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MASTER*LIST(tm) By Michael Perry (c) 1993 Progressive Computer Services, Inc. Version 1.52 Shareware Release I - 02/1993 NOTE: This is the first Shareware release. Subsequent releases, as well as the upcoming commercial version will contain more comprehensive documentation and additional features. Be sure to note the Userware Licensing Agreement in the section LICENSING AGREEMENT later in this document. CONTENTS WHAT IS MASTER*LIST?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 WHY USE MASTER*LIST?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 MASTER*LIST FEATURES: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 LICENSING AGREEMENT (Please Read!!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 DISTRIBUTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 REGISTRATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 WHY REGISTER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 OTHER FEATURES AND SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 NEW FEATURES TO BE ADDED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 MASTERLIST INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 GLOBAL COMMAND KEYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 MASTER*LIST OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A - SELECT/CREATE LIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 EXPORTING AND MERGING LISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 B - ADD/EDIT/VIEW RECORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 C - REPORT MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 D - CATEGORY CODES MAINTENANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 E - REBUILD INDEXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 F - SPECIAL FUNCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 H - PRINT REGISTRATION FORM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 FILTER MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 MARKING RECORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 LOST FILES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Page 3 WHAT IS MASTER*LIST? ==================== Master*List is a general-purpose database manager designed to be very straightforward and easy-to-use, supporting a wide variety of data formats and options. If you are looking for a simple, flexible program to easily keep track of addresses, telephone numbers, contacts, ideas and other information, ML is the perfect choice. ML also contains many extra features not found in other full-blown database programs. As with all PCS software, ML is designed to be very un-intimidating. Even computer novices will be up-and-running with ML in a short period of time. Since ML is also fully dBase III(tm)-compatible, expert users will also be able to manipulate the data in many extra ways not supported by the program itself. ML supports a variety of export and import formats so you can use your lists in programs such as WordPerfect, WinFax, BitFax, and others. Even if you have more elaborate database programs such as Paradox, Access or dBase, you will quickly begin to appreciate how ML works and may eventually abandon the larger, more difficult systems in favor of ML's capabilities and ease-of-operation. ML also supports a number of popular database structures designed to meet a variety of needs from mailing lists, sales contact data, unlimited-length text, and more. With a little bit of imagination, you will easily find that ML can do even more than you first thought. Throughout this document, we will not only outline how the program works, but give you many examples of how to use Master*List. Just as Quicken revolutionized accounting software, Master*List will do the same for traditional database management. Page 4 WHY USE MASTER*LIST? ==================== In short, Master*List will save you a tremendous amount of time. We have already defined in the program, several popular information structures that you can use, from small mailing lists to database formats with free-form text and user-definable fields. Other simple database programs force you to use a single preset database structure. With ML, you can choose between several different structures depending upon the type of data you want to manage. All options in the program automatically adjust to the database type! Everything is menu-driven and very straightforward. ML makes data entry foolproof. Because ML is dBase-compatible, you will have no trouble converting lists from other programs directly into Master*List. Even if you design custom database systems for a living, ML will save you time - it's a great program to use to keep track of customers, sales leads and much, much more! ML also has some very nifty features. For example, the program has been designed so that databases can be easily exchanged between different computers. A print shop for example, could have all their clients running Master*List. When they want to do a direct mail piece, they simply export their selected list (with a single keypress) and copy the file to a disk (or send it via modem) to the print shop. With a single keypress, the people at the print shop can integrate their client's list into their copy of Master*List and print cheshire labels and more. What if you have a large list that you want several people to work on entering into the computer? Master*List makes it easy! You can