Precision Software Applications Silver Collection 4

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NAMES & DATES■ (Version 4.2) Program and Documentation ■1991 by WR Software P.O. Box 4819 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 U.S.A. Tel. (415) 930-0369 Registration: $25 (Visa/MC) Permission hereby granted to make exact copies of program diskettes for shareware distribution Effective: April 23, 1991 Introduction Welcome to NAMES & DATES■. This program is a combination address book, mailing list manager, and date reminder system. It will store an unlimited number of names, depending only on the amount of disk storage you have available. You can group your names into categories to keep track of clients, club members, pizza places, or any other grouping that is important to you. Each name can be associated with any number of "date reminders," such as birthdays, appointments, etc. You can also have an unlimited number of general "date reminders" that are not associated with names (for holidays, etc.). NAMES & DATES■ has unusually large areas for name and address information. The flexible address format is designed for U.S. and Canadian addresses, but works for addresses of almost all countries. The "notes" area for each name record will scroll to eight full lines, yet no disk storage is used if "notes" are not entered. The mail merge facility has optional salutations, which can have default or custom greeting options. The program prints mailing labels (laser labels too), address books, Rolodex cards, envelope addresses (with optional return address), variable size labels, and a variety of "page size" reports. There is also duplicate name search, file import/export, mass date add/delete, sort by name and Zip Code, and "hot key" printing for individual labels and envelopes. The screen Calendar function displays any month you choose, with "date reminders" highlighted, and date details available. Printed calendar pages, similar to a monthly wall calendar, are personalized with your date reminders. Best of all, the program is quite easy to use. It is "menu-driven" so choices are made from a list of options. Context sensitive "help" messages are displayed whenever you press the F1 function key. In addition, the bottom of each display window lists the commands and function keys that can be used. Shareware Registration NAMES & DATES■ is a shareware program, so we encourage you to try it out and make copies for friends. If you like the program and continue to use it, we ask that you become a registered user. Registration costs $25 and includes printed documentation, one free program upgrade on disk, vinyl address book cover, program support by telephone or mail, and notification of future program upgrades. You can print an Order Form from the Names & Dates diskette by typing ORDER at the DOS prompt. To register, please send U.S. $25 check or money order (sorry, no credit cards) to: WR Software P.O. Box 4819 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 U.S.A. Setting Up Disk Files To use this program you will need DOS 2.1 (or later), and at least 512K RAM computer memory. If you have a hard drive, you can use the INSTALL procedure. This will create a directory \ND on your C: drive, and then copy the diskette(s) to this directory (other directory names or drives are fine, but you'll have to do it "by hand"). The INSTALL also copies CONFIG.SYS to your root directory, if you don't have that file already. If CONFIG.SYS is already on your system, INSTALL won't change it, but you need to make sure that it has at least FILES=20 and BUFFERS=16 statements (larger numbers are OK too, like FILES=25). To use INSTALL, first place the NAMES & DATES diskette in your A: drive, then type "A:INSTALL" and press <Enter> at the DOS prompt. After finishing with INSTALL, "re-boot" your system (Ctrl-Alt-Del) to incorporate the new CONFIG.SYS file (Note: the re-boot is needed just this first time). Users without a hard drive will need to copy the CONFIG.SYS file from NAMES & DATES to the DOS diskette used when the computer is turned on. Next, re-boot your system (Ctrl-Alt-Del), just this once, to load CONFIG.SYS (Note: see above if you already have CONFIG.SYS on your DOS diskette). WARNING: The error message "Too many open files" results when the CONFIG.SYS file is not installed, or does not have minimum values as follows: FILES=20 and BUFFERS=16. You can setup your computer to load the program from your hard drive, but save all data on a floppy diskette (this setup is NOT recommended because hard drives are faster and more reliable). To do this copy the ND.EXE, INTRO.OVL, and MODULES.OVL to a directory on the hard disk that the PATH command points to (usually \DOS is an example). Next switch DOS to your floppy drive (for example, type "A:" and press <Enter>). Now put the data diskette in that floppy drive and type "ND" and press <Enter> to start the program (you can erase MODULES.OVL from the data diskette). NAMES & DATES uses the date in your computer to tell you when names were added or changed, and to display a Calendar for the current month. If your system asks for the date when you turn the computer on, be sure and reply with the correct current date. Startup/Options NAMES & DATES may be supplied on one or two diskettes, depending on the size diskette you ordered. If you have two diskettes, the one with ND.EXE is the PROGRAM disk, and the other one is the DATA disk. To start the program, floppy users must first insert the PROGRAM diskette into the A: drive. Hard disk users must change to the correct directory (CD \ND if you used the INSTALL procedure). Next, type ND at the DOS prompt and press <Enter>. After the program loads, the startup options list appears. Floppy users who received two diskettes must now remove the PROGRAM diskette, and insert the DATA diskette into the A: drive. Next, both floppy and hard disk users can press the <Enter> key to advance to the main menu (note: hard disk users can press <Enter> twice after keying ND to start, and skip this step entirely). There are 3 choices for program processing that can be entered on the startup options list. If you press '0' (zero), the program will not make use of free RAM to speed up program processing. This will result is faster startup, but slower processing of name lists, particularly when using the "View" mode. If you press '2' the program will make maximum use of free RAM to speed processing. This is a good choice for floppy users as it minimizes disk access when you look up names. This also helps conserve battery power if you are using a laptop computer. Choosing '1' causes the program to use free RAM for "Category" data only. If you respond with <Enter> the program will choose the fastest processing possible for the RAM available. Responding with <Enter> is generally the best choice (unless you just want to make 1 or 2 quick changes or inquires, and leave the program, in which case '0' for fast startup is the best choice). Main Menu The main menu is a list of things you can do with the program. You can select menu items by pressing their first letter. For example, press "d" or "D" to select "Dates." You can also use the cursor arrow keys to move the "light bar" until the item you want is highlighted, and then press <Enter> to select the menu item. In addition, some menu items can be called by function keys in many places throughout the program. The following menu items have function keys: Dates (F5), Categories (F6), Setup (F8), and Initialize (F9). HELP There are context sensitive help messages available throughout the program. To see these messages, just press the F1 function key. Usually, there are help messages for each individual type of information on the display screen. For example, move the cursor to FIRST NAME in the "name" window, then press F1 to see information about the FIRST NAME field. Move to the LAST NAME field and press F1 to see the LAST NAME help information. There are two special help screens available on the "name" window. If you move to either "Phone" area and press F1, a table of telephone Area Codes with Time Zones and states/provinces is displayed. If you move to the "State/Province" field and press F1, a list of state and province abbreviations for the U.S. and Canada is shown. In addition to help messages, the bottom of each display window has a command summary. These shorthand reminders list the specific commands and function keys that can be used with the current window. Batch (.BAT) Files The NAMES & DATES■ diskettes include several "batch" (.BAT) files to help with various tasks. The INSTALL.BAT file is discussed above in "Setting Up Disk Files." The GO.BAT file displays the READ.ME file (type GO and press the ENTER key). The ORDER.BAT file will print a one page form to use when you register (type ORDER and press <Enter>). The UPGRADE.BAT file will upgrade your hard drive to the latest program version. Put the "program" diskette (if you have two diskettes) in your A: drive, type A:UPGRADE, and press the ENTER key. Then follow the directions that appear on your screen. The BACKUP.BAT file copies all the data files that contain the name and date information you have entered. This provides a complete backup of your data. The backup files are copied to your