Make Mine MAPPER #34 -------------------- by Rob Haeuser GURU: Not Just Another Hairy Face (Part 2) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I can't believe it! Last month I actually got away with talking about GURU and didn't have to pay Unisys World to do it! Many thanks, guys. But hey, if you missed that issue, I'll be glad to reiterate (especially if they let me get away with it): GURU is a set of MAPPER run utilities I have developed and am now marketing. GURU currently consists of nearly 60 run utilities, with functionality ranging from expanding a field by a single column to automatically purging thousands of reports. I say "currently" because GURU is dynamic, and will continue to expand it's repertoire of utilities in the years to come. No kidding, folks, I'm in this for life. If MAPPER can survive 25 years in a market as competitive as the hardware/software industry, it obviously has something on the ball, and will no doubt be around for the next few decades, at least. If you've read my prior articles, you know that I have a tendency toward tongue-stuffed cheeks. In fact, I've been mistaken for an orangutan on a number of occasions. Nonetheless, I am on- the-level about this, and have actually convinced someone of it. Yes, that's right, folks! GURU already has it's first customer: the Radian Corporation. The following is an excerpt from their official news release: "An established leader in the technical services field, Radian Corporation provides quality environmental, energy, mechanical, materials, and information technologies and services to industry and government worldwide. With headquarters in Austin, Texas, U.S.A., the 24-year-old firm employs over 2,000 people in 35 locations throughout the world. Radian is a company of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co." Whew! Quite impressive, I'd say. By the way, Radian is projected to be a half-billion dollar corporation within the next three years. See, I told you I wasn't kidding! The following quote is from David Browning, Manager of Accounting at Radian: "I would have paid twice the price just for AH... That one utility has the potential to save a truly significant amount of staff hours... The fact that GURU contains almost 60 other utilities makes it an incredible bargain." Incredible bargain is right. You can buy GURU for less than it would cost in run design class tuition for one person! Let's not even think about the thousand-plus extra it would cost in travel and per diem to send that one person to the class. In other words, you can't afford to be a cheapskate on this one. Nothing personal about you other vendors, but I've seen a single utility sell for what you'd pay for all of GURU. More power to 'em if they get it, but let's not be too greedy now, eh? The following table lists the currently available utilities in GURU. The "UT" stands for Utility Type (NOT University of Texas), where g = general users (available to everybody), r = run designers (run designers and coordinators), and c = coordinators only. Some utilities are accessible by runs that you can write, and are noted as "run callable". . Gort's Ultimate Run Utilities (c) 1993 Level 1r0 . * * Run Name UT Description *=============.==.=============================================== AH g AdHoc report generator provides virtually unlimited report column reformatting capabilities, and can store format parameters for later recall - run callable CA g Column Adder adds one or more columns to a report CAR g Create A Result in cabinet 0, drawer A with 22 blank lines CD g Column Deleter deletes one or more columns from a report CDL g Center Displayed Lines centers one or more lines in a report COMR g Copies One or More Reports CRD g Copies Report Data and creates a result CU g Color Utility personalizes screen colors by user- id, department, and station - run callable DBL g Deletes Blank Lines from a displayed report DDF g Duplicate Data Finder shows all records in a report that contain duplicated data DDR g Deletes a Displayed Report DI g Demand Interfacer sets up a DEMAND session while still in MAPPER DS g Department Switcher allows a user to quickly switch departments FDE g Fast Data Entry allows simple, un-edited data entry into a displayed report FDP g Field Delimiter Puncher forces a character in the "." header columns - run callable FF g Fast Finder - more powerful than the manual LOC function (did I say speeding locomotive?) FX g File transfer utility - run callable GORT g You know who! GURU g Gort`s Ultimate Run Utilities menu IB g Index Builder builds an index for the requested drawer in a format suitable to use as report 1 IRL g Insert Report Lines copies lines into a displayed report LBD g Line Block Deleter deletes a block of lines from a report LRD g Last Report Displayer displays the last report in a drawer LS g Look Switcher switches between new and classic look, or tells you which one you're really in NRD g Next Report Displayer displays the next report in a drawer, up or down, manually or automatically PCL g Purge Candidate List shows users what reports are scheduled for automatic deletion, which reports have been deleted, and provides an undelete feature for those that have been deleted PH g Print