WriteNow® has no text import or export capability, except via the clipboard. Since there seems to be quite a few people who desire these abilities, and otherwise like WriteNow, I have written this desk accessory. It enables the import of text to WriteNow document format, or export of WriteNow documents to text format, for any application. This could be useful, for instance, if you are running a communications program and want to send a text version of a document you are working on to a colleague. Or you can copy such a document into your current WriteNow session.
In addition, version 1.50 converts the "document view" of a WriteNow document into a MacWrite document format, readable by MacWrite and several other applications. See below for what is and what isn't translated.
The desk accessory is quite easy to use. Its name when installed will be TranslatorDA. Selecting it from the Apple menu will add a new menu (also called TranslatorDA) to the end of your menu bar. The menu contains 3 dialogs, one for Text To WriteNow, one for WriteNow To Text, and the final for WriteNow to MacWrite, as well as an About TranslatorDA message and a Close TranslatorDA selection.
Selection of Text To WriteNow... will display a second dialog. You have 2 options for handling paragraph/line ends when converting text. The current version of the DA understands only ASCII CR (Carriage Return) characters as line/paragraph breaks. You may choose to have each CR in your text file be treated as a paragraph end, or 2 consecutive CR's (which may be considered a blank line - line feeds are ignored) as a paragraph end. Once you have selected a treatment for CR's, you may select the input file from a list of all (only) files of explicit type TEXT and name an output file. The suggested output file name will be WN/original.name, i.e., "WN/" will be prefixed to the original document's name. You can make the output file name the same as the input, but this will overwrite and delete the original text file. While conversion takes place, you will be treated to the watch cursor until the translation is complete. Background conversion is not enabled in this release.
Selection of WriteNow To Text... will display a standard input file selection box for all WriteNow documents in the current folder. The suggested output file name will be TX/original.name. Don't overwrite the original document.
Selection of WriteNow To MacWrite... will display the input file selection box for all WriteNow documents in the current folder. After selection of an input file, the standard output box will be displayed with a suggested file name of MW/original.name. Do not overwrite your original document.
Currently (version 1.50), only the document view portion of the WriteNow file will be converted. In other words, headers and footers are ignored. In any case, only the first header and footer could be converted. Also, the current version does not handle superscripts and subscripts. It does handle all ruler formats (right and center tab are converted to decimal tab in MacWrite), font, size, and style changes (excluding condense and extend), and pictures. The pictures will not, of course, be on the same line as text, as they can be in WriteNow. Margins for the ruler are not checked for limitations of MacWrite, and the binding margins are not dealt with at all. Preliminary experiments indicate that MacWrite will put up an alert about I/O errors when the ruler is too long. However, the test file was converted properly and MacWrite placed its own ruler in place of the faulty one. I suspect this is not suitable, but it will take some further work to resolve these problems.
Later versions will endeavor to provide a more faithful rendition, within the limitations of MacWrite.
I am making this program available as "shareware" (if someone owns trademark to the name, please excuse). My previous version 1.02 was offered at the "bargain price" of $5.00, with an upgrade sent for $15.00. Buyers of 1.02 who sent $15.00 are being sent a disk with this release. Version 1.50 has substantial new features (e.g., to MacWrite), so $20.00 seems appropriate. As this is my first attempt at shareware, reality is now setting in as to the work involved and the possible reward (not a lot in dollars, but extremely high in pride when someone actually sends money for my effort!). Please use, enjoy, and forward money! Share with your friends.
Please send $20.00 to:
Edward L. Bolson
16648 NE 12th St
Bellevue WA 98008
Questions? Call (206) 543-4535 days, 747-3812 eves and wkends.
