[Word Processing File Conversion Software]

656 Kreag Road - Pittsford, NY 14534-3730 - USA
PHONE: (US)-585-385-3810 FAX: (US)-585-385-6822 WEB: www.acii.com

WordPort™ 9.0 - Word Processing Conversion Software

Table of Contents

Basic Operation

Advanced Usage

Glossary and Appendix


Basic Operation

1 - General Information

     This chapter discusses what WordPort™ is all about and why you should use it. It also provides general information about the program.

1.1 - What is WordPort™

     Different word processors save their documents in different file formats, and one word processor cannot generally read another one's files. Some word processors such as WordPerfect or Microsoft Word include special 'filters' to read files produced by some other word processors. In general, however, these filters do a very inadequate job of converting the document formatting, layout and special functions. Further they can only convert one file at a time, and often do not handle the latest revisions of the different word processors. In additiion, filters for many word processors are not available.

     WordPort™ solves this incompatibility problem by converting documents between many different file formats. It accurately converts the text and practically all formatting and special functions, so that little or no touching up of the converted documents is required. The converted documents appear for all practical purposes as if they were created with the new word processor in the first place. Further, WordPort™ can convert several thousand files in a single operation, including conversion of entire disks or folders (including nested folders) while maintaining the folder structure in the converted files. For advanced users, WordPort™ provides a great deal of customizability so that the conversion can be tailored to specific requirements.

     In addition to converting documents between different word processors, WordPort™ may also be used to convert documents to and/or from "standardized" document file formats such as RTF (Microsoft Rich Text Format), HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language), DCA (Document Content Architecture), InterScript™ and ASCII. It has several options for supporting different kinds of ASCII applications. When converting ASCII files to word processor documents, WordPort™ reconstructs a lot of formatting that is otherwise lost in the ASCII file, thus providing much more functionality than is possible with the word processors' built-in ASCII import filters.

     When converting to and from modern file formats, WordPort™ also converts graphics images. Images are not converted to or from the older file formats.

1.2 - Computer System Requirements

     WordPort™ runs on any computer using Windows 95, 98, NT or 2000, as well as 32-bit Windows emulators. It imposes no special memory or other requirements.

1.3 - WordPort™ Options

     WordPort™ is available in single-user as well as multi-user (network) versions. Site licensing is available to users requiring a large number of copies. Programmers and software developers wishing to incorporate this conversion technology into their own programs may license it from Advanced Computer Innovations, Inc. under very flexible and reasonable terms.

2 - Installing and Running WordPort™

     This chapter discusses how to install WordPort™ from disks or by downloading, how to run it and, if applicable, purchase and enable the fully working copy.

2.1 - Installing from disks

     The Setup Program creates a desktop group named WordPort. In this group it places various icons/shortcuts that let you easily run the program, bring up the documentation and, if required, uninstall the program. The Setup Program then starts WordPort™.

2.2 - Installing by downloading

     If you download the WordPort™ software, you obtain a file named WORDPORT.EXE. Run this file by locating it with Windows Explorer and double-clicking on it. This starts the WordPort™ Setup Program. Respond to the dialogs on the screen, and WordPort™ will be installed on your hard disk.

     As with installation from disks, the Setup Program creates a desktop group named WordPort. In this group it places various icons/shortcuts that let you easily run the program, bring up the documentation and, if required, uninstall the program. The Setup Program then starts WordPort™.

2.3 - Starting, Evaluating and Buying WordPort™

     WordPort™ starts automatically immediately after installation. To run it later, click on [Start] in the Windows taskbar, then click on Programs, WordPort and WordPort Program. When WordPort™ is run, it presents its Main Panel which looks like this:

[Main Panel]

     The factory-shipped copy of WordPort™ first runs in the Evaluation Mode. In this mode, it introduces spelling and numeric inaccuracies in the converted document, but operates in every other way like the unrestricted version. This lets you to see how the program works and the quality of conversion. Once you decide the purchase the software, you may convert this evaluation mode to the fully functional mode by entering a special 7-character key code. To do this, click on [Purchase Now] in the upper right corner of the main panel. This brings up the following dialog box:

[Purchase Options]

2.4 - Files in the WordPort™ package

     This section lists the files in this package. To save disk space, you may delete the ones you don't need.

     The files WPT.EXE, WX.CF, WX.DTA, DETFILE.DLL, WPTG2.DLL, WPT.SP1, WPTY.DLL and WPT.SYS are always required. Do not delete these files.

     Files with extension .HTM, .JPG and .GIF are required for the online user manual. You may delete them if you don't need the online user manual

     The file WPT.HLP is the online help file. You may delete it if you don't need the online help.

     In addition, the following files are used for conversions involving specific file formats. Of these, you need keep only the ones that interest you and may delete the rest. If any of the following files are deleted, the corresponding file format does not appear in the WordPort™ menus.