have several people working on different computers, typing in names. At any time, you can take each of these separate lists and merge them together into a single file on any one machine. Master*List is also FULLY-NETWORKABLE. You can have a single copy on a network shared by multiple users - even editing the same database simultaneously. Here are some ideas for implementations of Master*List: * maintain customer lists, direct mail databases, fax databases * sales contact information, including call-back dates and notes on file with each record * journal entries and logs * tech support questions and answers You can now easily create a contact list - outlining people and their associated information, with dated notes. If someone calls, you can quickly look them up in your database and know exactly when the last time you spoke with them, and what it was about. ML will even dial their phone number for you! Just like our popular, award-winning EZ-MENU software, Master*List was originally designed for in-house use and for PCS clients. We've added the kind of features USERS want, and the kind of simplicity that makes it easy to be productive. As we continue to hear from users, we will add more and more features, report formats and other functions. When you register a PCS product, you are not only getting a great piece of software; you also play an important role in the product's development. Page 5 MASTER*LIST FEATURES: ===================== * support for 7 different database structures (+ more on the way) including: basic mailing list, enhanced mailing list, company telephone directory, sales contacts, journal entries, free-form text, user- definable database & more * 3-levels of user-defined ID codes that can be associated with any record (Category, Type & Sub-Type) * extensive ability to select groups of records for display, processing or printing based on codes, and all fields - you can even add multiple conditions (i.e. 'Print all records where firstname starts with 'P' OR 'S' AND State='LA') * conditions (filters) can be saved for use again and again * lists can be imported from a variety of formats including ASCII SDF * list can be exported to a variety of formats including ASCII SDF, WordPerfect, BITFAX, WinFAX, and more! * lists can be easily moved from one machine to another and merged * BROWSE function where you can press one key and see a list of databases, records or ID codes * the ability to quickly search the file on any field and display the list in alphabetical/numerical order in a number of ways (ID, Last Name, Zip code, etc.) * support for unlimited-length text; you can add notes and comments on file with a particular person * support for over 1,000,000 lists, each with over 1,000,000 records * the ability to print cheshire labels in a variety of formats, shipping labels, laser printer labels, contact lists, telephone directories and more * the ability to export databases to WordPerfect for creating elaborate form letters * the ability to export databases to BITFAX and WinFax so you can do automated FAX transmissions * full dBASE .DBF compatibility * support for US Postal Service ZIP+4 processing * full multiuser support * the ability to dial telephone numbers (with a modem attached) * support for follow-up dates and reminders to contact people * support for multiple time and date formats and other formatting options * built-in context-sensitive help * ML will run under Windows (as a DOS application) and an ICON is included * support for all monitor types * ML remembers what list you were last working on and keeps it active, telling you the last time and date a file was modified; in a multiuser environment, this information can be saved separately for each user on the network! Above are just a FEW of Master*List's many features. Page 6 LICENSING AGREEMENT (Please Read!!) =================== This version of Master*List is fully-functional. There are no limitations built into the program. You are not limited in any way, by how much data you can enter into the system. If there are any features that do not appear functional, this is because they have not been fully-implemented yet - and appear in the program for compatibility purposes with future versions. Master*List is freely available as Shareware. ML is considered "Userware." Userware is a form of Shareware which requires that you register the software if you continue to use it after a 30-day evaluation period. This software will be available via computer Bulletin Board Systems and major information networks such as CompuServe, America Online, GEnie, Prodigy and others. You can also obtain the latest Shareware version from PCS's BBS, called The DUNGEON at (504) 835-0085 (Fidonet 1:/396/21, Freq: "ML"). You are permitted to use this program for a 30-day trial period. If you continue to use Master*List or keep it on your computer, you MUST register yourself with PCS, otherwise you will be in violation of our license agreement (and possibly have a huge amount of bad karma following you around the rest of your life). ONLY *REGISTERED* USERS WILL BE ALLOWED TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES. If you install Master*List on someone else's machine, YOU are responsible for making them aware of this licensing agreement. We encourage consultants to set-up their clients with Master*List - a great service to provide, but you must either register the version