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BUSINESS CONTACTS
A PC-File version 7.0 Application
(C)Copyright dataBASE*Crayons, Inc./Computer Templates &
Applications, Inc., 1987-1993. (C)Copyright ButtonWare, Inc.,
1991-1993. All rights reserved.
This application was originally developed and marketed by
dataBASE*Crayons, Inc./Computer Templates & Applications, Inc.,
but is now being marketed, under agreement, by ButtonWare, Inc.
ButtonWare, Inc.
P.O. Box 96058
Bellevue, WA 98009
i
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
(C)Copyright dataBASE*Crayons, Inc./Computer Templates & Applications,
Inc., 1987-1993. (C)Copyright ButtonWare, Inc, 1991-1993. All rights
reserved.
The application files may be copied for archival backup purposes only,
by the individual or organization who purchased the application (the
registered user). The application files may not be copied for use by
anyone other than the registered user. Only one copy of the
application files may be in use at any given time.
The disk documentation may be printed for the registered user only.
The disk documentation may not be modified in any way. Additional
copies or reproductions of the disk documentation for use by anyone
other than the registered user is strictly prohibited.
No application files, including the disk documentation, may be
reproduced for resale, distribution of any kind, or included in another
package without the express written consent of ButtonWare, Inc.
PC-File is a registered trademark of ButtonWare, Inc.
ii
DISCLAIMER AND LIMITED WARRANTY
Limited Warranty: This application is provided "as is" without warranty
of any kind. The entire risk as to the results and performance of this
application is assumed by you. Should the application prove
inadequate, you (and not dataBASE*Crayons, Inc. or ButtonWare, Inc.)
assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or
correction.
ButtonWare does warrant to the registered user of this application
that the diskette on which the application files are recorded is
free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and
service for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase as
evidenced by a copy of a receipt or canceled check. The remedy for
breach of this warranty shall be limited to replacement of the diskette
and shall not encompass any other damages, including but not limited to
loss of profit, special, incidental, consequential, or other similar
claims.
Neither dataBASE*Crayons nor ButtonWare nor anyone else who has been
involved in the creation, production, or delivery of this application
shall be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental
damages arising out of the use, the results of the use, or inability to
use such product, even if dataBASE*Crayons or ButtonWare has been
advised of the possibility of such damages or claim.
iii
FORWARD
It is our intention with this application, to provide a quick and
efficient entry into the use of PC-File, as an alternative to trial and
error methods of defining databases, creating mailing labels, designing
reports, etc. We do, however, recommend that you read your PC-File
User Guide, or at least familiarize yourself with the features and
terminology that it presents. This knowledge will enable you to
effectively use PC-File and this application.
While we have done our best to create a specific, yet conventional
application, we realize that there are individual needs that the
application files may not completely satisfy. For this reason, we have
provided you with an excellent way to quickly learn the many powerful
and advanced features that PC-File has to offer, so that in a short
time you can tailor the application to fit your particular needs. We
will help you do this by providing you with detailed information
concerning the makeup of the application data and output structures,
and by showing you the many ways that your data can be put to use.
By using this application, we hope you realize "full speed ahead" from
start-up, and most importantly, we hope you enjoy the benefit of
productive computing with PC-File. We welcome your comments and
suggestions. Please write us at ButtonWare, Inc., P.O. Box 96058,
Bellevue, WA 98009.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright Notice.........................................i
Disclaimer and Limited Warranty..........................ii
Forward..................................................iii
1.0 About this Application...................................1
2.0 Getting Started..........................................2
2.1 Loading the Business Contacts application
3.0 Application Features.....................................3
3.1 Database structure and description of field data
3.2 Reports and labels
3.3 Merge letters
3.4 Macros
3.5 Configuration profile information
4.0 Customizing the Application..............................18
4.1 The database structure
4.2 Reports and labels
4.3 Merge letters
4.4 Macros
4.5 Configuration Profiles
1
1.0 ABOUT THIS APPLICATION
This PC-File 7.0 Business Contacts application is designed to help you
keep track of your business contacts. This is a name and address
template designed for business related use. This template can be used
by executives, secretaries, managers, salespersons - anyone who needs
to keep track of important people, meetings, etc.
