CHANGING FILES BETWEEN SOFTWARE PACKAGES. 
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 Files created by proprietary software generally have many control codes 
 embedded within the text and these codes will not be meaningful to other 
 software.  It is also possible that the text is not in the normal ASCII 
 format.  Fortunately, most packages have a method for converting the 
 structured file format to an ASCII format.  If not, the user can write his 
 own program, in say Turbo Pascal, to read the original file and then strip 
 out unwanted control codes, etc.  An example can be found on the examples 
 diskette as \MISC\TEXTCONV.PAS which will take Lotus document files and 
 convert them to pure ASCII text files. 

 The procedures for converting structured files to ASCII text files for a
 number of software packages is briefly described below: 

 LOTUS SYMPHONY DOCUMENT FILE. 

      Press the function key F9 for Services. 
      Select Print. 
      Select Settings. 
      Select Destination.
      Select File. 
      Enter <Filename>.  { Choose a suitable name, with .TXT extension } 
      Select Quit. 
      Select Go. 

 The file (.TXT) can now be read into a suitable word processor, such as 
 Microsoft Windows Write, or an editor, such as the Turbo Pascal Integrated 
 Development Environment.  In the new software package it may be necessary to 
 indicate that 'conversion' is required to create the structure of the new 
 package, as with Windows Write, which provides the necessary dialogue box. 

 MICROSOFT WINDOWS WRITE DOCUMENT. 

 Text files can be read in using the following procedure: 

      Type WIN and press ENTER. 
      Double click left mouse button on WRITE.EXE 
      Use mouse to click on FILE then OPEN. 
      Enter filename, such as C:\LOTUS\DOC\FILES.TXT 
      Click left mouse button on CONVERT to change the text file to .WRI 

 Write format files can be exported by the following method: 

      Use mouse to click on FILE and then on SAVE AS. 
      Change dialogue box values to * TEXT ONLY 
      Click on OK 


 DBASE RECORD FILES (.DBF) 

 DBase files can be exported as follows: 

      Type DBASE 
      Respond to . prompt with USE <filename> e.g.  USE ADDRESS 
      Respond to . prompt with LIST to check file. 
      Then enter . COPY TO ADDR.TXT SDF DELIMITED WITH , 
      or similar. 
      Then enter . QUIT to leave DBase 

      In DOS enter TYPE ADDR.TXT to check the file. 

 MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENTS 

 Word also features ASCII file input and output. 



 FILECONV.TXT
 7.11.91