yourself (in the client's name) or let your clients know that they will need to register the software. PLEASE NOTE: If you are using Master*List on more than one computer in any location, EACH COPY must be registered. PCS has special pricing for multiple copies, as well as a special rate for use on networks. If you decide not to register, you should remove any installed copies of Master*List from your computer(s). If you are unsatisfied with the program, drop us a letter or FAX telling us why - there's a good chance there is a newer version available that may do exactly what you want. DISTRIBUTION ============ Master*List can be redistributed by other entities as long as they do not charge more than $10 for their service, which should be stated that such remuneration is in no way a registration fee. The software can only be distributed in unmodified form. If the software is distributed via a .ZIP file, this should be the original Authenticity Verified ZIP file provided by PCS. The latest version of Master*List can be found on all popular BBSs and information services including CompuServe, America Online, GEnie, Prodigy, etc. We also encourage the product's distribution in CD form as long as our license agreement is respected and the customer is aware that he is obtaining an un- registered Shareware product. If Master*List is included in any catalog listings, copies of those catalogs and other related material should be promptly sent to PCS at PO Box 7638, Metairie, LA 70010. If you send us one of your catalogs, we will send you the latest Shareware version free for distribution. Page 7 REGISTRATION ============ To register your copy of Master*List, send us a check or money order for $45.00 (US funds only) and your complete name, address, telephone and FAX number to: Progressive Computer Services, Inc. P.O. Box 7638 Metairie, LA 70010-7638 We also accept MASTERCARD and VISA registrations. You can call us toll-free at (800) 628-1131 from 9:00am to 5:00pm CST for credit-card orders. THIS NUMBER IS *NOT* FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT!! If you have problems, look at the troubleshooting section first or try re-indexing your files. If all else fails, see the Tech Support section for details on how to contact us. It is only fair that we primarily take tech support calls from registered users only, unless you have a question which would determine that you will register the software right then and there. You can also select option "H" from Master*List's main menu and print a registration form to fill out. WHY REGISTER? ============= There are many reasons to register. The most important one being it is the LEGAL thing to do. Registered users are also entitled to free technical support via CIS, FAX, BBS and telephone. Registered users will also receive the NEXT RELEASE of Master*List FREE as soon as it become available. We also listen very carefully to our registered users. We expect to add many additional options and reports in the near future. Most of these new features will be at the request of our users. If you like the program, but wish it could print a particular type of report, FAX us the specs on the report - you may find it in the next release. We also do CUSTOM VERSIONS of ML for clients (at an extra charge, possibly very minimal depending upon the scope of the customization). Registered users can always be assured of having the latest version of Master*List. Remember: If you get this software from a source other than us, there is a chance that the package is incomplete or corrupted. We always .ZIP (or ZIP2EXE) our files using the Authenticity Verification feature of PKZIP to assure an un-modified, virus-free package. OTHER FEATURES AND SERVICES =========================== Also, PCS will be offering many ADD-ONS to Master*List in the future, including a small accounting system and other packages for vertical markets. We will also be selling DATABASES (such as business lists, lead lists, press and media, etc.) Check our BBS for other information on these new options. For people with FAX machines: When you register, give us your FAX number and we will keep you on our FAX newsletter list - providing you with info on new features, reports and other data. We also encourage others to maintain and trade lists with other Master*List users. Our newsletter will let others know of the availability of this data - so if you have a list to distribute or sell, let us know. Other individuals and companies also distribute lists through Shareware - we will make these lists available in ML format or provide conversion programs in the very near future. If YOU have any type of ADD-ON product for Master*List, let US know and we'll help you promote it! Page 8 NEW FEATURES TO BE ADDED ======================== As we hear from our users, the program will continue to evolve, with more data types, functions, reports and other features. Some of the things that will be available in future versions may include: * A utility to convert databases easily from one list type to another * The ability to have user-specific lists on a network, and user-specified paths for work files * full implementation of system security & encrypted data * compression of databases & archiving functions to save space * more report formats, especially ones supporting commonly-available labels and forms * single-key command to print envelopes * more direct support for laser printers & their special abilities * a command to automatically rebuild the list menus based on the data files that exist * data type that supports accounting functions with separate shipping and billing addresses * automated process of printing a daily call-back list Registered users will of course, be assured of getting the latest version of Master*List and have a direct say in what new features may be included. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS =================== Master*List requires DOS 3.3 or later, and about 500K of disk space minimally. If you are working with large databases, you will generally need at least as much free space as the size of your largest data file. If you run out of disk space in the middle of a procedure, unpredictable things will happen, most likely corrupting files and indexes. If this happens, try erasing all the index files (DEL \ML\*.NTX from the DOS prompt) and re-starting ML. We STRONGLY recommend you have at least a few megabytes free when manipulating large files - this will reduce the possibility of something going wrong. Master*List also requires about 450K of free conventional memory. You might run into conflicts with some memory-resident programs - we haven't as of yet, but we cannot guarantee that YOU won't. If you run Master*List in a LAN environment and plan on having users share the system, be sure to set the MULTIUSER option to YES in the system configuration (Option "G" from the main menu). Master*List can also run from Windows (as a DOS app) with no problems either - but be advised, it is impossible for us to test virtually every type of system configuration, so if you run into problems, FAX us a description of what went wrong and we'll look into it. As always, consult the troubleshooting section before attempting to contact PCS for tech support. Also, make sure you have a statement in your CONFIG.SYS file which says FILES=30 (or higher), otherwise you will encounter an error when trying to use ML. MASTERLIST INSTALLATION ======================= If you received Master*List as a .ZIP file, simply create a subdirectory called \ML and un-ZIP the files into that directory. To run the program type CD\ML (ENTER) and then ML (ENTER) to begin. Master*List includes an INSTALL.BAT file which will automate the process of creating a subdirectory, copying the files and setting everything up. Be sure to check the SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS section in order to make sure that you have adequate memory, disk space and file handles specified in your CONFIG.SYS file. Page 9 GLOBAL COMMAND KEYS =================== There are a few keys that are active in almost every area of the program. These are defined below: F1 Press the <F1> key for context-sensitive help at any prompt. If there is information available on the related subject or prompt, it will be displayed. You can even edit the help file yourself and add your own comments for others. F2 In many areas of the program, you can press F2 and pop-up a list of items to select from. Usually when F2 is active, a message will be displayed. Some of the areas where F2 is active include: when entering category codes in a record, at the edit mode menu (in which case F2 will display a browse-type list of records, codes or databases), and filter mode (showing a list of saved filters that can be used). ESC Pressing <ESC> will generally abort whatever you are doing. This command can be used while printing or at most of the prompts. Usually when ESC is pressed, whatever you were doing will be immediately halted as soon as possible - note that reports will not be fully printed and some procedures may be only half-done. Certain processes such as Indexing should never be interrupted. MASTER*LIST OPERATION ===================== Master*List's main menu looks something like this: ┌──────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─┤ MASTER*LIST Ver. 1.52│┌─┤ Current List : No Databases On File │ │ │ (c) 1992, Mike Perry ││ │ Last Edited : Type: │ │ │ Progressive Computer ││ │ Total Records: │ │ │ Services, Inc. ││ │ Comments : │ │ └────────────────────┬─┘│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┬─┘ └──────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘ M A I N M E N U A - Select/Create List B - Add/Edit/View Records C - Report Menu D - Category Codes Maintenance E - Rebuild Indexes F - Special Functions G - System Configuration H - Print Registration Form X - Exit MASTER*LIST The box at the upper right corner show the currently selected list (if any). A - SELECT/CREATE LIST ====================== All of Master*List's information is organized into what are called LISTS. A list is a collection of records. A record would be all the information associated with a single entry (name, address, etc.). ML supports multiple lists, and of course, over a million records within each list. To select or create a new list (aka "database"), select "A" from the main menu or highlight the selection using the cursor keys and press <ENTER>. The "Select/Create List" option allows you to select a list to work with, or create a new list, as well as perform other operations on a single list (such as export, merge, etc.). There are other global list operations available on the "Special Functions" menu. Page 10 EXPORTING AND MERGING LISTS =========================== One of Master*List's most powerful