Copyright: Copyright ® 1997 Oakley Data Services


Contents
Assembled here are the most frequently asked questions about Smart Address.

Obviously more may have been asked and answered since this was distributed. You can get a plain-text copy of the latest version of this document by sending an e-mail to address_faq@smartcode.com (the subject and content of your message are not important).

Q: How do I keep in touch with new releases?

A: Send an e-mail message to majordomo@smartcode.com with the words

subscribe address

in the body and you will be added to our mailing list automatically. Whenever new releases are uploaded or we have other news we think will be of interest to you will will notify you. We won't pester you on a daily basis, just when there is something we think will be of genuine interest to you.

Q: Have you got any other products?

Yes. They are all at our Web site at http://www.smartcode.com and there are also mailing lists you can subscribe to which will keep you posted about developments. You can also send e-mail to news@smartcode.com for an overview of the services available.

Q: It is saying it can't find the Help File, or the Order form.

A: This can happen if the working directory is not properly set in the shortcut to the program. The working directory should be the directory that the Smart Address program is in.

In Win3.x you need to set that directory by selecting the icon in Program Manager, then selecting the File/Properties option and setting the working directory there.

In Win95/NT right-click on the task bar, then select Properties, then Start Menu Programs, then Advanced, and locate the Smart Address shortcut in the Smart Address folder. Right-click, select Properties, select the "ShortCut" tab, and fill in the "Start In" box with the directory that the Smart Address program is in. (Yes, we know it is supposed to be easier!).

Q: I've just had something really odd happen that has never happened before.

A: Really odd events, one-off GPFs, buttons not drawing correctly etc. are very often nothing really to do with Smart Address, but a symptom of some other conflict with other programs that are running or have run on your system before Smart Address. This is often the case with Windows 3.x, but it can still happen with Windows 95. It is very rare with Windows NT.

Try restarting your computer and see if you can reproduce the fault.

Q: I added an entry and I noticed it displayed in italics. Now I've closed and restarted Smart Address and it seems to have vanished.

A: An entry displaying in italics indicates that you have entered it while a search was active, and that it doesn't fit the current search criteria and wouldn't have normally displayed if it had already existed when you did the search.

The search is still active (it was active when you closed down, and the words "search active" will be showing in the bottom left of the screen), therefore the entry doesn't display. To remove the search, press the toolbar button showing a magnifying glass with a - sign in it.

Q: How do I print off all the entries in a category?

A: Do a search requesting just the categories you want. Only entries in the categories you selected will then appear in the Index List.  Then go through the "Print Wizard" (use the "File/Print" command) and when you get to the "Select the range of entries" question select the "all entries displayed in the index list" option.

If you plan to do this often you can then save the print as a named "quick report" available for access from the "Quick Reports" menu, or attach it to one of the two toolbar buttons for one-click access.

Q: I can't get the modem to dial.

A: Here are some things to try.

If it seems to be dialling "too fast" try adding the odd , in the dial string (perhaps right at the start). Each comma delays it for half a second.

If it says it can't detect the dial-tone (non UK modems can have this problem) then try using ATX3 in the initialization string - this causes the modem to "blind dial".

Make sure your modem is set for character responses, not numeric responses. The usual command is ATV1.

Try using an Init string of AT&F1 which resets the modem to factory defaults. Some other programs can leave your modem in a funny state.

If you are using the 16bit version try adding the lines

[Dial]
MODE=1

to your smartadr.ini file - they cause Smart Address to use slightly different dialing code and it may help.

Or try -

[Dial]
UseDCB=No

Which also modifies the dialling behaviour slightly.

Q: After using Smart Address to dial out, when somebody phones me they get a high pitched whistle like a fax machine.

A: The modem is switching to "auto-answer" mode for some reason. Try a hang-up string of ATS0=0 which will turn off auto-answer. You may also be able to set the default to be non-auto-answer but you will need to look in your modem manual for the way to do it.

Q: How do I get my addresses out of WordPerfect - it doesn't seem to have an option to export to "comma separated" files.

A: Yes it does, but they call it "Ascii Delimited Files".

Q: I am totally confused on how to export Address 1 information specifically for City, State, & Zip Code.  It all just seems to roll up and I can never find the fields to map.

A: If I understand your problem, you are trying to export your entries with a separate field for each of the address lines: Address1, Address2, City, State and ZIP. However when you do this, all the fields are exported as one single field.

What you need to do is change the options for the Export Template (select the Template Button during the Export Wizard) to select the "Split Address into Separate Export Fields" option and set the "Maximum Number of Address Export Fields" to 5.

Q: The reminder keeps popping up.

A: You have simply closed the reminder window. You need to acknowledge that you have seen it to prevent it re-appearing. (Switch to the Reminder Tab if you aren't on it already, right-click on the reminder, and select the "acknowledge event" menu item).