This application will allow you to ...
Organize and maintain your business contacts any way you like
Record specific information about an individual such as his or
her address, phone number, spouse's name, birthday, etc.
Print information on rolodex or 3x5 cards for your card file
Print envelopes and labels with or without bar codes
Print form letters to all or selected persons in the database
Print a phone list of your contacts
Print appointments lists
Display with a few keystrokes titles, phone numbers, company
names, the date that you last saw or spoke to a contact and
what you spoke about
Add, modify, arrange, store and delete information with the
greatest of freedom and ease.
And more!
This application includes ...
A pre-defined database structure
Sample records
Ready-to-use reports, including reports to print phone lists,
address envelopes, print mailing labels, and more
A sample mail-merge letter you can modify to suit your own needs
Pre-defined macros to perform different functions using several
keystrokes, instead of hundreds
Pre-defined indexed fields and index definitions
Customized configuration profile, which contains pre-defined
snapshot mailing labels to print mailing labels, envelopes,
rolodex and 3x5 cards.
Easy to understand documentation that completely outlines and
explains the things you need to know to get started
2
2.0 GETTING STARTED
2.1 LOADING THE BUSINESS CONTACTS APPLICATION
After installing the Business Contacts application, you can access the
Business Contacts files just like any other database.
To start PC-File and load the Business Contacts application database,
first log on to the drive and subdirectory which contains the PC-File
program file. Then, from the DOS prompt, type:
PCF
and press ENTER. Next, use the Open option on the File menu to open
the CONTACTS database. Use the Drive/Directories list box on the right
to select the drive and subdirectory containing the Business Contacts
application. Then, select the CONTACTS database from the Files list
box on the left.
We have included several sample records in CONTACTS database. When you
open the CONTACTS database, PC-File displays the first record on the
screen. We recommend that you view the remaining sample records to get
an idea of the type of data intended for each field. To view the next
record, choose the Next button on the button bar or press CTRL-N.
Continue until you've displayed all the sample records.
You might also want to print some of the reports to see what they look
like. Remember, macros have been included with the Business Contacts
application, so you can try out the macros, too. The next section
details the database structure and the type of data intended for each
field, gives examples of the reports, and explains the macros and
configuration profile. We recommend that you read this section before
using the Business Contacts application.
When you are ready to begin using the CONTACTS database, be sure to
delete the sample records provided. First, display the first record by
choosing the Beginning option on the Search menu. To do this, press
ALT-S to display the Search menu, then B. Or, use the mouse to click
on the Search menu, then click on the Beginning option. Next, choose
the Delete option on the Edit menu. To do this, press ALT-E to display
the Edit menu, then D to choose the Delete option. Or, use the mouse
to click on the Edit menu, then click on the Delete option. You will
be asked if you want to delete this record. Press Y. Choose the
Delete option on the Edit menu again to delete the next record, then Y
to confirm. Continue until you have deleted all of the sample records.
3
3.0 APPLICATION FEATURES
3.1 DATABASE STRUCTURE AND DESCRIPTION OF FIELD DATA
Every database created by PC-File consists of at least three different
files. The header file (databasename.DBH) contains information about
the database structure & attributes, including field names, lengths
& types, automatic data, data validation, formatting, and restrictions,
and any custom views of your database. The data file (databasename.DBF)
contains the data you enter into the database. If your database
contains one or more memo fields, there will be a memo file
(databasename.DBT) containing the memo field data. You can have up to
9 indexes per database. The index files (indexname.ND?) contain
information allowing you to arrange your data.
