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TABEL OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE Overview...............................................1 Minimum Requirements...................................1 Getting Started........................................1 Files Created..........................................2 What are Fields........................................2 Using TPLABEL and Creating a Database..................3 Main Menu..............................................3 Add Records............................................3 Scan/Change Records....................................4 Delete Records.........................................5 Undelete Records.......................................6 Search Records.........................................6 Pack Records...........................................6 Change Database........................................7 Return Address.........................................7 Print Selected Records.................................8 Print All Records and One Shot Labels..................8 Report Generator.......................................9 Entering Printer Codes for Report Generator............9 Why Register...........................................9 Page 1 TPLABEL OVERVIEW The main purpose of the program is to print mailing labels. This is accomplished in one of two ways. You can print a label by inputting the address information and printing out an immediate label.Labels can also be printed from a Database created and maintained by TPLABEL. TPLABEL contains full Database capabilities. You can Create - Add Records - Delete Records - Un-Delete Records - Pack a Database - Change to a different Database. Printing is very basic. No special printer codes are sent to your printer. The program should work correctly with all printers. Only one type of label is supported; 3 1/2" X 15/16" one across. This label is the most popular one used by most people. 5 lines of text are allowed per label. This gives ample room for special labels that require an Attention: Mr/Ms J. Doe line. Labels can be printed in 6 formats. Each Database can hold a maximum of 999 records. Each record can be printed as a label 1 to 99 copies. TPLABEL checks what type of graphics adapter is present and adjusts it's display accordingly Mono or Color. If you are using a composite B/W monitor with a color adapter you can force TPLABEL to come up in B/W by adding the MONO switch on the command line. TPLABEL is very easy to use. A form of Pull Down Menus are used to select a function. When a Menu is pulled down each function displays a help window. A test label is provided for aligning the labels in the printer. Minimum Requirements PC/MS-DOS CPU DOS 2.1 or higher 256K of system ram Mono/Hercules/CGA/EGA/VGA adapter 1 disk drive Parallel Printer Getting Started: If you are using a Hard Disk simply copy TPLABEL to any Sub- Directory. On a floppy system put TPLABEL on a disk by itself. It will run off of a formatted disk. This will provide enough room for a Database. Each record in the Database uses 160 bytes of disk space, plus 25 bytes in the .INX file. Therefore a Database containing the maximum amount of records (999) would require 185K of disk space. Page 2 Files Created Each Database consists of 2 files, and .INX file and a .LBL file. The .INX file contains a record name for each record in the Database. The names are kept in alphabeti- cal order. At the end of each name is a number. This number is the position in the .LBL file where the actual field information is contained for that particular record. The .INX file is called a Sequential Access file. It is in a pure ASCII format. Whatever you do NEVER NEVER change any of the information in the .INX file. Deleting a line; adding a line is sure to produce unpredictable results. Even worse; render the entire Database useless. The .LBL file is a Random Access file. This is where the field information for each record is stored. Once again NEVER NEVER change any information in this file directly. The only safe way to modify the Field information is to use the Scan/Change function of TPLABEL. What are Fields? Fields are where each line of information in a record are stored. TPLABEL allows 5 Fields (lines of information) per record. For those familiar with Databases this if old hat. For those new to Databases consider the following: Field #1: HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Field #2: Thumb Print Software Field #3: 1570 Colwood Road Field #4: Caro MI. 48723 Field #5: HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH The entire record would consist of all 5 Fields. As you can see each line contains a specific amount of information. Exactly as you would hand write an address on an envelope. Fields #1 and #5 are blank in this example. You could put a special message here IE: Attention Duane Schnur on Field #1. When the label is printed out any information in the 5 Fields will be printed on the Label. Each Field is allowed a maximum of 32 characters. There is room on a label for 35 character; but; centering the label in the printer would be very critical therefore a Fudge Factor 3 spaces for you to adjust the labels in your printer using the built in test label. You can print your labels in six different formats. Fields 2- 3-4 (the normal format). Fields 1-2-3-4; Fields 1-2-3-4- 5; Fields 2-3-4-5; Fields 1-2; and Fields 2-5. As you can see you have a variety of ways to print your labels. These should cover 99% of all situations. Page 3 Now that you have an idea of what is a record - how they are created - how they are stored and how they are printed as a mailing label we are ready for our first use of TPLABEL. Using