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|A |6Helpware |A ^1Mail Master |Aͺ |6Helpware |A
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^Cby
^CCarolyn Drain


 ^1ABOUT MAIL MASTER

    Do you now type mailing labels on a typewriter -- one at at time? Do you
 long for a program that can maintain lists of names, addresses, phone numbers,
 and personal notes, and print these lists upon command? Would you like to be
 able to print virtually any size label, even in multiple columns? If you can
 answer "yes" or even "maybe" to any of these questions, ^1MAIL MASTER^0 is the
 label program you have been waiting for!


 ^1RUNNING MAIL MASTER

    At the MAIL MASTER title screen, press any key to start the program. If you
 do not specify a file to work with when you invoke MAIL MASTER from the
 command line, you will be asked to do so on a file-loading screen which will
 appear. In order to start the program, you must specify either the name of the
 file you wish to load or the name you have chosen for the new file you are
 creating.


 ^1FILE LOADING

    The current drive and path are displayed, followed by a default filename
 for the mailing list data file. To accept the path and filename displayed,
 press <ENTER>. If you wish to change the path name, use <UP ARROW> to move the
 highlight bar to the path name, and type in the new path name desired,
 complete with drive letter designation.

    There are two ways to select a file. The first method is to type the
 filename in the filename field without any extension. (MAIL MASTER adds its
 own extensions to its data files.) If the filename you entered does not exist,
 it will be created. The second method of filename selection is used for a data
 file that already exists. Previously-created MAIL MASTER data files appearing
 in the displayed path are listed in the black portion of the screen. To select
 one of the displayed files, move the highlight bar with the UP- and DOWN-ARROW
 keys to the desired file and press <ENTER>.

    After you have loaded a file, MAIL MASTER's Main Menu appears. You may
 select a menu option by pressing the first letter of your choice or by using
 the RIGHT- or LEFT-ARROW keys to move the highlight bar to it and pressing
 <ENTER>.


 ^1MAIN MENU OPTIONS

   ADD - Add new records to the database.
  FIND - Browse through data in the mailing list to locate, update, and/or
         delete specific records.
 PRINT - Print labels, an address or telephone list, or general lists for
         everyone in the mailing list (database), or for a range or group of
         people (records).
  LOAD - Load in a different mailing list (database) to work with.
 SETUP - Specify the label size desired, margins, number of columns of labels,
         and categories (up to 8) for classifying different members of your
         mailing list.
  QUIT - Exit MAIL MASTER and return to DOS.


 ^1ADD

    Selecting "ADD" from the Main Menu allows you to add new records to your
 database, i.e., new names to your mailing list. The Menu is replaced with a
 box containing a list of the function and movement keys which are active while
 you add new records. You are placed in an "editing mode" and are free to enter
 information into the template on the screen.

    A highlight bar is on the first field, "First Name." Type in the first
 name, if desired, and move to the next field, "Last Name," by pressing
 <ENTER>. Continue in this manner until you have entered all the information
 you wish to enter. You do not have to enter data in all of the fields, but you
 must enter data in the "Last Name" or "Company Name" fields.

    The UP- and LEFT-ARROW keys may be used to backtrack through the template
 in the opposite order in which you proceeded. Enter all of the data exactly as
 you wish it to appear on the printed label. The telephone number, comments,
 and categories or field designations appear only during the data entry
 process, not on the labels themselves.

    When you are satisfied with the data you have entered, press <F2> to accept
 the current information and have another empty template appear. If you do not
 want to keep what you have entered, press <ESC> to discard the current
 template and return to the Main Menu. When you have completed adding records,
 place the cursor in the "First Name" field of an empty template and press
 <ESC>.

    A synopsis of the function and editing keys available while adding records
 appears below, followed by a discussion of the use, marking, and entry of data
 in the categories.