The following database files are found on your application disk:
CONTACTS.DBH, CONTACTS.DBF, CONTACTS.DBT, CONTACTS.ND1, CONTACTS.ND2,
CONTACTS.ND3, and CONTACTS.ND4
The CONTACTS database contains twenty-four (24) fields. The length of
one record is 343 characters, plus the memo field data. The custom
view screen looks like this:
LAST_NAME [ ] BIRTHDAY [ ]
FIRST_NAME [ ] SPOUSE_NAME [ ]
=======================================================================
TITLE [ ] CITY [ ]
SALUTATION [ ] STATE [ ]
COMPANY [ ] ZIP [ ]
STREET [ ] COUNTRY [ ]
=======================================================================
WORK_PHONE [ ] EXT [ ] CELLULAR [ ]
FAX [ ] HOME_PHONE [ ]
=======================================================================
LAST_CONTACT [ ]
NEXT_CONTACT [ ]
TIME [ ] LIST_CODE [ ]
PLACE [ ]
SUBJECT [ ]
=======================================================================
REMARKS [ ]
Note: Some of the fields have been shortened here in order to fit on
this page of the documentation. These fields are longer on the
actual data entry screen.
4
Below is a description of the type of data intended for each field in
the CONTACTS database. The fields are listed in the order they will be
accessed. Unless otherwise noted, each field is a character field.
LAST_NAME: Contact's last name. Smith, Anderson-Brown, etc. This
field is indexed for faster searches and to allow you to
alphabetize your records by last name. The index is a
Simple index, which alphabetizes your records by the
LAST_NAME field, and if more than one record has the same
last name, alphabetizes by FIRST_NAME.
FIRST_NAME: Contact's first name.
TITLE: Contact's business title or position. Example: Vice
President.
SALUTATION: Salutation. This will be used in form letters.
Examples: (Dear) Mr. Smith, (Dear) Jane, etc.
COMPANY: Company name. This field is indexed for faster searches
and to allow you to alphabetize your records by the
company name. The index is a Simple index, which
alphabetizes your records by the COMPANY field, if more
than one record has the same company name, alphabetizes
by LAST_NAME, and if more than one record has the same
company name and last name, alphabetizes by FIRST_NAME.
STREET: Street address. Don't forget to include a suite number
if applicable.
CITY: City.
STATE: State. A Restrict Character & Case Force attributes
allows only letters, upper and lower case, and spaces.
ZIP: The person's zip code. This field is ten (10) characters
long to accommodate 10-digit zip codes. This field
contains a Restrict Character attributes which allows
only numbers (0-9), the dash (-) and a space. For
countries which use letters in the postal code, you will
need to modify the Restrict Character attribute to allow
alphabetic characters using the "Field Attributes" option
on the File menu. This field is indexed for faster
searches and to allow you to order your records by
zip code. The index is a Simple index, which orders your
records by the ZIP field, if more than one record has
the same zip code, alphabetizes by LAST_NAME, and if
more than one record has the same zip code and last name,
alphabetizes by FIRST_NAME.
5
COUNTRY: Country. You do not have to enter the country if it is
the same as where you will be mailing your correspondence
from. Example, if you are mailing from within the US,
you do not have to enter USA in the COUNTRY field. You
will need to enter the country for each person's record
located outside the country from which you are mailing.
WORK_PHONE: The person's work phone number. This field is twelve
characters long to allow for the area code. You do not
have to enter an area code. This field has a Restrict
Character attribute that only allows numbers (0-9), the
dash and a space. Space is not provided to include
parentheses around the area code. Example: 206-555-1212.
EXT: Extension of work phone number. If the person does not
have an extension, leave this field blank. This field
has a Restrict Character attributes which allows only
numbers (0-9) and spaces.
FAX: The person's fax number. This field is twelve characters
long to allow for the area code. You do not have to
enter an area code. This field has a Restrict Character
attributes that only allows numbers (0-9), the dash and
and a space. Space is not provided to include parentheses
around the area code. Example: 206-555-1212.
