RepPoc

PROGRAM LICENSE =============== RepPoc 2.2 for PSION Series 3 and 3a is owned and (c) Copyright 1993-1995 by Berthold Daum. All Rights Reserved. Shareware version ----------------- The shareware version is clearly recognisable in the "About" screen. The version number has the appendix "(sh)" which the commercial version has not. The shareware version may be distributed freely (not for resale) only in its original form including this documentation. -------------------------------------- | WARNING | | The shareware version has been | | "crippled". As long a unregistered | | selection sets can only contain | | 10 records and printed output | | contains a reminder that the | | software is still unregistered. | -------------------------------------- For registration details see below. Disclaimer ---------- Although RepPoc has been extensively tested, the author shall not be responsible for any loss of any kind due to its use. It is the user's responsibility to establish the suitability of this software for any particular purpose. Registration of Shareware version ================================= The registration fee is A$39.95 + A$6.00 for postage and handling. We can send you a registration number by email, and send you the printed manual and a floppy with all of our shareware by mail. Please use the form ORDER.FRM. Post it via mail or email or FAX. Alternatively, you can register via CompuServe (GO SWREG): Author: Berthold Daum Program Title: RepPoc V2.1 S3/S3A Registration ID: 3826 Fee: US$ 35.00 plus postage The price of the commercial version is A$59.00 + A$6.00 for postage and handling. We can send you a ZIPPED version by email (add A$5.00), and send you the printed manual and a floppy with the full version and all of our shareware by mail. Please use the form ORDER.FRM. Post it via mail or email or FAX. Berthold Daum lichtbild p/l 21 Margate St. Beaumaris, Vic. 3193 Australia CompuServe 100026,3365 INTERNET: 100026.3365@compuserve.com Commercial version for S3 and S3a --------------------------------- Registered users can upgrade to the commercial version by paying the price difference plus postage (see ORDER.FRM). The commercial version has additional functions: - Creating spreadsheets from DATA files and updating existing spreadsheets with DATA file contents. - extensive help text - German language version available NEW!!! Recommendation program ----------------------------- We distribute our programs directly to offer you the lowest prices as possible. Direct distribution depends very much on mouth-to-mouth recommendation. We would like to acknowledge this fact by honouring the recommenation of our products. If you are a registered user of any of our products, and another user quotes your name when he registers, we will send you a floppy disc with the newest versions of the products you had registered absolutely free ! RepPoc Version 2.2 - Release Notes =================================== Platforms --------- The program runs on PSION S3 and S3a and Acorn PocketBook I and II in native mode. On Acorn PocketBook I an extra OPL translator is required to create custom text functions. Requirements ------------ Please see the installation routine for details. For a full installation about 50k of disk space are required. We recommend to install the system on flash SSD, the REPORT folder on the internal disk. New function in version 2.0 --------------------------- - New TextStyle TR for trailer paragraphs. Trailer paragraphs are printed only once at the end of a list. - Some text functions (like date::) can be used not only in Body text but also in header paragraphs (HA,HL) and trailer paragraphs (TR). - New numeric functions: pos:: current position in list (no argument) sum:: sum of the numeric value of that and the above fields. max:: maximum of the numeric value of that and the above fields. min:: minimum of the numeric value of that and the above fields. mean:: mean of the numeric value of that and the above fields. All these functions can be used in both body and trailer. 0 is assumed for nonnumeric fields. - New form type: PSION-C creates now optionally a form of type "report". This form is similar to a list, but fields are separated by TABS instead of commata, and a trailer is generated with sum:: functions below each column. - The name functions in RPFUNC have now a logic for titles: given:: and intial:: remove now titles like Prof and Dr from the first name - A new name function title:: returns any title strings, like "Prof.Dr." in a name. If no title is found it return "Mrs./Mr.". If the name string was empty it returns "Madam/Sir" - Text function country:: can now also return the country name on phone numbers with country code instead country name (+61-x-xxxxxx) - New menu function PSION-E and PSION-D to edit or delete a form sheet. - Assistant, helping to construct complex search and sort criteria. - Field labels that contain blanks can now be used. They must be placed inside chevrons (« »). (The assistant will place any label inside chevrons.) - Commercial version: Creation of PSION-S3/S3a spreadsheet files from DATA files, and updating of spreadsheet files with DATA contents. - Native version for S3a supporting the big screen with ZOOM function. New functions in Version 2.1 ---------------------------- - Group processing. One formsheet can now refer to multiple records from the data file, e.g. «1.Name» «2.Name» «3.Name» ... «9.Name». The maximum record number