Handler allows some control over a local printer, such as portrait or landscape orientation and character size - run callable PP g Printer Preferences stores data by user-id on whether to print to a system printer or locally, etc., which is then used by PH RRP g Recall Report Pointers reads a set of pointers previously saved by SRP and re-displays the report RH g Report Handler overlays a displayed report with two function key bars to allow "push-button" control of a display report - connects to the print handler and the file transfer utility - run callable RPR g Report Replacer substitutes for the manual REP function - protects the user from some accidental replaces by pointing out report number and/or drawer discrepancies RRU g Run Registration Updater lets a run designer alter a run`s name, I/O, and LLP, or delete the registration line SB g Suggestion Box lets users submit ideas to the Coordinator SMS g Signon Message Screen displays whenever a user signs on (can substitute for ALERR/NOTIFY$) SRP g Store Report Pointers saves pointers for up to 11 reports that can be re-displayed at a later time by RRP XR g Run version of the XR function ? g Displays your department, cabinet, and station CBT r Clears and Builds a label Table, then replaces the run report FR r Finds a run report and displays it KH r Key Hasher will give a hashed value for a given key (I use it for the Lotto) SCS r Screen Control Skeleton provides a cloneable example of typical GURU run code VTB r Variable Table Builder adds a place to document variable usage XRHO r XR Headers Only will duplicate a report's headers one or more times CPCL c Create Purge Candidate List - used by DPC to delete reports (PRIMER) DRRL c Delete a Run Registration Line DURL c Delete a User Registration Line DMT c Displays the mode table at the requested mode DAPC c Delete Automated Purge Candidates uses the list created by CPCL to delete obsolete reports DUD c Disable User Departments writes *s in all non-exempt departments FU c Finds a User-id and displays a search-update result RDU c Re-Enables a Disabled User-id CRRL c Copies an existing Run Registration Line into the coordinator's department RUD c Re-enable User Departments writes tabs in all non-exempt departments SMSU c Signon Message Screen Updater SON c Sign on to any department SRC c System Response Checker samples system response time UPI c Update Purge Indexes updates the cabinet and drawer fields ------------- c Color variable initialization subroutine ------------- c Error routine used by all utilities ----------------------------------------------------------------- How's that for some acro-mania? Don't worry, though. GURU itself is simply a menu of all the other utilities, including their run names. Type in GURU, select one of three categories as previously described, tab to the utility you wish to execute, and transmit. As you get used to the names, you can type them in on the command line. I use the "run callable" utilities, such as AH, CU, RH, PH, FX, etc. as the core of entire systems, with SCS providing the screen skeleton to tie it all together. Amaze friends and co- workers with your lightning speed as you develop powerful, flexible, full-color systems (you might even get a raise). Speaking of money, here's the spiel: GURU currently lists for $395 (USA) for a single MAPPER; $495 for an unlimited site license. What a deal, you say! But wait, there's more! The first thousand customers will get $100 off the list price, plus, are you ready for this? That's right, you will also get the original, unedited versions of more than 30 "Make Mine MAPPER" articles, which is a $99.95 value (I made that up - don'cha just love funny money?). Of course, there is a money-back guarantee if not satisfied. And, if that wasn't enough, I also offer a Maintenance Agreement (MA): $100 for a single MAPPER, $150 for an unlimited site license. The MA provides you with periodic updates to existing utilities, new utility additions, free upgrades to the newest GURU levels, and some limited consultation, either via phone or mail. It is payable with your initial order, renewable on an annual basis, and can be cancelled at any time. Radian signed up for that one, too. To reiterate: GURU (single MAPPER): $395.00 (add $100 for the maintenance agreement), or GURU (multi MAPPERs): $495.00 (add $150 for the maintenance agreement) (don't forget, the first 1,000 customers will get a $100 refund and over 30 articles riddled with MAPPER tips). So, please mail your order tomorrow to the address listed below. And, by the way, HAPPY 25TH, MAPPER!!!!! Unbelievable! See ya in Minnesota!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Rob Haeuser has almost 19 years of Data Processing experience. He was MAPPER Coordinator and Run Designer for the Texas Department of Human Services for ten years, and is now an independent contractor working in the Austin area. He has authored and is currently marketing a set of MAPPER run utilities called GURU. Covering MAPPER topics ranging from technical to tacky, his never-ending quest is for truth, justice, and the MAPPER way. Please direct all communications to: GURU Enterprises c/o Rob Haeuser 3212 Great Valley Drive Cedar Park, Tx. 78613 or call: 512-331-0498