CELLULAR: The person's cellular phone number. This field is twelve
characters long to allow for the area code. You do not
have to enter an area code. This field has a Restrict
Character attributes that only allows numbers (0-9), the
dash and and a space. Space is not provided to include
parentheses around the area code. Example: 206-555-1212.
HOME_PHONE: The person's home phone number. This field is twelve
characters long to allow for the area code. This field
has a Restrict Character attributes that only allows
numbers (0-9), the dash and and a space. Space is not
provided to include parentheses around the area code.
Example: 206-555-1212.
LAST_CONTACT: Date of last contact. This is a date field. Dates must
be entered in the format MM/DD/YY or YYYYMMDD.
MM stands for the number of the month (January=01,
February=02, ... December=12), DD stands for the day and
YY stands for the last two digits of the year. For
example, February 28, 1989 could be entered as 02/28/89
or 19890228.
6
NEXT_CONTACT: Date of your next contact. This is a date field. Dates
must be entered in the format MM/DD/YY or YYYYMMDD. MM
stands for the number of the month (January=01,
February=02, ... December=12), DD stands for the day and
YY stands for the last two digits of the year. For
example, February 28, 1989 could be entered as 02/28/89
or 19890228. This field is indexed for faster searches
and to allow you to order your records by the
NEXT_CONTACT date. The index is a formula index,
TOSTR(NEXT_CONTA), which indexes by the next contact
date.
TIME: The time of your next appointment. Example: 10:30am
PLACE: The meeting place of your next appointment. You can
enter a specific address, or enter a place such as
office, Wine and Dine Restaurant, etc.
SUBJECT: The subject of discussion of your next appointment.
LIST_CODE: This field allows you to enter a code for selecting
particular records or individuals when printing
envelopes, reports, letters, etc. For example, if you
want only selected individuals in your list to receive
Christmas cards, you would enter a C. If you want
certain persons to receive invitations, you would enter
an I, etc.
REMARKS: This a memo field. You can enter any notes about your
meetings with a person or any other pertinent
information.
BIRTHDAY: The person's birthday. Enter the birthday in the format
MM/DD where MM stands for the number of the month,
(January=01, February=02, ... December=12) and DD stands
for the day. For example, February 28, would be entered
as 02/28. You must enter a leading zero for months and
days 1-9 (i.e., 01/09). This field contains a Restrict
Character attributes which allows only numbers (0-9), the
slash (/) and spaces. Note: This field is not long
enough to contain the year, since you don't normally keep
track of, or even know, the birth years of your business
clients.
SPOUSE_NAME: The name of the person's spouse.
Note: It is not necessary to enter data in all of the fields provided
with this application. When you become proficient in your use
7
of PC-File, you might wish to eliminate or add to these fields.
Please note that if you delete fields which are included in
reports, macros or letters, you must also make the necessary
changes to each affected report, macro and merge letter. All
modifications to the database must be done with caution.
8
3.2 REPORTS AND LABELS
All reports created and used by PC-File are named reportname.REP.
Reports allow you to print information contained in your database in a
specific layout. Following is a list of pre-defined reports for the
CONTACTS database and examples of their output. Refer to Chapter 9,
"Creating Reports", in your PC-File User Guide for information on
report commands.
Note: Each report is designed to be printed onto 8-1/2" X 11" paper,
unless otherwise noted.
CLABELS.REP - Prints address labels in a 1-up format. The report
is designed for 3-1/2" by 15/16" labels (standard business labels).
Data in the following fields are printed: FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE,
COMPANY, STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP. Example of output:
Jane Doe
President
Doe Construction
222 Second St.
Bellevue, WA 98222
CLBLSBAR.REP - Prints address labels in a 1-up format. The report
is designed for 3-1/2" by 15/16" labels (standard business labels).