features is its ability to move lists between copies of the program. You can take a list and export it to a file, copy that file to another machine, and quickly merge it with a list on another copy of ML. This can be very useful when you have clients who are using ML who need to send their data to your machine. It is also helpful when you may have several lists that may be on different machines that need to be merged into one big list. When you export a ML list, the data is copied to a standard export file: LX.DBF (in the \ML subdirectory), and if the list type is of "F" or "I", there will also be an associated LX.DBT file. You can then copy these files to a floppy and move them to another copy of ML on another machine and integrate them into a different system. To export a list, simply select the list from the List Edit Mode (option "A" from the main menu) and press "O". You can even filter records to be exported so you do not have to export the entire list. The export feature can even convert data from different list types - although this is not recommended, it will work in *some* circumstances. The same goes for the Export SDF options in the Special Functions menu - you will not find much information on converting data from one list type to another because we advise against this, and although it can be done, data can be lost, or the program can crash. In the next release, we will provide a utility to easily convert data from one list type to another. Merging an export list with a current list is accomplished by first selecting the destination list (from the List Edit Mode - Option "A" from the main menu) and then pressing the "M" key. *** It is assumed that the export list has been copied into the \ML directory otherwise the program will give you an error message. If you are merging two lists from the same copy of ML, the export list will already be in the \ML subdirectory. When merging lists, ML appends the export list onto the end of the currently-selected list. If there are duplicate ID numbers, ML will not change them - although there is an option in the Special Functions menu to reassign ID numbers that you can perform later. If you have no destination list, but instead want to add the export list into your copy of ML, simply create a new database in the same format as the export list, then use the "M" command. If the destination list is empty, ML can merge the data even faster by simply renaming the export list file. One question asked when merging is whether or not you want to erase the export list after a merge. If disk space is limited, we advise that you answer YES to this question - it will reduce the possibility of the disk becoming full during an operation and subsequently causing problems. Page 11 B - ADD/EDIT/VIEW RECORDS ========================= If you have a list selected, you can then go into option "B", "Add/Edit/View Records". After selecting this menu option, you will be in the EDIT MODE screen. This is probably where you will spend most of your time while in Master*List. While in Edit Mode, you can perform many operations on the selected list, including adding new records, editing, marking, filtering, printing, finding or erasing existing records, etc. Depending upon which type of list you are working with, ML will display a different series of choices. For example, if you are using list type "I" which has no telephone field, you will not be able to dial a telephone number. Likewise, data types "I" and "F" support free-form text - so with those databases you can use the "N" & "T" commands to add a note on file for a particular record. For more specific information options available, look at the next section entitled "EDIT MODE". C - REPORT MENU =============== Option "C" from the main menu takes you to the report menu. With ML Version 1.5x, there are a limited number of reports, mostly labels. In future versions, the number of available reports will be increased. If you try to select a particular report and nothing happens, this indicates one of two things: either there are no records in the currently selected list (so printing a report would be useless) or the selected report is not applicable based on the currently selected list type. For example, you cannot print a "Telephone List" report for database type "I" or "A" because there are no telephone fields in those list types. After you have selected a report, you will be taken to the FILTER MENU, where you can specify certain conditions - these conditions will allow you to further specify a subset of the selected list to print. For complete information on using filters, see the FILTER MODE section later in this document. Depending upon which report you select, there may be other options that you are prompted for. Some reports have margins and other information that you can override in order to customize the report for your printer and/or forms. You may also be prompted for the ORDER in which you want records on the report to appear. Master*List allows you to send reports to the PRINTER, SCREEN or DISK file, and you will be prompted appropriately - if you specify sending a report to the screen, we recommend you use the PAUSE key on your keyboard to stop scrolling if you wish to examine early parts of the report - currently there are no mechanisms in place to automatically pause after each screen of information (in future versions, this will be available). If