in a formsheet defines the group size. The record number always comes first, before the name and before an optional text function. RepPoc will read as many records are required to process the form sheet, and will then continue with the next group of records. This feature is especially helpful for processing multi-column layouts, e.g. for labels. (See LABEL.WRD), - Numeric functions can also be prefixed with a record number and will then apply only the record with the specified number within the group. Example: «1.SUM::Amount» «2.SUM::Amount» ... This feature can be used for column sums. If not prefixed with a record number, the function will apply to every record of a group. New function in Version 2.2 --------------------------- - It is now possible to process OPL-data files (ODB) in the same way as Database files. The ODB files can only consist of string fields. RepPoc will generate dummy field labels for each field. - Dummy field labels are now displayed in grey colour (S3a only). - New text function UC1:: converts the first character of a string into upper case, the rest into lower case. - New predefined form : ROLODEX to print addresses in the ROLODEX format. - New output modes for letter documents - into one document: the traditional method as in Version 2.1 - manual: a separate document is created for each record. The WORD application is invoked and you can modify and print each letter separately. Leave the WORD application with PSION-X, and WORD will be invoked again with the next letter. - automated: same as manual, except that printing and exitting the WORD processor is done in an automated way. Make sure, the correct printer was set up for the form sheet. This mode is only available on S3a. Manual and automated mode are more flexible for creating letters. You can use form sheets that contain WORD-header lines and WORD-foot lines. Also the page numbering is done for each letter separately. In addition these method do not build up huge output files. Do not connect the WORD printer driver to a printfile when you use these modi as with each record a new printfile would overwrite the old printfile. Instead, print to a real printer. - Printing interruptable with ESC-key. Program Description ------------------- RepPoc is a report writing and mail merging program that is utilizes the PSION WORD and DATA formats. It can be used to create lists, labels, letters, envelops from selected database records. The print layout is controlled by forms created with the WORD application. To create a report you need: a database file (DAT\ folder) a form (WORD document) (REPORT\FORMS\ folder) a output file (WORD document) (WRD\ folder) a search criterion The above file specifications and the search criterion are stored in a report file (REPORT\ folder). This saves you typing if you want to run the same report again and again. When you start the report application, you are first prompted with the name of the DATA file and the search criterion. At this stage you may want to modify this information. All changes will be kept in the report file selected. You can also re-specify the search criterion using the PSION-F function (or the TAB key). This changes will go into the selected report file, too. Limitations ----------- - Only the first 32.000 records of a file are processed. - Only a selection set of 256 records can be viewed or sorted, but you can print more. - Records with a total length of more than 1022 bytes are not processed. - Fields with more than 255 characters are not processed. - only the first 32 fields of a record can be processed. - OPL data files (ODB) can be processed when they contain only string fields. Searching --------- The search criterion can be complex. It can consist of several conditions. 'condition' has the following construction: fieldspec operator value or fieldspec value 'fieldspec' has the following construction: label or label[n] n=1...9 n identifies line number for multiple line fields. or txtfunc::label or txtfunc::label[n] n=1...9 'label' denotes the field of the DATA record, e.g. Name: or Work: (Phone symbols are not written). 'txtfunc' denotes a valid text function (see below). If a field has no label, it is addressed via a dummy label: field#nn with "nn" being the field number (starting from 1 for the first field). Valid operators are: = <> < > <= >= All comparisons are alphanumeric and are not case sensitive: e.g. 3 > 123 but 003 < 123 If no operator is used, the condition is that the field denoted by 'label' has to contain the value (not case sensitive). Values are specified without quotes and can contain blanks. However, they must not contain logical operators and paranthesis as separate tokens. Conditions can be combined with logical operators such as NOT AND OR ( ) Example: work: germany and not ( notes: = no mail or field#5 berlin ) selects german business contacts but excludes the ones with the remark "no mail" or where the second line of the address (field#5) contains "berlin". Search criterions treat multiple line fields (created with Shift-Enter) as a whole. Alternatively to a complex search criteria, you can enter the usual search string, too. The string will be sought in any field of each record. This is the only form of search criterion that can contain wild cards. Only the records matching the search criterion are displayed. You can scroll the records and from record to record in the same way as in the DATA application. You cannot, however, update