ASCII or Text File Prep

In order to photograph digitally and to produce digital products, we require that each school send us the names of all STUDENTS and FACULTY on a disc or by email in Excel, Text, or CSV comma delimited file format. Your computer specialist will be able to assist you in saving the file in any of these formats.

You may email the file of students and faculty to Email us at your earliest convenience. It is important that we receive this file at least 3 weeks PRIOR to picture day. If the file is not received on time, we may need to reschedule your picture day to a later date to assure a successful picture day. Please mark your calendars three weeks prior to your picture day to send the file.

Comma-Delimited ASCII File Format

A Comma-Delimited ASCII Text File or Excel file of all the students in your school is required to produce sorted and preprinted Camera Card Labels. These labels are used on Photo day to identify your students for Administrative Software CDs, ID cards, Yearbook photos, school records photos and other products.

A Comma-Delimited ASCII text file is basically a list of all students, separated by commas, and saved on a disk. Excel file format is also acceptable. We require that your ASCII text file be in the following format:

• Each student record must end with an enter ¿ or a line feed. The file must be formatted for an IBM compatible computer. Commas must separate Fields within each record from each other.
• The file must include Student ID Number, First Name, and Last Name, Grade or Year of Graduation, Homeroom or Teacher in Elementary Schools. If your school requires additional information, either for sorting purposes or for information on ID products(i.e., period, team, bus #, etc.), please include that information in the file as well. The faculty listing should be exactly as you would like their names titled in the yearbook or on composites; for example, Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Laura Smith.
• The ASCII file can emailed to Email us (preferred) or submitted on a 3.5 MS-DOS formatted floppy disk.

Example: 2004348, John, Smith, 10, 23A, Mr. Jones, 19850721 2948271, Melissa, Brown, 9, 12C, Ms. Green, 19860801

Creating this file simply means exporting the necessary information from your school administration program. The following contains instructions on how to export a Comma-Delimited ASCII text file from a sampling of school administration programs:

Exporting ASCII files out of SchoolMaster:

1. In Schoolmaster, select Utilities.
2. Choose the index file type as comma-quote delimited.
3. Select where you would like to export your files to: a floppy disk, (if providing a representative with a floppy disk) Hard Drive, or the server (if on a network). File -> Export
4. Choose File -> Save As
5. Type in an appropriate name for this newly exported file.
6. Save the files in CSV file format.
7. Click on OK

SASI

NOTE: If you are using SASI III and permanent ID numbers are not used in the program, run a query to mass-change the permanent ID field to the SASI four-digit number, preceded by six zeros. This is necessary to be able to import the images at a later date. If you are using SASIxp, no modifications are required.

1. Insert a 3.5 MS-DOS formatted floppy disk into your A: drive.
2. In SASI III, create an export using the format: student#, last name, first name, In SASIxp, use the query format for export: ASTU PermNum Last Name First Name
   
   NOTE: You can add any other fields that you wish to be included. In SASI III, make sure that the fields are separated by commas. In SASIxp, do not include commas in the query, as the separation by commas is done in the export process.
   
3. Save the file on the A: drive (floppy disk). If you wish to verify that the file has been exported, try opening it in a spreadsheet program or word processing program such as Excel, Word, Notepad.

WINSCHOOL

1. Insert a 3.5 MS-DOS formatted floppy disk into your A: drive.
2. Open up WinSchool, ASCII transfer.
3. Select New Template from the File menu.
4. Name the template.
5. Click on the Student icon (the picture of a student in a grad cap).
6. Select Format Set-up from the Edit menu. Select Comma Separators and click on OK.
7. Choose the fields to export from the list by double-clicking on Student Number, Last Name, First Name, and any other information you wish to include.
8. Click on the Student Window in the background.
9. Hold down the Shift key as you click on one of the students' select boxes.
10. Click on Import / Export and select Export.
11. Type in the filename. Make sure that the A: drive (floppy disk) is selected.
12. Click on OK.