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E N V E L O P E M A K E R Rel 2.3 Written by: William R. Bauder February 1989 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Envelope Maker is a complete envelope printing application which provides ease and convenience with the job of printing envelopes. ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Features of Envelope Maker are: - All pull-down menu driven functions. - Automatic detection of adapter type (color or monochrome). - Three screen colors, easily set to your chose. - Print up to four print attributes on the return and delivery address title lines. - Mix print attributes in any combination. - Ability to print an offset attention name line. - Built in full function editor. - Automatic spacing of delivery address and attention name lines with any envelope size. - Automatic Title Line record management. (Added Rel 2.1) - All LQ mode printing. - Label maker with printer attributes. (Added Rel 2.2) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Files on the disk are: ENV.DOC - This document ENV.EXE - The main envelope program ENV.DAT - The file that stores the address data ENV.PRO - Profile file - Stores program defaults TITLE.DAT - Title line data README.1ST - Shareware notice, order form, ETC. Note: All the above files except ENV.DOC & README.1ST must be installed on the same drive and directory. ----------------------------------------------------------------- You may install Envelope Maker on any drive/director on your hard disk or ran from a floppy disk drive. Since Envelope Maker does many disk reads in it's operation, much faster performance is ob- tained when installed on a hard disk. The only requirement is that all the files be on the same drive and directory. First time users of Envelope Maker should select the Setup option from the Main Menu. Envelope Maker automatically detects the adapter type. This allows three colors with a color adapter. Monochrome adapter computers don't have this option. You can't change video attributes with monochrome computers. If your com- puter is color, select the Change Colors menu option. Follow the directions to set up the three colors of your choose. Changes made take full effect when you exit the Setup menu. Page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Envelope Maker - Detailed Description ─────────────────────────── Most functions are self explanatory and easy to use with Envelope Maker's menu system and prompts. However, to use Envelope Maker to the fullest, the following description will guide you to that end. Delivery ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - The Delivery menu selection allows you to select the address data you wish to print as the delivery address. Follow screen prompts to browse each screen until you find the data you want. Then enter the number you see for that address and press ENTER. You'll then see the address, striped of any attribute number, placed on the main screen in the delivery address location. - The only limitation to the number of address records is the space on the disk drive that you're using. Both ENV.DAT and TITLE.DAT files are random access files. - You can print an attention name line when used in the de- livery address. The rules for using this feature are as follows. 1. The attention name line must be the last or fifth line of data. 2. The line must begin with the "~" character. 3. Only use with a delivery address. Adherence to the above conditions will print the attention name line offset below and left of the delivery address. It is import- ant to have the correct envelope size selected. There will be different offsets printed for different envelope sizes. Return ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - The return address defaults to the address selected when Envelope Maker was last ran. You may select any address from the database you wish as in the delivery address function. If you don't want a return address, enter this function, then press the ESCape key. This will de-select the address. Add ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - This function is for adding address data to file, and if using the attribute symbol (^), to the title data file. The first thing you'll see is the edit window pop open on the screen. The small box below the edit window shows the number of title records on file. On the bottom of the editor window, there is a status line. This line shows the status of the Insert/Delete, the Caps Lock, Number Lock and the Shift keys. Follow the instructions and prompts to add address data. Page 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Use of the Attribute Symbol (^) ───────────────────────────────── - The term "Title Line" simply means the first line of either the return or delivery address. To have good looking title lines with print attributes, it is important to understand the function of the attribute symbol (^) and the Title Line Editor. Title Line Editor coverage is on page 6. - When the print routine starts to print an envelope, it first checks the first address line for an attribute (^) character. If finding an attribute character, it will then read the following number. The number found is the record number of the TITLE.DAT file. The print routine then processes this string adding printer control codes. When not finding an attribute symbol, the string sent to the printer comes from the ENV.DAT file. This string will print in normal LQ mode with no attributes, like the remaining address lines. - The rules for using the attribute (^) symbol are as follows. 1. It is only effective on the first line of either the return or delivery address. 2. A number must follow the attribute symbol. 3. Numbers entered must be in sequence and start with 1. 4. When adding address data, use the attribute symbol, plus number, that is one more then shown in the information box. This box shows the number of title records. 