Data in the following fields are printed: FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME,
COMPANY, STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP. The zip code is also printed
in bar code format. Example of output:
Jane Doe
Doe Construction
222 Second St.
Bellevue, WA 98222
[bar code prints here]
9
ENVLP1.REP - Prints addresses on envelopes. This report assumes that
your return address is already printed on the envelope. Data in the
following fields are printed: FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE, COMPANY,
STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP and COUNTRY. Printing starts at the 35th
character position to the right to conform to standard 9-1/2" by 4"
business envelopes. This report is designed to automatically remove
any blank lines between the first and last lines of the address block.
Example of output:
Byron Winchester
Executive Vice President
British Airways, LTD
111 Downey Street
London, EW6774
ENGLAND
ENVLBAR.REP - Prints addresses on envelopes. This report assumes that
your return address is already printed on the envelope. Data in the
following fields are printed: FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE, COMPANY,
STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP and COUNTRY. The zip code is also printed in
bar code format. Printing starts at the 35th character position to the
right to conform to standard 9-1/2" by 4" business envelopes. This
report is designed to automatically remove any blank lines between the
first and last lines of the address block. Example of output:
Jane Doe
Doe Construction
222 Second St.
Bellevue, WA 98222
[bar code prints here]
10
ENVLP2.REP - The same report as ENVLP1.REP, except that your return
address will be printed in the upper left corner of the envelope. You
must first edit the ENVLP2.REP file to include your return address.
You will need to edit this report using the Free Form or Command method
to include your return address. You can use macro P or macro Q to edit
the report. Example of output:
ButtonWare
P.O. Box 96058
Bellevue, WA 98009-9818
Byron Winchester
Executive Vice President
British Airways, LTD
111 Downey Street
London, EW6774
ENGLAND
ROLODEX.REP - Prints pertinent information about each contact on
continuous rolodex cards (2x4). Data in the following fields are
printed: FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE, COMPANY, STREET, CITY, STATE,
ZIP, COUNTRY, WORK_PHONE, EXT, FAX, CELLULAR and HOME_PHONE. Example
of output:
Smith, John
Chief Executive Officer
Smith & Company
111 First St.
Seattle, WA 98111
Work: 206-555-1111 Ext: 645
Fax: 206-555-1114
Cellular: 206-555-1113
Home: 206-555-1112
11
CARDS3X5.REP - Prints pertinent information about each contact on
continuous 3x5 index cards. Data in the following fields are printed:
FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE, COMPANY, STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP,
COUNTRY, WORK_PHONE, EXT, FAX, CELLULAR and HOME_PHONE. Example of
output:
John Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Smith & Company
111 First St.
Seattle, WA 98111
Work: 206-555-1111 Ext: 645
Fax: 206-555-1114
Cellular: 206-555-1113
Home: 206-555-1112
PHONE.REP - Prints a phone list of the people in your database. Data
in the following fields are printed: LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME, COMPANY,
WORK_PHONE and EXT. Example of output:
PHONE LIST
NAME COMPANY WORK PHONE EXT
------------------------- ------------------------- ------------ ----
Anderson, Robert First Interstate Bank 208-555-2246
Doe, Jane Doe Construction 206-555-2222
Smith, John Smith & Company 206-555-1111 645
Winchester, Byron British Airways, LTD 999-888-7777 2134
12
APPT1.REP - Prints an appointment list. Data in the following fields
are printed: NEXT_CONTACT, TIME, LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME, and PLACE.
Example of output:
APPOINTMENTS
DATE TIME NAME PLACE
-------- ----- ------------------------- -------------------------
10-10-90 10:00 Jane Doe 1101 1st Main St, Seattle
10-10-90 11:00 John Smith office
10-10-90 1:00 John Jones 578 Hill Rd, Bellevue
APPT2.REP - Prints an appointment list. Data in the following fields
are printed: NEXT_CONTACT, TIME, LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME, and SUBJECT.
