% From: <BELL@UKANVAX.BITNET>
% Ed Bell
% BITnet: BELL@UKANVAX
% SPAN:   KUPHSX::BELL
%
% \title AutoLetter: A \TeX\ form letter procedure.
% \\Edwin V. Bell, II\cr
%         Department of Physics and Astronomy
%         University of Kansas
% \endx
%
% \pagexref{bell}
%
% The inquiry from John Lee (\TUB, October 1986) concerning form letters was
% particularly interesting to me as I had recently completed such a procedure
% at the request of our office staff. The procedure (called AutoLetter) is
% a ``plain'' \TeX\ procedure which requires two files, one containing a
% delimited listing of names and addresses, the other a generic form letter.
%
% Each entry in the address file is followed by a line containing a single
% asterisk. The last entry must also be followed by this line, which in turn
% {\it must} be followed by the end-of-file mark. Each individual entry consists
% of six lines for the addressee's title, name, etc., followed by as many
% address lines as desired. The lines for the addressee's name are:
%
% \item{(1)}Title (Prof., Mr., Ms., etc.)
% \item{(2)}First name/initial
% \item{(3)}Name to be used as a familiar form of address.
% \item{(4)}Middle name(s)/initial(s)
% \item{(5)}Last/family name
% \item{(6)}Additional name information (Jr., II, Esq., etc.)
%
% \noindent
% These lines are then used to reconstruct the persons name for various forms
% of address(including for the address block) and to address the person formally
% (Sir, Madam, Sir or Madam), familiarly (by item (3) above or, if (3) is
% blank, by first name), or by title and last name. If any of these lines
% are left blank, AutoLetter doesn't mind, but if the entry is irrelevant
% or absent from the persons name, {\it it must still be left blank}. An example
% of an address entry might be:
% \begintt
% Mr.
% Edwin
% Ed
% V.
% Bell
% II
% Department of Physics \& Astronomy
% University of Kansas
% Lawrence, KS\ \ \ 66045
% *
% \endtt
%
% The letter file is quite simple and used macros that are the same as or
% slight variations of those listed in Appendix E of {\sl The \TeX book}.
% AutoLetter takes care of the placement of the date and address block (and
% could as well the letterhead, although I have not yet implemented that here
% as yet), so the letter file might appear as:
% \begintt
% \letterbody
% Dear \person--
%
% ...text...
%
% \closing
% Sincerely,
% ...
%
% \annotations...
% \ps...
%
% \endletter
% \endtt
%
% AutoLetter consists of two files, on the \TeX\ procedure itself, the other
% containing the letter-formatting macros (and local macros, if desired).
% The AutoLetter procedure looks like:
% \begintt
% \input letter_format
%
\message{+------------------------------------------+}
\message{| AutoLetter Version 1.1 -- 9 October 1986 |}
\message{+------------------------------------------+}
 
\newread\addressfile
 
\message{Enter name of file containing the addresses:}
\read-1 to\addfile
\openin\addressfile=\addfile
 
\message{Enter name of file containing the body of the letter:}
\read-1 to\letfile
 
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%       Now read in an entry containing the person to whom to send the letter
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 
\endlinechar=-1
\read\addressfile to\text \let\title=\text
 
\loop
    \read\addressfile to\text \let\firstname=\text
    \read\addressfile to\text \let\nickname=\text
    \read\addressfile to\text \let\middlename=\text
    \read\addressfile to\text \let\lastname=\text
    \read\addressfile to\text
        \ifx\text\blank\def\jr{}\else\def\jr{, \text}\fi
        \endlinechar='015
    \message{Now processing letter to \addressee.}
    \getaddress
    \doletter
      \endlinechar=-1
    \read\addressfile to\text \let\title=\text
    \ifeof\addressfile\endfalse\else\endtrue\fi
    \ifend
\repeat
 