you select to send the report to a disk file, you will need to specify the output filename. If no path is specified, the file will be created in the default directory where Master*List is installed (assumed to be \ML). In some cases, if you do not specify an extension for a file, .TXT will be appended. Depending upon which report you select, you may be prompted for additional options such as whether you want titles or ID codes printed. There are some extra options when using a LaserJet-compatible printer with Avery Laser Labels (you can also print extra information on the labels in condensed mode). NOTE: There is no doubt that once you get up and running with Master*List that you will have ideas for special reports - we want to hear from you about these requests. After you register your copy of the program, FAX us a sample copy of the desired report format at (504) 834-2160 and we will do our best to provide it to you - of course we cannot guarantee super-quick turn-around unless you are willing to pay extra for some customization, but in most cases, we will seriously consider adding the report and making it available in our next release (which could be sooner than you think). Page 12 D - CATEGORY CODES MAINTENANCE ============================== This section allows you to maintain and update a list of codes on file in the system. Up to three 1-5 digit codes can be associated with any record on file, to be used to further identify groups of records in a particular list. The key to maintaining good organization of your data will be directly related to how you use these category codes. Codes are group into three sub-classes: Category, Type and Sub-Type. You can mix-and-match these codes in any code field in a list, but we recommend you keep them separate. When you create a list file, you can specify whether the code usage should be relaxed or strict - determining whether all codes are treated as the same class, or separate (i.e., When you are prompted for a category code to assign to a record - you can either browse through ALL codes on file, or just the designated category codes). Master*List comes with a bunch of pre-defined codes to use as an example of how you can categorize data into groups. For example, you can define the category codes to indicate things such as: Individual, Group, Business, and then further define this by the Type Code selection from: Customer, Donor, Non-Profit. You can even get more specific and use the Sub-Type code to identify extra classifications: New Lead, Mailed Brochure, FAXed 11/92, etc. You can define these codes virtually any way you want, but be advised that you may end up making things confusing if you don't think ahead when you define the codes. Of course, as you are entering records, you can create new codes on the fly simply by filling in an undesignated code into one of the fields - ML will let you know that the code is undefined and give you several choices, including the option of defining a new code. After you have a table of codes set-up, it is easy to reference the table while adding or editing records. When your cursor is over the CATEGORY, TYPE or SUB- TYPE field in a record, simply press <F2> and a list of appropriate codes will pop-up for your selection. When printing reports and doing other types of procedures, you can use the FILTER MODE to specify groups of records that meet your criteria, including records with specific CODES. For example, let's say you want to export the current database of Press People to a WinFax file so you can FAX a press release, BUT you only want to fax people in the print media category. When you were setting-up the list, you were careful to group the Press People into different categories such as: Press/Broadcast, Press/Print, Press/Radio, etc. When you select the export option, simply set a filter indicating you want to export only records that have a Category defined as 'PRINT'. Bingo, you can easily select a subgroup of the entire list! If this sounds complicated, don't worry, it isn't - just play around with the system until you feel comfortable. E - REBUILD INDEXES =================== This option is used to rebuild index files associate with a list. If for some reason, records that you know are on file do not appear to show up, it is possible that the index file has been corrupted. If a spot on your hard drive starts to go bad, it can corrupt an index file (or a list file). Rebuilding the indexes is the first thing to try when you have problems locating data or accessing lists. If Master*List generates an error when you try to run it, there is a possibility that one of the main indexes has been corrupted. This will happen sometimes if you run out of disk space in the middle of an operation. To solve this problem, you should change into the Master*List subdirectory by typing CD\ML and then enter the command to erase all Index files: DEL *.NTX Then you should try to restart Master*List. ML will automatically rebuild all the missing index files. Page 13 F - SPECIAL FUNCTIONS ===================== From this menu you can access a variety of special operations to perform on the selected list. Some of the features include: counting records, erasing records, exporting the current list into a variety of formats, importing lists into ML, removing duplicate records, and more. H - PRINT REGISTRATION FORM =========================== This option allows you