Q: Can I search on the notes?

A: Yes. You need to select either "all fields" or "notes" in the
"search rule" drop-down on the advanced tab of the search dialog.

Q: The dial button at the end of my telephone number is grayed out or has vanished.

A: You have switched it off in the template or there is no number in the field to dial. If you have switched it off then right click on the template tab at the bottom below the numbers, select "Edit Template", choose the Field Definitions tab and clcikon the appropriate telephone icon to re-enable it.

Q: How can I FAX a Microsoft Word document with Smart Address.

A: You can't directly from your PC. Special (and usually expensive!) fax software is required to translate any document into the stream of data bits required by a fax machine, it isn't as simple as just sending the document down the line. If you have a fax machine attached to the line the modem is on you can cause it to dial the remote number, rather than having to dial it yourself manually, just like you can with a standard telephone.

Q: Wouldn't it be nice if when you clicked on the E-Mail Icon it offered to make the mail _BEFORE_ connecting.

A: Are you using Win95? If so it *will* do this if you have 'Control Panel|Internet|Connection|Connect to the Internet as needed' unchecked.

Q: Wouldn't it be nice if you could have *FIVE* (or more) phone entries.I myself need, Home/work/Fax/Mobile/E-mail 1/E-Mail-2

A: Create another Address template called 'Extra Phone Numbers'? Configure it to show just four extra phone fields.

Q: How do I close up the blank spaces when printing? If for example I've got an envelope design that has fields on it for Position, Company and Address, but some of the records don't have a Position or Company Name, I'd like it to move the Address up to take out the blank lines.

A: You need to put the fields on as a single object. Starting with a blank design in Page Designer, click on the Position, Company and Address buttons in sequence, and then drop them on the page where you want them. Then right-click on the object in Page Designer and select the "Property Editor" command from the pop-up menu. Then select the "Multi-Line-Merge" radio button. This will cause blank lines to be removed.

Q: I index on the Company field, but some of my contacts are freelances and the Company field is blank for them. How do I stop them showing up as "No Index Specified"?

A: You can override the default indexing for a particular record. Right-click on the entry in the left hand list and select the "Define Index Keys" entry on the drop-down menu that appears. Select the "Override the Default Index Keys for this entry" option, and select the fields you want to index on. What will display in the index list and what fields will be used to sort the entry (i.e. where it will be positioned in the index list) will be shown at the bottom of the dialog box.

Q: How do I change the field names for an Address Book template?

A: Right-click on the template tab at the bottom of the Address Book and select the "Edit Address Template" command. Then click on the "Field Definitions" tab and change them as you wish.

Q: The data palette seems to have disappeared from the Page Designer.

A: It hasn't disappeared, it has been moved all the way over to the left. Move the mouse to just inside the left side of the window and you will find that the cursor will change to the "splitter bar" style. When it does, hold down the left mouse button and drag it right, and the data palette will re-appear.

Q: I can't see an "objects" tab on the palette in Page Designer.

A: This is a similar problem to the one above - the panel that holds the objects tab is too small - drag the splitter right and it will reappear.

Q: I've got the 16bit version of Smart Address V3.x - is there a 32bit version?

A: Yes there is. It is a free upgrade for registered users (of the 16 bit version of V3.x - not from previous versions such as V2). Just download it from our web site at http://www.smartcode.com and install it. Then run the 16 to 32 bit upgrade utility (supplied - there will be a shortcut in your start menu) and you will have a fully registered 32bit version.

Q: Is there a way to print an address list that doesn't separate the entries by "letters starting with..."? I would like to have all the addresses one page.

A: Yes, you need to set the Page Control" to "Automatic" which causes Smart Address to fit as many entries on a page as it can. Go to File/Page Designer and then select File/Maintenance and edit the Page Layout in question. (Note that the layout in question cannot be open in Page Designer at the time, or the button will remain grayed out).

Q. How many entries allowed in index list, are there any limitations? (entries per addr. template, the number of templates??)

A: In Windows 3.1 the limit is around 6,500 entries in an address book (this is a limit of the Windows List box that Smart Address uses). There is no actual limit in the 32bit version, but the more you have the slower it will get. There is no limit on the number of address books (other than the size of your disk).

Q How do I get rid of the empty space (row) between each entry in an address listing, when printing a list of my address entries? As now, listing uses up a lot of paper space, by leaving an empty row between each entry. What I am aiming at is a compact list of names, addresses and phone numbers!

A: The space between listing entries is based on the gap between the bottom of the Header and the top of the first data object. Therefore, if the highest data object is 0.5inch from the bottom on the Header,  each entry will be separated from each other, by a gap of 0.5inch. If  you want to reduce this gap, simply move the data objects nearer the Header.

Q: I'm getting boxes printing out around names and addresses.

A: You need to turn the border off. Right click on the object in Page Designer and select a border width of 0.