5. You may use an attribute number already in use by using the same ^ + number as that record. - When adding data with a new attribute number, a record is automatically added to the TITLE.DAT file. Then use the Title Line Editor to add the attribute symbols for the desired printer attributes. Coverage of the Title Line Editor is on Page 6. - The printer and record management routines can handle up to 99 Title Line records. Edit ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - Use this function when you wish to edit an address that is already in the data file. First you'll see the same screens of address data seen when you select address data for printing. Only now you'll be choosing the data you wish to edit. After making your selection, the main screen appears with the same window as the Add function. The address you chose to edit is in the editor window. Make the changes you want, then follow the on screen prompts. - If you remove an attribute number from the address data, the corresponding title line record will be automatically deleted. The deletion is only completed when the attribute number is the only number of that value on file. When adding a new attribute number to address data, a title line record will be automatically added. Page 3 ----------------------------------------------------------------- - The Delete option completely removes the address and, or title data from the disk. When a deleting address record has the only attribute number on file, it is only then possible to delete the title line record from the disk. - The Automatic Title Line management routines will renumber all attribute numbers in address data records that are higher than the title line record number deleted. Labels ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - This function allows you to print address data on standard 3 1/2 X 15/16 inch labels. Upon selecting this function the first thing you'll see is the same screens of address data seen when selecting data for an envelope. Only now, you'll be choosing the data you wish to print as a label. Select the address data number then press ENTER. The main screen will then appear with a window with the Selected Label in it. - Suppression of double high attributes during label printing is conditional upon the number of lines of address data. If the address has less than five lines of data, the double high attri- bute is functional. The attribute is suppressed when the address has five lines of data. This is done because only five 1/16 inch spaced lines will fit on a 3 1/2 X 15/16 inch label. Print ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - Select this function when you're ready to print an envelope or label. If you've selected a label, the print function assumes that you want to print a label. With no label selected, the print function assumes that you want to print an envelope. If you enter this function with a label selected wanting to print an envelope, abort the print function by pressing the ESCape key. Then select Label from the main menu and press the ESCape key. This will de- select the label enabling to print your envelope. - With a label selected, a prompt is first seen asking you how many labels to print. You may enter a number no higher than 99 at this prompt. Without a label selected, a prompt is seen asking you to position the envelope in your printer. - Envelope Maker will allow you to print an envelope with either the return address or delivery address only, or both add- resses. When there's no address selected, the print function will abort. - Envelope Maker doesn't do any font selection. Likewise the program won't disturb any font selections you may be able to make with your printer. Make your font selection before printing the label or envelope. Page 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- - If your printer is off, or off line an appropriate error message will appear. Envelope Maker will also detect that some types of printers are out of paper. - During printer initialization, it is first reset, the buffer cleared, and then put into NLQ mode. After all that, printing will start. - The printer won't move the envelope or label before printing starts. Therefore, it is important to position the envelope or labels in your printer to exactly where you want printing to start. Always position an envelope in the printer as if it were to print a return address. Positioning to the delivery address area is automatic. It may be a good idea to test the print out on regular sheets of paper before committing to an envelope. After printing, a form feed command ejects the envelope from the printer. Setup Menu ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── The Setup menu is a pull-down smart-menu providing many useful functions. The following describes each menu selection in detail. Printer Select ───────────────────────────────────────────────── - It is important to select your printer from this menu before doing any printing. After selecting your printer from the Printer Selection Menu, the correct control sequence strings are set for the print routines. - It is only necessary to make this selection once, or if you change printer type. The next time you run Envelope Maker, your printer selection will be the same as from the previous session. - Select the printer from this menu that most closely matches or emulates your printer. The ALPS printer selection will have no effect when using the Double High print attribute. This printer will print the characters below the normal line when printing a double high character. This has an unpleasing effect. All but the Epson LQ printer selection will select the control sequence for compressed mode print, as compressed mode. The Epson LQ printer selection though, will put the printer into 15 CPI pitch when selecting compressed attribute print. Envelope Size ────────────────────────────────────────────────── - It