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PLAIN VANILLA LABELS Version 4.02 O P E R A T I N G M A N U A L ROSEWOOD SOFTWARE 135-10 Livonia Place Scarborough, Ontario M1E 4W6 Canada (416) 284-6119 CompuServe 70461,2507 Internet bert.christensen@canrem.com _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals ----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER (C) Copyright 1995 by Rosewood Software and Bert Christensen Plain Vanilla Labels OVERVIEW Plain Vanilla Labels is a program to print simple labels. It is designed to print a single label (with or without saving it to a file) or hundreds of labels for major mailings. It uses standard 5 line, 15/16 inch by 3 1/2 inch tractor-feed labels or 2 or 3 across label sheets for laser printers. Plain Vanilla Labels is easy to learn and easy to use. Configurations are included for most popular printers including dot-matrix, ink jet, and laser types. The program can be easily set up to use a variety of print enhancements including bold, italics, letter quality and many printer fonts. It has a full-featured built-in editor and user- configurable softkeys to make entering label data easy. Plain Vanilla Labels will maintain up to ten different label lists (data files). Labels can be copied to other label files. Each label entry can be indexed at any point on any line on the label. All labels in a file can be printed, labels can be individually selected, or they can be selected from any common string within the labels. Any part of the label can be blocked off for comments which are visible to the user but are not printed on the label. A powerful search function will quickly find individual labels or groups of labels. Labels can be imported and exported to or from other programs. INSTALLATION The easiest way to install Plain Vanilla Labels is to copy the file PVL.EXE to a floppy disk or to a directory on your hard drive ("VANILLA" might be a good directory name). If you want to try the sample labels included, copy PVLABELS.DAT to the same directory. Make this directory or disk the current or logged directory and type "PVL" (no quotes) to enter the program. Your CONFIG.SYS file should have an entry, "FILES=15 " and, optionally another entry, "BUFFERS=15". If you put the directory which has the Plain Vanilla Labels program, "PVL.EXE" in your "PATH " entry in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file , "PVL" can then be called from any directory on your computer. Please see your DOS manual or your personal computer guru if the previous sentences makes no sense to you. REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS Plain Vanilla Labels needs a IBM or compatible computer using DOS 2.11 or higher with 256K memory , a colour or monochrome monitor and a printer. You can have up to 10 label files. Each label file can hold in excess of 4,500 labels so the limit is about 45,000 labels per directory (you can install Plain Vanilla Labels in as many directories as you have disk space). After entering over 4,500 labels in any one file, you will receive a warning to start 2 Plain Vanilla Labels a new file or split the one you are working in. The exact limit of labels per file varies with the computer. "Out of Memory " or "Out of String Space " errors will occur with very large numbers (over 4,500) of labels per file. Search speeds will become very slow as well. LABEL STOCK AND PRINTER MECHANISMS Since labels are loosely attached to the backing material, there is a chance that a label will become detached and get caught in the printer mechanism. Never try to move labels backward through the mechanism. Disable "paper parking" options which are designed to save a sheet of continuous sheet paper by backing the paper from the tear-off position. Feeding a sheet of labels several times through a printer in order to use every label on the sheet may weaken the bond of labels and backing. Read your printer manual carefully for any warning about using label stock. EDIT KEYS Data are entered using a built-in full screen editor. The edit keys are as follows, <Up> and <Down> arrows moves the cursor up and down from one line to another. <Left> and <Right> arrows moves cursor one character left or right. <Backspace> deletes the character to left of cursor. <Del> deletes the character under the cursor. <Home> moves the cursor to the farthest left character on the line. <Ctrl + Home> moves the cursor to the beginning of the line. <End> moves the cursor to the farthest right character on the line. <Ctrl + End> moves the cursor to the end of the line. <Ins> toggles the editor between typeover and insert modes. <Ctrl + F3> erases the current line (the line with the cursor). 