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1987-09-21
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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.