Q: Why can't I change the paper size or type of label once I've created a layout? Currently, you must re-create a layout for each type of media, right?

A: Yes. Basic reason is that the paper size is the fundamental thing that everything else is based on. Allowing a change of paper size brings all sorts of problems, like what would you do with objects that had fallen off the now smaller paper, you wouldn't be able to delete them?

Q: I have been unsuccessful in formatting ANY layout for executive size paper (daytimer size, 5.50 x 8.50). In the layout, I use Statement Size paper and this is confirmed at the bottom right of the screen as I create the layout. In Preview and Printing however, the format is definitely NOT 5.5 X 8.5. >>

A: This is because your printer doesn't actually support that size of paper in its driver. The preview is then showing you how it will print it on a standard size piece of paper ("Letter" in the USA, "A4" in Europe usually) which is what it really does. However, if the printer has the custom paper in it then it should print it OK. The same thing often applies to envelopes.

The only exception to this is with some dot-matrix printers that only allow page-throws of a specific distance (usually 11 or 12 inches) that can't be altered. This is because Windows always prints "a page at a time" (otherwise multiple apps couldn't share the printer). In that case there is little you can do (although later drivers sometimes allow the paper size to be changed). This shouldn't be a problem with lasers or bubblejets or anything else that takes individual sheets of paper though.

Q: I've defined a template that follows my address template. How can I get the fields of my new template to appear in my data objects of the page designer?

A: You can't. The templates are effectively additional records, albeit with a common name, not additional fields for the same record, and if requested will print as an additional record ("print all templates for entry"). The Page Designer uses the field names from the first template (because every record must have the first template).

Q: I would like to export to Word and/or Excel. I've tried, but with little success. Can you shed some light? What can I expect from your export command?

A: The export allows you to produce almost any sort of output file you like. The format of the output file is defined by the "Export Template", which is reached from a button half-way through the Export Wizard. The options tab allows you to select different delimiters, separators etc., and also specify the format that mail-merge for most Word Processors wants. There is fairly good context sensitive help on that dialog.

Q: What's the best way to back-up my Smart Address data? Copy the .adr file to a disk?

A: That is fine for the address books. The page designs etc. are held in the location pointed to by the Tools/options/File Options dialog. This defaults to the Windows directory (it's to do with networking), but you can move them using the "Select" button on that dialog. Just choose a new location using that button (the same place as the address books is favorite) and Smart Address will move them itself. Don't try to move them manually, it is easy to get Smart Address confused. If you put them in the same directory as the address books then just copying that directory will provide a backup of everything you have created.

Q: When I go into Tools/Configure Address Book and select the addresses tab and edit the "Address 1" template (the default I think) I can only turn on or off the current 4 available fields...Home, Work, Mobile and Fax. How do I add a couple of new ones?

A: You can't add additional fields to any of the pages, but you could use some of the spare fields on "Others" page to contain this information. Only the existing fields can be dialed via a modem though.

Q: A quick question (I hope) for you please... How can I get Smart Address to print onto paper that will fit my Filofax measuring 94 by 171mm? I have set-up a custom listing paper-size and it looks good in Page Designer, but when I preview or print (to my HP Laserjet IIIp) the pages are too long (about 200mm.)

A: The IIIP doesn't support Custom Paper Sizes, it has support for A4, A4 Small, Monarch, C5, #10 and DL Envelopes, Executive, Legal, Letter, Letter Small and Note paper sizes.

The way this works is that Smart Address asks the printer driver what paper sizes it supports. It realises that what you want isn't in the list it gets back, so it tries to set the printer to "Custom Size".

The IIIP will respond "not supported" (more modern printers do support a custom size that you can set to anything). At this point all Smart Address can do is set the printer/driver to one of the supported paper sizes, and because you are in the UK we chose to make it use A4. (It would use "letter" in the USA). This is what you are seeing in the print preview, because that is what it is really doing, printing on a sort-of virtual piece of A4.

That said, it should actually print OK, nothing is going to be sent to areas that are outside your somewhat smaller piece of paper. The only exception to this is if you are trying to print a listing. Then Smart Address will try to fit as many entries on the page as it can, but it now thinks the page is longer than it really is. The way to work around this is to drag the bottom horizontal line up in Page Designer, to create a large "footer" which will reduce the amount of space Smart Address thinks it can use for the listing.

Q: How do I specify that I want to start printing on a label other than the first on a sheet of paper.

A: When you go through the print-wizard you need to check the option box for "Enable Prompt For Starting Label Number". If you then save that as a QuickReport it will ask you which label you want to start on each time you print.

Q: Ctrl+A and Ctrl+Enter don't always work.

A: We are aware of this problem, but we can't reproduce it and simply don't know how to fix it. It only affects the 16bit version, and then only on a few systems - the majority are OK. If we find the reason we will fix it as soon as we can.

Ends