3 Plain Vanilla Labels <Ctrl + F4> copies the text on the current line for use by the "paste" function below. This text will be saved until you exit from the program or until you copy over it by pressing <Ctrl + F4> again. <Ctrl + F5> pastes the text from the "copy" function above to the current line. <Ctrl + F6> centres the text on the current line. <Esc> cancels the entire entry or change without saving and sends you back to the menu. <Ctrl + F7> copies the previously entered label to the current label. This feature is active when entering labels only. <Ctrl + F9> deletes the current label while modifying labels. It has no effect when entering labels. <Enter> accepts the current line and moves to the next line or to the next process if the cursor is on the last line. <Ctrl + F10> moves you to the next program process. <^> adds the index mark (see "Indexing"). <[> adds the comment mark (see "Comments"). 4 Plain Vanilla Labels MAIN MENU ENTER LABEL DATA (1) The Plain Vanilla Labels editor will accept up to five lines of text with a maximum of thirty five characters and spaces on each line. Use the editing keys as explained above to place your text where you want it. You may leave entire lines blank such as the first and fifth for three line addresses. The entering of label data can be aborted at any time by pressing the Esc key. When you have finished entering text for the label, you are given the option of printing it without saving, saving and entering another label or saving and returning to the Main Menu. Indexing Labels are indexed alphabetically on the first non-space characters of the first line with text or by the use of the circumflex character, "^" which is usually SHIFT-6 on the keyboard. Labels are indexed on the letters immediately following the circumflex. For example, if you want a label with "Alan Young" on it but you would like to have the label indexed as "Young, Alan", enter the label as "Alan^Young". The label index will then show, "Young^Alan" but the label will be printed as "Alan Young". This "circumflex" method of indexing works in any position on any line. Comments All or any part of any line can be blocked out for a "hidden" note or comment. These comments are visible to you the user when working with the program but will not be printed on the label. To enter a comment type a left square bracket "[" at any position in any line. You may enter any comments you wish after the "[" and the rest of that line will not be printed on labels but will be visible when viewing labels in the program. A "[" will have to entered on each line that you wish to have comments. This feature could be used to keep birthdays, anniversaries or other information. For example, a search for "June" would bring up a list of all persons with June birthdays. Or the comment space could be used to store credit information etc. You can probably find more creative uses for this feature. MODIFY LABEL DATA (2) To choose a label to modify use either number 2 on the Main Menu, "Modify Label Data" which will give a sorted list of the indexed line for all labels, or use number 6 , "Search for Label Data" which will search labels by the string which you enter. After choosing the label to modify, you can change it using the editing 5 Plain Vanilla Labels keys or delete it by pressing <Ctrl + F9>. You will be asked to confirm the deletion before it is done. PRINT LABELS (3) This selection leads to a secondary menu, the "Label Printing Menu." There are 4 menu choices and a number of informational items on this screen. You are shown the number and name of the current label file, the number of labels in that file, the current label profile number (see "Label Profile and Printer Menu" below for information on this item), and the current printer selected. The menu choices are: 1. Print All Labels on File. This option will print all the labels in the current file. You will be asked to enter the number of copies of each label that you want to print. If you are using sheet labels, you will be asked to select the starting label. This allows you to re-use labels remaining on a sheet. If you are using a tractor feed printer, you will be asked if you wish to move the labels up by one inch (1 label) when the printing is complete. This is to move your printed labels out of the way of the printer mechanism. Depending on the printer, you may have to move the labels up several times. 2. Print Selected Labels. This will allow you to select labels from the current label file for printing. An alphabetical list of labels is presented in a scrollable box. Any number of label numbers can be entered in any order. Ranges of labels can also be entered in the form "nnn-nnn" (e.g. 23-45). Note that there cannot be any spaces before or after the dash. As above, you will be asked for the number of copies, starting position, etc. If you have inadvertently entered the numbers of labels which have been deleted or beyond the number of labels in the current file, you will be told that the print queue has been modified to remove invalid label numbers. All valid labels will be printed. 3. Print Labels from Search Menu. See "6. Search for Labels" below. 