Temporary Addresses

[karen Lindsay]

Problem: Some of our subscribers have multiple addresses. They have a summer and a winter home and would like us to switch between them at the appropriate times. Currently we have both addresses listed in a note field, but I would like to be able to automate the solution. I think that I could do it with a self-relate and a script, but I am not sure how.

[kitdcat]

First of all you should at the very least have the address divided into two separate fields. However the correct way to do this would to be to break all of your data up into seperate fields, name, address, city, state, zip, name2, address2, etc... the reason for this is when your needs become large your database is build correctly. Once you have divided the data you can then create a combination field which brings all of the elements together into one field. To do this create a calculation field and type the following information using your field names. Save the calculation as text.

 

name & "¶" &

address & "¶" &

city &" ,"&state&" "zip

 

Do this twice once for the first address and once for the second address.

 

name2 & "¶" &

address2 & "¶" &

city2 &" ,"&state2&" "zip2

 

Once this is done you can create a layout for the first address and another for the second addresses or you can create a field (we will call this field "select") which indicated which address you would like to use. "X" or the first address or if no "X" present it will automaticaly chose the second adderss

 

Then you can create another combo field which is an if statement. (We will call this select_address)

 

If(select="X", name & "¶" & address & "¶" &

city &" ,"&state&" "zip,name2 & "¶" &

address2 & "¶" & city2 &" ,"&state2&" "zip2)

 

Create a layout using this new field and if there is an "X" in the "select" field it will set the field to address 1 or if no "X" is present it will set the field to address 2

[karen Lindsay]

Thank you for your suggestion. That works great with the screen display, but I have to export the lists monthly for mailing. The problem lies in with choosing which fields for exporting. I guess I should have specified.

 

Currently I export ID, title, first_name, middle, last_name, company, address_1, address_2, city, state, zip, and expiration_date. All the records are sorted by zip code before they are exported. The list is then sent to my mailer for address correction and list preparation.

 

Karen