IAMI.DLL --- Converts from Ami Professional.
IASCD.DLL --- Converts from ASCII or ANSI (document-oriented).
IASCL.DLL --- Converts from ASCII or ANSI (line-oriented).
IBROTD.DLL --- Converts from Brother WP (Daisy Wheel).
IBROTG.DLL --- Converts from Brother WP (Ink Jet).
IDSW.DLL --- Converts from DisplayWrite and DCA/RFT.
IGEO.DLL --- Converts from GeoWorks GeoWrite.
IENAB.DLL --- Converts from Enable WP.
ILEWP.DLL --- Converts from Leading Edge WP.
ILM.DLL --- Converts from Lotus Manuscript.
IMASS11.DLL --- Converts from Mass-11 (native and export formats).
IMSWD.DLL --- Converts from MS Word (Dos) and MS Write.
IMSWK.DLL --- Converts from MS Works.
IMSWM.DLL --- Converts from MS Word for Macintosh.
IMSWW.DLL --- Converts from MS Word for Windows 2 to 7
IMSWW8.DLL --- Converts from MS Word 8 (Office 97)
IMUL.DLL --- Converts from MultiMate.
IPCW.DLL --- Converts from PC-Write.
IPFS.DLL --- Converts from pfs: programs and Writing Assistant.
IPTS.DLL --- Converts from PTS and Displaywrite Assistant.
IRTF.DLL --- Converts from RTF (Rich Text Format).
ISAMNA.DLL --- Converts from Samna Word IV and Plus IV.
ITW.DLL --- Converts from Total Word.
IWPF4.DLL --- Converts from WordPerfect 4.x.
IWPF5.DLL --- Converts from WordPerfect 5.x (Dos, Windows).
IWPF6.DLL --- Converts from WordPerfect 6.x, 7 and 8.
IWS.DLL --- Converts from WordStar 3.3x through 7.0.
IWS2.DLL --- Converts from WordStar-2000.
IXY.DLL --- Converts from XyWrite, Nota Bene and Signature.
OAMI.DLL --- Converts to Ami Professional.
OASCD.DLL --- Converts to ASCII or ANSI (document- and printer-oriented).
OASCL.DLL --- Converts to ASCII or ANSI (line-oriented).
OBROTD.DLL --- Converts to Brother WP (Daisy Wheel).
OBROTG.DLL --- Converts to Brother WP (Ink Jet).
ODSW.DLL --- Converts to DisplayWrite and DCA/RFT.
OENAB.DLL --- Converts to Enable.
OHTML.DLL --- Converts to HTML.
OLM.DLL --- Converts to Lotus Manuscript 2.0/2.1.
OMASS11.DLL --- Converts to Mass-11 (native and export formats).
OMSWD.DLL --- Converts to MS Word (Dos, Mac), WinWord 1.0 and MS Write.
OMSWK.DLL --- Converts to MS Works.
OMSWW2.DLL --- Converts to MS Word for Windows 2.0.
OMSWW6.DLL --- Converts to MS Word 6.0, 7 and 8.
OWPF5.DLL --- Converts to WordPerfect 5.x (Dos, Windows).
OWPF6.DLL --- Converts to WordPerfect 6.x and higher.
OWS2.DLL --- Converts to WordStar-2000.
OWS34.DLL --- Converts to WordStar 3.3, 4.0.
OWS57.DLL --- Converts to WordStar 5.0 - 7.0.
OXY.DLL --- Converts to XyWrite, Nota Bene and Signature.

3 - WordPort™ Operations

     This chapter briefly discusses the general sequence of steps when using WordPort™, as well as some of its other features. More details on all these functions are given in later chapters.

3.1 - General Sequence of Steps

     In general, when using WordPort™ to convert document files, you carry out the following steps:
Generally, WordPort™ automatically figures out the file format of the source file(s). However, some older file formats cannot be autorecognized in this way. In such cases, you also have to manually specify the source file format.

3.2 - Options and Other Features

     Beyond the basic steps, WordPort™ gives you a lot more options. Some of them are summarized below:

3.3 - On-line Help

     Though very easy and intuitive to use, WordPort™ provides plenty of help online.

4 - Source Files

     This chapter discusses how you specify the source file(s) to be converted when using WordPort™ interactively. It also discusses how you may specify the source type (i.e., its word processor or special file format) or have WordPort™ determine it automatically (a process known as Autorecognition).

4.1 - Selecting the Source File(s)

     You select the source file(s) to be converted by clicking on the [File(s)] button in the Source area of the main panel. This displays the following standard Windows dialog box:

[File Open]
     Once the source file(s) have been selected, WordPort™ returns to the main panel. At this point the Source area of the main panel displays the source file name (if only one file was selected), or the source path with a count of files selected (if multiple files were selected), or the filename template if one was entered.

     If you are sure of the source file(s) path and filename, you may enter it directly into the main panel edit field without going through the above dialog box. This may also include the wild card characters * and ?.

4.2 - Files in Nested Folders

     If your source file specification includes one or more wild cards * and ?, then the Include Nested Folders check box in the SOURCE area gets enabled. Checking this box causes WordPort™ to convert all matching files in your specified folder as well as in all nested folders. This is particularly useful in installations where nested folder tree structures are used to categorize and keep track of a large number of documents.

4.3 - Autorecognizing the Source File Type

     If the Auto-recognize Source File Format option has been checked in the Options area of the main panel, WordPort™ attempts to determine the source file type automatically:
     WordPort™ recognizes file types by examining the contents of the file as well as the file name. In some cases, autorecognition is not possible because the source document file does not contain any reliable indication of its origin. In such cases, the source file type has to be specified manually as shown in the next section.

4.4 - Specifying the Source File Type

     If the Auto-determine Source File Format option has not been checked in the Options area of the main panel, or if WordPort™ is unable to determine the source file(s) type, you must specify the source format manually. To do this, click on the [Format] button in the Source area of the main panel. A dialog box that looks something like this will be displayed:

[Source Formats]
     Once you return to the main panel after selecting the source file format manually, this file format is displayed in the Source area of the main panel.