4. Exit to The Main Menu Go back to the Main Menu 6 Plain Vanilla Labels VIEW LABELS (4) Labels on file can be viewed on the screen or printed in list form on 8 1/2 X 11 paper. Labels which have been entered using the circumflex "^" character will be listed in order of their indexed order. That is "Alan^Young" will be listed with the Y's and not the A's. Comments following the comment character "[" will be shown on the screen and printed in the list. Except for the label number in the top right of each displayed label, the circumflex indexing characters, and the comments, the display is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) in the printed labels. SELECT LABEL FILE (5) Plain Vanilla Labels can store up to ten different lists or files of label data. When first run, the program has one list called "GENERAL". To change from one list to another, press <5> from the Main Menu. You will be shown a list of file descriptions. Initially all except number 1 will be empty. Press the number of the file description that you wish to use. Most screens in the program will show the name and number of the list that you are currently working in. To add or change file descriptions go to "Add or Change Label File Names", which is available from the Utilities Menu. Please note that you cannot select a label file until it has a file description. SEARCH FOR LABELS (6) Plain Vanilla Labels contains a powerful search capability. You will be prompted to enter a "String to Search for". The search will look for matches on any line of each label. After entering the string (a string is just a letter or a word or several words) the program will search for an exact match (except that upper case and lower case are treated as equal). If you wish to find all your labels with "CA" for "California" enter "<space> <ca> <space>". If you don't have the spaces before and after the search string you will get "caper", "Canada", etc. After the first "find" you will be prompted to <Enter> to continue the search, <M> modify the label, to <P> add it to the print queue (a list of label numbers to be printed), <C> add all finds to the queue, <S> a new search with a new search string, <B> to search backwards, <F> to return to a forward search, <L> to go to the last label in the list which matches the search string and then search backwards, <T> for a timed browse which will display labels for about one second at a time before going on to the next "find" (turn off the browse by pressing <T> again), or to <Esc> to the Main Menu. At the end of the search, you can begin a new search for a different string or end searching. If there are labels in the print queue you will be prompted to print them to the printer or to a disk file or to return to the Main Menu. If 7 Plain Vanilla Labels you wish to browse the entire list a label at a time, press the "Enter" key in response to the "String to search for" prompt and the labels will be shown in alphabetical order. LABEL PROFILE & PRINTER MENU (7) This will transfer you to the Label Profile & Printer Menu described below. UTILITIES MENU (8) This will transfer you to the Utilities Menu described below. EXIT PROGRAM (9) This will close Plain Vanilla Labels and return you to DOS. PLEASE DO REMEMBER TO KEEP A BACK-UP OF YOUR DATA. 8 Plain Vanilla Labels LABEL PROFILE & PRINTER MENU INTRODUCTION TO PRINTERS AND PRINTER CODES To print a label, your computer must take the information that you have entered into Plain Vanilla Labels and send it to the printer in a form that the printer can understand. One way to do this is to use what is called, "standard output." This allows simple information to be printed to almost any printer. Versions of Plain Vanilla Labels prior to version 4.00 used this system. If you have printed this document from DOS, this is the method that was used. This standard output method works well for uncomplicated printing jobs but is inadequate when differing print sizes and/or fonts are required. But, for the more complex commands, the codes used by the printers are not standardized. In other words one printer may not speak the same language as another printer. Computers communicate with printers with "bytes." A byte is made up of eight "bits." Think of a bit as a wall switch in your home which turns on or off one light and think of a byte as a bank of eight such switches controlling eight lights. Now, try to imagine all the possibilities of on and off patterns using all eight switches. In fact, there are 256 (2 raised to the power of 8) combinations. These various combinations of on and off bits in each byte tell the printer what to print and how to print it. Combination number 82 makes the printer print a "R" and combination number 114 prints an "r". Combination number 12 doesn't print anything but tells the printer to advance to the next page. Combination number 27, which is the "Esc" key doesn't print anything either but is used by all computers and printers as a code to tell the printer that what is coming next is a printer command rather than a character to print. For example, on an Epson dot-matrix printer, combination 52 prints a "4" but combination 27 followed by combination 52 tells the printer to print in italics. This would be fine and easy if all printers used 27 52 to change to italics. Hewlett Packard LaserJet printers use 27 40 115 49 83 to tell their printers to print in italics. Epson uses 27 64 to reset the printer (cancel all commands); HP uses 27 69. These printer differences are the reason that most programs which can print output to a variety of printers must have translation programs which are commonly known as "printer drivers." 