to print a registration form, which should be subsequently filled out and mailed to PCS along with a registration fee. See the section entitled REGISTRATION and LICENSING AGREEMENT for more information. Page 14 FILTER MODE =========== One of Master*List's most powerful features is its ability to extract a subset of records based on user-specified conditions. The Filter feature is available in a variety of areas, allowing you to set conditions for the viewing, printing and processing of records. ML's filter mode supports up to three conditions, but with some ingenuity and use of the mark records feature, you can have an unlimited number of conditions imposed upon a list. When viewing records with a filter set, only the records meeting your specified filter condition will appear. Other records that do not meet your conditions are still on file, but are "filtered" from view. With a filter in effect, only the records meeting your criteria appear to exist on file. When in filter mode, a menu will appear listing the fields available with the current list. To set a condition, first select the field by entering a 1-2 digit number associated with the field. You will then be prompted to enter the search string, after which you will be prompted to enter the operator: should the field be equal to, greater than, etc. to the data you have entered. When dealing with string fields, operators such as "greater than" or "less than" refer to the string's alphabetical position. For example, you set a condition of: LAST NAME is GREATER THAN "P", Master*List would show you only records on file whose last name field starts with the letters "Q" and later in the alphabet. Partial matches are accepted, so a condition of CITY="New" would identify records with cities of "New Orleans" or "New Brunswick". Other operators such as "empty" can be helpful in weeding out records that are invalid. For example, if you are going to print labels, you might specify a filter such as: ZIP CODE is NOT EMPTY - which will ensure that every record you print has a zip code. When using an operator such as "empty", obviously the data you enter when prompted for the appropriate field is ignored - so simply press leave the field blank, and then select the "empty" operator. After you enter a condition you have the option of entering up to two additional conditions, and designating whether these conditions should be imposed on top of the previous condition(s) (with AND) or as an alternate condition (using OR). The filter can be espcially useful when using category codes. How you define codes on file with each record will determine how flexible filtering will be. For example, if you have a mailing list of press contacts, you can have them coded based on their type: (Category/Type) PRESS/PRINT, PRESS/TV, PRESS/RADIO, etc. If you want to generate labels for only print media, simply set a filter when printing to something like: TYPE CODE="PRINT"; you could also use ANY CODE="PRINT". Since we anticipate that codes may not always be in the same field between records, there is an ANY CODE condition that can be used. If you used the condition: CATEOGRY="PRESS", you would print all press records on file. After you have finished setting a filter, ML will give you the option of saving the filter for later use. If you answer YES to the "Save Filter" question, you will be prompted to enter a description for the filter. Likewise, when you initially enter filter mode, you can press F2 and pop-up a list of saved filters to pick from. In this manner, commonly used filters can be at your disposal. Please note that currently there is no way to erase saved filters - so we recommend that you use discretion in saving filters so you do not end up with a huge list of filters, making selection confusing. Page 15 MARKING RECORDS =============== A "marked" record is exactly what is sounds like. Think of it as a little "check mark" by a record, either on or off. While editing a record you can use the "M" command to toggle individual records being marked or unmarked. When printing or performing other procedures, you can set a filter condition to something like "All marked records". This is yet another criteria you can use to identify records on file. Most of the special functions are self-explanatory, but we would like to point out some of the extra functionality you can get out of using the "Mark Records" option. Let's say you have more than three conditions you want to impose on a list. Using the mark records function, you can easily overcome the three- condition limitation of filter mode. The first step to do is select the "Un-mark Records" option from the special functions menu. When prompted for a filter, enter 0 to process the entire file. Now we know that no records on file are marked. Let's say you want to export records, but only ones that have addresses in the following states: CA, TX, LA, MA, and GA. Since there are 5 criteria, you cannot use a single filter to specify all five states. How you accomplish this is by using the "Mark records" function, first specifying the conditions of STATE="CA" AND STATE="TX" AND STATE="LA". After this procedure is finished, run it again, this time specifying STATE="MA" AND STATE="GA". Bingo! Now all marked records on file will be those corresponding to addresses whose state is one of the five. Now when you perform the export function, specify a filter condition