4.5 - Prequalifying files for conversion

     If you explicitly specify the source file(s) format, WordPort™ normally assumes that all matching files to be converted are truly in that format and proceeds to convert them based on this assumption. This can cause a problem if your source directory or directories contain the desired files mixed up with other kinds of files. In such a situation, if the file format you have specified is autorecognizable, you may click on the check box marked Ignore files that are not in above format. If this box is checked, WordPort™ checks each file before conversion to ensure that it is in the stated format, and skips it if it is not. This is useful if some undesired files match your specified filename selection template. However, it also results in redundant file checking which slows down the conversion somewhat. If you are sure that all files matching your specification are indeed in the correct file format, you may uncheck this box to obtain a faster conversion.

5 - Destination Files

     This chapter discusses how you specify the name and location of destination file(s) when using WordPort™ interactively. It also discusses how WordPort™ can automatically compute destination file name(s) for you, a process known as auto-naming the destination file(s).

5.1 - Specifying Destination File(s)

     You specify the destination file(s) name and location by clicking the [File(s)] button in the Destination area of the main panel. When you do this, WordPort™ displays the following dialog window:

[File Save]

Click on the buttons at the top of the dialog box to navigate to the drive and directory where you wish to save the converted file(s). Then enter the destination filename (single file) or file naming template (multiple files) into the file name field. A template may include the following special characters:

5.2 - Auto-naming the destination file(s)

     If the Auto-name destination file option has been checked in the Options area of the main panel, WordPort™ automatically computes the name(s) of the destination file(s) by keeping the name portion of the name the same as that of the source file while using an extension dictated by or descriptive of the destination file format. In other words, it uses a destination filename template of the form *.ext where ext depends on the destination file format. For example, if the destination file format is Word for Windows, the template used is *.DOC, since Word for Windows prefers its documents to have a .DOC filename extension.

     A destination filename therefore depends on the source filename and the destination file format. So if auto-naming has been enabled, the destination filename(s) are computed whenever the source filename(s) or the destination file format is changed. If you do not like this behavior, you may turn auto-naming off by unchecking the Auto-name destination file option in the Options area of the main panel, If you do this, you always have to specify the destination file(s) name manually as described above.

     Note that auto-naming computes only the destination filename component, not the drive and directory. These latter components stay the same as last specified.

5.3 - Same-named destination and source file(s)

     If the name of a destination file works out to be the same as that of the source file it is being converted from (including all the path components), then the converted file replaces the source file, i.e., the original file is overwritten. Such replacement is permitted only if the source and destination file names (including all the path components) are specified in the short (8.3) format.

5.4 - Destination folder structure

     If multiple files are being converted by using "*" and/or "?" wild card characters in the source file specification and nested folders in the source folder are included, then you have the option of automatically building nested destination folders to match the source nested folders structure. In order to do this, check the Replicate Nested Folders box in the Destination area of the main panel. Converted files are then placed in the appropriate destination folder to replicate the original structure.

     If the Replicate Nested Folders box is not checked and there are nested source folders, files from all the source folders are placed in the single destination folder that you have specified.

5.5 - Specifying the destination file format

     Unlike the source file(s) format, which may be autorecognized, the destination file(s) format must be specified manually. To do this, click on the [Format] button in the Destination area of the main panel. The actual specification process using a dialog box works identically to specifying the source file(s) format, and so is not discussed here again.

6 - Converting and Exiting

     Once the source and destination files and their types have been specified as described in the previous chapters, you may click on the [Convert] button to execute the conversion. When all source files have been converted, WordPort™ returns to the main panel. At this point you may view the conversion log (as described later), convert additional files or exit the program.

6.1 - The Progress Meter

     Normally, WordPort™ displays a progress meter as each file is being converted. This is reassuring when converting large files. However, the display and maintenance of a progress meter slows down the program somewhat. This slowdown is insignificant when converting large files, but is more prominent when converting large numbers of very small files. If desired, display of the progress meter may be turned off by clicking on the [More Options] button in the WordPort™ main panel.

6.2 - The Conversion Log

     Some features in a document may not be convertible because they are not supported by the destination word processor. WordPort™ can record such exceptions in a log file containing an audit trail. This file may be viewed after doing a conversion by clicking on the [View Log] button in the WordPort™ main panel, which shows the conversion log like this:

[Conversion Log]

Use the scroll bar if necessary to scroll through the log. You may also use the UpArrow, DownArrow, PgUp, PgDn, Home and End keys. The log is actually stored in a text file named CONV_LOG.TXT in your temporary directory. You may click on the [Print or Edit Log] button to bring this file up in a word processor or text editor. This lets you edit, highlight, search or print the log file.

     Normally WordPort™ maintains a log file only for the current session. In other words, the log is cleared each time WordPort™ is started. However, you may accumulate the log over successive sessions by clicking on the [More Options] button in the WordPort™ main panel. You may also delete the log at any time by clicking on the [Delete Log] button in order to start a new log for subsequent conversions.

6.3 - Exiting WordPort™

     When you're all done converting, click on the [Exit] button to return to Windows. Normally WordPort™ remembers your program settings from one session to the next. This is done by saving these settings when you exit WordPort™. If you do not wish to save these settings, uncheck the Save Settings on Exit box in the WordPort™ main panel.

7 - Conversion of Graphics

     WordPort™ converts graphics when converting between any combination of WordPerfect 6.x, WordPerfect 7, WordPerfect 8, Word 6.0, Word 7, Word 8 (Office 97), Word 2000, Microsoft RTF (Rich Text Format) and InterScript. It also handles graphics when converting from Ami Professional. These combinations cover most conversions that you are likely to encounter nowadays. At the present time WordPort™ does not convert some graphics image features, such as scaling, rotation and borders.