 ADDING RECORDS -- FUNCTION AND EDITING KEYS

         <F1>  -  Pops up a help screen about editing the record.
         <F2>  -  Adds the current record and brings up another empty one.
         <ESC> -  Discards the current record and returns to the Main Menu.
 <ENTER>,<TAB>, 
  <DOWN ARROW> -  Move cursor to the next field.
    <UP ARROW>,
   <SHIFT TAB> -  Move cursor to the previous field.
        <HOME> -  Moves cursor to the beginning of the current field (line).
         <END> -  Moves cursor to the end of the current field.
      <DELETE> -  Erases the character under the cursor.
   <BACKSPACE> -  Erases the character to the left of the cursor.
  <LEFT ARROW> -  Moves the cursor one character to the left in the current
                  field.  If the cursor is at the beginning of the field,
                  movement is to the previous field.
 <RIGHT ARROW> -  Moves the cursor one character to the right in the current
                  field.  If the cursor is at the end of the field, movement is
                  to the next field.


 ^1CATEGORIES

    Normally, we associate people we know with a particular group or category,
 such as "friends," "club," or "business," for example. We often also need to
 address these people collectively, as well as individually. MAIL MASTER
 includes a feature which allows you to group or reference explicit members of
 your mailing list. This capability is implemented by associating each entry in
 the mailing list with one or more categories which YOU define (up to 8
 different ones). For example, you can specify that "John Smith" belongs in the
 category "Friend" or to both the "Friend" and "Business" categories.

    The categorization feature of MAIL MASTER can be used in various ways: you
 can mark categories as you add or update records, or specify one or more
 categories when you try to FIND one or more persons in the mailing list or
 when you wish to print labels or reports.  By using categories, you can print
 out labels for everyone on your Christmas list, or for all your business
 associates, clients, members of your club, or whatever group you define.


 ^1MARKING CATEGORIES

    Before you mark categories for the first time, you may want to specify your
 own categories rather than use the ones provided in the program. You can do so
 by selecting the SETUP option on the Main Menu.

    When you are editing information in a record, you can mark and unmark
 categories for that particular record or person. Each category is listed on
 the screen on the right side of the template and has a small, black box beside
 it. A category when marked will have a check in its box. To mark or unmark a
 category, use the arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the box beside that
 category, then press the <SPACE BAR>. The <SPACE BAR> functions as a toggle,
 marking or unmarking the category box each time it is pressed. You can mark
 none, one, two, or up to all eight categories for a single record. Mark each
 category in which you wish to place the person or company.


 ^1FIND

    The "FIND" option on the Main Menu allows you to browse through the entries
 (records) in your mailing list (database), or to locate a specific record.
 When you select the "FIND" option, a blank template appears with a highlight
 bar in the "First Name" field. To "page through" the records, you do not need
 to enter any search information into any of the fields. To locate a specific
 person or company, enter the name to be located in this field, or in the
 "Last" or "Company Name" fields. The designated record will be displayed if an
 exact match can be found. If a matching record cannot be found, the closest
 alphabetical record will be displayed.

    You may also search through one or more different categories of people by
 marking the desired categories. The first record in the category or categories
 you have marked will be displayed. To browse the entire mailing list, leave
 all fields blank and press <F2>. The first record in the database will be
 displayed.

    When a record matching your description has been found (or the nearest
 alphabetical entry if no exact matches were found), it will be displayed, and
 a menu of options which are now available will be displayed on the bottom of
 the screen.


 ^1FIND MENU

     Update - Changes the information in the record on the screen.
     Delete - Permanently removes the record displayed on the screen. You will
              be prompted for confirmation on deleting the record. A "Y" (YES)
              confirmation will cause the record to be deleted.
      Label - Prints one or more labels for the record on the screen. When
              prompted for the number of copies to be printed, enter the number
              desired, and press <ENTER>. You will then be asked if you wish to
              view or change the label settings. If you answer <Y>ES, the Label
              Settings menu will appear to allow you to do that. After you
              accept the settings which appear, the labels will be printed.
              Printing may be cancelled by pressing <ESC>.
       Next - Displays the next record. (<PAGE DOWN> is a shortcut.)
       Prev - Displays the previous record. (<PAGE UP> is a shortcut.)
       Exit - Returns you to the Main Menu.