A: drive, so be sure and put a blank formatted diskette in the A: drive, before keying BACKUP (Note: Copying all files with the following extensions will completely back up your data: .DAT, .MEM, .K01, and .K02). Getting Started As the program title suggests, NAMES & DATES will keep track of names (people or businesses) and date reminders. The names information can include addresses, phone numbers, etc. The date reminders can be used for appointments, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. In addition, you can use categories to help organize your names and dates. Note that "Names" "Dates" and "Categories" are the first 3 items shown on the primary (or first) menu display. If you select one of these menu items, you will see a list of all the records of that type (for example, choose "Names" to see all the names that you have stored). If you don't have any items of one of these types, then instead of a list, you will see a blank record so you can add the first record. If you have so many names (or dates) that they don't fit on your monitor, press the <PgDn> key to see more of the list (or key in the first letter or two of the name to see that part of the list). The "Name" record holds the name, address, phone numbers, salutation, comments, and "categories" for a person or business. The "Date" record holds the month, day, year, description, and additional notes for an "event reminder." The "Category" record lets you define a sub-group for your "name" records, and holds a description of the category (for example, you could add a category "T" for "Tennis," and then put a "T" on the name record of each person you play tennis with. Because "Date" records can be associated with "Name" records, dates can also be grouped by the same categories as the names they are "tied to." With the "Views" and "Printing" menu options, you can select names or dates from just one category group (for example, to see a list of just tennis friends). Use the "Initialize" (F9) menu option to choose the category you want. If you are familiar with computers, you may not need to read further. Use the F1 "Help" function key whenever you have questions about specific program options. Adding Information Adding new names, or new dates, or new categories is a similar procedure. The first step is to choose a list of the items you wish to update. For example, choose "Names" on the main menu to see an alphabetical list of the names on your file. If there are no names on the file, the program will automatically "bounce" to the window used to add a name. This is true for all "list" windows: if there are no items in the list, the program goes right to the "add" window. The "list" screens show all the names, dates, or categories on your file, one "page" at a time. Use the UP and DOWN arrows to move between items, and the <Home> and <End> keys to highlight the top and bottom items on the "page." Use <PgUp> and <PgDn> to change "pages," and Ctrl<PgUp> and Ctrl<PgDn> to go to the first and last page. On the "Names" list, the F7 key changes the display between phone numbers and addresses. If there are items shown in the selected list, press the <Ins> key to transfer to the "add" window ("Ins" is the abbreviation for "insert"). The <Ins> key is usually on the far right side of your keyboard. Be sure the "Num Lock" light is off (if "Num Lock" is on, then the <Ins> key becomes the "zero"). The <Ins> key can be pressed from the top of the list, or any point in the list. The name you add will be alphabetized correctly, regardless of your position on the "list" screen. The "add" window is used to type in data and then put it on your file. After typing a given field, press the <Enter> key to move to the next field. For example, after typing "Bill" into the "First Name" field, press <Enter> to move to the "Last or Business Name" field. You can skip a field by pressing the <Enter> key, or using the down arrow key. You can move to a prior field with the <Esc> key or the UP arrow key. If you are in the middle of typing a new field, the <Esc> key will move to the start of the field and delete what you just typed. If you are on the first field on a display, the <Esc> key will take you off that display and back to the prior display screen. Once you have keyed all the data for a name, hold down the <Shift> key and press the <Enter> key. This will update your file with the new record. You can use Shift<Enter> to update from any point on the display screen. If you decide after typing some data that you do NOT want to add the record, hold down the <Shift> key and press the <Esc> key. This will cause the program to return to the prior list window, without saving anything that you have just typed. In summary, use <Enter> after typing a field to register that piece of data (like "First Name"); or use <Esc> to remove what you have just typed and start over at the beginning of the field. Similarly, use Shift<Enter> to update an entire record; or use Shift<Esc> to skip updating, and return to the prior list window. You can think of it as "small" <Enter> adds one field, while "capital" <Enter>, or Shift<Enter>, adds an entire record (a record is a group of fields). Similarly, <Esc> stops the changes to a field, while Shift<Esc> stops the changes to an entire record. Making Changes The records for names, dates, and categories are all revised in the same way. The first step is to choose a list of the items you wish to update. For example, choose "Dates" on the main menu to see a list of the dates on your file. To change an item on a list, first position the highlight bar on the item to be revised, then press <Enter>. You can use the cursor arrow keys to move the highlight up and down, and the <PgUp> and <PgDn> keys to see a new "page" on a long list. Use CTRL <PgUp> to move back to the top of the list, and CTRL <PgDn> to move to the bottom of the list. You can also type in the first few characters of a name or date to move down a long list. For example, to get to "Smith" on a list with thousands of names, begin by typing the first few letters of "Smith" and then press <Enter>. If "Smith" doesn't appear, type a few more letters and press <Enter> again. The search is not case sensitive, so it is not necessary to type an uppercase "S" to find "Smith." When the name "Smith" appears on the screen, use the down arrow key to move the highlight bar to the name you want. Once the highlight bar is positioned over the item you wish to change (say "Smith, Robert A."), press the <Enter> key and the program will display the "change" window. This window shows all the information about the item you selected from the list. The "change" window works identically to the "add" window. Use the "down arrow" or the <Enter> key to move down the screen to the place where you want to make the change, then type in the new or revised data. Press <Ins> (the "Insert" key) if you want put data in front of existing data in a field. For example, to add a "1" to a street address number, position the cursor where you want the "1" and press <Ins> then "1". Press the <Ins> key again to stop the "insert mode." The bottom of the window shows the command and function keys that can be used. Again, use Shift<Enter> to update the record with your changes. If you use Shift<Esc>, the record will not be revised, even after you type changes to some of the values. Deleting Records The records for names, dates, and categories are all deleted in the same way. The first step is to choose the list which has the item you wish to delete. For example, choose "Names" on the main menu to see a list of the names on your file. To remove an item from your file, position the highlight bar over the item, and press the <Del> key (the "delete" key). The program will display the "delete" window. You will see the details for the selected item, along with the message "Press Enter to confirm delete." If you press <Enter>, the item is removed permanently from your file, and no longer appears on the list. If you press any other key, you will return to the list, and the item will not be deleted from the list or file. There are two special cases when deleting records. If there are date records associated with a particular name, then the date records must be deleted first, before the program will allow the name record to be deleted (there is a warning message if you try to delete the name first). There is also a "mass" date delete function for deleting old date records that you no longer need, like appointments that are in the past (see the "Dates" and "Utilities" documentation sections for more information about mass deleting date records). Categories (F6) Use a "category" to group names that have something in common. For example, you might want to assign people in your Bridge club into a "B" category. Then you can use the "B" category to print a phone list of just club members, or to print mailing labels for party invitations to a club function. With the "View" function, you can see a display window with just Bridge club members, or see only those "date reminders" associated with the members of the Bridge club. Before you can use a category, you must first define it. To define a category, choose "Categories" from the main menu, or use the F6 "Categories" function key from elsewhere