7.1 - Embedded and Linked Graphics

     A graphics image in a word processing document file may be embedded or linked.
     When converting documents with graphics, WordPort™ figures out if a graphics image is embedded or linked, and automatically handles both kinds even in the same document. On the destination side, WordPort™ always produces linked graphics, i.e., the graphics files are placed external to the document file, and appropriate links are created in the document to these files. If embedded graphics are desired, the converted file may be opened in its appropriate Word Processor and the graphics may be embedded by using the word processors's embedding option.

7.2 - Updating Graphics Links

     Depending on the options settings of your destination word processor, linked graphics may not initially appear in the converted file. This is normal, and happens because the word processor may not be set to resolve links automatically. In such cases, you should force a link update. For example, in MS Word, click on Edit, then Links, and update the graphics image links. The images should then appear normally.

7.3 - Conversion between Graphics Image formats

     There are many different graphics image file formats, such as .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .TIF, .WMF, .PCX, .WPG, etc. Not all applications can handle all file formats. For example, web browsers by default can display only a few file types such as .JPG and .GIF. So when converting documents between different applications, WordPort™ converts the graphics file format if necessary. The only significant exception is converting WordPerfect .WPG graphics to HTML.

     When converting graphics files, WordPort™ does not alter your original files. Instead, it creates new files and places them in a directory structure associated with the target file name as described in the next section.

7.4 - Location of Linked files

     If WordPort™ has to create new graphics files to link with a converted document (either because the files had to be extracted or because of a change in the graphics file format), it places them in a directory with the same 8-letter name as that of the document being converted, with a 3-letter extension of .GR-. Within this directory is a directory identifying the document extension, and within that directory are the graphics files. This ensures that graphics files associated with different documents do not overwrite each other even during repeat conversions and even if the documents differ only in their 3-letter extension. The user need not necessarily be aware of this directory structure, since WordPort™ automatically places the correct links to the graphics files in the converted documents.

     The links to these external graphics files may be relative (i.e., with respect to the directory of the converted document) or absolute (i.e., include the complete path). By default, WordPort™ places relative links in the document files. This way, if you move the document file and its associated graphics directory to a different location (even on a different computer), the links will still work. If you desire the links to be referenced absolutely, you may customize WordPort™ by setting the Abs_Graphics_Filenamess parameter as described under Advanced Customization.

8 - Command Line Options and Batch Mode

     Most users prefer to run WordPort™ through its normal user interface described in earlier chapters. However, you may bypass this interface and run WordPort™ in the Batch mode if so desired. This is done by specifying the source and destination file names and types in the command line used to start WordPort™, or via a parameters file.

8.1 - Command Line Options

     You may enter some options in the command line used to start up WordPort™. These options should be separated from each other and from the WPT command by spaces. Each option is of the form keyword(value), and may be entered in upper or lower case. The keywords are:
     For example, to convert all WordPerfect 6.x documents with extension .WPD residing in directory D:\WPDOC to Microsoft Word 7.0 documents in a directory c:\My Docs with extension .DOC, a sample set of options may be:

in(d:\wpdoc\*.wpd) sfrm(wpf6) out(c:\My Docs\*.doc) dfrm(msww7)

     To do the same thing, but skip processing of source files that are not in WordPerfect 6.x format, the options would be:

in(d:\wpdoc\*.wpd) sfrm(#wpf6) out(c:\My Docs\*.doc) dfrm(msww7)

     A special case arises if the argument itself (e.g., a file name) contains a closing parenthesis. In that case, the closing parenthesis must be entered as #( (i.e., the hash mark followed by an opening parenthesis). For example, to specify an input file named Copy(1) of original.doc, you would enter in(Copy(1#( of original.doc).

8.2 - The Operation Control File

     An operation control file is a text file which specifies any number of conversions for WordPort™ to perform. Each conversion is specified on two lines. The first line starts with the source keyword and is followed by one or more spaces, then the source file name (including path). The second line starts with the destination keyword and is followed by one or more spaces, then the destination file name (including path). Windows 95/98/NT/2000 long file names are permitted, including those with embedded spaces. The file name(s) may not contain wild card characters. A single operation control file may specify any number of such conversions to be performed.

8.3 - Batch Mode Operation

     If an option is specified either via the command line or in a parameters file, the corresponding setting takes effect automatically when WordPort™ starts. If the options IN, OUT, SFRM and DFRM are all specified in this manner, WordPort™ runs in the batch mode. In this mode, the WordPort™ main panel does not appear at all. Instead, the program's main window only informs you that it is running in the batch mode. Conversion of the specified file(s) begins automatically without any further user interaction as soon as WordPort™ starts up in the batch mode, and when all files have been converted the program returns to Windows.

     When running in the batch mode, all WordPort™ settings other than those specified in the command line or through a parameters file are derived from their last saved values when WordPort™ was run in the interactive mode. This includes the settings to suppress user notifications and prompts. If you need to change these settings, run WordPort™ in the interactive mode, change the settings to their desired values, then either click on [Save Settings Now] or exit the program with the Save Settings on Exit option enabled in the main panel. These settings will then take effect when WordPort™ is subsequently run in the batch mode.

9 - Notes on Specific Formats

     This chapter discusses some specific issues related to the individual word processing formats supported by WordPort™.

