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- Instructions for "caslabel"
- --------------------------
-
- Before reading this document, please note that the double quote
- marks are used for clarity and are not to be typed with the keywords when
- used in this document.
-
- "Caslabel" is a program I wrote to create nice uniform looking labels
- on my cassette tape boxes. Some of the requirements while writing the
- program were:
-
- 1) Make the labels look nice.
- 2) Take advantage of many text sizes available on my Epson printer.
- 3) Maximize the amount of songs that I could put on a cassette label.
-
- The result is "caslabel". It is not the friendliest program
- (it only runs from CLI), or the fanciest program (there are no display
- graphics), but it is fast and creates nice looking labels on Epson
- compatible printers. This version of the program currrently only supports
- the Epson compatible printer mainly because I only own an Epson printer,
- and I am not very familier with the Amiga interface (I do most of my
- programming on a Unix based system).
-
- To run caslabel you must first create a data file that contains the
- information needed to create a cassette label (titles and songs). Any text
- type editor can be used so long as it can write ASCII text files. The
- following are notes on the format of the data file:
-
- 1) Comments are enclosed between non-nested /* */.
- 2) The title for Side A must be put on the first two lines.
- 3) The title will be centered automatically.
- 4) After the title, the songs for Side A of the tape can be put on
- the following lines.
- 5) There is a limit of 18 song titles on each side, and each
- song title must appear on a separate line and can take no more
- than 37 characters each.
- 6) After all songs on side A have been entered, the word ".NEXT" must
- appear on a separate line.
- 7) Side B is entered the same as Side A.
- 8) After all songs on side B have been entered, the word ".END" must
- appear on a separate line.
-
- The last line will contain a label that you want printed on the bottom of
- the cassette box. I used this for organization purposes such as
- "Music Tape #12". Or if you would like titles to appear on the cassette
- bottom then type ".TITLE" on the line following ".END".
- On the two lines following ".TITLE", type the Album names for Side A and
- Side B, respectively.
-
- Here is the template.dat file with an organization label:
-
- /* Title <= 18 */
- /* Two Lines For Title */
- /* Songs cannot be > 37 characters */
- /* 18 Lines For Songs */
- .NEXT
- /* Title <= 18 */
- /* Two Lines For Title */
- /* Songs cannot be > 37 characters */
- /* 18 Lines For Songs */
- .END
- /* Omit .TITLE for entering organization label */
- /* Use .TITLE for entering titles for side A and B */
- Music Tape #12
-
- OR
-
- Here is the template.dat file with a title label:
-
- /* Title <= 18 */
- /* Two Lines For Title */
- /* Songs cannot be > 37 characters */
- /* 18 Lines For Songs */
- .NEXT
- /* Title <= 18 */
- /* Two Lines For Title */
- /* Songs cannot be > 37 characters */
- /* 18 Lines For Songs */
- .END
- /* Omit .TITLE for entering organization label */
- /* Use .TITLE for entering titles for side A and B */
- .TITLE
- Title for Side A
- Title for Side B
-
- Note: The comments that specify character length are exactly that number
- of characters in length. Also to save time entering ".dat" files
- try coping the template.dat file to the destination ".dat" file you
- want to create. Then edit the template.dat file. It will contain
- all spacing comments along with other information to create a valid
- ".dat" file.
-
- The best way to understand how to use the program is to run it with
- some examples. This ARC file contains a few sample cassette data files.
- They are labeled "<filename>.dat". The caslabel program must be used to
- create the "<filename>.prn" files. The ".prn" files are the ones that are
- sent to the printer to create the label.
- The program will default to the extention .prn if a second argument is
- not given. The format is:
-
- caslabel <input filename> <output filename>
-
- Typing caslabel without any arguments will display the format of the
- arguments along with the version number.
- To create and print the .prn files, turn on your printer and type
- the following after the CLI prompt:
-
- 1> caslabel <filename>.dat
- 1> type <filename>.prn to PAR:
-
- Make sure you type to "PAR:" and not "PRT:". "PRT:" will intercept the
- codes from the ".prn" file and print garbage on your paper. After it is
- finished printing, cut the label out with sissors or an Xacto knife.
- Fold the label on the appropriate lines and insert into the cassette box.
-
- If you have any questions or comments please leave me mail on either
- Ami's Place BBS (419-691-0279), People Link (ID# OFR045), or CompuServe
- (ID# 72155,1022).
-
- Tom Drobnak
-