Please remember to backup News of the Past on a regular basis.

(Q): How can I import my client names and birth dates from my other software into News of the Past?

(A): You need to first export names and birth dates from your "other" software then import that information  into News of the Past.

Please follow these steps to import:

You  will first need to export the names and dates you intend to import into News of the Past from  your contact management software. Refer to the  user instructions for your contact management  software for instructions on how to export names  and birth dates to the compatible ASCII comma-delimited text file format needed to import into News of  the Past.

NOTE:  To import name and date information into News  of the Past you first need an ASCII comma-delimited  file exported from the software you use to maintain your customer data.

The  file must conform to the following format:
 

• The name of your exported file must not have  more then 6 characters
• The file name must end with the letters .txt.
• The file name must not include any spaces in the file name.
• The file location should be on the root directory of c: drive (c:\your file) or imbedded (copied  to) no more then 2 directories in depth - example c:\folder 1. \ folder 2. (folder 2 contains your file.)

Using the import-search window, find the file  you exported from your client software. When you find the file, place the mouse pointer on the  file name and double-click the left mouse button.  The Map window will open listing News of the Past fields, and your chosen text file information. Match News of the Past fields to the appropriate  fields in your text file. One by one, click on  a News of the Past heading, and then click on your files Field that matches News of the Pasts' heading. Click the Add button after each pair  is matched up. When you are finished matching  your text files information to News of the Pasts' headings, click the Import Now button.

The  following steps guide you through the process of importing names into News of the Past.

1. Click on the button in the Recipient windows titled  Import.

2. Using the search window, locate the file ending  with the extension .txt on your hard drive, click  on it once, then click the Open button.

3. Match your text file categories one at a time  with the appropriate News of the Past categories, and click the Add button.

4. When ready, click the Import Now button.

5. The import window closes and the name list should  be empty. To bring names into the name list, click  the Search button and do a search.

CAUTION:
Avoiding duplicates.
Each time you import names into News of the Past,  the import process adds names and birth dates  to News of the Past. If the names you are importing are already saved in News of the Past's database,  you will get duplicate records.

Backing  up your client names and birth dates.(32 bit visual News of the Past)
The names and dates you save in News of the Past are saved into a file named Cust.dbf. This database  file contains all of your customer information  in News of the Past. The default database file  location in News of the Past is c:\Vnews\dbfs\. When backing up your customer information you  need to make a copy of three files.

These  three files are needed when you backup and restore  your customer information.
 

• Cust.dbf (database file)
• Cust.ftp (database structure file)
• Cust.cdx (index file)

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