9.1 - ASCII Text

     An ASCII file is a text file that contains only printable characters and a few simple control codes. They are often thought of as documents with the control codes "stripped". Special symbols such as accented vowels, greek/math symbols, line drawing characters, ligatures, etc.) do not normally appear in ASCII files. However, if used their coding may be dependent on a special character set such as a Dos code page. WordPort™ lets you specify how to handle these special characters as described under customization, and is also sensitive to the varying interpretation of these characters in different Dos code pages.

     Line endings in ASCII files are usually a Carriage-Return followed by a Line-Feed. However, some systems use only one of these codes, or reverse their sequence. WordPort™ allows you to specify the line ending convention when converting to ASCII, as described under customization.

     An ASCII file which mirrors a word processing document is called "Document-oriented". Documents are usually organized into paragraphs ending with "hard" line endings. However, an ASCII file does not differentiate between a "soft" line-ending (produced by wrap-around) and a (required) hard one, so a line ending in such a file may or may not represent a paragraph end.

     Sometimes, one needs an ASCII file without soft line endings, i.e., one where line endings are used only at the end of a paragraph or record. Examples are catalog listings, lists of names and addresses, and computer program source files. These are called non-document or Line-oriented ASCII files.

     The ASCII format provides no support for print enhancements like boldface or underline. However, if the file is printed on a printer, some of these functions may be implemented by overprinting. WordPort™ supports a special ASCII mode called Printer-oriented which uses overprinting to support these enhancements.

     The three flavors of ASCII will now be discussed individually.

9.1.1 - ASCII (Document-oriented)

     One problem in converting a document-oriented ASCII file to a word processing format is that a line ending in the source file is not necessarily a required line break, since it may be the result of wrap-around. Further, the ASCII file does not explicitly contain formatting commands such as centering, right-alignment, tab alignment, etc. Because word processor file formats usually differentiate between soft and hard line endings, and require explicit formatting commands, WordPort™ makes various decisions about formatting variables when converting document-oriented ASCII files, sometimes using statistical properties of documents in general. Experience shows that these decisions are mostly correct. However, some touching up of the converted file may ocassionally be required. This is a limitation imposed by the nature of the ASCII format.

     Document-oriented ASCII files do not normally contain tabs, since a tab is meaningless without a provision to define tab settings. However, WordPort™ lets you specify how to handle tabs if encountered as described under customization.

     When converting word processing files to document-oriented ASCII, WordPort™ does all relevant formatting, including right-margin justification, centering, tab expansion, indents, line spacing, etc. Therefore, the converted file has a "document look".

9.1.2 - ASCII (Printer-oriented)

     This is like Document-oriented ASCII, but refers to files intended for printing. When converting to this format, WordPort™ uses backspaces to overprint for underlining, boldfacing and strike-out. It also uses formfeeds for page breaks, and supplies the "top margin" for each page. Since this format is intended only to support print output, you cannot convert printer-oriented ASCII files to something else.

9.1.3 - ASCII (Line-oriented)

     In line-oriented ASCII files each line ending represents a required line break (there are no line breaks produced by wrap-around). Therefore, line-oriented ASCII files are converted to other formats as exact images. The only exception arises if a line is too long to fit between margins, in which case the destination word processor may impose normal wrap-around.

     Line-oriented ASCII files include non-document files such as program source or data base listings. Such files sometimes contain tab characters. WordPort™ allows you to specify the tab spacing, which is usually 8 characters for such files, and translates tab characters to appropriate tab codes in the destination format.

     When converting word processing documents to line-oriented ASCII, WordPort™ outputs the text in "ribbon format", where each paragraph is a long line terminated by a hard return. Some word processing programs import such files and automatically supply appropriate soft line endings. In such cases, the line-oriented ASCII format serves as a valuable intermediary for converting non-document as well as document files.

9.2 - ANSI Text

     Like an ASCII text file, an ANSI text file contains only printable characters and some control codes, but includes commonly used typographic symbols and international characters such as accented vowels and consonants.

     WordPort™ provides complete support for these special characters when converting ANSI text files to word processing formats as well as the other way around. In all other respects, conversions involving ANSI files work the same way as those involving ASCII files. Like the ASCII text format, the "document-oriented", "line-oriented" and "printer-oriented" flavors are also available for ANSI files.

9.3 - WordStar

     WordPort™ can convert files to or from all versions of WordStar (3.x through 7.0 - also called WordStar Classic or WordStar Professional), and WordStar-2000. WordPort™ does not handle WordStar for Windows. The WordStar Classic file formats are quite different from WordStar-2000, and they are dealt with separately.

9.3.1 - WordStar Classic

     This includes all versions of Classic WordStar (3.3, 4.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 7.0). When converting files from WordStar to other formats, WordPort™ automatically figures out the version.

     WordStar has a Page Offset (.PO) as well as Left-margin (.LM) dot command. However there is no left-indent command, and the .LM command is generally used to produce indentation in WordStar 4.0 or higher. Most other word processors have a left-margin and a left-indent function, but no page offset. Therefore, WordPort™ treats the WordStar page offset as the left margin used in other programs, while the WordStar left margin is like the left indent function in other programs, in keeping with the usage philosophy of these commands in WordStar.

     WordStar may be customized to change its initial (default) settings. However these changes are not stored in the document files. Although WordPort™ can identify most such changes, it is not possible to identify all of them. In such cases, standard WordStar defaults are assumed, and you may customize WordPort™ to supply different defaults as described under customization.

9.3.2 - WordStar-2000

     WordPort™ converts files to and from all versions of WordStar-2000, and automatically figures out the version.

