|
Compatible with WordPerfect 8 and later
versions
Downloading,
Documentation, Modifications, and Support
[Thanks to Marianne Greene for the idea
behind this macro.] |
Contains two macros:
- Convert address to upper
case.wcm is
a macro that inserts a letter's mailing address (stripped of
certain punctuation marks) in WordPerfect's Format, Envelope
dialog in UPPER CASE letters, to conform with suggested postal
service guidelines.
- Select address.wcm is primarily for macro writers. It simply selects
the inside address in a letter if it is not already selected,
and pops up a message dialog showing the address. It is based
on the rule WordPerfect
uses to find the mailing address on a page, but can copy
up to eight address lines, not just the six lines specified by
WordPerfect's rule.
- Note: The Select address.wcm macro, as shipped, simply displays a dialog message.
It should be modified to perform a more useful function according
to your specific needs. It was included for macro writers who
want to use a macro to perform some task using the address in
a letter, such as copying the address to another page or document.
Be sure to read the comments inside the macro.
For (non-merged) single envelopes
- (See the bottom of this page for methods to produce merged
labels or merged envelopes with upper case mailing
addresses.)
Either
- play the Convert address to upper case.wcm macro inside a letter document that contains the
recipient's address on page 1
or
- select the
inside (recipient's) address block in the letter and then play
the macro.
The second method is useful if the address
is inside a table or box, or there are multiple delivery addresses
on the page, or the address is less than three lines long.
If you use the first method, the macro will
automatically search for an address in the letter, which typically
consists of a block of three to eight lines of text on page 1
(each line ending in a hard return) and the last line of the
block ending with two hard returns.
Sometimes this automatic address method won't
work -- through no fault of the macro -- for the following reasons.
First, you shouldn't type a letter with three
or more consecutive information (text) lines at the top of page
1, above the recipient's mailing address. If you do, WordPerfect
may get confused (it uses a certain rule
to find the mailing address). In such a case, use your mouse
to select the recipient's address before playing the macro. A
better solution is to put multiple-line letterhead information
in a header, text box, or watermark. See the author's LETTERHD
for a sample letterhead that uses a text box at the top.
Second, multiple RE: or SUBJ: lines below
the recipient's address could be erroneously selected by the
macro instead of the address. WordPerfect's own built-in envelope
feature often has trouble with multiple RE: lines, too. One solution
is to get in the habit of using Format, Paragraph, Indent instead
of ending each reference or subject line with a HRt so that these
lines will wrap to a single, terminal HRt. Another solution is
to first select the recipient's address with your mouse, then
play the macro.
 Notes
If you play this macro on an old letter you
opened up just to produce a printed envelope, please be aware
that the macro makes a minor and temporary change to whatever
document is open at the time the macro plays: It temporarily
converts the recipient's address to upper case so that the Envelope
dialog can "grab" it in the new upper case format.
When the Envelope dialog is dismissed, the address is restored
to its original format. However, if you then attempt to close
the document without saving these temporary changes, you will
get WordPerfect's standard warning ("Save changes...?")
that displays whenever a document has been modified. Simply answer
"No" to preserve the file's original creation date.
Tips
- PUNCTUATION MARKS: See the redlined User Modifcation Area in the macro's code to change or add punctuation marks
that should be omitted from the mailing address. The macro's
default is to remove just commas and periods ("full stops"),
which follows the recommendations of the United States Postal
Service. If you want to add or change these defaults, open the
macro for editing (just like any other document) and follow the
instructions in the redlined area. For users in the United States,
see here
for USPS "Addressing Tips and Tools."
- IF ADDRESSES ARE IN TABLES: If you use addresses
inside tables in the letter you should select the address
before playing the macro. The macro skips over tables during
automatic searches for an address.
- QUICK ACCESS TO THE MACRO: You may want to
assign this macro to a toolbar button for easy access. Here's
how.
- SET YOUR DEFAULT ENVELOPE FONTS: You may
want to use a sans serif font -- one that doesn't have
those little "tails" on some letters -- on envelopes
that use both upper case and no punctuation. Otherwise
they may be hard for people to read. To set address defaults
for all envelopes:
- Click on Format, Envelope. In the Mailing
address area, click the Font button and select Arial,
Verdana, Futura or similar sans serif font. For
the mailing address, 11- or 12-point size works well.
- For the return address, 8-point size works
well. Also, you can use a QuickWord (but only in later versions
of WP9, and in WP10+) in the return address area. The QuickWord
will expand when the envelope is printed or appended. This is
a good way to have graphics (such as your logo) or font changes
in the return address area. For more on this, click here.
|
For merged labels or envelopes
-
|
When you want to convert addresses on multiple
items such as merged address labels or merged envelopes,
try one of these methods.
Method 1. First
process your data file into upper case and remove punctuation.
Then merge the resulting data into your merge form.
- Open your merge data or table file. (Make
a backup of this file first.)
- Click Edit, Select All, then click Edit,
Convert Case, Upper Case. All text in the file should now be
in upper case letters.
- Remove commas and periods ("full stops")
in this file with Edit, Find and Replace. In the Find: field,
type a comma or a period. In the Replace field, use <nothing>.
Then press the Replace All button. Repeat for other punctuation
to remove.
- Save your data or table file (perhaps with
a different name) and then merge the data with your form (labels,
envelopes, etc.). Note that you may need to reduce the font size
on your form for the mailing address before merging to labels,
since all upper case text can take up more horizontal space on
a label than normal upper/lower case text.
Method 2. A
simpler process compared to the above method is to use an embedded
macro in your form file to automatically convert addresses
into upper case, remove punctuation, and (optionally) add a POSTNET
barcode [note: There is controversy about whether bar codes work
to speed single items of mail. See here
for more on this].
Download a two-page file that explains the method and includes
a sample merge form file for standard address labels. (The sample
form can be easily modified for a variety of labels or envelopes.) |
|