    As on the Main Menu, an option on the FIND menu can be selected by pressing
 the first letter of the option, or by moving the highlight bar to the option
 and pressing <ENTER>.


 ^1UPDATING RECORDS

    Information in a record can be changed by first locating the record with
 the "FIND" option and then selecting "UPDATE." The data in existing records is
 edited just as it is in adding new records with use of the same keys for all
 movement and editing tasks. <F1>, <F2>, and <ESC> are also active during
 updating. An added feature is also available during updating: the ability to
 edit the NEXT and PREVIOUS records without a return to the FIND Menu.

   The functions available during updating are:

    <F1>  -  Help
    <F2>  -  Adds the changes and return you to the FIND Menu.
   <ESC>  -  Discards the changes and returns you to the FIND Menu.
   <PAGE  -  Adds any changes and displays the previous record
     UP>     for updating.
   <PAGE  -  Adds any changes and displays the next record
    DOWN>    for updating.


 ^1PRINT

   When you select "Print" from the Main Menu, a submenu will appear to allow
 you to select what you want to print. The options are:

        Labels  -  Allows you to print mailing labels for all or a part of the
                   mailing list currently in memory.
 Telephone List -  Allows you to print a list of names and phone numbers for
                   all or a part of the mailing list currently in memory.
   Address List -  Allows you to print a list of names and addresses.
   General List -  Allows you to print a list of all information in the
                   records, i.e. a list of names, addresses, phone numbers,
                   comments, and categories.
           Exit -  Returns you to the Main Menu.


 ^1PRINTING LABELS:

    The "Printing Labels" Menu consists of the following options:

        Order -  Allows you to specify the order in which you want the
                 labels sorted.
     Criteria -  Allows you to specify which members of the mailing list you
                 wish to print labels for. Without your specification, labels
                 will be printed for everyone in the list.
       Number -  Allows you to specify how many copies of each label you wish
                 to print. The default is 1 label per record.
     Settings -  Allows you to format your labels.
        Print -  Starts the label-printing operation. You will be prompted to
                 prepare your printer. When everything is set up correctly,
                 press any key to begin printing, or press <ESC> if you do not
                 want to begin. As the labels begin to print, watch the first
                 label closely to ensure it is being printed correctly, i.e.,
                 its alignment and settings are correct. Press <ESC> to abort
                 printing if anything is wrong. You may then realign your
                 printer, check the settings, and try printing again. Printing
                 will start at the beginning.
         Exit -  Returns you to the Print Menu.


 ^1SORT ORDER

    When you select the "Order" option from either the Label or List Menus, you
 will be presented with a menu of sort options: Name, Zip Code, or Unsorted,
 the default option. Select the sort order you desire by typing in the first
 letter of the option, or by moving the highlight bar to the option and
 pressing <ENTER>. The sort order you have selected will be accepted, and you
 will be returned to the previous menu. If you decide not to change the order,
 select the "Exit" option from this menu.

    If you select "Name" order, the data will be sorted in ascending order by
 last name, or by company name if you left the first and last name fields
 blank. If you select "Zip Code" order, data will be sorted in ascending order
 by zip code. Selecting or accepting the "Unsorted" option will print the data
 in the order in which it was originally entered into the database.


 ^1SELECTION CRITERIA

    You may select a range of names, a range of zip codes, and one or more
 categories. The criteria can be based on a range of names only, on a range of
 zip codes only, on both ranges, on certain categories only, on a range of
 names and certain categories, and so on. To leave the criteria as they are,
 press <F2> before entering in any other information.

    The first field on the screen, "From," indicates the beginning name for the
 print operation. Enter the name you wish to start with, or leave it blank to
 start your printing at the beginning of the alphabet. The second field, "To,"
 indicates the last name to be included in the printing. Enter the name with
 which you wish to conclude, or leave it blank to include every name above the
 name in the "From" field.

