Automating your Wal-Mart data when using CTI's Wal-Mart Access™ Program 

CTI's Wal-Mart Access Program can be invoked with command line arguments to provide an automated form of operation for third party software. For example, you could start a batch file using a scheduler program. 

The examples shown below are just examples.  We hope that they can be helpful, even though they sometimes raise more questions.

In the case of RCVE example (below), we make assumptions about the receive file name and the destination for the receive files.  These are just our assumptions.  Your environment might be quite different. Perhaps an example of using “RCVE” on the command line only would be sufficient.  And, anything more might carry the risk of causing the user trouble, which could generate resentment and will definitely cause the support we are trying avoid with the example.  The same criticisms apply to the send example. 

Most people will need to add calls to software to convert the data received or to send data generated.  A stand-alone batch file may not help you at all.  Maybe we would be better off just leaving you with simple examples of the command line. Anyway, we hope the examples below will help, not hinder your automation process.

You can cause the Wal-Mart Access software to immediately dial into Wal-Mart to receive any files in your queue by including the command line argument “RCVE.” Here is a sample of what would be placed into a WAL-GET.BAT [batch] file (which would be created and placed within the C:\Wal-Mart directory):  

Line 1 

Line 2

Line 3

 "WALMARTACCESS.EXE"  RCVE  [see (a) below]

COPY C:\FASTSYNC\WAL-IN.*   C:\WAL-MART\INBOX

DEL C:\FASTSYNC\WAL-IN.*

 Line 1 Executes the program to automatically receive file(s)

Line 2 Copies any file(s) into the Wal-Mart\Inbox

Line 3 Deletes the file(s) from the fastsync directory

(a) walmartaccess.exe.  No spaces and no dashes.  Spaces mess up the help system and Visual C++ can’t handle executable program names with dashes in them.

Automating the Sending of a File

You can cause the Wal-Mart Access software to immediately dial into Wal-Mart to send a file to Wal-Mart by including the name of the file to send as the command line argument.  Be sure to include the drive letter and the complete path to the file you want to send. He is a sample batch file that would be created in the C:\Wal-Mart directory):

Line 1 

Line 2

Line 3

 "WALMARTACCESS.EXE" C:\WAL-MART\OUTBOX\WAL-OUT.DAT

COPY C:\WAL-MART\OUTBOX\WAL-OUT.DAT   ARC

DEL C:\WAL-MART\OUTBOX\WAL-OUT\WAL-OUT.DAT

 Line 1 Executes the program to automatically send a file

Line 2 Copies data file to a backup file in the outbox directory

Line 3 Deletes the file from the outbox directory

 

Wal-Mart Access is a trademark of CTI Communications, a Division of Consul Tec, Inc.