9 Plain Vanilla Labels There is some common ground; most printers will "emulate" another printer so that completely separate drivers are unnecessary in most cases. The popular emulations are Hewlett Packard PCL (Printer Command Language), Epson 9 and 24 pin printers, and IBM ProPrinter. A huge majority of printers will emulate one of the above. Plain Vanilla Labels is shipped with built in drivers for all of these types. This section of the manual exlains how to set up Plain Vanilla Labels to print labels in the size, style, and quality that you want. SELECT OR EDIT LABEL PROFILES (1) A label profile is a set of specifications for the printing of labels. The specifications include the number of labels across, the printer type, spacing, print quality, paper control, and font control. In addition there is provision for three user-entered codes per profile. Six different profiles can be stored in Plain Vanilla Labels. This allows for quick and easy changes between different label stocks, printers, and print qualities. "Select Label Profile " allows you to choose which profile you want. "Show Printer Names" will cause a window to pop up showing the names and numbers of the currently listed printers. "Edit Label Profile" transfers you to a menu which allows you to add or change label profiles. Each choice on the menu is automatically accompanied by a help screen which appears in the lower part of the screen. First choose the type of label stock, 1, 2, or 3 across. Then choose the printer from the list supplied on the screen. If your printer or emulation is not shown, see the menu option "INSTALL NEW PRINTER FROM MASTER FILE (2)," or, "ENTER CODES FOR A NEW PRINTER (3)" below. "Spaces From Left " and "Lines From Top" are controls to align labels to the label stock. Try the suggested numbers shown in the help area and then test them by using " ALIGN LABELS WITH PRINTER (6)" below. Top and left spacing for one across, continuous tractor feed labels must be adjusted by adjusting the printer mechanism rather than by the software. TIP: When using 2 or 3 across sheet labels it will be cheaper to experiment with plain paper and to check alignment by holding the plain paper against a sheet of labels and holding them up to a light in order to see the label positions. "Pause at Page End " can be set to "Y" if your printer generates an error when you are feeding single sheets to it. "Bold Print", "Italics", and "Letter Quality" are turned off and on with these options. Appropriate printer codes must be present 10 Plain Vanilla Labels in the printer code areas. Use "ENTER CODES FOR A NEW PRINTER (3)" or "MODIFY EXISTING PRINTER CODES (4)" below to enter, modify, or check for the presence of these these codes. Please note that some printers do not support all of these options. A "Y" for an unsupported option will be ignored by Plain Vanilla Labels. "User Defined Options " are options that can be added by you to take advantage of special fonts or commands available on your printer. See "ENTER CODES FOR A NEW PRINTER (3)" or "MODIFY EXISTING PRINTER CODES (4)" below for more information. Note that profiles using the Hewlett Packard LaserJet printers have "User Defined Option 1" turned on because the option is used to turn off the "skip perforation" feature which is standard on these printers. If this is not turned off the printer will eject an extra sheet at the end of the print job. INSTALL NEW PRINTER FROM MASTER FILE (2) Plain Vanilla Labels can have 8 different printers or sets of printer codes installed at one time. It is possible to install the same printer several times with each installation containing different codes for custom set-ups. As shipped, Plain Vanilla Labels contains printer codes for Epson 9 pin , Epson 24 pin, IBM Proprinter, and Hewlett Packard LaserJet printers. These printers and other printers which emulate them account for almost all printers in use. The codes for a number of other printers is contained in the file, "OTHERPRN.LST" which was shipped with Plain Vanilla Labels. To install one of these other printers, simply select the number of the printer as shown on the list as accessed from this menu choice. If you already have 8 printers chosen, then one or more existing printers will have to be deleted to accomodate the new one. ENTER CODES FOR A NEW PRINTER (3) This option is supplied for those users whose printer is not listed in Plain Vanilla Labels or whose printer does not emulate other listed printers. To set up such a printer requires codes to be entered which are included with your printer manual. There are three types of code notation used by printer manuals, character commands, decimal values, and hexadecimal values. For example, to change a Hewlett Packard LaserJet to italic print, the character command is Ec(s1S, decimal value is 027 040 115 049 083, and hexadecimal value is 1B 28 73 31 53. Plain Vanilla Labels uses decimal values only. In addition, Plain Vanilla Labels separates each part of the command by using a forward slash "/" between them. So the italic example above becomes 027/040/115/049/083. Plain Vanilla Labels is primarily written to support the printer's default font and does not support proportional fonts. 