Example of output:
APPOINTMENTS
DATE TIME NAME SUBJECT
-------- ----- ------------------------- -------------------------
10-10-90 10:00 Jane Doe Converting term insurance
10-10-90 11:00 John Smith policy review
10-10-90 1:00 John Jones new client
13
3.3 MERGE LETTERS
One of the nice features of PC-File is its mail-merge feature. You no
longer need to export your data and exit PC-File to produce letters for
people in your database.
We have provided a sample form letter with the Business Contacts
application, called SAMPLE.LTR. The SAMPLE merge letter shows how you
would format a merge letter to include the fields in the CONTACTS
database.
The SAMPLE letter is actually a shell. There is no actual text, but
the mail-merge portion of the letter has been defined for you. The
letter will print out the date, the person's mailing address
information and salutation, which will be read from the CONTACTS
database, along with any text you provide.
You can modify the SAMPLE merge letter to add your own text. To modify
the letter, choose the Letters option on the Print menu. When asked
if you want to Run an existing letter, create a New letter or Modify an
existing letter, choose M to modify the letter. Refer to Chapter 10,
"Writing Letters and Merging Data" for more information on letters.
14
3.4 MACROS
Macros allow you to store text, commands and answers to PC-File
prompts. Macros greatly reduce the work involved in performing various
data managing tasks. Each macro can store commands up to 1000
characters long. Once a macro has been defined, you need only type
several keystrokes instead of up to 1000 keystrokes to perform the same
steps. The macro definitions for the CONTACTS database are stored in
the file called CONTACTS.MAC.
To view a list of the stored macros, you press CTRL-M or choose the
Execute option on the Macros menu. Listed below are the macro titles
for the CONTACTS database and summaries of their definitions.
Unless otherwise specified, each macro should be started when the main
menu bar is displayed on the screen. Usually this will mean you are
viewing a record in Record view or a screenful of records in Table
view. To start playing back a macro, you press CTRL-M to display the
macro menu, then the letter of the macro to play. You can also choose
the Execute option on the Macro menu to display the macro menu.
Pre-defined macros for the CONTACTS database are:
A. PRINT LABELS 1-UP
CONTENTS: {CTRL-M}K{ALT-P}RRCLABELS{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Run macro K (switch to the ZIP index), choose the Print menu,
choose the Report option, choose to Run a report, select the report
called CLABELS. The macro stops here so you can select specific
settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to begin printing the
report.
B. PRINT LABELS 1-UP W/BAR CODE
CONTENTS: {CTRL-M}K{ALT-P}RRCLBLSBAR{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Run macro K (switch to the ZIP index), choose the Print menu,
choose the Report option, choose to Run a report, select the report
called CLBLSBAR. The macro stops here so you can select specific
settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to begin printing the
report.
C. PRINT ENVELOPES (ENVLP1.REP)
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RRENVLP1{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run
a report, select the report called ENVLP1 (the report which does not
print a return address on the envelope). The macro stops here so you
can select specific settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to
begin printing the report.
15
D. PRINT ENVELOPES W/BAR CODE
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RRENVLBAR{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run
a report, select the report called ENVLBAR (this report does not
print a return address on the envelope). The macro stops here so you
can select specific settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to
begin printing the report.
E. PRINT 3X5 CARDS
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RRCARDS3X5{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run
a report, select the report called CARDS3X5. The macro stops here so
you can select specific settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK
to begin printing the report.
F. PRINT 2X4 ROLODEX CARDS
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RRROLODEX{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run
a report, select the report called ROLODEX. The macro stops here so
you can select specific settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK
to begin printing the report.
G. PRINT PHONE LIST
CONTENTS: {CTRL-M}J{ALT-P}RRPHONE{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Run macro J (switch to the LAST_NAME index), choose the Print
menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run a report, select the
report called PHONE. The macro stops here so you can select specific
settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to begin printing the
report.