TPLABEL and Creating a Database To load TPLABEL from the DOS Command line type in: TPLABEL [ENTER] If you are using a composite B/W monitor with a CGA card IE: TANDY 1000A and a VM-4 monitor you can force TPLABEL to come up in B/W by typing in from the DOS Command line: TPLABEL MONO [ENTER] Once the Logo Screen appears it will display for 5 seconds. You can force it to disappear by pressing any key. The first thing TPLABEL does is look for it's default Data- base TPLABEL.INX & .LBL. If it doesn't exist it is created. Main Menu The Main Menu is a bar across the top of the screen. There are three selections Records - Print - Dos. Each of these selections will Pull a Menu Down. To make a selection from any Menu (Main or Pull Down) move the Highlighted Bar to the selection and press Enter. You may also press the Highlighted Letter of any selection. Either way will work. On some displays you may not be able to see the Highlighted letters, in particular LCD displays on Laptops. If this is the case then simply move the Highlighted bar to the selection you want and press Enter. From now on when you are asked to make a selection use one of the two ways described above. Pull Down the Records Selection from the Main Menu. There will be 7 functions: Add Records - Scan/Change Records - Delete Records - Un-delete Records - Search Records - Pack Records - Change Database. Will be using all of these functions in the following example. Add Records: Select the Add Records function. If this is the first record in the Database (which it is) a message will appear. A window will open asking you for a record name. If you decide not to add a record simply press F1. In our example we are going to Add a record. This is where you should use a little Fore-thought how you want the record names listed. The best way to name a record is to use the person's or company's name. If it is a person it is best to type in the Last Name First. The reason for this is TPLABEL sorts the record names alphabetically. If you type in the First Name first the listing in the selec- tion window will be hard to find the record you want. Page 4 Type in the following on the Highlighted Bar: DOE JOHN You may use Upper or Lower case or a mix of both it doesn't matter. The sorting routine TPLABEL uses is non-case sensitive. One thing to remember you should try to use the same format and case with all record names you enter. This will keep their appearance in the selection window uniform. This is a matter of personal preference. Once you have the record name entered press the Enter Key. Field Information Window: Another window will open up. It contains 5 Fields. The Highlighted Bar will be resting on the first Field. You move from Field to Field by pressing the Enter key. This is the only movement key that is active. At this point you have to decide how you want the address information arranged in the record. Generally you should leave the First and Fifth Fields blank. By doing so you will have blank fields that you can add an Attention line or whatever. If the address is the name of a company you may have to use all 5 Fields to enter the entire address. In our example we are entering addresses of people we know, so we will use the 2-3-4 Fields. Press the Enter key until the Highlighted Bar is resting on the 2nd Field. Type in the following: 1 2 JOHN DOE [Press Enter] In the 3rd Field type in: 3 123 OAK AVE [Press Enter] In the 4th Field type in: 4 SOMEWHERE MI 48888 [Press Enter] 5 Your address should look like this: 1 2 JOHN DOE 3 123 OAK AVE 4 SOMEWHERE MI 48888 5 Fields 1 and 5 should be blank. Press F1 for Finished. The record name window should appear. Press F1 we are not going to add any more records at this time. Your record will be saved to Disk in the TPLABEL.INX & .LBL file. From the Main Menu select Records. Scan/Change Record/s Function : Select the Scan/Change function. A large window will open. This is a record selection window. It will display all the record names in the current Database (TPLABEL). You should see DOE JOHN with a Highlighted Bar on it. At this point you only have one record in the Database. Moving the bar and demonstrating the tagging of records is impossible. For now press the ESC key to close the window and return to the Main Menu. Page 5 You should add at least two more records to the Database before we continue. There should be at least 3 records in the Database to display the other functions of TPLABEL. If you are using this example as a tutorial this is a good place to take a break. In any case add at least two more records. When you have at least 3 records begin with the next paragraph. Select Records from the Main Menu. Select Scan/Change. The Scan/Change window will open listing all the records that are in the Database. To select a record or records move the Highlighted bar with the arrow keys to the record you want and TAG it with the Space Bar. Any record you Tag will remain highlighted as you move the bar to other records. To UN-TAG a record move the highlighted bar to a Tagged record and press the Space Bar. The record will change back to normal video when you move the highlighted bar off of it. Tag at least 2 records. If you change your mind and don't want to Scan/Change any records just press the ESC key. You will return to the Main Menu. The Help Line under the Main Menu Bar tells what keys are active in the Scan/Change window. With at least 2 records Tagged press the Enter Key. The first record will appear in a window similar to the Add Re- cords window. You can change/add any information in the Fields. When your through press F1. You will be asked whether you want to save the record back to disk. If you made changes then answer Yes