Enhanced Data Merge Source for Shell Document

Enhanced Data Merge Source for Shell Document

       Described is a technique which permits text, most
controls (e.g., underscore), and instructions (e.g., include
instruction) to be merged as data from a document such that
individual copies of a mass-mailed document are more tailored than
conventional methods.

      AS/400* has a text instruction called a data field.  A data
field is a reference to a field in some data source. The data source
is either another AS/400 document ("fill-in document"), an AS/400
database file, or output from an AS/400 query.  When this data field
is processed, the data source is accessed, and the corresponding data
are substituted for the data field.

      When the document is merged, any controls and any text
instructions found in the data are inserted into the current copy of
the letter.  These text instructions are resolved when the letter is
printed.

      Logic already exists in AS/400 Office Print Functions to
"resolve" data field instructions found in a document. That is, to
"resolve" is to print the actual data for the field in place of the
data field instruction.  The routines that retrieve the actual data
stored in a fill-in document are modified to retrieve not only the
constant text, but also the controls and text instructions found
within the data.  When the document is merged, the controls, text
instructions, and constant text found in the data are substituted in
place of the corresponding data field instr...