in the program. When you select "Categories," the first thing you see is a list of categories that have been defined previously. For example, you may see "S" and "Software Companies" in the data supplied with the program. If no categories have been setup, the program will "bounce" to the window where you can add a new category. If you are on the list of categories then press the <Ins> key, to move to the window for adding new categories. Now you can type any letter, number, or other symbol to represent the category. Whenever possible, you will want to use the first letter of one of the words used to describe the category. For example, "B" for "Bridge Club Members." Next type the description of the category, then press <Enter> to save the category definition. You can change or delete categories just like other records. To change a category, move the highlight bar to the desired category and press the <Enter> key. To delete a category, move the highlight bar to the item and press the <Del> key. Be very careful not to change or delete categories if there are names still using the old definitions. To see a summary of which categories are being used, choose "Analyze" on the VIEWS menu. Now, as you add or revise names, you can assign them to the categories you have defined, by typing the category letter into the "Categories" area on the name window. This area can hold up to eight different categories. So, each name on your file can belong to as many as eight different groups that you define. If you try to add a name to a category that has not been defined yet, the program will display an error message. If you forget some of your categories while adding or changing names, just press the F6 "Categories" function key. The "Categories" list window will display your categories with their definitions. You can also add new categories at this point, while your adding or changing a name. Dates (F5) There are two types of "date reminder" records. The two types are identical, except that one is associated with a name record and the other is not. The type associated with a name record is used for birthdays, anniversaries, client meetings; in general, any date you want to "tie" to a specific name. To add this type of date record, you must first choose the name you want associated with the date. So the name must be added first. If you have just added the name, you will be on the name list, otherwise select "Names" from the main menu to see the list of all names in your file. Next move the highlight bar so the desired name is highlighted, then press the F5 "Dates" function key. This will display a list of all the dates already associated with the selected name. If no dates were previously associated with the name, the program will "bounce" directly to the "date add" window. On the date list, press the <Ins> key to go to the "date add" window.Now type in the date, description, and additional notes, if any. If the month and day are "today," just press enter and today's month and day will appear automatically (Note: you can use this feature when Autodialing from the Date "add" window, to jot down a summary of a phone conversation). Next press Shift<Enter> to add the record. The second type of date reminder is the "date only" record. The "date only" record is NOT associated with any of the names in your file. Use this type for general reminders such as national holidays, club meetings, school vacations, etc. To add this kind of date record, first choose "Dates" from the main menu. This will display a list of ALL dates, both the "date only" records and those associated with a name. Next, press the <Ins> key and the "date add" window will be displayed. Now type in the date information and press Shift<Enter> to complete adding the "date only" reminder. Note that the "Dates" item chosen from the main menu begins with dates for the current day, or the first date in your file after "today's" date (however, if you only have a few dates that can all be shown at one time, then all dates are shown). To see earlier dates just press the PgUp key, and the "Dates" window will show the earlier dates. When using the "Names," "Views," or "Months" functions to look at dates, then the dates are shown beginning with the date closest the start of the year. Dates appear in order by Month and then Day of the month. The optional Year is NOT used for sequencing the date lists. This allows birthdays and holidays that occur on the same day each year, to appear in their correct position. You will probably want to delete dates referring to specific meetings, appointments, etc. before they are a year old. This prevents confusion between dates from the current year and dates from prior years. You can use the "mass date delete" function for this (see the "Utilities" section for more information). You can also change or delete dates from any of the date lists, in the same way Names and Categories are revised. To change a date, just move the highlight bar to the desired date and press the <Enter> key. To delete a date, move the highlight bar to the item and press the <Del> key. Notice that the date list windows have a "Name" column. Each date that is associated with a name has a "Y" in this column. Dates not associated with names have a "-" in the column. You can use the autodialer (if you have a modem) to dial from the "date add/change" screen if the date is tied to a name. This is a handy way to process a "call back" list, and then make a record of the ensuing conversation. The program requires each date you enter to have Month, Day and Description. The Year, Mass Delete and Additional Notes fields are all optional. The Date "Description" is divided into two parts. Only the first part is required. The two parts, one on top of the other, show how the description will appear on the smaller printed calendar pages. All other printed reports and windows display the two parts of date description right next to each other on the same line. If you enter a YEAR, the program will calculate the "Age" of the event date if it is in the past (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). If the date is in the future, within the next five years, the program calculates the time "To go" instead of "Age." Because the year is only two digits, the program must "guess" whether it is past or future. For example, if the current year is 1990, then 91 through 95 are assumed to be future years, while 96 through 99 are assumed to refer to 1896 through 1899. The "Age" or time "To go" appear automatically next to the "Year" and on certain reports. If the "Additional Notes" area is left blank, no file space is wasted for its storage. Be sure and press the Shift<Enter> combination to save the record, when you are through keying information for that date. If you press <Enter> repeatedly until you reach the bottom of the Additional Notes area, the record will be saved, but valuable disk space will be used to save your "empty" Additional Notes. The "Mass Delete (Y/N)" field tells if the record is to be removed from your file when the "Utility" mass date delete procedure is used. Dates with a "Y" will be mass deleted if they are in the range of months selected (see the "Utilities" section for more information). Permanent date reminders (such as birthdays, anniversaries, and "same date each year" holidays like the 4th of July), should have "N" in the "Mass Delete (Y/N)" field. One-time date reminders (such as parties, meetings, and appointments) should have "Y" in "Mass Delete (Y/N)" so the dates can be mass deleted when they are no longer useful. If the "Mass Delete (Y/N)" field is left blank, the program assumes that "N" was intended (only "Y" values will be mass deleted). Months (Calendar Window) The main menu "Months" function displays a monthly calendar for the current month and year according to your computer's date. The current day is noted, and "date reminders" that you have entered will appear as blinking days. All date reminders in the month are shown, regardless of the year in the date record. Press the F5 "Dates" key to see the date list for the month. From the date list, an individual date can be selected if further detail is desired. Date reminders can also be updated here. You can use the left or right arrow keys to select "Next" or "Prior" month on the calendar. Then press <Enter> to see the next or prior month. Any number of future or prior monthly calendars can be displayed in this manner. Names The name window is used to add or revise the basic information about a person or business. Each of the fields (Title, First Name, etc.) has a different help message. Position the cursor on each field and press the F1 "Help" key for a summary of the unique characteristics of each field. In general, your names will represent a person or a business. If the name is for a business, leave the "Title" and "First Name" areas blank. If you want to print a mailing label for a particular person at the business, use "Attn: Joe Smith" in the first "Address" line. Since the file is alphabetized on the "Last or Business Name" field, you may occasionally want to split a business name between the "First" and "Last" name fields. For example, if you put "The JC" into First Name and "Penny Company" into Last Name, then the record would appear