About Printing from ASCII Fixed-Width Files

DAZzle must be given information about where each field begins and ends in the selected list file. The process of identifying the locations of the fields for DAZzle is called field mapping. DAZzle shows a list of fields that it can use in the DAZzle Field Mapping column (on the left). For each type of field that appears in the fixed-width file, enter:

• The field starting position in the Starting Position edit box.
• The field length in the Field Width edit box.

  Make sure to scroll through the list of field types (the scroll bar on the right moves the list of fields up and down) to select all appropriate fields in the selected file.

• Note: For all DAZzle field types that are not in your list file, leave their starting position and length at zero.

The Sample Address box shows you exactly how the first address in the file appears when printed. Use this as a guide for correct selection of the fields and locations. Pay careful attention to the alignment of the address. If you are off by one or two characters in either position or length, the sample address should clearly show this.

• Some fields in your list file may be mapped as more than one type. Use the easiest method for you. For example, if you have a field that contains the entire name of the person, it could be mapped as either Last Name or Address Line 1.
• Do not select any of the Address Line types for a field that only contains a city or state or ZIP. Make sure that you select the type of field that most closely matches (for example, City, State, or ZIP Code) it.
• If you have a file where the City and State are in the same field, select City as the type.
• Make sure you select all of the address fields in your file. For example, if the first address only uses one of two possible address lines, make sure you still map both fields.

The sample address is displayed so that you can see the effects of all of the options selected. The sample address shows how the first record appears on the envelope.

Options include:

• Skip First Record: The first record of a fixed-width text file sometimes contains field names. To tell DAZzle to skip this record when printing, select the Skip First Record check box.

• Records End with CR/LF: In a fixed-width file, all records are separated by the carriage return (CR) and line field (LF) characters. If the text file you are using does not contain a CR and LF, clear the Records End with CR/LF check box.

• Save Dash in ZIP Code: To save the dash in nine-digit ZIP Codes, select the Save Dash in ZIP Code check box. Otherwise DAZzle stores only the nine-digits without the dash.