yvw@gmdzi.UUCP (Yvo Van Wezemael) (08/30/88)
I'm looking for a description of the file format of common used
Wordporcessors, especially for Word 3.0.
(Reason: due to some missing print capabilities in 4D I want to
generate files that can be printed/edited with `normal'
word-processors). Any hints are very welcome, also of other packages
(Fullwrite, MacWrite, etc.).
Thanks in advance --- Yvo
--
Yvo Van Wezemael:
German National Research Laboratory for Computer Science (GMD)
P.O. Box 1240 (Schloss Birlinghoven) D-5205 Sankt Augustin 1
phone: (+49 2241) 142422 yvw@gmdzi.UUCP jherr@umbio.MIAMI.EDU (Jack Herrington) (09/01/88)
in article <830@gmdzi.UUCP>, yvw@gmdzi.UUCP (Yvo Van Wezemael) says: > > I'm looking for a description of the file format of common used > Wordporcessors, especially for Word 3.0. > (Reason: due to some missing print capabilities in 4D I want to > generate files that can be printed/edited with `normal' > word-processors). Any hints are very welcome, also of other packages > (Fullwrite, MacWrite, etc.). > Word 3.0 in particular has a file format named 'RTF' which allows you to describe the text of the document as well as all of the tabs, formatting, styles, margines, boxing, etc. that is used in word. It is a relatively easy format to understand, all you have to do is take a document you fully understand and 'save as' with a file format of Interchange Format (RTF). Then read through the file. The file is seperated into two parts normally, the font definition comes first, then the text. The text also has the style section at the beginning. Then the paragraph definition (the defualt) then all of the text. Microsoft will send you documentation on it if you like. The only problem is the file will not be bundled so it will not double-click boot, you must 'open' it after entering word. Where it will then translate it and open it up. Good luck, I use it ocassionaly for database formatting (similiar to your problem). -Jack Herrington No affiliation with MicroSoft. "If you'll be my Dixie Chicken, I'll be your tenessee lamb, and we can walk together, down in Dixieland..." -Little Feat
beard@ux1.lbl.gov (Patrick C Beard) (09/01/88)
And, if you set the file's type to 'TEXT' and the creator to 'MSWD', the finder will open MS Word upon double clicking the file's icon. In fact, just writing out the pure text into the file and setting the appropriate file type, TEXT almost always is supported, and setting the appropriate creator, MSWD for Microsoft Word, MACA for MacWrite makes the text more easy to get at. Patrick Beard beard@ux1.lbl.gov
bob@eecs.nwu.edu (Bob Hablutzel) (09/01/88)
> I'm looking for a description of the file format of common used > Wordporcessors, especially for Word 3.0. > (Reason: due to some missing print capabilities in 4D I want to > generate files that can be printed/edited with `normal' > word-processors). Any hints are very welcome, also of other packages > (Fullwrite, MacWrite, etc.). Word processor file formats fall into three camps: 1) Internal formats (Undocumented) 2) Internal formats (Documented) 3) External formats (Documented) In reverse order: External formats are currently all the rage. These are simple text files which contain imbedded commands to describe all the information needed by the document. (Sound like TeX or Runoff? It is.) The problem here is that every company seems to have their own, and doesn't like to read someone elses. Documentation for these puppies is usually readily available, just contact the company in question. Internal Formats are those used by the company to describe their internal structures to a disk file. These will usually be the fastest method of reading a file, since no translation is neccessary. Some products will read the internal format for other products - notably usually MacWrite. Internal formats can be documented or not. Only one product I can think of has the internal format in the public domain (WriteNow 1.0, but I don't know if the file format changes for 2.0) The MacWrite file format is available in Tech Notes, although the recent revision of Tech Notes removed this information. (The format has not changed since Claris took over, however). Word and FullWrite are undocumented. Word will give you the file format (last I checked) only if you are a developer willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement with them. FullWrite file format is completely unavailable. Best bet if you want to export formatted text to a file to be read by almost anything: MacWrite format. Hope this helps. Bob Hablutzel BOB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.EDU Disclaimer: Assume free advice is worth what you paid for it.