records. You can use the dialling function, by pressing the dialling key. Printing -------- Despite of the name of this function, we do not output to a printer. Instead we print into a WORD document. This document can then be opened with the word processor, modified and printed to any appropriate printer. However, this method can create a problem, as the output file can become to large for the disk. If this happens, simply divide your report into parts by modifiying the search criterium. Add, for instance, Name: < m for the first part and Name: >= m for the second part. When the print function is started, you are prompted for the form sheet and the output file. Changes made here will be stored in the current report file. After the output file was created, you have the possibility to invoke the word processor immediately and print you file from there. However, you may want to leave RepPoc first and initiate the printing from a separate task if you run into memory problems. Form sheet ---------- You need a form sheet for printing. RepPoc gives some help to create new form sheets. Use PSION-C to create a new form sheet. The new sheet will contain a title paragraph, a header paragraph (in the case of lists), and a body paragraph. The body paragraph will contain field specification of the current data file enclosed in ® ¯ (left chevron, right chevron). The chevrons can be entered via CNTRL174 and CNTRL175, but it is much more comfortable to generate a form sheet with the PSION-C function and to delete the fields not needed. Field specifications are given in the same way as for search criteria and can contain text functions and line numbers. In addition field speci- fications can be prefixed with a record number for group processing. The record number denotes the position of the record within the record group processed with one formsheet. The body paragraphs have slighty different layouts depending on the form type (list, label, letter). For letters, e.g. the body paragraph will start a new page. After you have created a new form, you can edit immediately using the PSION word processor. The word processor will be invoked automatically. When you have done you changes, press PSION-X to return to RepPoc. If you decide to modify after you have left RepPoc, move the highlight under the WORD icon, press TAB, navigate to the REPORT\FORMS folder, move the highlight to the new form and press ENTER. Now you can rearrange the keywords, include some more text or tabs, etc. Apart from the standard style sheets: HA,HB,BT,BL we have included some new style sheets: HL for list and report header LE for list and report entry LB for label LT for letter PB for page break (internal) TR for report trailer The style sheets HA, HL, and TR play an important role during report generation: Only the bodytext is repeated. The bodytext is defined as the part between the last HA or HL style paragraph and the first TR style paragraph. Empty paragraphs of style PB are inserted automatically at the beginning of each repetition if a form contains at least one LT paragraph is found in the bodytext. So, letters start always with a new page. Multiple line fields -------------------- These fields were created in DATA using Shift/Enter. When displayed all lines are displayed. However, during searching or when printed, only the first line is used, unless specified otherwise. You may do so, by specifying Name:[n] n = 1..9 for the n-th line of the Name: field. Text functions -------------- RepPoc provides some useful text functions. Functions are specified in the following way: function::label or function::label[n] or if they have no argument function:: The following functions are available: given:: extracts the given name from a name field (body) sur:: extracts the surname from a name field (body) initial:: extracts the initial from a name field (body) uc:: converts to upper case (body) stripb:: removes trailing and leading blanks (body) country:: extracts the country name from a phone number and converts it to upper case (body) date:: Current date, e.g. 1 Nov 1994 This function has no argument (header,body,trailer) sender:: Senders address for letters, envelops. (no argument) !!!!!!!! To be modified by user !!!!!!!!! (header,body,trailer) fillin:: This function will display the argument on the screen You can overwrite this argument with any string which will appear in the document then. This happens for any record. (body) prompt:: This function will lets you enter a text string which will appear then. It will only be called for record one. The insertions in the following records will be identical. This function has no argument. (body) pos:: current position in list (no argument) (body,trailer) sum:: sum of the numeric value of that and the above fields (no argument) (body,trailer) max:: maximum of the numeric value of that and the above fields (no argument) (body,trailer) min:: minimum of the numeric value of that and the above fields (no argument) (body,trailer) mean:: mean of the numeric value of that and the above fields (no argument) (body,trailer) A description of these text functions is contained in RPFUNC.DBF (PSION database file) as an online reference. However, you may want to write some custom text function. You do this by adding them to RPFUNC.OPL. Specify all functions as string functions (with $-suffix). Then translate RPFUNC.OPL and move RPFUNC.OPA from \APP\ to \APP\REPPOC\ . You will have to restart