otherwise answer No. The next record you tagged will appear in the window. This will continue until all Tagged records have been dis- played. You will be returned to the Main Menu Bar. Delete Record/s: From the Main Menu select Records, select Delete Record/s. A window will open similar to the Scan/Change Records window. You Tag any record you want Deleted same as you did in the Scan/Change function. Tag at least one record and press Enter. The record will be Marked For Deletion. It is not actually Deleted from the .INX or .LBL file. A CHR$(254) ' will be added to the beginning of the Record Name. From the Main Menu select Records, then select Scan/Change. You will not see the record/s you tagged listed in the window. In other words it is no longer available. Press ESC to return to the Main Menu Bar. Page 6 Undelete Record/s: Select Records from the Main Menu, select Undelete Record/s. A selection window will open. The Highlighted bar will be on the first Marked for Deletion Record. You will notice the first character of the Record is a ' this tells TPLABEL that this record is deleted and is not available for any function except Undelete Record/s. Do not Tag any records for now just press the ESC key to return to the Main Menu. Search Records: Select Records from the Main Menu, select Search Records. A window will open with a Highlighted bar in the input box. You may search for any record name in the Database. You can not search for any information in a Field only for a record name. You must type in at least 3 characters case doesn't matter. You cannot type in 3 Space characters with no printable characters. If you type in just 3 characters the first and third character must be a alpha-numeric character. The 2nd character can be a space. The more characters you type in the search string the more selective the search. Type in JOHN and press Enter. You should see DOE JOHN displayed in the Match box. If this was the record name you were searching for answer Yes. If it wasn't then answer No. If you answer No the search will continue. For now answer Yes. You will now be asked whether you want to (S)can (D)elete (U)n-Delete the record. If you try to Delete a Deleted Record an error message will appear. If you try to UnDelete a record that is not Marked for Deletion an error message will appear. Press ESC to return to the Main Menu Bar. Pack Records: Select Records from the Main Menu Bar, select Pack Records. You should still have at least one Marked for Deletion record in the Database. A window will appear explaining what Pack does. Pack will rebuild a new Database .INX & .LBL files with the Marked for Deletion records removed. This is the only way you can permanently remove records from a Random Access File (.LBL). It will rename the original .INX & .LBL files to .ONX & .OBL (the O stands for Old). What you end up with on disk is the new Database and the Original Database. This is a bit different than most DBM programs. TPLABEL does not destroy the original Database. The advantage is you still have the original Database with the Marked for Deletion records. The disadvantage is this method takes up more disk space. It is then up to you to move the Original Database to another disk or Delete it. Your options are opened with this method. Back to our example press any Page 7 key to continue with Pack. The first thing Pack does is check to see how much disk space is available. If there is enough it will build the new Database. This should be no problem with Hard Drives. With a single 360K system you may have to do some juggling to Pack a Database. Single 360K Drive System If you have a large Database (600 or more records) that you want to Pack you should copy the Database files (.INX & .LBL) to a formatted disk by themselves. Place your TPLABLEL disk in the drive and load TPLABEL. Now remove the TPLABEL disk and replace it with the formatted disk containing the Database you copied to it. Now bring up Change Database and load the Database. You can now proceed with Pack. Change Database: Select Records from the Main Menu Bar, select Change Data- base. At this point you only have 1 Database on your disk, TPLABEL. If you had any other Databases on the disk they would be listed in the bottom of the window. You can type in an existing Database name or type in a new name. If the Database does not exist it will be created and will be the Current Database. Only alphabet letters will be accepted as a Database name. In other words you cannot type in a Drive/Path. All Databases are stored on the same Drive/Path as TPLABEL. Return Address: This applies only to those who will use a Laser Printer for printing envelopes. A dialog window will open. You will see Address A - B - C Each address has 5 input lines. Use the Enter key to move from line to line and Address to Address. You should start at the top line of each Address. Laser Printers leave 1/2 inch margin and if you start your return address on the 2nd or 3rd line this will only place your return address even further down the top left corner of the envelope. You do not have to fill in all 3 Addresses. Just use what you need. When you are through press F1. Your Addresses will be saved in the file TPLABEL.RTN in the default directory. Print Selection: Select Print from the Main Menu. There are 4 selections. Selected Records - All Records - One Shot Label - Report Generator. Page 8 Selected Records: Select Selected Records. A window will open cautioning you that only 3 1/2 X 15/16 inch labels may be used. You are also informed that you should run the test label to align your labels in the printer. You don't have to have any labels loaded in your printer to continue with this example. Just turn your printer