11 Plain Vanilla Labels MODIFY EXISTING PRINTER CODES (4) This selection works much the same as entering codes for a new printer above. Here you can enter a code to add underlining for example. Remember that Plain Vanilla Labels uses decimal codes separated by forward slashes as printer codes. The "User Defined Code" areas can be changed so that the code can be given a descriptive name. Using Plain Vanilla Labels with external printer code programs. Many printers come with their own programs to control fonts, print qualities, etc. Or, the printer can be controlled by front panel switches. In addition, there are many commercial and shareware programs which are designed to control the output of printers. In many cases these programs make it easier to change printer output than working with the arcane commands in the printer manuals. However, in order to allow these programs to work, it is necessary to remove the "Master Reset Code " from the printer codes. This is because the master reset code returns the printer to its default startup condition which will cancel any commands sent by the external program. You can delete this code or any other by pressing the delete <Del> key until the code is erased. If you are using three across labels the printer must be set for condensed print. DELETE EXISTING PRINTER (5) This is used to remove unwanted printer definitions. ALIGN LABELS WITH PRINTER (6) Use this option to set up top and side spacing for labels. For two or three across labels, it is cheaper to test using plain paper rather than sheets of labels. EXIT TO MAIN MENU (7) Returns you to the Main Menu 12 Plain Vanilla Labels UTILITIES MENU ADD OR CHANGE LABEL FILE NAMES (1) Plain Vanilla Labels can store up to ten different lists or files of label data. When first run, the program has one list called "GENERAL". If you wish to have more lists press <4> from the Utilities Menu. You will be shown a list of file descriptions. Initially all except number 1 will be empty. To add or change file descriptions including the first one, press the number you wish to add or change and enter the file description. File descriptions can be up to twenty characters in length (these names are not used as the actual file names so there is no need to adhere to DOS filename rules). To change from one list to another, go to number 5 on the Main Menu. Label data are stored in up to 10 different files, depending on the number of lists that you have activated. The first list is in the file "PVLABELS.DAT"; the others are in "PVLABE02.DAT" to "PVLABE10.DAT" (this seeming discrepancy is to insure that files from version 1.xx will be compatible with version 2.xx and above). COPY LABELS TO ANOTHER LABEL FILE (2) This option allows you to copy one, several or all the labels from a particular label file to another label file. Labels to be copied are chosen in the same ways that labels to be printed are chosen. Instead of being printed on labels at your printer, they are "printed" to a special file with the indexing and comment characters intact. Plain Vanilla Labels then uses this special file to import the labels into another label file of your choice. A back-up file of the file being copied to (e.g. PVLABE02.DAT would be backed up as PVLABE02.BAK) is automatically generated in case you change your mind or some error such as a power failure occurs during the import routine. If you need to use the back-up file you will need to rename it from DOS using the REN (rename) command. If you are unfamiliar with this, please see your DOS manual. The special file mentioned above is automatically erased after it is used. The added files will be sorted within the existing labels, if any. The labels are copied instead of being moved. That is the labels copied from, say file 2 to file 5 will still remain in file 2. If you do not want them in the original file, they will have to be deleted by using the "Modify Labels" option. IMPORT OR EXPORT LABEL DATA (3) 13 Plain Vanilla Labels Importing Labels Plain Vanilla Labels can "import" data generated by other programs. The data must be in the form of text or ASCII files. Most "data" oriented programs such as word processors, spreadsheets, database programs, label makers, et cetera have the ability to send selected data to a text file (sometimes called a DOS text file). Whatever the name, the result is a file, like this manual, which looks the same when called to the screen as it does when printed on a