RepPoc to activate the changes. S3a users: RPFUNC.OPL must be translated in compatibility mode !!!! It is a good idea to document all changes in RPFUNC.DBF. Standard forms -------------- We have already included some standard forms: PHONES.WRD landscape format phone list LETTER.WRD standard letterhead FAX.WRD FAX cover sheet ENVELOP.WRD DL1 envelop LABEL.WRD address labels You may want to modify these forms according to your requirements and the printer you use. Sorting ------- After pressing PSION-S (sort function) you can specify up to 2 sort fields (full fieldspec possible including text functions) and the sort direction (ascending/descending). Note, that not the whole file but only the selected records are sorted. Although we have implemented QuickSort, it can take a while to sort depending on the size of the selection set and how the records are preordered. You may then view or print the records in sorted order. You can interrupt the sort process by pressing any key. Marking ------- During viewing, you may mark the selected records be pressing PSION-M or Shift/Enter. When you print, you have the option to print only the records marked. The mark symbol is shown in the top right corner of the screen. MS Word compatability --------------------- When you create a new form sheet (PSION-C) you may select WordDataFile. This will generate a list format form sheet, not containing any blanks and replacing all special characters in field names in the header line with underscore. Field merge entries are set between double quotes; so each later data entry will be surrounded by double quotes to avoid problems with comma. The title entry is supressed. You may then modify this form sheet to your reqirements using the WORD processor. Then you use REPPOC to generate a list document from this form sheet. Read the resulting document with the WORD processor and store it as ASCII text file to your PC (Save as, text). You may do this directly when MCLINK is active or first store it locally and transfer it later with MCLINK. On the PC you use the resulting file as DATA file in the usual way: With Word for Windows for instance, create a new document, then choose Print merge, attach the file as DATA file. Then use the insert_merge_field button to create field entries in the master document. The advantage of this approach compared to direct mail generation from the PSION computer is that you can include graphics like logos into your letterheads and envelopes. Spreadsheets ------------ See manual. Installation ============ Host platforms -------------- We deliver our products via email or on 3.5" floppy discs (1.44 MB IBM Format) On request we can send out 720 kB floppy discs. These formats can be read by PC, Mac, Amiga, Atari, Acorn. If you received the software via email or downloaded it from an electronic network you will received it in compressed format (PKZIPF). You will need the latest version of PKUNZIP to decompress the software. On the Macintosh do not use the standard UNZIP utility. Instead, use the ZIPIT utility which you will find on your network. In ZIPIT uncheck the box that says: "By default, smart-strip line feeds from text files." As a rule of thumb avoid options containing the word "smart". Installation from PC or Mac --------------------------- 1. Decompress the software (see above). 2. Connect your Series3 computer to your PC or Mac. Start MCLINK and activate "Remote link" from the PSIONs system screen. 3. Set the cursor under the RunOPL-icon (not under the OPL editor!) and press TAB. When the file selection screen appears, press TAB again. In the first line of the dialog box specify the name of the installation directory (where the new software is stored), e.g. REM::C:\CSERVE\DOWNLOAD\ A file selection list appears. 4. Select the file !setup3.opa (first file). Press ENTER. SetUp3 now takes control. The screen goes blank for a few seconds. Don't panic. A file selector box appears. 5. If the file selector box shows the product name, just press ENTER. If the file selector box shows a language, choose a language of your choice. If your language is not mentioned, select "international", which is English. 6. The file transfer starts. If the product was installed before, SetUp3 will start a dialog asking you if you want to (Continue) = Overwrite existing version (Other drive) = Install new version on different drive (Options only) = Install options you did not install the first time. 7. SetUp3 asks you on which drive you want to install the software and on which drive you usually keep your data. We recommend flash memory for the system and usually RAM for data. 9. SetUp3 will ask you about optional modules. You can decide to install them now, or you can leave it for later. 10.SetUp3 will give instructions on how to proceed after the successful transfer. Installation from other platforms --------------------------------- On other platforms than PC or Mac there are two possibilities: A) You have enough free memory, preferably on internal memory, RAM or a spare Flash pack. Proceed as follows: 1. Decompress the software (see above). 2. Transfer the whole installation folder to a new installation folder on the palmtop (M:\INSTAL\ for instance). However, there is no need to tranfer *.ZIP, *.TXT, and *.FRM files, so you may leave these ones out. 3. Set the cursor under the RunOPL-icon (not under the OPL editor!) and press TAB. When the file selection screen appears, navigate to the new installation folder on the palmtop. Continue as described above under (4). After installation is completed remove the installation folder from the palmtop. B) If you do not have so much memory an assisted manual installation is still possible. Proceed as follows: 1. Decompress the software (see above). 