with the "P's" using "Penny Company" but "The JC Penny Company" would print as the first line on address labels. Be sure and leave "Title" blank for all business names. If the name record is for a person, couple, or family, then the "Title" is used for "Ms." or "Mr. and Mrs." etc. But "Title" is optional for these records. The "First Name(s)" area can be used for the first name and/or initials or one or more persons. When printing address labels, the program will not show the "and" or "&" (and what follows it) from the "First Name(s)" field, if you put something in the "Title" field. For example, let's say you entered "John and Sue" into the "First Name(s)" field and "Smith" into the "Last Name" field. If you put "Mr. and Mrs." in the "Title" area, the program will drop "and Sue" and print it as "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith." If the "Title" is left blank, the same address label would read: "John and Sue Smith." For this reason, you will usually want to enter the man's name first for a married couple if a "Title" is also entered, in order to avoid "Mr. and Mrs. Sue Smith" on a label. If all this sounds confusing, there is a program feature that will help by showing you the result of these formatting rules. Just press the F7 function key after entering the name, and the name will be shown in the address label format. WORK and HOME PHONE: Use these spaces for telephone numbers. See the "Setup-Autodial" and "Phone Dialing" sections for information about telephone number formats (you may want to use the "Local Area Code" and "Dial before number" features if you use a modem to dial calls). You can use letters in your phone numbers if you wish (for example, 800 245-DISK), and the program will still dial these numbers correctly. You can see a list of U.S. and Canadian telephone area codes if you place the cursor on any of the "phone" fields, and press the F1 "Help" function key. ADDRESS: This area has three lines with 33 spaces each, to provide for almost any conceivable address format. You can leave any of these lines blank, and the program will discard the blank lines such that a normal looking address label will be printed. Again, the F7 key will display the final format. CITY, STATE, ZIP/COUNTRY: For U.S. and Canadian addresses, you should use the "City State Zip" fields. However, these fields can be left blank for addresses that don't fit this format. If you want to print labels in Zip order, then you must put the Zip Code into the "Zip" field. The "Zip" field can also be used for Canadian, British, and other Postal Codes. For addresses that are "foreign," you can put the name of the country into the Zip/Country area, and leave the City and State/Province areas blank. If the country name is too big for Zip/Country, you can place it in the City area, and optionally place any "zip-type" code into Zip/Country. To see an abbreviation list for U.S. states and Canadian provinces, position the cursor on the State/Province field and press the F1 "Help" key. CATEGORIES: The "Categories" field is used to put a name into one or more of the category groups you have defined. Each name can belong to up to eight different category groups. See the CATEGORIES section of this document for more information about defining categories. The program checks to see if the categories you enter here have been previously defined. If the categories are not defined, there is a warning beep, an error message is displayed at the top of the screen, and the program will not save the name record until the category is corrected. Use the F6 "Categories" function key to define a new category from the name screen. SALUTATION: This field is used with the mail merge function. Use "Salutation" to put names after the word "Dear" at the start of a letter. For example, you might put "Bill," into "Salutation," so mail merge letters will begin with "Dear Bill," but put "William" into First Name so that "Mr. William Jones" appears on mailing labels. If you leave "Salutation" empty, the program will create one for mail merge files using the "Title" and "Last Name" (for example, "Mr. Jones:"). See the "Setup" section for additional salutation options. If no other salutation is available, the program substitutes "Sir or Madam:" when mail merge files are created. You can use the F7 key to see the salutation format that will be used for mail merge. NOTES: This area can be used for miscellaneous comments, "Fax" phone numbers, etc. Although you can see only three lines for "Notes," there are actually eight lines that will scroll up a line at a time, as you reach the end of the third line. This area works like a simple word processor. It has "word wrap" which lets you keep typing at the end of a line, and move automatically to the next line without dividing words in the middle. You can use the <Ins> and <Del> keys to insert and delete words in this area, as well as other places in the program. The first two lines of the "Notes" area can be printed using the (address) Book or 3x5 inch Rolodex option. The lines are divided as shown by the "Book Size" brackets over the "Notes" area, when printed in the Book or 3x5 inch Rolodex formats. Other reports print the entire "Notes" area. Another feature of the relatively large "Notes" area is that it only uses space on your disk file when you actually enter the comments (use the Shift<Enter> key combination to save the record as soon as you finish keying name information). All the names without comments will not be taking up any disk file space in the separate "Notes" area. If you need additional space for "Notes" consider using the "Additional Notes" area of the date records. You will want to "tie" these dates to the name by highlighting the name and pressing the F5 "Dates" key to create the date records. This is a handy way to summarize a phone call or meeting that occurred on a particular day. Setup (F8) The "Setup" option is used to describe your computer environment and personal preferences. The "Setup" menu is listed on the primary menu, and can be accessed from other menus by using the F8 "Setup" function key. There are three Setup screens, each one with various options, as follows: * Labels and Envelopes * Printer, Modem (Autodial), Salutation, Date Alarm, and Data Entry type * Report Formats Setup values can be changed at any time. Use the F1 (Help) function key, as you move around on each setup screen, for more information about the setup alternatives. Labels/Envelopes LEFT MARGIN: Variable size labels and envelopes require a "Left Margin" value. This is used to position the "addressee" information on the envelope or label. Enter the number of spaces you want to indent before printing the address. As with many of these values, it is hard to know exactly what to enter. The best approach is to take a guess at the value, then print one envelope (or whatever), look at the result to see how you did, and then adjust accordingly. After a couple of trial runs, you'll have the correct setup, and you probably will never have to change it again. LINES HIGH: To place the address data from top to bottom, the program needs to know the vertical size of the envelope (or variable label). Indicate the "Lines High" (form height) as a number of lines, assuming that most printers put 6 lines per inch. For example, a standard business envelope measures 4 1/6 inches top to bottom. Therefore the form height would be 25 (6 times 4 1/6). If your printer puts 8 lines per inch, or some other value, use this to calculate "lines high." ENVELOPES ONLY: The "Lines before" value is used to help place addresses on envelopes correctly. If you have a laser printer, this will move the "addressee" (and optional return address) information so it lines up with your envelope "path." For example, the HP LaserJet II has a "center fed" envelope, so a value of "11" will correctly place envelope addresses. The "11" means to "skip 11 lines before beginning envelope printing." Use a sheet of paper to test these values before trying to print on an actual envelope. For Dot Matrix printers using "continuous" envelopes, this value is the number of printer lines between envelopes (from the bottom of one envelope to the top of the next). If there is one inch between envelopes, enter "6" (since there are six printer lines per inch). If the envelopes have no space between them, enter zero. To begin printing position the printer at the top of the first envelope. PRINT RETURN ADDRESS (Y/N): You can print a return address on envelopes if you wish. If you want to print return addresses, enter "Y" in the "Print Return Address" area. LEFT MARGIN (Return Address): Enter in "Left Margin" the number of spaces to indent the return address. On dot matrix printers this will be a small number (say, 1 to 5), since the left side of the envelope is near the left edge of your printer. However, Laser printers feed envelopes in sideways, and this number can be quite large depending on the size of the envelope (the smaller the envelope, the bigger the Left Margin). A good technique is to make some trial runs using a full size sheet of paper, to see how the return address will be placed on the envelope (Note: a Left Margin of 15 is about right for business size envelopes on laser printers). RETURN ADDRESS: Enter the actual return address, as you want it to appear on envelopes. The return address can be up to 5 lines long. This return address will be used for all your envelopes, until you revise it. USPS OCR FORMAT: If you enter Y(es) then label and envelope addresses will print with all capital letters and no comma between the "City" and "State." This conforms with the Post Office requirements for OCR scanning and results in BULK mail savings. If you enter N(o) then the "addressee" will appear just as you have entered it, except for the comma inserted after "City." SEQUENCE (Labels & Envelopes): The sequence for standard labels, variable labels and envelopes can be set to name or Zip order. Use "1" for sequencing by last name or business name, and "2" for Zip code or country. This can be changed at any time. If you choose "2" for Zip, the Zip area of each name must contain the Zip code (or country name), for the sort to work correctly. MAILING LABEL FORMAT: You can define the size and number of labels in a row (from 1 to 4 across), for standard mailing labels. These labels are 15/16 inch high (or 1" from the top of one to the top of the next). The "Normal" formats work with all printers, except lasers, that use 10 characters per inch. The "Compress" formats require a dot matrix type of printer capable of 16-17 characters per inch. The "Laser" format work only with laser printers that "emulate" the HP LaserJet II (most laser printers have a LaserJet II mode setting). Printer/Modem/Misc (Salutation, Date Alarm, & Data Entry) DEVICE NAME: Use the "Device Name" area to switch printers if you have move than one printer, or to send reports to a disk file. Most printers use parallel hookups, and will work with either PRN or LPT1 in device name. Use COM1 for most serial printers. Other possible values are LPT2, LPT3, COM2, and AUX. Do NOT use a colon ":" at the end of the device name. You can also enter a DOS file name into Device Name, if you want to print reports to a disk file (for example, to take to another computer for printing, or to import into another program). You can use drive names and directories with the DOS name (for example, C:\FILES\PRINT.FIL or A:PRINT.RPT). PRINTER: Enter your printer type in "Which best describes your printer." Choice #1, the "Std. Dot Matrix" works with printers using the IBM U.S. character set (Note: this choice prints Calendars at 6 lines per inch, with a maximum of 6 "event date" lines per day, while other choices print up to 8 "event date" lines). Choice #2, the HP LaserJet II is for all Laser printers (if you don't have a LaserJet, set your laser to "emulate" the LaserJet II). Choice #3, the "ASCII Dot Matrix" works with virtually all dot matrix printers. Most printed outputs will be correct regardless of the printer choice you make. However, if you have trouble with Calendars, Compressed labels, or address Books, it is due to a faulty setting. If you have a dot matrix printer try both the #1 and #3 choices. If you still have trouble you should choose #4, "Custom setup." The "Custom setup" requires that you read your printer manual to find the special setup codes for "compressed" size letters and "8 lines per inch" (vertical) spacing. After entering choice "4" type these special codes in the popup window that appears next. The first part of each "Custom setup" code usually requires an "Escape" code, which must be entered between "less than" and "greater than" symbols, as follows: <27>. Any codes that you enter as "decimal" values must be between their own "<" and ">" symbols (for example, <27><48>). Use the <Shift> and "," or "." keys to type the "<" and ">" symbols, respectively. For most of these printer codes, you can enter the actual character shown in your printer manual, instead of the "decimal" code. Use the actual character whenever possible (for example, use "<27>0" instead of the equivalent "<27><48>"). After printing Calendars, Labels or Books that use these codes, turn your printer off and then on again to clear the codes before printing other reports. AUTODIAL: If you have a Hayes compatible modem, you can have the program dial phone numbers for you. You must specify your telephone type (rotary or touch tone), modem port number ("1" for COM1, etc.), and modem speed. See the "Phone Dialing" section for information on making calls. Optional "Setup" variables let you supply a "Dial before number" to be automatically appended to the beginning of the phone number. For long distance calls, this can be "1" or a longer "access code." For local calls this could be "9,," to dial "9" for an outside line (Note: the ",," creates a pause before the rest of the number is dialed; each "," causes a two second pause). You can also put a "Local Area Code" in the "Setup" area. This causes the autodialer to drop the area code, when you dial numbers that start with that area code. This lets you put area codes in front of all phone numbers, and then travel to different area codes and "Dial" without changing any phone numbers, just the "Local Area Code" in "Setup." This also lets business users in different locations share the same Names & Dates files. SALUTATION: You can choose whether or not to include a salutation, when a mail merge file is created for your word processor. The salutation is used with the word "Dear" at the top of each letter, as in "Dear Bill,". If you choose to have a salutation included, the program will use the value you put in the "Salutation" area of the name record. If the "Salutation" in the name record is left blank, the program builds a salutation (see the "Names" section for details). You can also specify a universal default salutation (for name records that don't have a salutation), such as "Friends," or "Business Owner:". You can also specify that the "default" value be used every time, and override the salutation in the name record, if any. DATE ALARM: You can have the program check the "event dates" you have entered to see if any are upcoming soon. The check occurs each time you start the program. A blinking "Date Alarm" message showing the number of dates within the "alarm window," appears on the main menu to alert you to upcoming events. Enter the number of days you wish to look ahead for upcoming events. Enter zero to skip this feature (no date check). Enter "1" to check just the current day. Enter "2" to check the current day and the next day. Accordingly, you can choose any number of days up to 99 to check for upcoming events. For example, you could enter a "1" in "Date Alarm," and the next time you use the program, you might see the message "Date Alarm: 3" meaning "three date records exist for the current day." WHEN ADDING NAMES...: This area lets you save keying time by repeating the data from the prior name when adding multiple names. For example, sometimes many names have the same City, State, and Zip Code. Answer "y" to use the address data from the name you added previously. Report Formats These Setup values define the format for "Name" reports and address "Book" printing. These values give you control over some of the unique printing options available with this program. PRINT PAGE NUMBERS: If you reply "Y"(es) a page number (for example, -1-) will appear at the bottom of address book pages and the top of name reports. If you reply "N" and start pages with a new letter of the alphabet (see below), then you can reprint just a portion of name listings or address books to make changes or add new names. For example, if Mr. Smith changes his phone number, or you want to add Mr. Sanders, you can print just the "S" page or pages (see F2 Start/Stop on PRINTING menu). START NEW PAGE...: If you choose to "Start new page when 1st letter of name changes" then there will be a new page begun when the "A" names end and the "B" names begin, and so on. On large lists this can make reprinting easier when changes occur, by allowing you to reprint just the pages that have changed (use F2 Start/Stop on the PRINTING menu). BOOK ONLY: The rest of the options affect only the address book printing format. ...BACK SIDE TOO: Specify "Y"(es) for "Print book pages on back side too" if you want to use both sides of each sheet of printer paper. If printing both sides, first all the front sides are printed, then you must turn the pages over and feed them through the printer again to print the back sides. See "Indent" below for information on how to get the front and back sides to align properly. Using both sides makes a smaller, more professional looking book, without every other page being blank. INDENT BOOK PAGES: The "Indent" value is used to center the book pages, with equal left and right margins, so that "back side too" printing will line up the address book "page fronts" with the "page backs." This has to be somewhat by trial and error, but once the right setting is found, no future adjustments are required. Choose a Category with just a few names, so that only one page is used for each trial run. TEXT LINE WIDTH: The "Text line width" controls the width of the area where the name, address, phone, and notes will print. Choose this area as wide as possible (without exceeding the width of your book cover), for best results. If this area is wide enough, phone numbers will print on the same line with name and address