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Text File | 1993-02-26 | 37KB | 845 lines

LIGHTNING LETTERS DOCUMENTATION NOVEMBER 18, 1991 INTRODUCTION- EASY! Just bring up this menu with command "GO" - REMEMBER- the startup command is -- GO =================================================================== : L I G H T N I N G L E T T E R S M A I N M E N U : =================================================================== : Help ...................... - Explains general steps : : Input Data ................ - Builds current addresses : : Browse/Edit Records ....... - Review or change address : : Print Letters ............. - Print form letters or memos : : Output Labels ............. - Print mailing labels : : List Addresses ............ - Print current addresses : : Transfer names Bank........ - Add addresses to AddrBank : : Review Address Bank ....... - Scroll through AddrBank : : Write out address bank..... - Print a list of AddrBank : : DOS Command ............... - Run DOS, then return : : Erase address bank......... - Erase address bank, CAUTION! : : Change Form Letter ........ - Edit/Modify Mailing.cbl : : Quit ...................... - End program, return to DOS : ==================================================================: : Type a letter or move the highlight bar and press Enter : =================================================================== ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 26, 1993 New relaese contains senator names and addresses in address bank (Formerly termed history file). Formatting of batch letter now has option "Dear Senator .....". Address insert provides, "The Honorable ......." IF and only IF, the first word of the address is exactly - SENATOR Other instructions are remain the same. Leave E-Mail on EXEC-PC for Alfred Welch concerning the operation of this program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - November 18, 1991 This is a new release which will now be - - compatible with any version of DOS. - It also uses new editor for change letter - - function with on-line help and improved DOS call.- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - This issue has enhanced documentation regarding alternate methods of - - startup and problem resolution. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lightning Letters is primarily designed to send form letters with the appearance of a typed letter. It may serve other useful functions such as printing mailing labels and record keeping. Method of operation: To run this program type "GO" at the DOS prompt. A sample form letter with file id of mailing.cbl is included. You should create your own letter before serious use. The quick thing to do is to use the change-letter function on the main menu to start an editing session to compose letter. The editor offers help with the F1 key. See separate documentation for using TE, the text editor. In making your form letter, note the special lines in the example. A line beginning with DAT# tells the system to write out the date from the computer clock and insert it in alignment with the preceding line. A line beginning with ADD# tells the system to insert your current addresses at this point and space after. A line beginning with SAL# tells the system to create a greeting based on the last name found in line # 1 of the current address record. Depending upon how you input was coded, this line can be; Gentlemen:, Dear Mr. xxx, Dear Miss xxx, Dear Ms. xxx, or Dear Mrs. xxx. When you are satisfied with the contents of your letter, proceed to enter your current addresses using the Input choice from the main menu. The screens for this function seem self-explanatory. Be sure to code the salutation type correctly using keys 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. If there are in your address entries they can be checked and changed by useing the browse/edit function on the main menu. This will scroll addresses. If you enter the displayed numeric code for an address record, the complete address will reappear, allowing you to change any or all lines, or the greeting code value. When you are satisfied with address entries, proceed to set up your computer printer and use the print letters function. As printers sometimes jamb up, this function provides for restart from a specified point in your list of addresses. When letters are printed you will want to print mailing labels. The printer should be set up with 3.5" by 15/16" labels, one across. (Other label options may be available in future enhancements). This function allows the option of printing two dummy labels repeatedly until you know the printer is properly aligned on the labels. Again, the program also allows for a print restart from any point in your list of addresses. At this point you should have necessary output. Review it for accuracy and mail