THIS UTILITY IS SHAREWARE WITH ALL PROCEEDS BEING DONATED TO CHARITY. PLEASE PAY THE SHAREWARE FEE. SEND $5 US OR £5 UK TO BARRY DOBSON, PO BOX 590, MELKSHAM, WILTSHIRE, SN12 6XB, UNITED KINGDOM.
This utility is designed to help in multi-platform environments where there is a need to transfer TEXT files between the two platforms.
Features include:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
•- Character set conversions
•- String for string replacements
•- Automatic handling of ligatures
•- Automatic handling of line endings
•- Automatic handling of multiple spaces
•- Split a file into a chunks of a specific size
•- Split a file into a specific number of chunks
•- Convert a run of spaces to a tab
•- Export settings for future import and use
Basic step by step instructions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the "From" popup menu in the upper left of the main panel select the format of the source file.
From the "To" popup menu select the required format for the resulting file.
From the "Via" popup menu select which actions to be carried out on the file i.e. the built in options only which is the character set conversion and the checkboxes on the first panel or the strings only which ignores the checkboxes and only carries out the string for string conversions defined or both.
Select which built in options you wish to use during the conversion from the check boxes below the popup menus.
If the resulting file is destined for a Mac, select the file creator type from the popup menu that is visible below the check boxes (this menu is only visible when the "To" popup menu displays "Macintosh").
Click on the "Convert" button in the lower right of the panel and choose the input file and enter the name of the export file.
The conversion process will take place creating the destination file(s) as necessary. During conversion a progress bar indicates conversion progress in the upper right corner of the panel.
Defining string for string replacements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To do string search and replace actions during the conversion make sure the "Via" popup menu is set accordingly and that the search and replace strings required have been defined.
To define a search and replace string
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click on the "Edit Strings" button on the upper right of the panel.
Another panel appears displaying five sets of search and replace string definitions. Each individual set contains two fields a "Search for" field and a "Replace with" field and each field has an associated popup menu.
Initially, each field is "Disabled" and no text can be entered in any field. Enable the "Search for" field in either the "Text" or "Decimal" mode. You may only enter text strings in TEXT mode and only ASCII decimal numbers s(eparated by commas) in DECIMAL mode.
Once you have selected the chosen mode, the "Search for" field becomes active and you can enter the text that you wish to search for in the incoming file. -- Pay special attention to characters that you cannot see such as returns and spaces. If you accidentally enter a return into the "Search for" field it will become part of the search string. -- To ensure that no invisible characters have been entered accidentally, temporarily switch the field's mode to DECIMAL, a "13" will appear for each return character in the field.
Repeat the process for the corresponding "Replace with" field in the set. The "Search for" field and the "Replace with" field do not have to be set in the same mode.
•*Special Note*•
When dealing with non-Macintosh TEXT files you should enter any character from the upper 128 of the character set by using its decimal number with the field set in DECIMAL mode.
Any search and replace sets that are not needed should be set to "Disabled" to ensure that any invisble characters in the field are not searched for during the conversion process.
Repeat for as many strings as necessary and click the "Done" button on the lower right of the panel to return to the main panel.
Click on the "Convert" button as normal.
Defining character set mapping
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click on the "Edit character sets" button on the upper right of the main panel.
Another panel appears containing six fields, each labelled with a corresponding character set conversion i.e. "Macintosh to Windows" or "DOS to Macintosh".
Each field contains entries of two decimal numbers separated with a comma.
The first number is the decimal number of the ASCII character in the incoming file and the second number is the decimal number of the ASCII character that should be substituted in the outgoing file.
Edit the fields according to your character set mapping requirements. If no outgoing character number is entered then the outgoing file will contain "**???**" where ??? is the ASCII number of the incoming character.
As character sets are converted prior to string for string conversion, you can set up a search and replace string for any specific character set handling that cannot be handled with the character set mapper.
Other features
~~~~~~~~~~~
To export the stack's current settings as a TEXT file to be reimported later or to be used by another copy of the stack on another machine, click on the "Export settings" button on the right of the first panel.
To import a set of previously exported settings (thus overwriting the current settings) click on the "Import settings" button on the right of the first panel.
To add a comment to a search and replace string definition, click on the number to the left of the set and a comments field will appear in the lower left of the panel.
To go to a specific search and replace defintion. Press Command-G and enter the number of the string that you wish to jump to.
To add additional file creator IDs to the popup menu on the main panel, option-click (hold down the option key and click) on the popup menu and follow the instructions displayed.
Please note that the stack accompanying this readme file is a beta version and the author cannot accept any responsibility for loss of data or damage to files resulting from the use of this stack. Use entirely at your own risk.