data. MARGIN FOR BOOK PAGE: This option refers to the smaller book pages that print two across each printer page. The "Margin" is on the left side if you choose "Left Binding" (see below), and in the middle if you choose "Center Binding." The "Margins" and "Text Widths" (left and right hand side pages) plus the "Indent" value, must not exceed the printer page width. There is a warning tone and error message if these values are too large. PRINT LINES PER INCH: This option lets you choose to print the book at either 6 or 8 lines per inch (vertical spacing). This option and the "Lines per book page" option determine the "height" of the book. The program will print as many book pages as will fit on each sheet of printer paper. This can result in up to 8 book pages on each side of an 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of printer paper. LASERS ONLY, LANDSCAPE MODE: This lets you print books "sideways" if you have a laser printer. This is useful for printing large size address books. LINES PER BOOK PAGE: You can change the "height" of you book by varying the lines on each page from 18 to 78. You may have to guess at the correct value and print just one page, then adjust your guess to obtain the size you desire. PRINT BORDER OUTLINE: This option will print a cutting guide around each page, if you specify "Y"(es). If you are using special perforated address book pages that are designed for a particular size book, then specify "N" and no cutting border guide will print. PRINT PHONE NUMBERS...: You can also choose whether or not to print "Phone numbers," "Address," and "Notes" information. BIND PAGES LEFT OR CENTER: This option affects the basic style and page numbering of the book. The "Left" option puts the margins on the left side of each page. With this option cut between the left and right hand side pages (as well as around the other sides), and then staple or hole punch all the pages on the left side. With the "Center" option the margins are in the middle, and you should cut only around the outside of the left and right pages (NOT between them), and then staple the pages on the line in the middle between the left and right hand pages. COMPRESSED PRINTING: This option makes use of your printer's smaller type size, and results in an address book that is less wide than with normal size letters. Initialize (F9) The Initialize function is used to establish values that affect Printing, Views, and Utilities options. Here you specify the category, title, starting month, ending month, and starting year for various reports, etc. You will change these values often while using the "Printing" and "Views" menu choices, and you can do it easily by pressing the F9 "Initialize" function key whenever you want to change a value. For example, if you're about to print a phone list report from the "Printing" menu, the "Title" will be displayed. If you wish to change it, press F9 to bring up the Initialize "window," key in the new title, press Shift<Enter> to save it and return to the "Printing" menu, then press <Enter> to start the report. The "Category" entered on the Initialize window selects records for printing or "Views" that are in the chosen category. If you wish to select all your names, key a space into the "Category" field on the Initialize window. The "Category" also affects the dates printed on Calendar reports, by choosing only dates that are tied to names in the selected category. The Initialize function will change the time frame for date sensitive functions. The "Starting" and "Final" months for printed "Calendars" and "Dates" reports, as well as the "Mass Date Delete" can be revised. For example, enter "01" and "06" if you wish to process only the first six months of the year. It is also possible to "wrap" around the end of the year. For Example, enter "12" as the Starting Month, and "02" as the Final Month, to process December, January, and February. The "Starting Year" field is optional. Each type of date sensitive processing treats the year differently. The printed "Calendar" uses the current year if "Starting Year" is blank, otherwise it uses the "Starting Year" value. The "Dates" report prints all dates in the month range if "Starting Year" is blank, otherwise it prints only dates with a year that matches the "Starting Year." The "Mass Date Delete" removes dates with a blank year if the "Starting Year" is blank, otherwise dates are deleted if they have the same year as the "Starting Year." See the "Utilities" section for more "Mass Date Delete" rules. Name Scan Scan provides a powerful tool for choosing names. Scan looks through name records to find the specific word, letter or other character that you tell it to search for. Alternatively, you can select names added or revised after a date you specify. Either selection method can be used by itself, or in combination with the other. These name records can be displayed on your monitor by selecting Scan Names on the "View" option. Using the F3 "Name Scan" key on the "Printing" and "Utilities" menus will select names for reports, export, etc. Name Scan is similar to specifying a category using "Initialize," but more flexible and powerful. For example, you can look in the "Notes" area of every name on your file, for "racquetball" or "tennis" and "good" to search for a worthy opponent (Note: upper case letters don't matter, so "GOOD", "good", and "Good" are all treated the same). You specify where to look, using one or more of the following places in each name record: Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Categories, and Notes. The search works in combination with the Category chosen with "Initialize." If you choose a Category with "Initialize" then Name Scan will only look in names in that category to find the search item. This provides a very powerful search tool. For example, you can view or print all names in Category "C" in the states of "NY" or "CA". You can specify additional Categories using Name Scan. For example, you might use "Initialize" to say look only in Category "A". And then use Name Scan to say "Of those names in Category "A" choose only those that are also in "B" or "C" and "D" or "E". You can also use Name Scan to choose names by the "Last Changed" date. The "Last Changed" date is kept by the program for every name record, and shows when the name was added or last revised. Enter a "Last Changed" date to select only names changed (or added) after the date entered. This can be handy for things like updating your Rolodex card file, if you want to print cards only for new names or names changed since you last printed cards (you have to keep track of the date when you last printed Rolodex cards). This selection criteria is in addition to the "Initialize" Category, if any, and other Name Scan criteria. Names must meet all conditions in order to be selected. Printing Choose "Printing" on the main menu to see a list of report, calendar, address book, label, envelope, and rolodex printing options. Most program printing options will work with any printer (assuming 10 characters per inch, the most common size). However, the monthly calendar pages must be printed in a "compressed" format (about 17 characters per inch). Optionally, address books and labels can be printed using "compressed" format. Use the F9 "Initialize" key to change the "Title" or "Category" selection. The "Title" prints at the top of each page on reports, or on the first address label. If you enter a "Category" it will limit the printing to just names or dates in that category (a description of the category prints at the top of each page). If the "Category" is left blank (press the space bar), then ALL the names on your file will be printed. Use the F2 "Start/Stop" option if you want to begin or end your printing with a particular name. For example, if your labels jam while printing, you might want to begin with the name after the last good label. Just press the F2 key to see a list of names, then highlight the name you want to begin with and press F4 (Start Name). You can also choose a "Stop Name" (press F8) to end a report before the last record. You can use "Start" and "Stop" together to reprint just one part of a large name list if an address or phone number changes, or a name is added (the first time you print the entire list, choose the Setup option to start each page with a different letter of the alphabet). You can also select names for printing using the F3 "Name Scan" key. This works in combination with the selected category (F9 Initialize) and name range (F2 Start/Stop). See the "Name Scan" section for more information. SETUP PRINTER: This option lets you send setup commands directly to your printer. For example, you may want to change the font, or change from "draft" to "letter" quality. First highlight "Setup Printer" on the menu and press <Enter>. Next type in the specific commands you want to send. These commands will be remembered by the program, but for the first time you need to check your printer manual for the specific commands required. "Escape" codes and other "decimal" codes must be placed inside the special brackets found on the keyboard over the "comma" (press "Shift" then "comma") and "period" keys. For example, <27> represents the "Escape" code for most printers. To begin