your letters. Now, you will probably want to store the addresses you used in your AddrBank file. Use the Transfer to AddrBank function on main menu. This makes life easier, as an old address may be recalled from AddrBank, based upon a match of the first address line. The AddrBank file is also important for record keeping, and can be printed from the main menu. Should the AddrBank file become huge, you have the option of clearing the entire AddrBank file using the Erase AddrBank choice on the main menu. This is not normally advisable, and shouldn't be required in a normal environment. For obvious reasons, you also have the option of running DOS commands from the program. Most of us have this need often to make different versions of the address file etc. SCREENS: Help Screen from main menu ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ The purpose of this software is to facilitate sending the same letter or ║ ║ memo to a group of individuals or customers. This is done in the following ║ ║ manner: ║ ║ 1. Create your letter as a flat ASCII file named mailing.cbl. ║ ║ *Use the menu function to change existing form letter. ║ ║ *A line beginning ADD# is required as the point of address ║ ║ insertion. ║ ║ *Line beginning DAT# gets clock date inserted and aligned with ║ ║ the immediately preceding text line. ║ ║ *Line beginning SAL# gets salutation "Dear Mr.-", "Dear Miss" etc. ║ ║ 2. Input the addresses to send the letter to. ║ ║ 3. Set up your printer and use Print Letters function to write them. ║ ║ 4. Use the Output Labels function to print mailing labels 3.5 x 15/16. ║ ║ 5. Store current addresses in AddrBank file using Transfer to AddrBank. ║ ║ Additional features are optional. From this menu you can execute any ║ ║ DOS command, erase all addresses stored in the AddrBank file, review the ║ ║ Contents of the address or AddrBank files, or list the addresses or AddrBank. ║ ║ ║ ║ Additional Documentation will be found in file README.DOC. ║ ║ ║ ║ Shareware 1991, Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ 2248 South 33rd Street, Milwaukee W. 53216 ║ ╚═════════════════════════════════ Input screen- 30 character fields will be displayed in green INPUT FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS Shareware 1991 Alfred Welch ____________ ║-------> 1 These 5 ║ lines ║ 2 print on ║ labels ║ 3 or ║ letters ║ 4 printed ║ ___________║-------> 5 Enter address lines - QUIT entered at line 1 returns to menu Input, In the following example, this address was found in the AddrBank file and will be retrieved if the user presses the "R" key. "QUI" or "qui" entered at the start of line one, will return user to the main menu. INPUT FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS Shareware 1991 Alfred Welch ____________ ║-------> 1 Joseph B. Smith These 5 ║ lines ║ 2 print on ║ labels ║ 3 or ║ W A R N I N G ! letters ║ 4 ╚═══════════════════════╝ printed ║ ┌───────────────────────┐ ___________║-------> 5 │ A record with this │ │ exact first line │ │ does exist in the │ │ AddrBank of addresses │ │ previously used. │ │ Hit x to exit EXIT │ │ Hit r to RECALL data │ │ Return ignores warning│ Enter address lines - QUIT └───────────────────────┘ to menu The following displays the Browse/Edit option on the main menu. It displays the data in the current address lists, and allows the user to modify a record, if the proper number is entered. Only the "Q" key for "quit" will return you to the main menu. 1. John B. Smith 2. Mary Ellyn Beknke ╔═══════════════╗ 3. Laurie Bembenek ║╔═════════════╗║ ║║LIGHTNING ║║ ║║ LETTERS ║║ ║║ ║║ ║║ Shareware ║║ ║║ 1991 ║║ ║║Alfred Welch ║║ ║║ ║║ ║║ ║║ ║║ ║║ ║╚═════════════╝║ ║ This screen ║ ║ allows ║ ║ scrolling ║ ║ through ║ ║ current ║ ║ addresses or ║ ║ updating a ║ ║ record by its ║ ║ displayed nmbr║ ╚═══════════════╝ Enter number to edit record, M for More, Q to quit The following screen is seen when the print letters option is selected, giving the user a chance to cancel the print routine. Select choice with left or right arrow, or enter Y or N. "Y" will be the default if only the enter key is hit. ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LETTERS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ IS PRINTER READY? Yes.... No-Exit ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ First choice requires Y or Yes to proceed. If no │ │ entry is made for second prompt (return key hit) │ │ job uses MAILING.CBL, the default file name. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The following screen is part of the print letters function. It offers the user the option of using a letter alternate to mailing.cbl, the system designated text file. Printing will not pause between letters (for cut forms) unless "Y" is entered at the second prompt. ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LETTERS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Enter name of letter file Pause between letters? Y/N ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ If no entry for file name. uses mailing.cbl, the │ │ default file name. Default value of "N" for the │ │ Pause between letters option is fastest. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The following print screen is self-explanatory: ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LETTERS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ PRINTING -- PLEASE WAIT? ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ The printer must finish before this program │ │ can continue. You will have an opportunity │ │ to restart in the middle if printer fails. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The following apppears after all letters have gone to the printer. Mid-point restart is permitted in case of printer jamb. ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LETTERS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ IF RESTART IS NEEDED, ENTER NUMBER OF ADDRESS TO RESUME WITH- ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Often there are problems with printer paper │ │ flow which result in spoiled letters. Examine │ │ your output- To restart at address 3 enter 03 e.g. │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╒═══╕──────┘ │ │ ╘═══╛ The following follow similar format for printing labels: ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LABELS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ IS PRINTER ON, AT TOP AND LOADED WITH LABELS? Yes No-exit ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ You must enter a "Y" in order to proceed. │ │ │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LABELS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ IF RESTART NEEDED ENTER SEQUENCE NUMBER OF STARTING RECORD ┌───────┐ │ │ │ │ └───────┘ ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ In case some letters must be reprinted, you can │ │ enter a 2 didit pointer to the first letter to │ │ resume with. e.g. Enter 4 to start with nbmr 4. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The following gives the operator as many tries as needed to align the printer with labels. ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ PRINT LABELS FUNCTION - LIGHTNING LETTERS ║ ║ Shareware 1991 Alfred J. Welch ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ DO YOU WANT TO PRINT TWO TEST LABELS? ...... Y/N ┌───────────────────────> HELP <─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ In order to test printer alignment, you should │ │ print two test labels first. The test labels │ │ consist of asterisks in all five lines │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The following appears when "R" Review AddrBank File is selected on the main menu: ╔═══════════════════════ ║ Names and addresses from the AddrBank file ║ L I G H T N I N G will scroll down here. ║ L E T T E R S ║ You may change a street address, delete an ║ Shareware 1991 address, or put address in list of cuurrent ║ Alfred Welch addresses by hitting the "f" key. ║ ║ ║╔═════════════════════╗ ║║ This screen provides║ ║║ for scrolling or ║ ║║ editing the file. ║ ║║ ║ ║║ Press enter for ║ ║║ additional pages ║ ║║ until end of file. ║║ ║║ ║ ║║ Press F key to ║ ║║ "FIDDLE" ║ ║║ ║ ║║ Press X to exit. ║ ║╚═════════════════════╝ ╚═══════════════════════ Once the "F" key is chosen during a AddrBank review, a screen such as this will appear so you can designate the address to "fiddle" with. Capital Management, Inc. 1---- W ║ P.O. Box 2936 H ║ Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 I ║ L I G H T N I N G C ║ L E T T E R S United Health Inc. H ║ 105 West Michigan Street 2---- ║ Shareware 1991 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203 R ║ Alfred Welch E ║ C * USE ║ Value Merchants, Inc. O THEN ║╔═════════════════════╗ Box 660922-6 3---- R RETURN ║║ This screen provides║ 710 North Plankinton Ave. D OR ║║ for scrolling or ║ Milwaukee, Wi 53203-2405 SELECT ║║ editing the file. ║ T RECORD ║║ ║ Western Publishing Company Inc O USING ║║ Press enter for ║ Barbara Sutton 4---- NUMERIC ║║ additional pages ║ Dept. JV F KEY ║║ until end of file. ║ 1220 Mound Ave. I ║║ ║ Racine, Wisconsin 53404 D ║║ Press F key to ║ FIMCO, Inc. D ║║ "FIDDLE" ║ 111 E. Kilbourne Ave. 5---- L ║║ ║ Suite 1850 E ║║ Press X to exit. ║ Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 ? ║╚═════════════════════╝ Attention: Personnel ╚═══════════════════════ The follwing screen is the last in the series to "fiddle" with records in the AddrBank file. Select your choice to Change Address, Delete the AddrBank record, or Add the AddrBank record to your list of current addresses for printing letters and labels. FIDDLE - AddrBank - LIGHTNING LETTERS Shareware 1991 Alfred Welch █▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀█ █ Enter Choice █ █ █ 1 Barbara Sanders █ Add to active lst█ █ █ 2 1231 Kinikinic Ave. █ Delete this one █ █ █ 3 Milwaukee, Wi. 78653 █ Change address █ █USE: █ 4 █Or A, D, C ─┘ █ █ █ 5 █▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄█ Enter address lines - no data entered leaves line as is FILES: There are three modifiable data files in the system. ADDRE.DAT is the driver for most functions and contains your current addresses. It has a size limit of 50 addresses. If this is too small, contact the programmer. File AddrBank.FIL contains the AddrBank of addresses used. It is a direct access file, the key being the first address line. When transferring addresses to AddrBank, any address which has a duplicate first line in the AddrBank file will over write the similar AddrBank record. File mailing.cbl is the text form letter you will customize and print.. Again. remember the the special lines this text contains as explained above. KILL.BAT: This bat file should not be needed. What it does is to remove the screen handler from memory. The screen handler, VIDPOP, will not normally remain in memory and this situation only occurs when the program aborts abnormally. In that case, kill is executed to clear the handler. Note- this program doesn't start up if VIDPOP is in memory from aborted run. HINT! HINT! The address file is a sequential file. The end of the current list of addresses is signaled to the software with ^^^ appearing in the first 3 characters of the first line of an address record. If you want to abbreviate your list of addresses for test purposes, you can you browse/edit to alter the placement of the end point, anywhere between 1 and 50. The data input function offers the alternative of adding your new records at the end of present entries or eliminating present entries by over writing them. =================================================================== : L I G H T N I N G L E T T E R S M A I N M E N U : =================================================================== : Help ...................... - Explains general steps : : Input Data ................ - Builds current addresses : : Browse/Edit Records ....... - Review or change address : : Print Letters ............. - Print form letters or memos : : Output Labels ............. - Print mailing labels : : List Addresses ............ - Print current addresses : : Transfer names to AddrBank - Add addresses to AddrBank : : Review AddrBank File ...... - Scroll through AddrBank : : Write AddrBank to print ... - Print a list of AddrBank : : DOS Command ............... - Run DOS, then return : : Erase AddrBank ............ - Erase all AddrBank CAUTION! : : Change Form Letter ........ - Edit/Modify Mailing.cbl : : Quit ...................... - End program, return to DOS : ==================================================================: : Type a letter or move the highlight bar and press Enter : =================================================================== Shareware Alfred J. Welch $15 Registration fee desired ====================================================== 2248 South 33rd Street, Milwaukee, Wi. 53215 phone (414) 383-9908 SYSTEM DESIGN This program is more a product of evolution than plan. It is therefore, hybred and uses some C modules, COBOL programming and utilities. There must be inter-program communications between VIDPOP, and RUN.EXE. Most other files included play a vital role and must be kept in the same directory. README DOC Documentation MENU DOC "" "" RUN EXE COBOL run module (licensed for distribution). MAILING CBL Form letter, ASCII text VIDPOP COM Screen Handler WORKFILE OBJ COBOL compiled application INSTALL EXE Install (Drive A to Drive C only) GO EXE This is the startup command file MAILLIB LIB Library of screen images HISTORY FIL AddrBank data file with previouly used addresses HISNDX NDX File of index keys to AddrBank.FIL HISSAV SAV .SAV files are empty backups for clearing AddrBank NDXSAV SAV "" "" ADDRE DAT This data file contains your current addresses GOTWO EXE This is an alternative to GO.EXE if GO doesn't work WRK A86 Workfile required in disk directory for sorts TE DOC The following are the Text editor files, downloaded TE EXE as a public domain product. TEG HLP TEMOD EXE TEREAD 1ST NOTE: TE.EXE is a public domain editor, information as to it's source is displayed upon entering change-letter function. ALSO: read te.doc. *********************************************************************** * Some cautions about ISAM access method -- * *********************************************************************** The initial version of this program used a file handler for indexed files which worked well with DOS 3.2, but not other versions. Therfore, the direct access to the AddrBank file now is accomplished with ISAM methods written in COBOL. This should