     WordStar-2000 uses "printer definition files" for certain printer-specific formatting attributes, such as font size, line height, line spacing and print color. All required information about such attributes is not stored in the document files. As a result, WordPort™ cannot convert these parameters. Similarly, when converting documents from other programs to WordStar-2000, there is no way to encode such functions into the converted document, since the meanings of these codes depend on the destination user's printer driver.

     WordStar-2000 supports separate left margin and page offset settings. The former may be set and changed within a document, but reduces the working screen area. The latter does not take up screen space but is fixed for the entire document. When converting WordStar-2000 documents to something else, WordPort™ correctly translates the sum of these two values as the left margin in the converted file. When converting documents from other formats to WordStar-2000, you can customize WordPort™ to specify a page offset of your choice (see subsequent chapters on customization). The balance of the left margin is implemented using the WordStar-2000 left margin facility. By default, WordPort™ uses a page offset of five characters, which works well in most applications.

9.4 - WordPerfect

     WordPort™ supports all WordPerfect versions from 4.x through 8 for Dos and Windows. The 4.x, 5.x, 6.x and 7.x/8.x file formats are very different from each other, and are described here separately.

9.4.1 - WordPerfect 4.1/4.2

     When converting from WordPerfect 4.1 or 4.2, WordPort™ automatically figures out the version. For best results with some of the advanced formatting functions when converting to WordPerfect, call up the converted document in WordPerfect and save it (press F10) before using it.

9.4.2 - WordPerfect 5.0/5.1/5.2 (Dos & Windows)

     WordPort™ automatically distinguishes between WordPerfect versions 5.0, 5.1 and 5.2 (Dos & Windows), when converting documents produced by these word processors.

     When documents are converted from other program formats to WordPerfect 5.x, WordPort™ does not encode a printer name into the document since it does not know which printers have been installed on the destination computer system. This sets up the converted document to use the default printer. If necessary, you may change this default or select a different printer after opening the converted document in WordPerfect.

     WordPort™ does not convert equations created by WordPerfect's equation editor.

     For best results with some of the advanced formatting functions when converting to WordPerfect 5.x, call up and reformat the converted document in WordPerfect by holding down the DownArrow while the entire document scrolls up. You may then save it by pressing F10.

9.4.3 - WordPerfect 6.0/6.1 (Dos & Windows)

     WordPort™ directly converts WordPerfect 6.0 and 6.1 (Dos & Windows) documents to and from other programs. By and large, the considerations that apply to WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 conversions (see previous sub-section) also apply to WordPerfect 6.0 and 6.1.

9.4.4 - WordPerfect (Corel) 7.x and 8.x

     WordPerfect versions 7 and 8 (also called Corel WordPerfect) can produce files in Microsoft OLE format. WordPort™ can convert these files without any problem. All the considerations that apply to WordPerfect 6.x conversions also apply to WordPerfect versions 7 and 8.

9.5 - DisplayWrite

     WordPort™ can convert files directly to or from DisplayWrite-2, -3, -4, -4.2 and -5, without requiring export to or import from any intermediate format like DCA/RFT. When converting from any DisplayWrite or DCA/RFT format, WordPort™ automatically figures out the version.

     Page breaks produced automatically or created with CTRLE in DisplayWrite are soft page breaks and not permanent, i.e., they may be removed by repagination. Permanent breaks are produced by the Required Page End code (CTRLR), and are hard page breaks. Normally WordPort™ converts hard page breaks, but not the soft ones since these are inserted by the destination word processor and may not be in the same place as in the original document. However, you can set up WordPort™ to translate soft page breaks as hard breaks, as discussed under customization.

     While creating a document using DisplayWrite, it does not paginate to its final form until you explicitly paginate it. WordPort™ correctly converts paginated and unpaginated DisplayWrite documents. When converting documents to DisplayWrite, WordPort™ leaves them in unpaginated form, since they are easier to edit and work with. For best results they should be paginated before final printing.

     DisplayWrite-2 and -3 use a default filename extension of .TXT while -4, -4.2 and -5 use .DOC. When converting documents from other formats to DisplayWrite, it is recommended that the appropriate extension be used.

9.6 - DCA/RFT

     "DCA/RFT" stands for Document Content Architecture, Revisable Form Text. This is a relatively standardized logical document file format used by IBM in many of its products. When converting from any DisplayWrite or DCA/RFT format (the two are different), WordPort™ automatically identifies the file type and figures out the version.

     DCA/RFT enables the exchange of documents between diverse IBM products (dedicated word processors, mainframe, mini- or micro-computers), as well as some non-IBM products which export to or import from this format. This lets WordPort™ convert to or from such systems. Such conversions generally preserve formatting and print controls. However, many products import from or export to DCA/RFT incompletely, and most of them do not handle advanced functions.

     The normal way of entering centered, right-aligned or decimal-aligned fields in a DCA-based document is to define appropriate tab stops and then tab to those positions. The full-featured DCA/RFT implementation also lets you align fields without tab stops; however, many implementations do not fully support this, so when converting to DCA/RFT you may specify which kinds of aligned fields may be used without tab stops, as described under customization.

     The full-featured DCA/RFT format supports multiple note classes to include, for example, footnotes and endnotes within the same document. However, many DCA implementations do not support multiple note classes, so their documents may, for example, contain footnotes or endnotes, but not both. When converting to DCA, you may specify whether or not to convert footnotes and endnotes to separate note classes, as described under customization.

9.7 - Microsoft Word

     WordPort™ supports Word for Dos (all versions up to 5.5), Word for Windows (all versions up to 2000), and Word for Macintosh (4.0, 5.0). These are dealt with individually in the following subsections.

