename you're old .INI file to BULK.OLD and
create the new one.
Hearer Labels (Y/N)
Header labels are descriptive comments that are placed in the
resultant file to ease the work load of bulk mailing. These
comments are placed in the 'Large field name' value that was
entered.
The first comment label is the total number of valid records.
This is needed for the form that is given to the Postmaster.
The second comment label is the total number of invalid labels
(records without a zip code or records with alphabetic characters
in the zip field ... foreign addresses) followed by that group.
The third comment label is the total number of five digit zips
for each qualifying five digit match. Example: the first set of
five digit matches is on zip 21045. The comment label will read
...
(17) 5 digit - Zip # 21045
Meaning that there are seventeen zip codes with the number 21045.
This is followed a comment stating which sticker to use:
Use the red 'D' sticker The fourth comment label is the total
number of three digit zips for each qualifying three digit match.
The fifth comment label is the total number of state matches for
each qualifying state.
The sixth comment label id the total number of mixed states.
These are lumped into one group in zip code order.
Other blank comment labels are placed throughout to space out the
matched groups. This helps in finding sets quickly and easily.
200 Record Check (Y/N)
This switch controls whether Bulk will look for 200 valid records
or not. 200 is the minimum required by the Postal Service. In the
event you have a smaller database and you still want it sorted
into bulk order, you can turn this switch off so that you don't
receive a message prompt every time it process the database.
Text Information Screens (Y/N)
This gives you the option to view the introduction screen upon
execution of Bulk and the credit screen at the end of the
session. I hate programs that won't let you integrate them into
your system without paging through screens like this ... so after
you create a .INI file can turn them off.
Input Screens (Y/N)
This gives you the option to bypass the input screens as well.
Only turn this off when you have a well working BULK.INI file
established. By turning this off as well as the test information
screens, you can seamlessly integrate Bulk into a batch file
process or menu system!
III. Tips ...
You can use multiple BULK.INI files.
1. Place BULK.EXE somewhere in your path. If you use dBase,
Foxbase or Clipper and have that application in the path, you may
just want to place BULK.EXE in the same directory.
2. Create separate subdirectories for each database that you will
use Bulk with.
Example:
PATH = C:\;C:\DOS;C:\FOXBASE;C:\WORDSTAR;C:\PCTOOLS
Place BULK.EXE in the Foxbase directory.
C:\ ---- - DOS
|
|- FOXBASE ----- - HOME_DBF
| |
|- WordStar |- WORK_DBF
| |
|- PCTOOLS |- CHURCH
|
|- SCHOOL
Go to one of those subdirectories ...
C:\FOXBASE\CHURCH
and execute Bulk ...
C:\FOXBASE\CHURCH> BULK [enter]
3. Create separate BULK.INI files in each subdirectory.
The next time you need to run this bulk program, just go to the
proper subdirectory and execute Bulk. If the .INI file exists, it
will load automatically.
For such a procedure ... I recommend turning off the text
information screens as well as the input data screens.
IV. History of Bulk ...
Bulk v1.9a 9/90
Minor bug with looping.
Bulk v1.9 9/90
Another option has been added to the configuration file. You now
have a ability to suspend the printing of 'header labels'. These
are the descriptive labels that print to space out the breaks in
the bulk order. By toggling this off, you will have the original
database in bulk order with no added fields ... also this is
useful if you send the printing to a mail service ... they have
no need of these additional labels.
Bulk v1.8 9/90
Many changes with the way Bulk handles the config file (Bulk.ini)
internally. Before this modification, Bulk would return the
config values ... however, after a value was returned to Bulk
with no leading spaces. This did not give you much room to modify
the entries if you choose to do so after the config file placed
them in Bulk. Now you can.
Bulk v1.7 8/90
The three options in the BULK.INI configuration file can now be
placed in at execution time. If 'Y' is selected to create a
BULK.INI file, a second input screen appears allowing you to
enter values into it.
Bulk v1.6 8/90
Bulk can now create it's own configuration file 'BULK.INI' using
an added option on the input screen. It will create the same
file, with comments, as well as write the current input
parameters that you've just given it in the input screen. If you
have an existing BULK.INI file, it will be renamed BULK.OLD.
The BULK.INI file can still be edited with an ASCII editor at any
time.
Bulk v1.5 8/90
Many changes to the screen ... the visual feedback is easier to
understand!
Bulk v1.4 8/90
A configuration file (BULK.INI) has been added. The file items
are the same as the input screen with the addition of three new
items ... SCREENS, INPUT MODULE & 200 Valid Records Check. This
allows you to bypass the documentation screens, as well as the
finishing screen, the input screen and the 200 record check. This
should help to incorporate Bulk into a batch file routine,
combined with other code.
Details on setting up the configuration file are contained inside
the default BULK.INI file. This file must reside in the same
directory as BULK.EXE
Bulk v1.3 8/90
Bulk now checks for 200 valid records. If there is less, the user
has an option to quit execution or to continue. Other bugs have
been fixed ... esp. when using very large databases of over 1500
- 2000 records. Increased speed to the State sort routine, as
well as overall speed improvements.
Bulk v1.2 8/90
Added more user feedback to the processing screen. Bar graphs
give the user an idea of where the program is at in processing
the database. The same totals and valid record counts that would
be added to the headers labels appear on the screen as well.
Bulk v1.1 8/90
Added the current number of valid items to the header labels.
Also added the item count per group of finds to the header labels.
Bulk v1.0 7/90
This was a separate module designed to work in MList (an
integrated mailing list program for the Freeware market,
developed by Cool Baby Software). Instead of trying to code
everything in one shot, as I often do, I separated this complex
procedure and made it a stand alone application with a simplified
from end. Later, through a friends advice (Marco Ciavolino - the
faithful Cool Baby Beta tester), the front end was made open to
any dBase file structure so that it could be used as a separate
standalone utility.
Bulk was not designed to be fancy.
However, it was designed to meet two criteria ...
1. That is works.
2. That is serves some useful purpose!
I've downloaded hundreds of megabytes of software in my years of
computing. Most of what I've found is shareware ... and most did
not meet the two criteria listed above. I can not imagine people
paying $25 to $50 for things that don't even work! I feel that
there should be more freeware! Then if you like it and use it,
give the author something for his time and effort.
If you find bugs or flaws with Bulk, please write to me and let
me know ... I really want this to be flawless. Give me some
detail as to what happened and a list of the hardware you were
using as well as a printout of your config.sys and autoexec.bat.
Leave an address and phone number ... I may need to get in touch
with you.
Mark K. Krieg
2549 S. George St. Box C15
York, PA 17403
Disclaimer: You undertake to use BULK at your own risk. The
author assumes no liability for damages of any kind resulting
from your use of BULK.