printing, just highlight the desired output on the "Printing" menu, and press <Enter>. After the printing starts, you can press <Esc> to suspend the printing, and then decide whether to resume or quit printing that report. Full Page Reports PHONE LIST: This report will print names with home and work phone numbers. The four reports shown under "Phone List" each add more information to the reports shown above them. For example, "Address + above" shows address data as well as name and phone. The "Misc. + above" shows categories, salutation, and date updated, as well as name, address and phone. The fifth report, "Dates + above" shows all the name data, along with any date reminders that are associated with names. REPEATED NAMES: This report shows names that may be duplicates on your file. It will print only those names that match on the first 17 letters of last name, the first five letters of first name, and positions 3-5 of Zip Code. CALENDAR (WALL): The "Calendar" report prints a monthly calendar page showing the event Dates on your file. "Wall Calendar" prints a "double-wide" version using two sheets of paper. Each day shows the descriptions from your date records. If a Category is chosen with F9 "Initialize" then only dates tied to names in that category will print on the calendar. To print a calendar with dates tied to just one name, use F5 "Date Name" (on the "Printing" menu) to select the name. Only date records from current or past years are printed (if the date "year" is in the future, within the next 5 years, it is not printed). If the calendar day has more descriptions than will fit in the box, the word "More" prints at the top of the box for that day. The first and last calendar months and the year to be printed are shown at the top of the "Printing" menu. If the year is blank, the current year is used. The F9 "Initialize" key changes the month and year values. Remember to use the F8 "Setup" key to select the correct printer before printing a calendar (Note: the calendar prints in "compressed" format and requires a laser or dot matrix printer). ONLY DATES: This report lists the event date reminders on your file. If a Category is chosen with F9 "Initialize" then only dates tied to names in that category will print. To print the dates tied to just one name, use F5 "Date Name" to select the name. You can change the beginning and ending months with the F9 "Initialize" key. The beginning and ending months can "wrap" around the end of the year. For example, use "11" for the beginning month and "01" for the ending month, to see a report for November, December, and January. All dates, in the selected months, are printed if the "Starting Year" is blank, otherwise only dates in that year are printed. BOOK: This selection prints an address book in a variety of sizes and with many other options. See the "Setup" section of this documentation for an explanation of these options. From the "Printing" menu you can use F8 "Setup" (then choose "Address Book") to change these book options. If you choose to print "Notes" in your Book, then only the first two note lines from each name will print. These "Notes" lines will be split in half, as indicated by the "Book Size" brackets shown on the screen when names are added or revised. Labels Choose "Labels" to print address labels. Use the "Setup" function to choose the label format, the width of the label, and the number across the printer. If you always use the same labels, you only need to enter the "Setup" values the first time. You can also "Setup" the label sequence to be in name or Zip order. All "Setup" values can be revised at any time. Labels can be 1 thru 4 across the printer, as well as regular or "compressed" size characters. Labels printed with the "Labels" option use the standard 15/16" high labels (1" from the top of one to the top of the next). Line up labels for dot matrix printing by using the F3 "Label" function key on the name list window. Just choose "Names" on the main menu, then highlight any name and press the F3 function key to print a mailing label. The program will ask "How many copies?" Just press <Enter> to print 1 label. You can print up to 999 copies of a label by entering the number of copies at this point. Envelopes/Variable Labels The "Envelopes" and "Variable Labels" options are used to print address information on envelopes and labels of any size. For dot matrix printers, the envelopes and labels should be the "continuous" type computer forms, where one is attached to the next. To correctly position the address on the envelope or label, you need to supply "Setup" values. The "Left Margin" sets the number of spaces to the left of the addressee lines. The "Form Height" is the number of lines from the top to the bottom of the form. If a printer outputs 6 lines per vertical inch (the most common value), a standard 4 1/6 inch high business envelope would need a form height value of "25" (4 1/6 multiplied by 6). See the Setup section for information about printing return addresses on envelopes, and for other "setup" information. The F2 "Envelope" function key on the name list screen is a good way to print addresses on one envelope at a time, and can be used to line up the printer for printing many envelopes in one run. Rolodex Cards Rolodex cards can be printed in the two most common sizes. From the Printing menu, choose either 3x5 or 2 1/6 by 4 inch cards. Rolodex cards print the name, address, and phone numbers from your file. The 3x5 inch card size also prints the first two lines from the "Notes" for each name. You can also print just one Rolodex card at a time from the name list screen. Just highlight the desired name and press the F4 "Sm. Rolodex" key to print a 2 1/6 by 4 inch card. Hold down the "Shift" key and press F4 "Rolodx" to print a 3 by 5 inch card. Views The "Views" option is selected on the main menu. This option provides several powerful tools for displaying your name and date information on your monitor. NAMES: Choose this option to see the names in a single category. Use the F9 "Initialize" key to enter the category you wish to see, or to change from one category to another. DATES: This view shows the event dates that are "associated" with a specific category. Dates are associated with a category when the date is tied to a name, and the name is in the selected category. For example, the "name" may be a member of a project team (category), and this mechanism lets you see all the "due dates" associated with the project. ANALYZE: The "Analyze" view shows a summary of your categories, with a count of the names in each category. Percents and bar graphs are also displayed. Depending on which "startup" option you choose, the "Analyze" option may have to read all the names on your file. You can press <Esc> during this process if you don't want to wait for all the names to be read. SCAN NAMES: This view lets you define some "key phrases" or characters to search for. Compound "and/or" or Boolean search logic can be used to locate specific names. You then see a list of all names that satisfy the search criteria. See the "Name Scan" section for more information regarding this powerful search tool. Utilities This option lets you export and import DOS files, create a file for mail merge, and do various kinds of processing affecting multiple name or date records. Because these are functions which can affect every record on your file, be sure you understand exactly how they work before using them. If there is any doubt about their effect, it is a good idea to take a file backup before using them for the first time. The "Category" value will limit the output of names to a single category. During "Import" the "Category" value, if not a space, will change the incoming records to that category. Use the F9 "Initialize" key to change the category. See the "Initialize" section for additional information. Use the F2 "Start/Stop" option if you want to begin with a name other than the first name normally selected, or finish before the final name. To do this, press the F2 key to see a list of names, then follow the directions at the bottom of the screen. You can also select names (but not dates!) for "Utilities" processing using the F3 "Name Scan" key. See the "Name Scan" section for more information. You can use all three selection methods at the same time (Category "Initialize," "Start/Stop" and "Name Scan"), or any combination. Just remember that names must meet all three selection criteria ("AND" logic) in order to be selected. Mail Merge The "Mail Merge" selection creates an ASCII file with the name MERGE.FIL. Each name will have five lines of name and address information. Most names will probably have some blank lines, since not all the fields will have data. There is an optional sixth line for salutation, which is present if called for in the "Setup" area. See "Setup" and the salutation section of "Names" in this documentation, for more information regarding salutations. Load the MERGE.FIL into your word processor to create mail merge letters. Use the ASCII file load feature of the word processor (for example, in WordPerfect use <Ctrl>F5 Text In/Out). You can use your word processors "macro" capability to create any special codes required for mail merge. Export/Import Records may be selected