When you first use the recogniser in an application you will be prompted to choose how it should work. If another Postcode Anywhere Client user has already set up the recogniser for the same application and published their rule you will have the option to use their rule rather than setting up your own.

When you see the new rule options the Postcode Anywhere Client will check our servers to see if any matching rules for your application have been published by other users. This may not appear immediately but the option will be presented after a short search.

One the decision has been made to use a published rule you will be presented with a list of matching pulished rules. Click on a rule to see the details and the current community user rating. With the chosen rule highlighted click on the Finish button to subscribe to the rule.

Now, the next time you enter a postcode into your application and press the spacebar you will be presented with a list of matching addresses. Once an address is selected the new rule will be used to enter it into your application. After you've used the rule for a while why not rate it?

From the list of rules in the publishing window, highlighting a rule that was created by another user will let you rate that rule. You can give it anything from 1 star (not very good) to 5 stars (the best). Your rating will be presented to other users as part of the average rating for the rule.

Have you come up with a new rule that will set the world alight? Do you think it would make life easier for everyone if only they knew about it? Well now they can find out about it and decide for themselves!

To view your published rules and any rules published by other users that have been subscribed to go to the Recogniser menu and choose Publishing. This shows how your published rules have been rated and how you have rated other users' rules. To rate a rule highlight it in the list and click on the Rate Rule button. To publish one of your own rules click on the New Publication button...

Next you need to choose the rule that you wish to publish. The drop down list will show all of the available rules that can be published. Choose the correct rule and click Next.

The name and description that you have already given your rule will be displayed. It is important to make these as meaningful as possible to let people know what your rule is going to do. In short, provide a quote to make them happy!

The window title is also important here. No-one will want to use your rule for one special spreadsheet that you built in every single Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that they have, so make sure the window name doesn't read "Excel". In the same way don't limit the rule to one particular window, e.g. "BigCRM - Edit customer: The Big Company Ltd".

That's it! There's no turning back now, unless you click on the Cancel button that is! All you need to do is click on the Publish button and you'll enter a brave new world of recogniser rules. You may even get that warm, glowing, fuzzy feeling from helping others...