    Records are selected based on the names you enter in these fields. The LAST
 names will be compared against the range. If the record has no last name the 
 company name will be used. 

    The third field is the "From," or starting, zip code. Enter the zip code
 you wish to start with, or leave it blank to begin your printing at the lowest
 zip code. The fourth field is the "To," or ending, zip code. Enter the zip
 code with which you wish to terminate the printing operation.

    Both the name and zip code ranges are inclusive, i.e., the names or zip
 codes in the "From" and "To" fields will be included in the printing.

    To select one or more categories, use the UP- and DOWN-ARROW keys to move
 the highlight bar to the desired category, and press the <SPACE BAR> to mark 
 it.  A check mark will appear in the box next to a category to indicate it has 
 been marked. If no categories are marked, records will be selected from all of 
 the categories. 

    When you have finished entering the selection criteria, press <F2> to
 accept what you have entered and return to the menu. If you have marked one or
 more categories, you will be asked if you want to group the categories as the
 data is printed. If you answer "Y," all of the records in the first marked
 category will be printed, followed by all of the those in the next marked one,
 and so on. No grouping will occur is you answer "N."

    If you have changed the criteria but do not wish to save the most recent
 changes, press <ESC>, and the status of the criteria prior to your editing
 will be restored. Any changes you have made will be discarded, and you will be
 returned to the menu.


 ^1NUMBER OF COPIES

    You will be asked to enter the number copies of each label you wish to
 print. Type in the desired number, and press <ENTER>. If you decide you do not
 want to change the number, press <ESC>. Multiple copies of labels will be
 printed together, i.e., if you request three copies of each label, three
 labels will be printed for the first person in your group, then three for the
 second person, and so on.


 ^1PRINTING LISTS:

    If you select a list, rather than labels, to print from the Print Menu, the
 following menu options become available:

        Order -  Allows you to specify the order in which the data will be
                 listed in the report. The default is the "Unsorted" option.
     Criteria -  Allows you to specify which records will be included in
                 the list. The default is for all records to be included.
        Print -  Allows you to add a title to the top of each page in a
                 list if you so desire.  Adding a title is optional. If 
                 you wish to omit the title, just press <ENTER> before 
                 typing in anything else.  To enter a title, type in the 
                 title as you wish it to appear, and press <ENTER>.
                 You will be prompted to prepare your printer. After it is
                 ready, press any key to initiate printing. To abort
                 printing, press <ESC>.
         Exit -  Returns you to the Print Menu.


 ^1LOAD

    Select the LOAD option if you wish to edit, print, or otherwise access a
 different mailing list, either one you have previously created, or a new one
 you want to begin building. When the LOAD option is selected, a FILE-LOADING
 screen will appear.If you decide you do not want to change mailing lists (or
 files) after all, press <ESC> while at the FILE LOADING screen, and you will
 still have access to the current file.


 ^1SETUP

    The "Setup" option allows you to specify information required for the
 printing of labels: their size, number of columns, margins (bottom, top, left,
 and right), characters per inch, and lines per inch. It also allows you to
 define your own categories.

    All of this information is kept in a special configuration file called
 "MAILLIST.CFG". MAIL MASTER includes standard default settings which you may
 or may not wish to change. If the supplied settings are satisfactory, you may
 never need to use this option. However, it is more likely you will need to
 customize the default settings to meet your own requirements for different
 printing tasks.

    When you select "Setup," a menu with the following options will be
 displayed:

   Label Settings -  View or change the current settings for printing labels,
                     such as label size, margins, or number of labels across.
       Categories -  View or change the names of the categories.
             Exit -  Returns you to the Main Menu


 ^1LABEL SETTINGS:

   The current label settings are displayed in the center of the screen with
 the following menu options:

       Change -  Allows you to change the label settings.
         Save -  Allows you to save to disk the label settings currently
                 on-screen. These settings are saved in a configuration
                 file. A confirmation message will appear when the save
                 operation has been completed.
         Exit -  Returns you to the previous menu.