is important to select the envelope you'll be using. This selection sets the variables that space the delivery address and attention name offsets. Once you make an envelope size selection, it remains in effect until you make another selection. - It is only necessary to make this selection once, or if you change envelope size. The next time Envelope Maker is ran, your envelope size selection will be the same as from the previous session. Page 5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Title Line Editor ─────────────────────────────────────────────── - The Address Title Line Editor has two screens. The top line will show the number of records in the TITLE.DAT file. Follow the prompts to select the record to edit. After selecting the record to edit, you'll see the main editor screen. The data chosen to edit will be in the edit window on the bottom. - Be careful not to confuse the ^ symbol with the Control key. The ^ symbol is on the shifted 6 key. The available attributes are dependent on the selected printer. To start an attribute hold down the shift key, type ^, then the letter C, I, H, or W to start the desired attribute. To end the attribute type the ^ plus letter key again. You may use the attributes in any combination and for any length of text. Bracket a single letter or a complete line of text with one or more attributes. To print "Acme Widgets, Inc." in double high, double wide letters, you would enter, ^H^WAcme Widgets, Inc.^H^W. If you want to print the A, W, and I of Acme Widgets, Inc., in double high,double wide letters, enter ^H^WA^H^Wcme ^H^WW^H^Widgets, ^H^WI^H^Wnc.. The only limitation on entering attributes and text in the editor window is the length of the window. This window is 51 characters long. Turning attributes on and off often can make you run out of space quickly on a not-so-long title line. Change Colors ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── - This menu selection is only active with computers that have a color adapter. With monochrome computers, this selection is not seen and the Setup pull-down menu is automatically sized to the type of adapter in your computer. - Use by following the screen prompts. There are eight colors available for foreground normal and reverse video. The foreground highlighted video has sixteen colors available. Quit ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── - The last remaining selection of the Setup Menu is to return to the main Envelope Maker screen. You may also return to the main menu by pressing the ESCape key. - When returning to the main screen, all selections made under the Setup menu are fully functional. These settings will also be unchanged when you quit Envelope Maker and run the program again. The only way to make a change under the Setup menu, is to enter this function and make the change. Quit - (Main Menu) ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Quit is the last selection on the Main Menu. Always exit Envelope Maker with this selection! When exiting Envelope Maker with this selection, all changes made during a secession are Page 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------- saved in the ENV.PRO file. If for some reason you have added or deleted address records or made changes under the Setup Menu, and do not exit with this selection, the ENV.PRO file may be contam- inated. The fix for this problem is covered in the next section. - What to do in case of difficulty - or if all else fails. Every effort has been made to make Envelope Maker easy to use and trouble free as possible. Every program prompt for key- board input will only except a correct input or what the program is looking for. Input routines will just keep looping until a correct response is received. But as with most things in life there's always going to be something happen we haven't planed on or something that doesn't make any sense at all. If there is ever a problem with Envelope Maker that you can't fix, work around, or figure out, I want to know about it. Please write me a letter describing the problem in detail. Bear in mind that, weather I can fix your problem may depend on a large degree on how well you describe the problem. But before you do that, there's a few things you may try. It's imperative that Envelope Maker's support files be on the same drive and directory. These files are ENV.DAT, TITLE.DAT and ENV.PRO. ENV.DAT and TITLE.DAT are random access files. If you boot the program without these files, Envelope Maker will make new ones, but they'll be empty. The record length in ENV.DAT is 160 and in TITLE.DAT is 51. The ENV.PRO file is a sequential access file and can be a source of some strange problems if the file becomes contaminated. If this happens, it is possible that the program won't run. Other problems with this file can cause an incorrect number of records to be accessed. You'll see too many, or not enough records when selecting address or title line records. If any of these problems occur, the easiest way to fix this is to first delete the ENV.PRO file. Then reboot Envelope Maker. Envelope Maker has an error trap that makes a new ENV.PRO file if this file is not found on the disk. While the program is booting, you'll first hear the error sound, then the main screen will appear. You should then go to Setup and make your initial setup again. Other problems can be compatibility in nature. Your printer doesn't work or won't print the way you think it should. Envelope Maker is configured to output to a printer connected to LPT1. You will have to use the DOS MODE command if your printer is connect- ed to a port other than LPT1. If your printer won't work with any of the printer selections and you can send me enough information, I will gladly add your printer to the selection menu. Good luck and Happy Envelopes. William R. Bauder Page 7 -----------------------------------------------------------------