                         USING MAIL MERGE IN PC-TYPE+

    The Mail Merge features have been designed to be simple, yet powerful.
    When you want to personalize the same letter (or document) over and
    over again on a volume basis you can eliminate the need for repetitive
    typing.  Names, addresses, and any other variables will be "plugged
    in" to your text, saving time and cutting down on errors.

    PC-TYPE+ offers three options for Mail Merge:

            * Keyboard Input (just "filling in the blanks").
            * Pulling in specific PC-FILE database fields.
            * Using comma delimited (Wordstar) data files.

    There are even added features like including many files in a master
    file for printing; and an ".IF" option for selecting files to include
    based on matching items (i.e., strings of text or PC-FILE fields).

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    Whenever you want to use Mail Merge, you can easily get started by
    just pressing F8, F7, and then F8 again.  That should be done at the
    beginning of your file.  Doing that will bring in what you see below:


    ├───────────────────── Bgn Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤
        .ftype Mail   or PC-File or Keyboard
        .fspec C:\DATA\MASTER.HDR                                        
        .field Vname
        .match Vname,"string"
        .force Vname,"string"
    ├───────────────────── End Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤


    This is your basic starting point for tailoring Mail Merge to fit your
    specific needs.  Next you will modify this Mail Merge definition.  The
    following examples will help you understand how to make such changes.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    Mail merge using keyboard input is the simplest to use.  There is a
    minimum amount of set up required.  Beyond writing text you'll only
    need to create the basic Mail Merge definition and decide where you
    want the variables placed.

    Don't let the ease of doing this fool you, because this type of Mail
    Merge is very powerful.  You can easily set up dozens of form letters
    and standard agreements this way, for a "fill in the blanks" approach
    to speeding up office procedures and cutting down on bottlenecks at
    the typing pool.

    Here's all there is to the Mail Merge definition for keyboard input:

    ├───────────────────── Bgn Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤
        .ftype Keyboard
    ├───────────────────── End Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤


                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    This is what the date and address portion of your Mail Merge letter
    for keyboard input might look like:

                                     .<DATE*>

            .GROUP
            .<COMPANY>
            .<NAME> .<TITLE>
            .<STREET> .<SUITE>
            .<CITY> .<STATE> .<ZIP>
            .EGROUP

    The date will be inserted automatically for you at the top, each time
    you do your letter.  As PC-TYPE+ comes to each word in brackets it
    will stop and ask you for input.  Each variable can be used in as many
    places throughout your text as you want, too.  The .GROUP and .EGROUP
    markers will remove any blanks lines within the address.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    Here's what the actual text of letter might look like:

         Dear .<NICKNAME>:

              It was good to meet with you today.  I know we can
         .<KEYIN*>.

              I will give you a call in a few weeks to see how things
         are going.  Let me know what more I can do to help.

         Sincerely,

         YOUR NAME/TITLE HERE

    Again, PC-TYPE+ will ask you for input at the bracketed words.  The
    .<KEYIN*> is where you can type in something different each time you
    do the letter.  You can use .<KEYIN*> as often as you want.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    By following this STEP BY STEP guide, you will be able to print out a
    sample PC-TYPE+ Mail Merge file.  You will be editing that sample file
    while still working with this file.  That will make it easy to refer
    back to these steps.  When working with more than one file, you can
    move back and forth between the files by just pressing Shift F1.

    STEP #1 Type EDIT x:\path\MM.1 on    STEP #4 Tab to "Mail Merge", then
            the Command Line.  "x" is            press the  down arrow key
            the drive.  "path" may be            to turn on Mail Merge.
            "pct_help".

    STEP #2 MM.1  is on your PC-TYPE+    STEP #5 Press F10  to specify the
            HELP  disk.   Next  press            Drive  PC-TYPE+  can  use
            Enter to work with MM.1              for a temporary file.

    STEP #3 Press Shift F3 to get the    STEP #6 Press F10 again to begin.
            Print Options Menu.   All            Then answer the questions
            printer options apply.               on the lower screen.
                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    PC-TYPE+ allows you to pull in data from any PC-FILE database for Mail
    Merge, too.  You start by pressing F8, F7, and then F8 like you did in
    our first example.  Here's a sample Mail Merge definition to use a
    PC-FILE database (like the one provided with PC-TYPE+):

    ├───────────────────── Bgn Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤
        .ftype PC-File
        .fspec Drive:\Path\Filename.HDR
        .match Vname,"string"
        .force Vname,"string"
    ├───────────────────── End Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤

    The first line tells PC-TYPE you want to work with a PC-FILE database.
    The second line is where you let PC-TYPE+ know which database you want
    to work with.  The next two lines are helpful options.  ".match" lets
    you selectively choose records.  ".force" allows you to put variables
    that change (i.e., deadline dates or terms) in an easy to find place.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    The sample file MM.2 on the PC-TYPE+ HELP disk shows you how all of
    the aspects of using a PC-FILE database work.  You can now easily edit
    that file just like you did with the keyboard entry sample (MM.1).  It
    also includes an example of .IF, which is explained right in the text.

    You will find a helpful summary of these advanced Mail Merge features
    at the end of this file.  Remember, too, that you can also get a quick
    reference of Mail Merge features from the PC-TYPE+ Help Menu Screen.
    You can do that at any point by pressing F1 and then the letter "m".

    Your third option for Mail Merge is the comma delimited format.  This
    is a fairly common format, usually associated with programs like
    WORDSTAR and others.  Having this option in PC-TYPE+ means you can use
    all of those WORDSTAR (or similar) data files - without any changes or
    modifications.  All you need to do is set up the Mail Merge Definition
    for that option.  A sample file on the PC-TYPE+ HELP disk called MM.3
    shows you just what you will need to do.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    Here's an example of a comma delimited Mail Merge definition:

    ├───────────────────── Bgn Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤
        .ftype Mail
        .fspec Drive:\Path\Filename.ext
        .field Vname
        .field Vname
        .field Vname
        .field Vname
        .field Vname
    ├───────────────────── End Mail Merge Def. ────────────────────────┤

    This time the first line (i.e., with the word "Mail") tells PC-TYPE+
    you want to work with a comma delimited data file.  The second line is
    where you put the name of the data file.  The rest of the lines are
    where you will define the variable names, in the order that the data
    appears in your data file.

                            Press the PgDn Key ...

    You can place "flags" in your mail merge files to reformat paragraphs
    and/or lines.  To do that you just place Key Letters at the end of
    your variable names like this:     .<VAR>x> or .[VAR]x]
    Replace the "x" with  L  to reformat a line; and  P  to reformat a
    paragraph.  Use  J  to justify a line and  PJ to justify a paragraph.

    Summary of Key Words in Mail Merge:

    .MATCH Vname,"string" (Only matching records from source selected)
    .FORCE Vname,"string" (Special variable - even overrides record data)
    .INCLUDE fspec (brings in file - which can include M/M functions)
    .IF VAR,"string" (Selects files to include on matching items)
    .GROUP ...  .EGROUP or .EGROUP R (Blanks removed or replaced at end)
    .LABEL ...  .ELABEL (Save address lines to predefined labels file)
    .<DATE*> (The current system date inserted at this point)
    .<TIME*> (The current system time inserted at this point)
    .<KEYIN*> (Mail Merge pauses for you to type in variables that change)

                     Press F4 to return to the HELP Menu