printer. To successfully import data from a text file, the text file must "look" like a series of labels. That is the first line of the first label, whether blank or not, must be at the very top of the file and there must be no margins. The data must be in series of six lines each; five for the label and another, usually blank, line between each label. To see how such a file should be formatted, look at a .TXT file produced by the Export function described below. You may have to do some editing with a text editor such as "EDIT" supplied with DOS 5.0 or even with "EDLIN" (ugh). To import data, you will be asked to which label file you wish to import data. The program will automatically make a back-up file (.BAK) of the labels which may already be in that file. You will then have to specify the file to import from. If the import file is in a directory other than the one with your Plain Vanilla Labels data, you will need to specify the drive and path as well as the filename. When this is done, the program will collect the data and add it to the end of the label file which you specified. After the importation is complete, check that the last label in the file you are importing from has been imported into Plain Vanilla Labels. If the import file does not have the exact number of lines that Plain Vanilla Labels expects, it will not import the last label. This label can be added manually. Exporting Labels Plain Vanilla Labels has two methods of exporting data for use in other programs. The first is to "print" the labels to a disk file instead of to the printer. The result is an ASCII or plain text file which can be used by many programs including WordPerfect and Lotus 123. If you choose to export data you will be returned to the Main Menu from where you will be able to choose the labels to be exported (printed) as if they were to be sent to the printer. However, instead of being printed, you will be asked to type a file name of up to eight characters with NO punctuation. The program will add the file extension ".TXT". This is done so that no one can type the same name as a data file and so write over it. So, if you chose the file name "MYFILE" the program will store the text file in "MYFILE.TXT". This file can be used by text editors, most word processors and many other programs. If you choose a file name which already exists, you will be prompted to use another name or to write over the existing file. 14 Plain Vanilla Labels The other method of exporting data involves using the actual data files as outlined next. Label data are stored in up to 10 data files: "PVLABELS.DAT" is the DOS file name for file 1. "PVLABE02.DAT" to "PVLABE10.DAT" for files 2 to 10. These files are fixed length random access files which means that the data are stored in a continuous stream of bytes with no delimiters between each field or each record. Many programs can import such files for their own use but you must know the exact length of each field. In Plain Vanilla Labels there are 6 fields per record. The first field is a 2 byte integer which is the record number. The remaining 5 fields are all 35 bytes each representing the 5 lines of 35 characters in each label. SOFTKEY SETTINGS (4) Softkeys, F1 to F10 can be assigned strings of characters to a maximum of fifteen letters or numbers. The first five characters for each softkey will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Pressing the appropriate softkey will enter the string just as if it had been typed by you, letter by letter. Handy if most of your labels have "Saskatchewan" or "Antigonish" in them. Each label file has its own unique set of softkeys. CHANGING SCREEN COLORS (5) You can customize the colors to whatever pleases you. To change the default colors follow the prompts. If you get everything all confused you can choose to restore the default colors. The background colour is the colour of the screen and the foreground colour is the colour of the printing on the screen. When first starting up the program you will be asked whether you have a Mono or a Colour monitor. DOS FUNCTIONS (6) This is also known as "shelling to DOS". You can check a directory listing, run a printer enhancement program etc. Please do not tamper with the program's data ".DAT" files. Enter <EXIT> to return to Plain Vanilla Labels. Please return to the same directory that you were in before using this feature. DELETE ALL LABELS IN A FILE (7) This allows you to delete a complete file of labels. Ample warning is given before the command is carried out and a back-up copy of the file is made. You cannot delete the file you are currently working in. 15 Plain Vanilla Labels EXIT TO MAIN MENU (8) Pressing <8>, <X> or <Esc> will return you to the Main Menu. COMMAND LINE SWITCHES A command line switch is an addition to the command used to start a program. To start Plain Vanilla Labels in the standard manner, simply type <PVL> without the angle brackets. In addition, there are three switches which can be added to the command line: NC (no check) will disable the