H. PRINT APPOINTMENTS
CONTENTS: {CTRL-M}L{ALT-P}RRAPPT2{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Run macro L (switch to the NEXT_CONTACT index), choose the
Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to Run a report, select
the report called APPT2. The macro stops here so you can select
specific settings on the Print Options menu. Choose OK to begin
printing the report.
J. SWITCH TO LAST_NAME INDEX
CONTENTS: {CTRL-I}LAST_NAME{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Press CTRL-I, the hot key to switch indexes, type LAST_NAME as
the index to switch to, press ENTER to switch the index.
16
K. SWITCH TO ZIP INDEX
CONTENTS: {CTRL-I}ZIP{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Press CTRL-I, the hot key to switch indexes, type ZIP as
the index to switch to, press ENTER to switch the index.
L. SWITCH TO NEXT_CONTACT INDEX
CONTENTS: {CTRL-I}NEXT_CONTA{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Press CTRL-I, the hot key to switch indexes, type NEXT_CONTA
as the index to switch to, press ENTER to switch the index.
M. SWITCH TO COMPANY INDEX
CONTENTS: {CTRL-I}COMPANY{ENTER}
SUMMARY: Press CTRL-I, the hot key to switch indexes, type COMPANY as
the index to switch to, press ENTER to switch the index.
O. MODIFY SAMPLE LETTER
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}LMSAMPLE{ENTER}70{ALT-O}
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Letter option, choose to
Modify an existing letter, select the letter called SAMPLE, accept the
default width of 70 characters. PC-File loads the SAMPLE letter, and
you're ready to edit the letter.
P. MODIFY REPORT - FREE FORM
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RMF
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to
Modify an existing report, choose the Free form option. The macro
stops to let you select the report to modify.
Q. MODIFY REPORT - LANGUAGE
CONTENTS: {ALT-P}RML
SUMMARY: Choose the Print menu, choose the Report option, choose to
Modify an existing report, choose the Language option. The macro
stops to let you select the report to modify.
R. not defined
S. REBUILD INDEXES
CONTENTS: {ALT-F}M{ALT-A}{ALT-O}{ALT-O}
SUMMARY: Choose the File menu, choose the Index Maintenance option,
choose to Rebuild All. Choose OK when finished, and chose Done.
I,N,T - Z. not defined
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3.5 CONFIGURATION PROFILE INFORMATION
A configuration profile contains information regarding screen colors,
printer defaults, default drive, path and database information,
snapshot label definitions, and more.
PC-File allows you to create multiple profiles--a master profile
called PCFILE.PRO, and a profile for each database. The PCFILE.PRO
file must be on the drive and subdirectory where you start PC-File
from. The database profile must be stored on the same drive and
subdirectory as the database. The defaults stored in PCFILE.PRO are
loaded each time you start PC-File. The defaults for database profiles
are only loaded when the corresponding database is loaded. Defaults in
a database profile override the corresponding defaults in PCFILE.PRO.
If no profile is present, PC-File assumes pre-set defaults. Please
refer to your PC-File manual for these defaults.
The CONTACTS.PRO file includes five snapshot label definitions, and
looks like this:
/SNAP1,CLABELS.rep->Lpt1
/SNAP2,ENVLP1.rep->Lpt1
/SNAP3,ENVLP2.rep->Lpt1
/SNAP4,CARDS3X5.rep->Lpt1
/SNAP5,ROLODEX.rep->Lpt1
The first snapshot prints a label for the current record using the
CLABELS report. The second snapshot prints an envelope for the current
record using the ENVLP1 report. The third snapshot prints an envelope
for the current record using the ENVLP2 report. The fourth snapshot
prints a 3x5 card for the current record using the CARDS3X5 report.
The fifth snapshot prints a rolodex card for the current record using
the ROLODEX report. All snapshots are configured to print to the first
parallel port, LPT1.
To print a snapshot label for the current record, press CTRL-L or
select Snapshot Label on the Tools menu.