 ^1CHANGING LABEL SETTINGS:

    If you select "Change" on the Label Settings Menu, a highlight bar will
 appear on the first label setting, Characters Per Inch. To change a setting,
 use the UP- and DOWN-ARROW keys to move the highlight bar to the desired
 setting, and type in the new value.

     Additional information on each label setting is available by pressing <F1>
 when that setting is highlighted. When you have entered your changes, press
 <F2> to save your changes in memory. If you wish to discard the changes you
 have made, press <ESC>, and you will be returned to the Label Settings Menu
 with the settings unchanged.

    If you want to save your changes for the next time you run MAIL MASTER, be
 sure to select the "Save" option.


 ^1CATEGORY NAMES:

    When you select the "Categories" option from the Setup Menu, the current
 category name will appear in the center of the screen with the following menu
 options:

      Change -  Allows you to change the category names.
        Save -  Saves the category names currently on-screen in a special
                configuration file on disk.
        Exit -  Returns you to the Setup Menu.


 ^1CHANGING CATEGORY NAMES:

    When you select the "Change" option from the category menu, a highlight bar
 will appear on the first category name. Using the UP- and DOWN-ARROW keys,
 move the bar to the name or names you wish to change, and type in the new
 name. Each name can be up to eight characters long. If the name you wish to
 enter is longer, use an appropriate abbreviation or acronym. The usual editing
 functions are available while you are changing category names.

    When you have completed making your changes, press <F2> to save your
 changes in memory and return to the Category Menu. If you wish to discard the
 changes you made, press <ESC>, and you will be returned to the menu with the
 original category names restored.

    If you have changed any of the category names, you should select the SAVE
 option to save the new names to disk, or else, the next time you run the
 program, the changes you have made will not appear.


 ^1QUIT

    The QUIT option on the Main Menu allows you to exit MAIL MASTER and return
 to DOS, or to wherever you initiated the program. As a safeguard against
 exiting the program accidentally, a prompt to confirm your desire to exit MAIL
 MASTER will appear after you select the QUIT option. Respond with <Y>ES to
 quit or leave MAIL MASTER, or <ESC> or <N> to remain in the program and be
 returned to the Main Menu.


 ^1OPTIONS FOR RUNNING MAIL MASTER

    MAIL MASTER automatically detects the type of monitor being used with the
 and adjusts accordingly. However, due to the wide variety of computer hardware
 on the market, it is possible that the program's monitor detection system may
 not work properly on your system. For this reason, the options below are
 provided.

    MAIL MASTER can be run from the DOS prompt with the following options:

          M  -  Starts the program in monochrome mode. Select this option
                if you are using a composite monitor, or an LCD.
          C  -  Starts the program in color mode. Select this option if you
                have a color graphics adapter (e.g., CGA, VGA, EVGA).
  /Ffilename -  Runs MAIL MASTER with the mailing label data file called
                "filename".

    NOTE: If you place a space between the "/F" and the filename, the file will
 still be loaded; however, if the filename begins with a letter associated with
 the color options mentioned above, MAIL MASTER will interpret the letter as a
 color mode option instead of a filename.

    EXAMPLE:       maillist M -- will run MAIL MASTER in monochrome mode
                   maillist C -- will run MAIL MASTER in color mode
             maillist/Fmlabel -- will run MAIL MASTER with the mailing list
                                 datafile called "mlabel"

   To run MAIL MASTER outside ^1Big Blue Disk^0, type: ^1MAILLIST^0.


 DISK FILES USED BY MAIL MASTER:
^FMAILLIST.EXE
^FMAILLIST.HLP
^FMAILLIST.CFG
^FMLABEL.MMD
^FMLABEL.IXN
^FMLABEL.IXZ