screen which asks that you be sure your printer is turned on. NT (no test) will disable the screen which asks if you wish to print a test label. NA (no advance) will disable the screen which asks if you wish to advance the labels by one inch. You may choose to use none of these switches, some of them, or all of them. There must be a space between each one. If you choose to use all of the switches, your command line would be as follows: <PVL NC NT NA>. FILE LISTING Plain Vanilla Labels generates all its own files with the exception of the file name to which to export labels. It is important not to change or edit these files from outside the program as the data may be corrupted. The following files are a part of PLAIN VANILLA LABELS program: PVL.EXE Plain Vanilla Labels program. PVLABELS.DAT Data file containing sample labels. VANILLA.DOC Operating Manual for Plain Vanilla Labels. README A brief explanation of the program. ORDER.FRM Registration form for the program. LICENSE.DOC Legalities concerning usage and distribution of PVL for users, vendors and BBS's. FILE_ID.DIZ A special file used by some BBS's to automatically insert a short description of PVL to their file list. Can be used by others if a short program description is needed. OTHERPRN.LST A master list of printers and codes used by the programwhen adding a new printer. After the program is first run there will be a file, "COLORSCN.CNF" which carries information about the colors selected for the screen; "LBLFORM.CNF" which stores your label configurations; "PRINTERS.CNF" which stores codes for the installed printer drivers; "FILENAME.DAT" which carries the descriptive names of the data files; and "PVLABELS.IDX" which is 16 Plain Vanilla Labels the index for "PVLABELS.DAT". For each extra data file that you use there will be a file, "PVLABExx.DAT" and the corresponding index file, "PVLABExx.IDX". "SOFTKEYS.DAT" has the data for softkeys line for each of the 10 different data files. The program will also generate, "PVLABE02.DAT" to "PVLABE10.DAT" depending upon how many lists of labels you wish to have. There may be other files such as WHATSNEW.DOC or a file listing changes not listed in VANILLA.DOC. CUSTOMER SUPPORT If you have problems or questions, please phone (416) 284-6119 anytime or leave a message on CompuServe, the Internet, or write to the address on the title page of this manual. CompuServe ID is 70461,2507. Internet address is bert.christensen@canrem.com. The latest version of Plain Vanilla Labels can be found in the IBM Applications Forum of CompuServe. CHANGES AND ENHANCEMENTS Rosewood Software is vitally interested in your comments and suggestions, or your ideas for new programs. If you like Plain Vanilla Labels but would like customized changes for your specific application, please contact us. Hearing from you, the user helps us to provide you with a better product. SHAREWARE The only way that you can be assured of a continuing supply of low-cost, quality software for almost any purpose, is to support Shareware. Shareware is non-shrink-wrapped, low cost software that you try at your own convenience. Shareware is used by everyone from individuals to the largest multinational corporations. Shareware, as a marketing concept, trusts you, the user, to buy it if you like it. If you like Plain Vanilla Labels, and if you use it, please send your registration fee today. For your convenience, there is an order form (ORDER.FRM) which you can print from your Plain Vanilla Labels distribution disk. 17 Plain Vanilla Labels REGISTRATION INFORMATION Plain Vanilla Labels is not in any way free software. If you have tried Plain Vanilla Labels and have decided that it suits your purposes, please register. Continued use of Plain Vanilla Labels beyond a trial period is an infringement of copyright laws. Registered users will receive notices of major updates and of any new products which may be introduced by Rosewood Software as well as a code which will remove all exhortations to register in the program. Registration costs $15 which includes the latest version mailed to you. Ontario residents please add 8% Ontario Retail Sales Tax. Canadian Goods and Services Tax (GST) is included. Write for information on quantity purchases. When ordering, please print and use the file "ORDER.FRM", which was included on your distribution disk, or simply include your name, address, company name, and your telephone number, along with a cheque or money order to: Rosewood Software 135-10 Livonia Place Scarborough, Ontario M1E 4W6 (416) 284-6119 CompuServe 70461,2507 Member of the Association of Shareware Professionals <ASP> Cheques in Canadian dollars must be drawn on Canadian banks. Cheques from other countries must be written in the currency of that country. For example, a cheque drawn on a US bank must be in US (not Canadian) funds; a cheque drawn on an English bank must be in pounds. We are able to accept cheques in most currencies. Thank you for supporting Rosewood Software and Shareware. WARRANTY DISCLAIMER Rosewood Software makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including without limitation, any warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. Rosewood Software shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, special, or consequential, arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by the user. Rosewood Software shall not be liable for any damage to data or property which may be caused directly or indirectly by use of the program. 