for "Export" based on the category (use F9 Initialize), the place in the list to begin or end (use F2 Start/Stop), and other search criteria (use F3 Name Scan). For each selected name record, the "Export" function creates a "comma delimited ASCII" file (also called a Data Interchange File, or DIF). This is the most common format for exchanging data between different programs, and should work with most other software. The file is created with the name EXPORT.FIL. The "Import" function loads a file of names into this program. If a category is specified (using F9 Initialize) then the CATEGORIES field of the imported name is replaced by that category. If no category is specified, then the CATEGORIES field on the imported name is kept and used in this program. The filename for "import" is IMPORT.FIL. The data fields must be in the following order (maximum length in parenthesis): TITLE (12), FIRST NAME (20), LAST NAME (33), ADDRESS LINE 1 (33), ADDRESS LINE 2 (33), ADDRESS LINE 3 (33), CITY (18), STATE (2), ZIP CODE (10), HOME PHONE (15), WORK PHONE (15), EXTENSION (4), SALUTATION (20), CATEGORIES (8), NOTES (254). This format is the same as the "Export" file described above. Change Categorys Use this to revise one of the categories in selected name records. To do this, first select the name records as with the other "Utilities" functions (see above). Next highlight "Change Categorys" and press <Enter>. Now, put the category you want to change into the "Remove this Category" field. Next, put the new category value into the "Add this Category" field. If "Remove this Category" is left blank, then the "Add this Category" value is added to the name (unless it already has eight categories). IF "Add this Category" is left blank, then the "Remove this Category" value is dropped. Name Deletes Use this function to delete all the Names in one Category. Choose the category using the F9 "Initialize" key from the "Utilities" menu. You can further select which names to delete with the F2 "Start/Stop" and F3 "Name Scan" keys, also from the "Utilities" menu. WARNING: The names will be permanently deleted from your file, so be sure you are deleting names you no longer want. Use the "View" Menu "Names" and "Name Scan" choices to see ahead of time which names will be dropped for a given Category and/or set of "scan" values. Once the deleting process begins, you can press the <Esc>ape key to pause, and then decide whether or not to continue deleting names. If names have event dates "tied" to the name records, then the deletes are not allowed. Add Dates The "Add Dates" choice allows you to add repetitive "event dates" for an entire year. For example, if you want a reminder to make the rent payment on the 22nd of each month, or if your club meets the third Wednesday of each month, etc. You can also block out a range of dates, as for a vacation period. Usually you will want these dates to be "date only" records (not "name tied"). If you want to "tie" all the dates added at one time to a single name, use the F5 "Date Name" key on the UTILITIES menu before choosing "Add Dates." When you select "Add Dates" another window appears where you can enter the month and day to start and end your date series. These start and end dates can cover an entire year, but they can't "wrap" the end of the year (Dec. to Jan.). Next choose whether these dates occur on a particular date in each month (say, the 15th), or if they occur on a particular day of the week (say, Wednesday). If you choose a "Day of Week" you must then choose the type of "Repetition." This can be which week in the month (for example, the second Tuesday of each month). You can also choose "every week" or "every other week." If you choose "8. Every day..." in "Day of Week" then you don't need to enter the "Repetition." The rest of the "Add Dates" window is similar to an individual "event date." The DESCRIPTION, YEAR, MASS DELETE flag, and ADDITIONAL NOTES will appear in each "event date" record that the program creates. The YEAR value defaults to the current year if you leave it blank, except for "Day of Month" type dates which remain blank if you leave it blank. The MASS DELETE value is initially set to "Y" but you can change it if you don't want to delete these dates using the mass "Delete Dates" function. The ADDITIONAL NOTES area shows two lines, but as you type this will scroll to eight lines. Date Deletes This process removes all the date records coded with a "Y" in the "Mass Delete" field of the individual date records. The deleting is further limited by the dates in the "Initialize" window. These dates are shown on the "Utilities" menu. Use the F9 "Initialize" key to revise the beginning and ending months for the delete processing. If the "Starting Year" is blank, the delete will only affect dates with a blank year. If the "Starting Year" has a value, then only dates with that year will be deleted. If there is a "Starting Year" value and the months "wrap around" the end of the year, then the year is incremented beginning with January. For example, if the starting month is "12" and the ending month is "02" then December will use the starting year (say "89"), while January and February will use the next year (in this case, "90"). The mass "Date Deletes" function also uses the "Category" value shown at the top of the window. If the "Category" is blank, then all dates that meet the other criteria are deleted. However, when a category is used, only dates "tied" to names in that category will be deleted. The category can be changed using the F9 "Initialize" function key. If you want to delete only the dates "tied" to a single name, use the F5 "Date Name" function on the "Utilities" menu before choosing "Date Deletes." MISCELLANEOUS Phone Dialing You can automatically dial the phone numbers kept in your name records. Just highlight the name on the name list, and press the F10 "Dial" function key. You can also "Dial" from the Dates update window. Next press "H" to dial the home number, or "W" to call the work number (Note: if only one phone number is present, the program will begin dialing immediately). You can use letters in your phone numbers if you wish (for example, 800 245-DISK), and the program will dial these numbers correctly. If you stay in the "dial" window during your call, and "Escape" at the end of your call as you hang up, the program will tell you the "Duration" of your phone call. To use "autodial" your computer must have a modem, and you must supply information to the "Setup" function. See the "Setup -- Printer/Modem/ Misc" section of this documentation for more information. Special Key Combinations Use <Ctrl><End> to erase the contents of a field on an update screen. For example, to blank out an Address line on the name update screen, press <Ctrl><End> at the start of the Address field. To move to the last character of a field, press <End>. To move to the first character, press <Home>. File Backup For a complete backup of all your data, copy all the files with the following extensions: .DAT, .MEM, .K01, .K02 (see BACKUP.BAT in the "Batch Files" section of this documentation for more information). Monitor Problems If you have trouble seeing screen details with a laptop or monochrome monitor, then before starting the program type MODE BW80 at the DOS prompt. On color monitors, a slight adjustment of the "knobs" on the side or front of the display, will often clear up certain colors and other faint information. Screen Protection If you don't press any keys for a period of 10 minutes, the program will blank your display monitor. This protects your monitor from having a pattern "burned" into the display. To see the display again just press any key. To avoid this feature, start the program by keying "ND V=0" and then pressing <Enter>. Quick Lookups If you are not using the Names & Dates program, but want to look up something quickly (and you are using a hard drive), you can use "type ahead" and the "fast startup" option. For example, to find the phone number for Mr. Smith, you could key the following (all at once) from the DOS prompt: ND<Enter>0<Enter>SMITH<Enter><Enter> These commands start the program (ND<Enter>), choose the fast start option (number zero), select "Names" on the main menu (<Enter>), put "SMITH" into the "Find" area at the top of the names list and search for that name (SMITH<Enter>), and finally display the detail information for Mr. Smith (<Enter>). (Note: after you press the <Enter> key the first time, the program will start to load, so you won't see the rest of your keystrokes). This is quite a bit to remember, but as you become more familiar with the program it will become easier. Just remember it is possible to "type ahead," and that the "fast startup" option (zero) is the best choice if you want to look up one or two things, and then leave the program to do something else. Warrantee Disclaimer WR Software makes no warrantee concerning the function or fitness of this documentation or the corresponding programs, and shall have no liability or responsibility to any recipient with respect to any liability, loss, or damage, directly or indirectly arising out of the use of the documentation and programs, including but not limited to, any loss of business or other incidental or consequential damages.