of "Marked Records". Let's say in addition to the criteria above, you also want to include a few select records in the export. Simply go into edit mode, pull up the individual records and hit the "M" to individually toggle the mark/unmark status. Using the "Mark records" function is great when there is no simple condition to specify the records you wish to process. Page 16 TROUBLESHOOTING =============== If you encounter any unidentifiable errors, we suggest that you erase all the index files in the \ML directory and restart the program. Sometimes you will run out of disk space while creating an index file - when this happens the associated index file may become corrupted. When the program tries to access this file the system will crash with an error message. If you erase the index files, ML will automatically rebuild the indexes when you reenter the program. To this simply execute the following commands from the DOS prompt: CD\ML (press ENTER) DEL *.NTX (Press ENTER) ML (Press ENTER) When the system restarts, the message "Working..." will appear at the bottom of the screen while the index files are being rebuilt. Anytime the program encounters an error while processing a file, there is a possibility that the associated index files are incomplete. The two most common causes of this are not enough disk space, or not enough file handles being allocated by DOS (you should have the statement FILES=30 or higher in your CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory). We would love to guarantee that you will have no problems with Master*List, but experience has shown us to never overestimate the ability of a user to make a program crash. We try to design software so that it is flexible enough to be used in a variety of scenarios - how we use ML and how you use it may be entirely different. We rely on you to help us correct any errors, and offer suggestions on how we can make the program better. If you run into problems, be sure to FAX us information on what went wrong, the version of ML you're using, and another other helpful info to: 504-834-2160. Please note that if all else fails, we can provide technical support to registered users via the following mediums: CompuServe Mail: 71127,2105 PCS BBS: (504) 835-0085 PCS FAX: (504) 834-2160 Telephone: (504) 831-9717 (9am-5pm CST!) The best method is via FAX - be sure to provide us with your name, address, version of ML you are using and any other helpful information. If an error occurs, be sure to write the message down and refer to it. Page 17 LOST FILES ---------- If for some reason, you lose list files from within Master*List, there is a sort-of easy way to integrate them back into the system. An example of how this would happen would be if a person re-installed Master*List over an existing copy. Most of the user's list files would probably not be deleted, but ML would not know about their existence. All List files are assigned a number. You will see this number at the top of the main menu (i.e. List # 4) where the current list is shown. The associated file on disk would be L4.DBF. We can offer the service of restoring your list files provided they are not corrupted - although we would prefer you do it yourself since we would have to charge a fee for this ($20.00 per list file). You will have to back-up your entire \ML directory and send us the disks - we can then promptly return the system to you. For do-it-yourself'ers, the key to taking a list file from an older version of ML and integrating into another copy of the program is to use the MERGE option from the List Edit Mode. You need to know two things before you can merge an old list into the program: 1. the list number, and 2. the data type (A-H). We recommend that you occasionally print a list reference sheet so you can keep this information handy. To do so, select "P" from List Edit Mode (which is accessible from main menu option "A"). Let's say you have an old list, number 14 - the file on disk will be L14.DBF. If the list is of type "I" or "F", there will also be an associated file: L14.DBT. Take these files and rename them to LX.DBF and LX.DBT respectively. Then run ML and select option "A" from the main menu. Select "A" to add a new list and choose the type according to the type of list your old file was. Create a new list in this format, and with the list information in view, press "M" to merge the export list with the current list. This will take all of the data in your old list #14 and merge it into the list you have just created. Page 18 CONCLUSION ========== Since this is the first public release of Master*List, there will undoubtedly be many changes to the program in time. Our popular EZ-MENU software started out very humbly the same way. There are many details that are not in the manual, but we've tried to design the software so that reading a manual wasn't a prerequisite. There is also context-sensitive help online. Remember, we value your comments so drop us a letter or FAX telling us what you think and we will keep you informed of any new developments. There are many things planned for the future. For you Windows fanatics, we have included a Master*List windows icon in the file ML.ICO. Master*List is a DOS application, but it can obviously be run under windows for convenience. Perhaps there will be a Windows version in the future. We hope you enjoy the software. Keep your eyes open for more PCS products!