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diff --git a/info/digests/texhax/txh/bell.txh b/info/digests/texhax/txh/bell.txh new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..89fa425450 --- /dev/null +++ b/info/digests/texhax/txh/bell.txh @@ -0,0 +1,272 @@ +% BELL.TXH; reference in TeXhax.8730 + +Date: Thu, 16 Apr 87 17:37:57 PST +From: <BELL%UKANVAX.BITNET> +Subject: Documentation for earlier form letter submission. + + Well, after receiving numerous responses regarding my form + letter format for (need I reiterate) PLAIN TeX, I realized + that I provided no way for people to guess what the correct + format for the letter file(s) and/or address file(s) are. + + I am sending on a text version of our local guide as to the + usage. Unfortunately, since it uses a format that I developed + here for producing TeXnical Memoranda, I am unable to send + a TeXable version. Also, the examples refer to DCL (VAX/VMS) + commands---users of other operating systems forgive me. I am + certain that the file is too big to post in TeXhax, so hopefully + it will be archived along with the macro files sent earlier. + + Ed Bell + Dept. of Physics and Astronomy + University of Kansas + Bitnet: BELL@UKANVAX + SPAN: KUPHSX::BELL (7.220) + + +--------------------------Beginning of Document-------------------------------- + + + AutoLetter + A TeX Letter Formatting Facility + E. V. Bell, II + +AutoLetter is a facility available for producing high quality letters capable +of handling any number of people in a mailing list. Although the format of the +address file is somewhat restrictive, it is still possible to create a form +letter destined to be sent to a wide variety of people and still personalize +each one. + +This document is designed to explain: (1) the few commands necessary to format +the letter and personalize it; (2) the format of the address file; and, +(3) how to generate labels for the letters. + + + Getting started + +For each form letter, you must create two files. The first is a file containing +a list of the names and addresses of the people to whom the letters are being +mailed. The second is a file containing the letter. Once these files have been +created, you are ready to TeX them. There are relatively few TeX commands +required in the letter, although any valid TeX command will work, including +macro definitions, font changes, etc. In this way you can still utilize the +power of TeX without sacrificing the simplicity of typing a form letter. +Once these files are created, then type the following at DCL level: + + $ tex autoletter + +AutoLetter will then read in some files and will prompt you for the names of +the address and letter files. It handles everything from there. If you should +happen to have TeX errors present in the letter, you should correct them +before attempting to print the file. Your resulting DVI file will be called +AUTOLETTER.DVI. LNTeX this file and print it to the laser printer. + +The way in which labels are formatted is similar. In this case, a different +TeX facility is used (LABELS) and only the address file is needed. In +this manner, it is not necessary to create labels for a group of letters unless +it is desired. Also, it is possible to maintain a mailing list for the purpose +of generating mailing labels without using the AutoLetter procedure. + + + The letter file + +There are relatively few special commands required for producing a letter with +AutoLetter. Many of them are similar to or exactly the same as the ones listed +in Appendix E of The TeXbook. + +The very first line in the file should contain the command \letterbody. This +merely informs TeX to set up some parameters in a particular way. The +salutation then follows. The salutation may include some commands which will +personalize the letter in a number of different ways. If you wish to refer to +the person by title and last name (e.g., Dr. Davidson, Mr. Desko, Ms. Comfort, +etc.), you need only use the command \person. The persons title and last name +will be substituted anywhere in the document where you use this command. If the +person should have no known title, the phrase ``Sir or Madam'' is substituted. + +An alternative way to address someone would be by their first name. This could +be whatever name you specify as the persons first name in the address file or +an optional nickname. You may do this with the \familiar command. + +Finally, if in the salutation line you wish to refer to the addressee formally, +you may use the \formal command. If, then, the persons title is Mr., the word +``Sir'' will be substituted. If the persons title is Mrs., Ms., or Miss, the +word ``Madam'' will be substituted. Finally, if the title is none of the above, +it is the same result as typing \person). + +There are no special commands which are needed to produce the file from that +point onward. You may specify any form of type you wish to use (roman, +boldface, etc.) with the usual TeX commands. The letter is typeset by default +in twelve-point roman and TeX places the date on every copy of the letter. Also +by default, paragraphs are not indented. If you wish to have an paragraph +indented on both sides, you can use the \narrow and \wide commands. TeXhax +users should know at this point that these commands have been defined as: + + \def\narrow{\advance\leftskip by3em \advance\rightskip by3em} + \def\wide{\advance\leftskip by-3em \advance\rightskip by-3em} + +When the body of the letter is finished, you specify the closing of the letter +with the \closing command on a line by itself. The next line then contains the +closing you wish to specify (e.g., Sincerely, Yours truly, etc., including the +punctuation). The following lines until AutoLetter reaches a blank line, or one +of the commands discussed below will be the placed