9.7.1 - Microsoft Word for Dos

     WordPort™ converts to and from MS-Dos versions of Microsoft Word from 1.0 through 5.5, and when converting from it automatically figures out the version.

     Word for Dos allows style sheets to format a document. However, style sheet files are separate from document files, and style formatting is not explicitly recorded in the documents; instead, the document file only makes a reference to the style sheet. So when converting Word for Dos documents, style sheet formatting is not converted.

     Word for Dos uses side-by-side paragraphs as equivalent to parallel columns (also called synchronized columns) provided by some other word processors. Wherever possible, therefore, WordPort™ translates them to parallel columns in other formats, and converts parallel columns from other formats to side-by-side paragraphs in Word for Dos.

     Outline mode paragraphs in Word for Dos may be flush-left or indented, but this selection is made on the fly, and not recorded in the document file. When converting these documents, WordPort™ does not normally indent these paragraphs. However, you may opt to have them indented as described under customization.

     By default Microsoft Word uses .DOC as its document filename extension, and it is recommended that you specify this extension when converting from other file formats to Microsoft Word.

9.7.2 - Microsoft Word for Windows

     WordPort™ converts to or from Word for Windows (also called WinWord, MS Word or just Word), versions 1.0 through 2000. When converting from Word it automatically figures out the version. When converting to Word, it creates Word 2.0 or Word 7 native format files, which can be read by all higher versions of MS Word without any loss of document quality.

     Note that Word 2000 can save documents in native Word form, or as HTML files. If saved as HTML files, a substantial amount of document and formatting information (such as graphics and XML segments) is actually saved outside the document, and is not included in the document file. WordPort™ converts only the native-format Word 2000 documents.

     Word uses the ANSI (for American National Standards Institute) character set. This set does not include box- and line-drawing characters used by many older word processors, but these characters are available through a special font known as the MS Line Draw font. WordPort™ recognizes this font and so it correctly converts these characters. But MS Word will show them correctly only if the MS Line Draw font has been installed. Please note also that Word 2000 does not support the MS LineDraw font.

     Word can save its documents in full-save or fast-save modes. Documents should be full-saved when completed. WordPort™ converts only full-saved Word documents.

9.7.3 - Microsoft Word for Macintosh

     WordPort™ converts to and from Word for Macintosh (also called MacWord), versions 4.0 and 5.0. When converting from MacWord it automatically figures out the version. When converting to MacWord, it produces Word for Dos files, which MacWord can recognize and read automatically without loss of formatting.

     MacWord uses the Macintosh character set. When converting to or from MacWord, WordPort™ replaces any character that cannot be converted by a dummy character. You may alter or omit this replacement, as described under customization.

     MacWord can save its documents in full-save or fast-save modes. Documents should be full-saved when completed. WordPort™ converts only full-saved MacWord documents.

     Macintoshes and PCs do not normally read the other's disks. For WordPort™ to read files produced on a Macintosh, those files should be readable on a PC. This may be done through the Macintosh AppleShare utility, by reading over a network, by transferring the files over a communication link or by using third-party products that convert between Macintosh and PC disk formats.

     Files on the Macintosh consist of a data fork and a resource fork. Depending on how the Macintosh file is transferred to a PC, only the data fork or both forks may be transferred. WordPort™ can handle both kinds of files, but the autorecognition feature works correctly only with files that do not include a resource fork header.

9.8 - Microsoft Works

     WordPort™ converts to or from all versions of MS Works 2 through 4.x, and can automatically figure out the version. Note that MS Works versions 1 and 2 were used under Dos, while versions 3 and higher are Windows versions. The Windows version documents may contain embedded spreadsheets (tables), pictures and other objects. Please note that WordPort™ does not convert these embedded objects.

     By default MS Works uses .WPS as its document filename extension, and it is recommended that you specify this extension when converting from other file formats to MS Works.

9.9 - Microsoft Write

     WordPort™ converts to and from Microsoft Write, which used to be the "desk accessory" word processor included with Microsoft Windows 3.x and prior. MS Write is not as powerful as full-featured word processors. For example, many functions like tabs and margins which can be changed within documents in other programs apply only globally in MS Write; and many functions like multiple-columns and automatic paragraph numbering are not fully supported in MS Write. This necessitates some compromises when converting from other word processors to MS Write, and documents containing such functions may need some touching up.

     Like Word for Windows, MS Write uses the ANSI character set, and the related considerations mentioned under Word for Windows apply to MS Write as well.

     By default MS Write uses .WRI as its document filename extension, and it is recommended that you specify this extension when converting from other file formats to MS Write.

9.10 - Lotus Manuscript

     WordPort™ converts documents from all versions of Lotus Manuscript (i.e., 1.0, 2.0 and 2.1) to other file formats, and automatically figures out the version. It can also convert other file formats to Manuscript 2.0/2.1. Manuscript 1.0 is now outdated and WordPort™ does not convert to it.

     When converting from Manuscript, WordPort™ handles both structured and unstructured documents, and fully supports document structure formatting (such as automatic section numbers and section indents). But since other word processors in general treat documents as unstructured, WordPort™ converts from them to Manuscript in unstructured form. Since Lotus Manuscript does not implement automatic paragraph numbering in the unstructured mode, WordPort™ converts this kind of numbering as literal text so that the converted document resembles the original.

     WordPort™ does not support the Manuscript Equation Editor, but equations entered as text using subscripts, superscripts and extended characters are correctly converted.