\bye
% \endtt
%
% \noindent
% Our local letter-formatting macros are:
% \begintt
% \input whatever local macro package you wish here
%
% \twelvept    % 12-point size is so much easier to read
%
% \hsize=6.5truein
% \vsize=8.0truein
% \hoffset=1.0truein
% \voffset=1.5truein
%
% \raggedbottom
% \interlinepenalty=1000
% \parindent=0pt
% \parskip=0pt
%
% \nopagenumbers
%
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%      Define some stuff so that the headlines will come out the way
%      we want them to be.
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%
% \newbox\headbox
% \headline={\ifnum\pageno>1
%    {\twelverm
%       \global\setbox\headbox=\vbox\bgroup%
%          \leftline{\addressee}
%          \leftline{\today}
%          \leftline{Page \folio}\egroup}\copy\headbox
%    \else\hfil\fi}
%
% \def\makeheadline{\vbox to 0pt{\vskip-70.6pt
%    \line{\vbox to30.6pt{}\the\headline}\vss}
%    \nointerlineskip}
%
% \newif\ifend
%
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%       Macros for reading in the address from the file.
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%
% \def\blank{}
%
% \def\endletter{\endmode\vfill\eject\pageno=1}
%
% \newdimen\longindentation \longindentation=10truecm
% \newbox\theaddress
% \newif\ifast
% \def\aster{* }
% \def\getaddress{{\global\setbox\theaddress=\vbox\bgroup\raggedright%
%    \hsize=\longindentation
%    \everypar{\hangindent2em}
%       \line{\vbox to10.2pt{}\addressee\hss}\egroup%
%    {\loop{\read\addressfile to\text
%       \ifx\text\aster\astfalse\else\asttrue\fi
%       \ifast\global\setbox\theaddress=\vbox\bgroup\unvbox\theaddress
%          \line{\vbox to 10.2pt{}\text\hss}\egroup}\repeat}}}
%
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%       Macros for formatting the letter.
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%
% \def\letterbody{\beginparmode}
% \def\closing{\beginlinemode\getclosing}
% {\obeylines\gdef\getclosing #1
%    #2
%       {#1\nobreak\bigskip \leftskip=\longindentation #2
%       \nobreak\bigskip\bigskip\bigskip\bigskip % space for signature
%       \def
%       {\endgraf\nobreak}}}
% \def\annotations{\beginlinemode\def\par{\endgraf\nobreak}\obeylines\par}
% \def\ps{\beginparmode\nobreak
%    \interlinepenalty5000\def\par{\endgraf\penalty5000}
%    P.cS.\ }
%
% \def\address{\beginlinemode \copy\theaddress \endgroup}
% \def\doletter{{\leftskip=\longindentation%
%       \rm\today\bigskip\address\bigskip}
%    \input \letfile}
%
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%       Macros for setting up forms of salutation.
%::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
%
% \def\mr{Mr.}
% \def\ms{Ms.}
% \def\mrs{Mrs.}
% \def\miss{Miss}
%
% \def\addressee{\ifx\blank\title\else\title\space\fi%
%    \firstname\space\ifx\blank\middlename\else\middlename\space\fi%
%    \lastname\jr}
% \def\person{\ifx\blank\title Sir or Madam\else\title\space\lastname\fi}
% \def\familiar{\ifx\blank\nickname \firstname\else\nickname\fi}
% \def\formal{\ifx\mr\title Sir\else{\ifx\ms\title Madam\else%
%    {\ifx\mrs\title Madam\else{\ifx\miss\title Madam\else{\person}\fi}%
%    \fi}\fi}\fi}
% \endtt
%
% The AutoLetter procedure prompts the user for the names of the address and
% letter files and then goes to work. A similar procedure (called {\smc Labels})
% can also be used with the address file to produce 33 labels/page (3 columns
% of 11 labels). This enables us to produce form letters with or without labels
% or to maintain mailing lists without requiring letters (for abstract mailings,
% for example).
%
%If anyone is interested in having these procedures, drop me a line. If response
% is high, I would be more than willing to provide them to the \TeX\ community
% at large. Mail may be sent to:
%
% \leftline{Bitnet: Bell@UKANVAX}
% \leftline{SPAN: KUPHSX::Bell}
%

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