allow almost instantaneous direct access respose on a 386 machine, regardless of the number of records in the AddrBank file. There are trade-offs that have to be made in designing any ISAM data base. This design will never require more than 2 or 3 i-O operations to retrieve a record from the AddrBank file. However, each record stored is located according to the first letter of the address line. As there are 122 buckets for each letter of the alphabet, therefore, if more than 122 addresses begin with the letter "A", the additional keys will be forced into the overflow record 27 along with records beginning with special characters. It should be noted that the direct access is performed only at data-input time and in the transfer to AddrBank function. CAVEATS: I. The AddrBank file and its index file must remain a matched set. If index file HISNDX.NDX is changed outside of normal operations, access to AddrBank.FIL will fail. All the kings men wont be able to fix it. II. Your ISAM system can become corrupted by losing or otherwise getting the AddrBank and index out of sync. If this happens, addresses in your AddrBank file will be lost so backing up a good database is advisable. III. The limitation of file size has been mentioned. The theoretical AddrBank file limit is 3294 records. In practicality, most users would experience index overflow if about 2000 randomly chosen address names are entered. If you want to use the program commercially so that more file size is needed, contact the author about a custom design to meet your needs. ****************************************************************************** |-------------------| | GO.EXE | | Initiates the run| --------------------- | --------------------------------- SCREENS | VIDPOP.COM | MAILLIB.LIB-->| resident utility | --------------|------------------ | -----V------ | RUN.EXE | COBOL | | -----|------ Address List | Address History ================== ============ ============================. | ADDRE.DAT |<-->| |<--->| HISNDX.NDX-- AddrBank.FIL | ================== | WORKFILE.| ============================ | OBJ | Letter Text | | ==================<-->| |---->=================== | MAILING.CBL | ============ | Printer Lists | ================== | =================== | V --------------------------------- | | V V ============================= ============================= | Printed mailing labels | | Multiple Printed Letters | ============================= ============================= EXAMPLE: Input text file-- _______________________________________________________________________________- 1225 Easy Sreet Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215 DAT# ADD# SAL# As of December 15, 1991, I am moving to Hollywood California. I do plan to keep in touch with all my friends and associates. My new address is listed below. 1771 El Ceritto Hollywood, California 87632 The new phone number will be announced later. Sincerely, Cheryl Tiegs ________________________________________________________________________________ Printer Output adjusted to- ___________________________________________________ 1225 Easy Sreet Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215 November 13, 1991 Donald Trump 1771 7th Avenue Suite 213 New York, New York 12398 Dear Mr. Trump: As of December 15, 1991, I am moving to Hollywood California. I do plan to keep in touch with all my friends and associates. My new address is listed below. 1771 El Ceritto Hollywood, California 87632 The new phone number will be announced later. Sincerely, Cheryl Tiegs ________________________________________________________________________________ Once started the program hopefully will not fail. Inexperienced users might create problems for themselves in running DOS commands from the menu, however. If DOS commands are used to change drives, change the current directory, rename or delete system files the system can crash. Should the program lock up with the keyboard still operating, the task can be aborted with Cntrl-C. This situation removes the main program but leaves VIDPOP in memory. You would then have to employ KILL.BAT to remove VIDPOP prior to next run. Please report any problems not explained here to the author. REGISTRATION- Please register so I can get some feed-back. (Cash too) If you want to use this product you must register. You will be entitled to one hour of free support to customize your application. You will also receive any updated versions. It is my plan to incorporate the form letter function into a complete small business package. To register send: name- address- city- state- zip- phone- bulletin board id (optional)- fee- $15.00 Alfred J. Welch 2248 S. 33rd Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215 The author greatly appreciates your comments and suggestions... *** Also open to contract programming, any popular language.