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4.0 CUSTOMIZING THE BUSINESS CONTACTS APPLICATION
While we have designed the Business Contacts application to suit a
variety of needs, you may find that you want to modify the database
structure, a macro, report, or letter, or define your own macros,
reports, or letters. You can do this at any time, but please be aware
that any changes you make may adversely affect the performance of the
Business Contacts application. Therefore, we recommend that you not
make any changes until you've read this section.
4.1 THE DATABASE STRUCTURE
There are two types of modifications you can make to the database: You
can redefine the database structure, and you can modify field
attributes.
To modify the database strucure, you use the Redefine option on the
File menu. Redefining allows you to add or delete fields, change field
types, and change field lengths. To modify field attributes, you use
the Field Attributes option on the File menu. You can add, delete, or
modify any of the following attributes for any field: Automatic Date,
Automatic Time, Automatic Duplication, Calculation, Default Text,
Relational Lookup, Serial Number, Must Answer, Validate Range, Case
Force, Date Format, Not Editable, Restrict Character.
CAUTION: If you rename or delete a field included in any report, letter
or macro, you must also modify the reports, letters and macros which
reference that field. We do not suggest that you rename or delete
fields unless you are comfortable editing report, letters and macros.
For more information, refer to Chapter 3, "Modifying a Database
Structure", and Chapter 4, "Field Attributes" in your User Guide.
4.2 REPORTS
You can modify any of the reports included with the Business Contacts
application. You can also create new reports. Creating new reports
does not affect existing reports.
To create new report, choose the Reports option on the Print menu.
When asked if you want to Run a report, create a New report or Modify a
report, choose N for New report. You can then select from the Page,
Row, Mail label, Free form and Language options.
The Business Contacts application includes two macros for modifying
reports, macros P and Q. Macro P lets you use the "paint" or Free Form
method to modify a report. Macro Q lets you use the Language method to
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modify a report. The Free Form method is best suited for reports which
require a specific layout, because you can see the exact column and
line spacing on the screen. The Language method is most flexible, but
requires you to know the meanings of each report command. The Language
method is preferred for minor modifications to an existing report.
For more information on creating and modifying reports, refer to
Chapter 9, "Creating Reports", in your PC-File User Guide.
4.3 MERGE LETTERS
You can modify the SAMPLE.LTR supplied with the Business Contacts
application for your specific needs. You can also create new merge
letters. Creating new merge letters does not affect existing letters.
For more information on creating and modifying merge letters, refer to
Chapter 10, "Writing Letters and Merging Data", in your PC-File User
Guide.
4.4 MACROS
You can define your own macros for the Business Contacts application.
Defining new macros does not affect existing macros. You can also
modify or delete the macros included with the Business Contacts
application. However, we don't recommend you modify or delete the
macros included with the application, unless you're sure you will never
use them.
To define a new macro, you press CTRL-Y to tell PC-File to begin
memorizing or recording the macro. When you press CTRL-Y, PC-File
displays a message indicating that you are about to begin defining a
macro. PC-File then records your keystrokes--mouse movements and
clicks are not recorded. To stop recording the macro, press CTRL-Y
again.
To modify an existing macro, select the Modify option on the Macros
menu. When PC-File displays the list of existing macros, select the
macro to modify. To delete an existing macro, select the Delete option
on the Macros menu. When PC-File displays the list of existing macros,
select the macro to delete.
For more information on using, defining, modifying and deleting macros,
refer to Chapter 16, "Using Macros", in your PC-File User Guide.
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4.5 CONFIGURATION PROFILES
The CONTACTS.PRO file contains five snapshot label definitions. You
can modify CONTACTS.PRO to add passwords, and other defaults. To
modify the CONTACTS.PRO file, choose the Configuration option on the
Utilities menu.
For more information on configuration profiles, refer to Chapter 13,
"Utilities", in your PC-File User Guide.