2. Connect your Series3 computer to your host computer. Start the host communications software and activate "Remote link" from the PSIONs system screen. 3. Copy !setup3.opa into M:\APP\ . Copy a *.ipf file of your choice into M:\APP\ . Install !setup3 to the system screen (see user manual). 4. Activate !setup3 by positioning the highlight under it and pressing ENTER. A file selector box appears. 5. Acknowledge the file selector box by pressing ENTER. 6. The installation begins. If the product was installed before, SetUp3 will start a dialog asking you if you want to (Continue) = Overwrite existing version (Other drive) = Install new version on different drive (Options only) = Install options you did not install the first time. 7. SetUp3 asks you on which drive you want to install the software and on which drive you usually keep your data. We recommend flash memory for the system and usually RAM for data. 9. SetUp3 will ask you about optional modules. You can decide to install them now, or you can leave it for later. 10.SetUp3 will ask you to copy files from the installation directory on the host computer to a target destination on the PSION. Start the file transfer from your host computer. When the file has been transmitted, acknowledge be pressing ENTER on the PSION. 11.SetUp3 will give instructions on how to proceed after the successful transfer. When things go wrong -------------------- If the installation does not run smoothly, do not try to install manually. The chance is, that if Setup3 or the installation control (IPF) file was corrupted, that other modules are corrupted, too. Please read the instructions again and repeat installation. You could also try to use a lower transmission speed between host and PSION. If the problem should persist, check for data corruption. Order another floppy disc, or download again. If the problem still persists, please seek our advice. Morpheus -------- Please do not send us questions "What is Morpheus". Instead read this: One of the tricky things when writing OPL-applications is the HELP-key. For instance, it is not possible to react to the HELP-key when a menu or a dialog box is on the screen, which is not very nice, because you may want help to fill out that dialog box. That is the reason why we created Morpheus. Morpheus is a independent application which runs in the background and intercepts the HELP-key. Morpheus checks which application is in the foreground and will then display the appropriate help texts. The other function of Morpheus is to handle alarms (for the products ProPoc and HyperPoc). It can do this better than the Agenda. Morpheus is launched automatically by any application that uses Morpheus' services. Morpheus will stay active as long as a client application is active or any Morpheus-alarms are scheduled. (The actual shutdown may be delayed for 1 minute). So, usually you don't have to shutdown Morpheus manually. One of the beauties of the system is that Morpheus can serve many masters. So if you use some of our products simultanously, still only one copy of Morpheus will be active. All our installations install Morpheus to the internal drive even if you have chosen another system drive, because that is the best place. Installing Morpheus to an SSD would cause later problems, because you would not be able to reformat that disk without stopping Morpheus manually. If you must, here is the way: Install Morpheu2 to the system screen (see user manual) Then press PSION-Z(S3) or SHIFT-PSION-X(S3a) to kill Morpheus. If Morpheus was running it will respond with a beep and will die. Deinstall Morpheus (see user manual). Deinstallation -------------- To deinstall the application from you palmtop proceed as follows. 1. First backup your system. 2. If you don't have other applications that use Morpheus: Stop Morpheus as described above. Remove MORPHEU2.OPA and folder \MORPHEU2 from the folder M:\APP. 3. n.a. 4. If you do not have other applications from us (POC-appications) remove the folder \APP\COMMON from the system drive. 5. Remove the file REPPOC.OPA and the folder REPPOC from the folder APP on the system drive. 6. Remove the datafolders REPORT from the data drive(s). 7. Remove the license file REPPOC.$$$ from the root directory M:\ Troubleshooting --------------- 1. Letters and envelopes are printed without pagebreak Examine the form sheet. The last paragraph is probably not closed, i.e. when the cursor is moved to the end of the document, it will be at the end of the last line and not below the last line. Press ENTER to bring the cursor below the last line. 2. List headers or other header paragraphs repeat with the body text. You probably changed the format of these paragraphs. The WORD application has created a new style sheet (e.g. ZA) and assigned it to the paragraph. RepPoc cannot identify the paragraph as header paragraph because they have different names now. You may want to: a) reapply a Header Style sheet to the header paragraph (HA,HB,HL) and accomplish the necessary changes by modifying the settings of the header style sheet. b) create a short paragraph below the header paragraph and apply a header style sheet (HA,HB,HL) to it.