Documention for: blast.r
Created by: btiffin
 on: 25-Apr-2007
Format: text/editable
Downloaded on: 30-Apr-2025

[h1 Usage document for %blast.r
[contents
[numbering-on
[h2 Introduction to %blast.r

[p This library script shows how  REBOL  can be used
to support mail-merge.

[p It requires modification and setup before it is useable.

[p <strong>In today's spam filled Internet, this type of bulk
mailer is NOT recommended</strong>. [br
Please be able to justify bulk mailing before attempting to use this script. 

[h2 Using %blast.r

[p This script requires support files and direct source code 
modification to be useful.

[h3 Setup

[li %letter.txt needs to be created.  This is the letter that will
be bulked mailed.

[li %names.txt needs to be created.  This is the list of email addresses
and names.  Each line is in the format  <strong>email</strong> comma <strong>name</strong>.
E.g.  luke@rebol.com, "Rebol Luke"

[li Then the script source code needs modification to specify
[br
[table
[row
[cell from-email: [cell Specify who sent the email
[row
[cell reply-emai: [cell Specify the return address
[row
[cell subj: [cell Specify the Subject line of the email
[row
[cell org:  [cell Specify the Organization header line of the email
table]

[h3 Running a local %blast.r
[p You will need to place %blast.r, and the supporting %letter.txt
and %names.txt files in a local directory.  For example %blastdir.

[p Note, the command examples below assume;
[li a GNU/Linux system
[li the library scripts are in a local directory such as, <strong>/home/you/rebol/library/scripts/</strong> 
[li you are starting in a directory, using the example above, /home/you/rebol/

[asis
$ mkdir blastdir
$ cp ../library/scripts/blast.r ../blastdir/
$ rebol 
>>change-dir %blastdir
>>editor %blast.r
>>editor %letter.txt
>>editor %names.txt
>>do %blast.r
asis]

The script will create a log file listing each email sent, in a file
that includes the date and hour in it's name, in the default directory.

[h3 Executing right from the Library
[p This script is of no use when executed directly out of the library.
Unless you happen to be  <strong>who@domain.com</strong>, highly unlikely.

[h2 Credits

[li %blast.r original author: Unknown
[li Usage document by Brian Tiffin, Library Team Apprentice, [date
[li Usage NOT recommended with today's spam filled in boxes.