RBA's Mailing Template for Atari Works Seeing the download count on our Avery Label Macros for Pagestream has inspired the creation of a useful template for the very nice Atari Works (AW) all-in-one software productivity package. Owing to the generosity of one of the AW beta testers, we were lucky enough to get sufficient time "playing" in AW to come up with a simple template for your mailing needs. Basically, the template is an editable Atari Works Word Processor document which features "first time, every time, zero error" No. 10 envelope printing, as well as package label printing for shipping boxes, etc. It was trouble-shooted on a DeskJet 500C, but should work fine with many printers. TO USE Simply boot up Atari Works, load the file MAILINGS.STW, and then edit the provided pages for your own names and addresses. We use "John Doe" and "Doe's Dough Co." in "Any Town" U.S.A. in the examples. The pages provided: Page No. Mailing Use: ========================================================================= Page 1. No. 10 envelope #1 2. No. 10 envelope #2 3. No. 10 envelope #3 In other words, you can set up three different envelopes, then print. (These are short pages.) 4. 3 up, 2.75 x 5 inch mailing labels with boxes and rules on a normal 8.5x11 page. To use, you must cut them out and affix with spray glue (or use self-stick papers). 5. Directions on setting up AW for printing. TO PRINT ON THE DESKJET PRINTER: First, read and follow the AW page setup instructions on page 5 of the document. Change the settings as indicated, but remember, you may have to reset to standard page size and margins if you wish to print another document other than MAILINGS.STW. The DeskJet printer series features a "load envelope" button(s). For the first three pages, you must first load the No. 10 envelope, and then issue the print (Control-P) command in Atari Works. Make sure to check the envelope's alignment once loaded in the DJ, and eject to reload any crooked envelope. (You have to lift the lid to check the envelope's alignment against the DeskJet's metal platen.) The fourth page can be printed normally to an 8.5x11 letter size page (even though the page is set to a custom format). * ADVANTAGES OF THE TEMPLATE: * You can manually set up three different envelopes and three different mailing labels, and print any one or all _without_ reconfiguring your printer settings. * You can create unlimited envelopes by copying and pasting, taking care to make the page breaks occur exactly like the examples. or to save eons, * You can use Cardfile's "send" feature to input addresses, or, if you set up your Cardfile data correctly (no blank fields), you can use Cardfile to create an Atari Works Data Base that will AUTOMATICALLY mail merge to your No. 10 envelope template, allowing you to produce a giant mailing with a "type it once" philosophy. You will save time! The AW Word Processor's ability to use the AW Database for mail merge is amazingly simple and very powerful to use. Having to do customized form letters and matching envelopes becomes an all too easy task, especially when using a program like Cardfile in conjunction with your efforts. In this scenario, the task of making a form letter ends with typing the form letter. All the personalization and letter/ envelope printing is virtually automatic. WHY ATARI WORKS? ------------------------------------------------ Atari Works features a very functional word processor that will surely make its mark for many as a "first-use" program: SPEEDO GDOS Full support of the fantastic new Speedo GDOS, pound for pound an equal in screen display and output quality as compared to Adobe Type Manager (ATM), which has errantly spawned a great deal of IBM and Mac envy amongst Atarians. Banish your envy! Get Speedo! WYSIWYG AND FAST! Due to Speedo, AW's word processor is WYSIWYG, having a display quality equalling Calamus and PageStream, with a redraw rate not unlike Calamus (and _much_ faster than PageStream). Of course, typographic controls in AW are a very far cry from these high-end DTP solutions, but who's counting hundredths of an em when all you really want to do is crank out a world class-looking business letter - RIGHT NOW? AW is FAST to use. FEATURES Although not a powerhouse like Calligrapher, AW's word processor has capabilities that still shine, like the ability to have a new set of indents and tabs ON EVERY LINE with no need for multiple rulers, only the single top ruler which tracks the changing formats like magic. Formats can be copied and pasted, and when copied are saved with long multi-word descriptions in a drop down "Paste Format" menu. This is a subset of what DTP users call "tags" and is a delight to use. AW has very easy and nice tabs (left, right, centered, decimal) which make tables (or invoices!) a breeze. The spell checker and thesaurus, though not extremely complete, are of admirable quality. Thesaurus use brings up a "select word context" dialog featuring the dictionary definitions of the word, and once selected, the thesaurus entries for the given context. Primitive but useful graphics (lines and boxes) are also provided for. The primary utilities in AW (word processor, database, spread- sheet) have good inter-program compatibility, especially the WP and Database. FONTS Speedo GDOS comes with a fine selection of fonts adequate to the needs of most users. Times Roman ("Dutch") and Helvetica ("Swiss") clones are classic standards, but many fonts should find their way into the Speedo vector format. I've seen samples of many of the early faces and they are beautiful on the DeskJet in any and all reasonable sizes. In fact, any user would be hard pressed to see the difference between the output of AW/Speedo as compared to their favorite DTP package. THE LOOK What Atarians have been waiting for: a printed page that is not only EASY TO CREATE, but with a PROFESSIONAL LOOK to rival the best the "other" platforms have to offer. Correspondence from Atari Works would be acceptable on any desk in America.