Re: MS-DOS text converters

From: Suzanne S. Barnhill (sbarnhill_at_mvps.org)
Date: 03/26/04 

Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 20:54:53 -0600

I guess I misunderstood the OP's question. I assumed he/she wanted to either
open a text file or save in a text format. Nothing was mentioned about data
loss. 

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
"lostinspace" <lostinspace@123-universe.com> wrote in message
news:ZRM8c.16559$t16.9036858@newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <>
> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 6:08 PM
> Subject: Re: MS-DOS text converters
>
>
> > I have never had occasion to use plain, DOS, or any other kind of text,
> and
> > I have never understood the difference between text and DOS text, text
> with
> > and with out layout, etc.. My initial answer was a guess that perhaps
what
> > Word is now calling "plain" text is the MS-DOS text the OP was looking
> for.
> > I'll defer to your superior knowledge, but I'm not clear on how it will
> help
> > the OP.
> >
> > --
> > Suzanne S. Barnhill
> > Microsoft MVP (Word)
> > Words into Type
> > Fairhope, Alabama USA
> > Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.word.mvps.org
> > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup
> so
> > all may benefit.
> >
> > "lostinspace" <> wrote in message
> > ...
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <>
> > > Newsgroups: microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
> > > Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 11:12 AM
> > > Subject: Re: MS-DOS text converters
> > >
> > >
> > > > I'm not sure I understand how this relates to MS-DOS text, which
> surely
> > > > doesn't support em dashes and the like?
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Suzanne S. Barnhill
> > > > Microsoft MVP (Word)
> > > > Words into Type
> > > > Fairhope, Alabama USA
> > > > Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.word.mvps.org
> > > > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
> > newsgroup
> > > so
> > > > all may benefit.
> > > >
> > > > "lostinspace" <> wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "AA" <>
> > > > > Newsgroups: microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 10:29 PM
> > > > > Subject: Re: MS-DOS text converters
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > > Does anyone know whether a converter for MS-DOS text exists
for
> > > Office
> > > > > xp, and if
> > > > > > so where I can get it?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I don't understand why you need a converter.  All my old text
> files
> > > open
> > > > > up in Word
> > > > > > just fine, automatically in Courier, which is a fixed font (all
> the
> > > > > letters are the
> > > > > > same width).  Of course each line ends in a hard carriage
return,
> > > which
> > > > is
> > > > > > inconvenient.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How are you opening these files?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "I don't understand why you need a converter."
> > > > >
> > > > > Than you obviously don't understand the loss of data he's
> > experiencing.
> > > > >
> > > > > TEXT is text and it matters little what method you use to open
them
> > > UNLESS
> > > > > your operating systems (XP in this instance) uses a
non-traditional
> > > method
> > > > > of interpretation when cutting and pasting.
> > > > >
> > > > > I convert masses of older articles from scans, which have been
> > initially
> > > > > saved as RTF files in straight html pages via Notepad or any other
> > text
> > > > > editor you can imagine.
> > > > >  I was even advised in an XP group to try a utility named Pure
Text.
> > > And,
> > > > > although pure text is an improvement, it doesn't solve the issue.
> > > > >
> > > > > My loss is with dashes and em-dashes and other characters which
many
> > > older
> > > > > writers used.
> > > > > After cutting and pasting all these characters are converted to
> > question
> > > > > marks, courtesy of XP.
> > > > > XP sucks!
> > > > >
> > > > >  ALL previous versions of Windows did not do this.
> > > > >
> > > > > BTW, you might try cutting and pasting some portions of a web site
> > > visitor
> > > > > log into an email and see how much you like XP ;-)))
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Suzanne,
> > >                  I work with mutiple files in DOS text which originate
> at
> > > other systems.
> > > In Win 3.11, 95 and 98, copying and pasting from NotePad into most any
> > > software, whether text based or not preserved such things.
> > > HTML Editors are my particulare example, which is basically a
different
> > > version of Notepad.
> > >
> > > Upon beginning with either a Word or RTF doc, Copy and past from Word
to
> > > NotePad and then into a HTML (text editor or any other software) in
all
> > the
> > > previous versions of Win and the dashes and em's were carried over. As
> > well
> > > as keyboard character code (° or Alt-0176)
> > >  In XP they are not.
> > >
> > > How it relates is that in his inquiry, Martin was looking for a
solution
> > to
> > > a problem with "plain text" which is created by a glitch in XP and the
> > > consequences of data loss.
> > >  This glitch causes me extensive repetition in requiring additional
> > > proof-reading of articles which I've previusly done so twice, once
upon
> > > scanning and then again in Word.
> > >
> > > NotePad was in all previous versions, "plain, dos" call it what you
may,
> > > compliant.
> > > DOS-Text in Notepad carried over from DOS Edlin and ANY software OR OS
> > > should read that data without ANY loss.
> > > XP is apprently an exception. Perhaps NT has always been exception?
I've
> > > never used an NT system. With the excpetion of XP.
> > >
> > > I fail to understand why an MVP needs a "play" on words?
> > > Plain text is plain text. Regardless of system, whether that system is
a
> > > Timex Sinclair, ASA-400, Apple-Mac, Win (except XP,) most any
mainframe
> or
> > > internet cross-compliant systems uses "plain text" to function.
> > >
> > > Is it possible for you to provide some examples of difference between:
> > > 1) Edlin Text
> > > 2) DOS Text
> > > 3) Plain Text
> > > 4) Text used by Win 3.xx, Win 9x.xx
> > > 4) XP Text
> > >
> > > In the event I began with a database software and exported a comma
> > delimited
> > > file?
> > > Is not that "plain-DOS" text as well?
> > > I suggest you test it and see how XP handles all those comma and
quotes
> > :-))
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
> " but I'm not clear on how it will help the OP."
>
> Hey Suzanne,
>                          There is NOTHING currently in XP to solve
Martin's
> data loss.
> His only alternative is to ditch XP and use Win 98.
> or
> Sit waiting patiently hoping while he's losing data that MS will cure the
> glitch in a patch or a new relaease of XP or what ever MS introduces
> afterwards.
>
> BTW, I'm not so sure "superior knowledge" is correct?
> You have depth and knowledge in Word and it's use of which I will NEVER
> attain.
> I'm just more experienced and use more text than you :-))
>
> Be glad to email you a few text lines of a website log off line for you to
> play with?
>
>
>                   Best         Don
>
>

Relevant Pages