after the signature space. +The form, then, would be + + \closing + Sincerely, + J. P. Davidson + Chairman + +The \annotations command is used to specify any special annotations required of +the letter. These are specified no differently than any normal letter would be +typed. Again, the \annotations command would be on a line by itself and each +following line until a blank line is found would be typeset as a separate line. + +The \ps command is used to specify any post-scripts the author may wish. You +need not type the usual ``P.S.'', however, as AutoLetter takes care of it. +Again, leave a blank line after the post-script is finished. + +Finally, the last line in the document should have the command \endletter. This +finishes the general description of the letter file. An example file follows +(the result of which produces the last three pages of this document): + +--------------------------------Example---------------------------------------- + +\letterbody +Dear \familiar, + +This is the first in what I expect to be a series of canned \TeX\ routines +for the office staff of the University of Kansas' Department of Physics and +Astronomy. The obvious intent is to facilitate the usage of the departments +VAX 11-750 computer and ease the shock of transition for either those not +used to working on computers in general or those simply not used to working +on a VMS system. + +I hope to provide to the department a durable but relatively flexible system +whereby the office staff will be able to: + +\narrow +\item{1.}Create standardized form letters for mailing to a large group of +people. +\vskip-\parskip +\item{2.}Allow creation of book and journal formats which will allow for +providing camera-ready text for publication. +\vskip-\parskip +\item{3.}Provide for both a means of uniformity of appearance of departmental +documents when that is desired and for diversity of appearance when personal +taste dictates. + +\wide +This will, I trust, give you a brief idea of what I have intended. A format for +producing an interdepartmental memo already exists and the ability to produce +dissertations exists in at least two formats. This letter proves the capability +of creating mass mailings or even of a single letter in a uniform format. I +hope that you will all find these routines useful and productive. + +\closing +Sincerely, +E. V. Bell, II +System \TeX nician + +\ps +The \TeX\ routine which produced this letter is called AutoLetter. It is +available to everyone on the system and users manuals are available. + +\endletter + +-----------------------------End of Example------------------------------------ + + + The address file + +The format of the address file is very specific. The first six lines are +reserved for the name of the addressee and the address as it is to appear in +the letter follows on subsequent lines. Each entry is separated by an asterisk +(*) on a line by itself. An example of an address file might be: + +--------------------------------Example---------------------------------------- +Mr. +Edwin +Ed +V. +Bell +II +1011 Indiana, Apt. \#6 +Lawrence, KS\ \ \ 66044-2952 +* + +Dept. of Physics and Astronomy + + + + +University of Kansas +Lawrence, KS\ \ \ 66045 +* +Mr. +R. +Rick +D. +Desko + +Dept. of Physics and Astronomy +University of Kansas +Lawrence, KS\ \ \ 66045 +* +-----------------------------End of Example------------------------------------ + +Note that each part of the persons name (including their title) appears on a +line by itself. The lines for the addressees name are: + + (1) The persons title (e.g., Prof., Mr., Ms., etc.). + (2) The persons first name or initial. + (3) The name to use other than their first name if the salutation is + \familiar. (This can either be the same as (2) or a nickname.) + (4) The persons middle name(s) or initial(s). + (5) The persons last name. + (6) Additional name information (used for such things as ``Jr.'', + ``II'', or other things). + +Even if one or more parts of the name is unknown or irrelevant, a blank must +be left for the entry. AutoLetter will reassemble the name as appropriate to +certain commands. Also notice that if the letter is to an organization, as in +the second entry, that you should leave all name lines blank except the one +reserved for the first name. All other information would then appear as part of +the address. + + + The LABELS facility + +The ability to create mailing labels, while not necessarily useful only in the +generation of form letters, is still so closely tied to the subject that I +hesitated to write another manual iterating much of the same material. It is +useful to be able to generate mailing labels both in coordination with and +separately from the AutoLetter facility. It is therefore provided as a separate +utility. + +The LABELS procedure creates a page containing 33 labels, three columns of +eleven labels. In order to use it, have the address file (described above) +already created and type at DCL: + + $ tex labels + +LABELS will then read in some files and will prompt you for the name of the +address file, just as AutoLetter does. It handles everything from there. As +always, if you should happen to have TeX errors present in the letter, you +should correct them before attempting to print the file. + +Similarly to the AutoLetter procedure, your resulting DVI file will be called +(this time) LABELS.DVI. LNTeX this file and print it to the laser printer. + + + +If you do not wish to use the AutoLetter facility directly, it is possible to +just input the letter format file (with \input letter_format), but you will +need to control the positioning of the date (as well as many other things) +yourself. Enjoy! + + E. V. Bell, II + +-----------------------------Ending of Document-------------------------------- + +------- + |