18 Plain Vanilla Labels IN NO EVENT WILL ROSEWOOD SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. LICENSE Plain Vanilla Labels version 4.02 is Copyright (C) 1995 by Rosewood Software and Bert Christensen. Plain Vanilla Labels is distributed under the user-supported Shareware concept. Non-registered users of Plain Vanilla Labels are granted a limited license to use Plain Vanilla Labels for a trial period not to exceed 90 days in order to determine its suitability for their purposes. Any use of non-registered copies of Plain Vanilla Labels beyond this trial period is forbidden. Registering a copy of Plain Vanilla Labels allows a user to make as many copies of Plain Vanilla Labels as desired, and to use it on various machines, but the same registered copy of Plain Vanilla Labels may not be in use on more than one machine at the same time. No user may modify Plain Vanilla Labels in any way, including but not limited to decompiling, disassembling, or otherwise reverse engineering the program. All users are granted a license to copy Plain Vanilla Labels for the trial use of others, subject to the above restrictions and also the following: Plain Vanilla Labels must be copied in absolutely un- modified form, including all program files and complete documentation; No licensee may accept or request a charge or other payment for Plain Vanilla Labels except for a disk handling charge of up to $12. Operators of electronic bulletin board systems may post Plain Vanilla Labels for downloading by their users only as long so the above conditions are met. Distributors of public domain or user-supported software may distribute copies of Plain Vanilla Labels subject to the above conditions only after obtaining written permission from Rosewood Software. All not-for-profit organizations or vendor members of the Association of Shareware Professionals are exempt from this restriction. In any case, no charge may be made for a disk 19 Plain Vanilla Labels containing Plain Vanilla Labels except for a disk handling charge of up to $12. ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS OMBUDSMAN Rosewood Software is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442 27, FAX 616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via -94 CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Please remember to back-up your data. THANK YOU FOR USING PLAIN VANILLA LABELS! 20 Plain Vanilla Labels --- --- --- A A A--- --- --- H H H--- --- --- --- --- --- ADD OR CHANGE LABEL FILE NAMES Hewlett Packard LaserJet 11 13 ALIGN LABELS WITH PRINTER 12 --- --- ------ --- --- I I I ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS OMBUDSMAN 20 IBM Proprinter 11 AUTOEXEC.BAT file 2 IMPORT OR EXPORT LABEL DATA 13 Importing Labels 14 --- --- --- B B B--- --- --- Indexing 5 INSTALL NEW PRINTER FROM Bold Print 10 MASTER FILE 11 BUFFERS=15 2 INSTALLATION 2 INTRODUCTION TO PRINTERS AND --- --- --- C C C --- --- --- PRINTER CODES 9 Italics 10 CHANGES AND ENHANCEMENTS 17 CHANGING SCREEN COLORS 15 L L L--- --- --- --- --- --- COMMAND LINE SWITCHES 16 Comments 5 Label Printing Menu 6 CONFIG.SYS file 2 LABEL PROFILE & PRINTER MENU8, 9 COPY LABELS TO ANOTHER LABEL LABEL STOCK AND PRINTER FILE 13 MECHANISMS 3 CUSTOMER SUPPORT 17 Letter Quality 10 LICENSE 19 --- --- --- D D D --- --- --- Lines From Top 10 DELETE ALL LABELS IN A FILE 15 M M M --- --- ------ --- --- DELETE EXISTING PRINTER 12 DOS FUNCTIONS 15 MAIN MENU 5 Master Reset Code 12 --- --- --- E E E --- --- --- Maximum labels in a file 2 Memory requirements 2 EDIT KEYS 3 MODIFY EXISTING PRINTER CODES12 Edit Label Profile 10 MODIFY LABEL DATA 5 emulate 10 Emulation 10 O O O --- --- ------ --- --- ENTER CODES FOR A NEW PRINTER11 ENTER LABEL DATA 5 OTHERPRN.LST 11 Epson 24 pin 11 Out of Memory 3 Epson 9 pin 11 Out of String Space 3 EXIT PROGRAM 8 OVERVIEW 2 Exporting Labels 14 --- --- --- P P P --- --- --- --- --- --- F F F --- --- --- PATH 2 FILE LISTING 16 Pause at Page End 10 FILES=15 2 Print All Labels on File 6 PRINT LABELS 6 Print Labels from Search Menu6 21 Plain Vanilla Labels Print Selected Labels 6 --- --- --- R R R --- --- --- REGISTRATION INFORMATION 18 REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS 2 --- --- --- S S S --- --- --- SEARCH FOR LABELS 7 SELECT LABEL FILE 7 Select Label Profile 10 SELECT OR EDIT LABEL PROFILES10 SHAREWARE 17 SOFTKEY SETTINGS 15 Spaces From Left 10 --- --- --- --- --- --- U U U User Defined Options 11 Using external printer code programs 12 UTILITIES MENU 8 --- --- ------ --- --- V V V VIEW LABELS 7 --- --- ------ --- --- W W W WARRANTY DISCLAIMER 18 22