File to vMedia - Formatting for Automatic Recognition

File to vMedia uses a specially formatted comment block (using the WordPerfect Insert Comment feature) to identify the start of a document and the filing information that should be used when it is filed in vMedia. In order for File to vMedia to be able to distinguish the end of one document and the start of the next document, the File to vMedia comment block must be placed somewhere on the first page of each document.

Comment Block Structure

The first line of the comment block must contain the text: "File to vMedia" to identify the comment block as containing File to vMedia commands and filing information.

There can be only one File to vMedia comment block in each document. It must be placed on the first page in order for File to vMedia to be able to separate the individual documents from the merge.

The second line must contain either "Autosave=Y" or "Autosave=N". For multiple-document merges "Autosave=Y" is the appropriate selection. For more information on the AutoSave feature, see "Advanced Concepts - Automating the Document Filing Task."

The third and subsequent lines should contain filing field assignment expressions in the general form:fieldname=value

Certain symbols are prohibited in literal values. In particular, quotation marks are prohibited.

  • To specify a character or text string, prefix the string with a forward slash "/".

  • Literal date strings should be enclosed in curly brackets "{}".

  • Numeric values do not need special delimiters.

Comment Block Example 1 (for use with the SAMPLE Database included with vMedia)

NOTE: Collection-Master Users: See Comment Block Example 2 for an example that is appropriate for the CLS000 Database.

In this first example, the FDATE field value is not preceded by a literal slash. In this case, the FDATE field is a vMedia date field that gets its actual value from a vMedia internal function at the time the document is filed.

File to vMedia
Autosave=Y
Name=/FIELD(4)
Address=/FIELD(5)
FDATE=DATE()

Comment Block Example 2 (for use with the  Collection-Master (CLS000) Database included with vMedia)

File to vMedia
Autosave=Y
FILENO=/FIELD(8)
CMT=/FIELD(500)
CODES(NESTMACRO(FTVCMT))

The File2vMedia.frm form document is a nestable WordPerfect form that contains a preconfigured template for merging with Collection-Master Databases. Place a WordPerfect NESTFORM(File2vMedia.frm) merge command in either LHEAD.60, in PLEADDAT.60, or in individual forms in the forms library as desired. WordPerfect comment blocks were chosen because they are saved with the document but do not print on paper, and they do not affect the formatting of the underlying forms.

NOTE: The File2vMedia.frm uses Collection-Master field code #500 for the Document Description field. Field code #500 exposes the document description defined under [1-7] in Collection-Master.

NOTE: The previous Comment Block example and the File2vMedia.frm template is one approach for meeting the requirements for File to vMedia. There are many other approaches that would achieve the same goals. In particular, the NESTFORM(File2vMedia.frm) could be performed at the form level rather than the wrapper level, and File2vMedia.frm could be enhanced with conditionals using the extensive WordPerfect macro and merge language.

Related Topics

File to vMedia Introduction