AFD Products: Postcode Manual

INTRODUCTION & INSTALLATION

Introduction

AFD Postcode® provides a simple way to speed up the entry of address information into any Windows or DOS program.

Type in the postcode you require and Postcode will supply the following data:

Street

Locality

Town

County (Postal, Abbreviated Postal, Postal including Optional, Abbreviated Postal including Optional, Traditional, and Administrative are all available)

Mailsort Code

Postcode Type (e.g. Large/Small User)

STD code

Censation Data: Census Code, Affluence, LifeStage and Additional Census Information

Occupancy and Address Type

The optional Plotter facility can return a UK grid reference for the postcode and the Windows version has the facility to show the location of the address on a 1:200,000 scale map which includes facilities to move around the map, measure distances, zoom in and out, as well as the ability to transfer the map image which is being displayed to other applications. Plotter also provides a nearest locator facility.

If you don't know a postcode, AFD Postcode can still help by looking up an address from the Street and Post Town, County, or STD Code - even if you're not sure of the spelling.

AFD Software provides many ways to incorporate its powerful fast addressing features with other programs. In DOS there is a 'TSR' program which can pop-up over other applications and 'squirt' addresses in, as if typed, or you may use one of our examples to help you to program the features into your application. In Windows, the stand-alone AFD Postcode program can be used for simple look-ups, or to squirt data into other programs. It can also provide Dynamic Data Exchange for other programs, or you can use our powerful Dynamic Link Library if your application has a suitable programming language. By using the special DDE 'Iconised' mode, Postcode can behave like a button on a toolbar - delivering address data quickly to your application.

AFD Postcode also includes ROBOT® technology (Patent GB 2369699) which allows integration of Postcode into other applications with no programming required and we don't even need to recognise your application! Simply type the postcode and AFD Postcode does the rest and brings back the full address with or without prompting!

All programs and data provided by Postcode are copyright and protected by the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act in the United Kingdom and by the Berne convention and other International Copyright treaties.

Under the terms of the Postcode End User License Agreement, you are permitted to install and use components of AFD Postcode only on the number of computers, terminals or workstations for which a license is held, although the larger data elements of the system may be installed on a file server for central access if a multi-user license is held. You may additionally make one copy of the program master disks for back-up purposes, but no other copies are permitted, for whatever reason.

Evaluation versions of AFD Postcode and the associated sample data, are nevertheless copyright material. You may make and distribute copies of the evaluation version and its sample data, but these copies must be complete and unaltered. You may NOT use the sample data provided for any purpose other than to assist in evaluating the usefulness of Postcode.

Data within AFD Postcode is the copyright of AFD Computers. You may access and use this data only as part of the AFD Postcode system, to provide address data for a bona-fide address-based application. You may not extract, reverse-engineer or re-distribute data or programs provided under any circumstances whatsoever.

The Postcode license is renewable annually and renewal fees include a fresh set of data, program updates and free technical support for the year. Intermediate data updates are available quarterly at nominal cost, or you may subscribe to the POP scheme and cover all costs of using Postcode including program and data updates, data licenses and technical support for just £15 per month (minimum 12 months) including VAT, payable by standing order.

Installation

Postcode is installed automatically by the installation program and all files are placed in the correct folders. Some information from your License Certificate will be required during installation, so you are advised to have this to hand:

Place the AFD Compact Disc in your drive then:

From the Task Bar, select Start - Run, then type d:\POSTCODE and click OK

... where 'd:' is the drive letter of your CD-Rom drive - usually D:

Follow the instructions and provide the information requested by the installation program.

The installation will create menu entries for Postcode. These will include entries or icons for Postcode, the Welcome program, and for various help and information documents.

The evaluation version of the program contains a restricted set of data, covering about a quarter of Birmingham postcodes only. You will find the two postcodes “B1 1AA” and “B11 1AA” especially useful as they appear in all versions of AFD Postcode and Postcode Plus. B1 1AA shows a large-user (single address) postcode with Street data but no Locality, B11 1AA has multiple addresses and both Street and Locality.

Registration

On new installations, Postcode will operate in a special mode, giving full access to data, for about two weeks. To register and fully activate your copy of the program, run the Postcode 'Welcome' program.

The evaluation version of the program contains only a limited set of data, and does not require registration.

A copy of the 'AFD Welcome' program is supplied to simplify the process of Registration and activation of your program license. To register your copy of Postcode, you will also need the information printed on the 'License Certificate' supplied with your program.

To register, run the 'AFD Welcome' program:

From the Task Bar select Start - Programs - AFD Postcode - Welcome

Select your required registration method and follow the instructions on screen to activate your software.

If you are not connected to the Internet, you can register using our Automatic Freephone Registration Service on 0800 083 8424 at any time.

You can also register via a WWW browser on another computer by visiting:

http://www.afd.co.uk/register.asp

and simply transfer the information to/from this machine.

If you need personal assistance with the registration process, you may call our HelpDesk on 01624 811712, Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (except holidays).

De-Registration

If you require to move your AFD Postcode Licence from one machine to another or if you will be upgrading a machine and will be replacing your hard drive, you should first de-register the license from that machine and transfer it back to our server. At which point you will be able to register AFD Postcode on that other machine instead, and so transfer your license.

To do this, run the Welcome program (as described in the Registration section) and click the 'De-Activate' button to transfer the license back. You can then register it on the new machine as described in the Registration section.

Please note that in the case of wiping a hard disk drive you must de-register before you erase your registration information by wiping that hard disk drive.

If you have problems de-registering, or do not have Internet Access then please follow our manual procedure by submitting a Re-registration form.

Technical Support

Making sure that our customers get the best from our products is important to us - so long as you have a current licensed copy of a Postcode product, we're here to help:

World Wide Web
This major resource provides 24 hour, direct access to all AFD's technical resources. If you have a question, need program examples or require a skilled Postcode dealer to help with your system, start by visiting our web site at: www.afd.co.uk or email your request to support@afd.co.uk.

HelpDesk
If you don't yet have Internet access, our HelpDesk on 01624 811712 will help ensure that your copy of the program is installed and functioning correctly. The HelpDesk is manned Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (except holidays). Ensure that you are next to your computer, which is switched on prior to calling.

These services provide free, unlimited support about all aspects of using the postcode product range. Whilst we will endeavour to help with general advice, we cannot assist with questions or problems that are not related to your use of an AFD Product - nor can we resolve hardware or network errors. You should refer these questions to your System Manager.

Data & Data Updates

Address data is constantly changing as a result of property redevelopment, business moves and the increasing trend towards the automation of mail delivery. To ensure that you get the maximum benefit from your investment in AFD Postcode programs, you should ensure that the data you are using is as up-to-date as possible.

AFD have invested in state-of-the-art technology to provide you with the best possible address data within our programs. Taking raw data direct from our suppliers tapes and converting it ready for release to our customers in just three days, means that AFD Data is often weeks and sometimes months more up-to-date than data from other sources.

Four data updates are issued each year - usually in January, April, July and October - subject to raw data delivery.

Make sure that you place your order so that each optional data update is sent to you as soon as it is prepared - or join the POP scheme so that all costs of Data Licenses, Program and Data Updates are covered in one modest standing order payment and shipped automatically when available.

Address, Postcode and Bank solutions