on and make sure it is on line. Answer Yes to the test label question. A another window will open showing you what the test label should look like when printed. Press P for Print. The test label will be printed. If you were using labels the test label should line up vertically/horizontally on the label in your printer. You would readjust your labels in the printer until the test label prints correctly. Press Q to quit the test label. The window that appears is the print format selection window. There is a brief explanation at the top. The right box contains a sample record from the Database. This reminds you how you constructed your Database. The left box is the format box. Move the reverse video bar to the Fields you want printed. Select the Fields 2 - 3 - 4 by pressing Enter. You are now asked for how many copies of each record do you want printed. Type in 1 and press Enter. You will now see a window with the available records in the Database. Select what records you want printed by Tagging them with the space bar and press Enter. A window will open displaying the records as they are printed. If you press ESC during the printing all printing will stop. You either (C)ontinue or (A)bort the printing. You would press ESC if your labels were to jam in the printer. You could then reset your labels and continue. One thing you should be aware of is printers with built in print buffers will not stop printing immediately when you press ESC. They will stop when the print buffer is empty. The only way you can stop printing immediately is to press ESC then turn your printer off. When all tagged records have been printed you will be returned to the Main Menu Bar. All Records - One Shot Label: From the Main Menu Bar select Print. The All Records function is the same as the Selected Records function except instead of tagging records to print all available records in the Database will be printed. Page 9 One Shot Label: Select One Shot Label. You will see the Caution message again. This time say No you don't want a test label. You will now see a window similar to the Add Records window. You may type anything you want into the Fields. Enter something in all the fields. Press F1. You will be asked if you want to print this label. If you answer No you will be returned to the Main Menu. Answer Yes. Type in 1 for the number of copies and press Enter. The label will print out. Report Generator: Report Generator will print a complete list of all records in the Current Database. All 5 Fields of each record will be printed on one line. Each record will print one under the other. A maximum of 56 records will be printed on each page. Each page has a header describing the Data- base Date and Page number. This feature is very handy when a complete list of records is needed. For instance a roster of a club. There is one requirement of the printer it must be able to print 160 characters across one line. A code is sent to the printer Condensed Elite. The code is IBM/EPSON compatible code 27/@/15/27/M. If this code is not compatible with your printer you have the opportunity to input your printer code. 160 is calculated by the formula 5 Fields times 32 characters per Field 5 X 32 = 160. If your printer is not able to print 160 characters per line then the report will not look correct on the print- out, lines will wrap around to the next line. Some may not be able to use this feature,but,if your printer is IBM/EPSON compatible you should have no problems. Entering Printer Code for Report Generator: To enter a printer code follow these steps. When asked if you want to input your own code answer Yes. A Highlighted Bar will appear. You enter any CHR$(#) by HOLDING DOWN THE ALT KEY AND TYPING THE NUMBER USING THE KEY PAD. Do not use the top row of the keyboard to input the # this will not work. If your printer manual shows anything in ""'s enter them exactly as shown (not the ""'s). For example: if you manual has "x1" enter x1. In this case use a lower case x. In other words use the same case as your manual. If your manual has a number IE: 77 this is not a CHR$(#) enter 77 using the numbers on the top row of the keyboard. CHR$(#'s) will have CHR$ in front of them IE: CHR$(15) CHR$(14) ETC. If your manual shows ESC CHR$(15) M (this is the IBM/EPSON code) you would enter the following: Page 10 HOLD DOWN THE ALT KEY AND TYPE IN 27 ON THE KEYPAD HOLD DOWN THE ALT KEY AND TYPE IN 15 ON THE KEYPAD TYPE IN THE CAPITAL LETTER M DO NOT ENTER ANY SPACES BETWEEN THE CODE ELEMENTS. IN OTHER WORDS NO SPACES BETWEEN OF 27 AND 15; 15 AND M. If you follow these entry rules you shouldn't have any trouble. Why Register: Registration of Shareware is what fuels the development of a program to the next level. This is the only way us Shareware authors receive any monetary receipts from our work. Registering TPLABEL: You receive: TP-ET 2.0 a very fancy Electric Typewriter program. Set all 4 margins - Word Wrap - Auto Save - Undo - 50 printer drivers - Box Drawing - Time/Date stamps - 10 Programmable Auto Insert Keys - Find Find/Replace - Cut/Copy/Delete - Center A Line - Embedd Printer Functions IE: Bold/Underline/Sub-SuperScript-Double Wide etc. - Full File I/O functions - Convert to Ascii - Word/Byte/Disk Space Count - Enlarge/Shrink Work Area - All/Block to Upper/Lower Case - HyperText Help System and more. TPED a very easy to use Text Editor especially nice for .BAT files. TPLABEL (without the annoying Registration Form each time you exit) 4 months Telephone service Bound Printed Manual 14 Day Defective Disk Replacement Notification of any new products from Thumb Print Software 1/2 off certificate from JCSM for their latest CD-ROM of Shareware Mainly Thank You For Trying TPLABEL.