     Manuscript defines two kinds of tabs for numbers: decimal tabs (which align on decimal points), and numeric tabs (which align on the rightmost digit). Since other word processors do not implement numeric tabs in this manner, WordPort™ converts both these tab types as decimal tabs. The impact of this approximation on most documents is negligible.

     Manuscript allows up to twenty font specifications in a document (ten in version 1.0), which includes specification of font sizes. These are entered in a global font table. The first three entries are reserved for specific document components, and the remaining are available for font changes throughout the document. When converting from Manuscript to other formats, WordPort™ correctly translates the font sizes for all 20 entries. When converting from other formats to Manuscript, WordPort™ sets up the destination font table so that entries 4 through 20 correspond to font sizes 8 through 40 points respectively, i.e., each entry represents a point size equal to twice the entry number. Font sizes are converted to the nearest matching entry, resulting in the converted document resembling the original as closely as possible. Users who do not wish the font table set up in this manner may customize WordPort™ as described under customization.

     By default Manuscript uses .DOC as its document filename extension, and it is recommended that you specify this extension when converting from other file formats to Manuscript.

9.11 - Samna Word IV/Plus IV

     WordPort™ converts documents from all versions of Samna Word IV and Plus IV to other file formats, and it automatically figures out the version. It does not convert other formats to Samna.

     Samna supports newspaper columns, but this information is not stored in the document files. Instead, column layout is a print-time operation, and Samna documents convert to other file formats in single-column mode.

     Samna supports four outline tag (section numbering) styles, viz., Roman, Arabic, Manual (also called legal numbering) and a custom style. The first three are well defined. However, details about the fourth (custom) style are not stored in document files, but in a Samna configuration file. Therefore, custom tag styles in Samna documents are not converted, and such tags print in the destination word processor's default style after conversion, or their style may be specified as described under customization. The three standard styles are well defined, and they convert without any problem.

     Similarly, Samna allows you to specify the format of footnote/endnote tags, but this information is not stored in the document file. Therefore, the exact formatting of these tags is not transferred when converting Samna documents. Instead, these tags in the converted document print in the destination program's default style, or the style may be specified as described under customization.

     In Samna, footnotes may be printed at the end of the page where referenced, or as endnotes at the end of the document. Also, footnotes are numbered sequentially. The placement and starting number are not stored in the document file but in a configuration file or specified at print time. Therefore WordPort™ transfers all notes as footnotes starting with number 1.

9.12 - MultiMate

     WordPort™ converts documents from MultiMate to other file formats. This includes the MultiMate 3.3 series (3.3/3.31), MultiMate Advantage (3.5/3.6), Advantage-II (3.7) and MultiMate 4.0. WordPort™ automatically figures out the version when converting these documents. It does not convert documents from other programs to MultiMate.

     MultiMate does not let you specify footnote/endnote tag formats. In fact, the footnote numbers are superscripted if the printer supports that function, else they print in square parentheses. So when converting these documents, WordPort™ transfers no tag format information. These tags in the converted document print in the destination program's default style, or the style may be specified as described under customization.

     In MultiMate, footnotes may be placed at the bottom of the page where referenced, or as endnotes at the end of the document. However, this information is not stored in the document file, but specified at print time. WordPort™ transfers all MultiMate notes as footnotes.

     In MultiMate, the left margin is specified only when printing a document, and holds for the entire document. If a document is created but never printed, the left margin value is never recorded. The same is true of right margin justification, and starting footnote number. Therefore, when converting these documents to other programs, WordPort™ cannot transfer these settings if the document was never printed in MultiMate. In this case, the values used in the converted document are default values, which may be changed as described under customization. If the MultiMate document was printed, then these values have been set, and WordPort™ transfers them.

     Page breaks produced automatically or created with F2 in MultiMate are soft page breaks and not permanent, i.e., they may be removed by repagination. Permanent breaks are produced with ALTB, and are hard page breaks. As shipped, WordPort™ converts hard but not soft breaks since the latter are inserted by the destination word processor and their location may differ from original document. However, you can set up WordPort™ to translate soft page breaks as hard breaks, as discussed under customization.

     MultiMate does not store footnotes in the same file as the document body, but in a file with extension .FNT (versions 3.x) or .FNX (version 4.0) in the same disk and subdirectory as its corresponding document file. WordPort™ fully converts MultiMate footnotes if this file is found; otherwise it converts the footnote instances correctly, but inserts the message "Missing Multimate Footnote/Endnote" in place of the footnote text.

     When identifying MultiMate documents, it helps to know that MultiMate versions prior to 4.0 use a filename extension .DOC while MultiMate 4.0 uses .DOC.

9.13 - Enable WP

     WordPort™ converts to or from the word processing modules of all versions of Enable, including 1.x, 2.x, 3 (OA) and 4.x.

     In Enable, the left margin is specified at print time, and cannot be changed within the document,but left indent and hanging indent settings can be changed. Therefore, when converting to Enable, left margin changes cannot be converted, but paragraph indentations are converted faithfully.

     Mail-Merge field names in Enable are enclosed in square parentheses, and are recognized only by implicit reference to an Enable data base. Therefore, WordPort™ cannot tell if a word enclosed in square parentheses is a field name or just text, and so converts these codes literally. When converting documents from other programs to Enable, WordPort™ correctly converts mail-merge codes to Enable field names enclosed in square parentheses, and Enable's mail-merge function automatically recognizes them as field names if an accompanying data file is provided.

     Enable implements a Shorthand function which lets phrases or sentences be referenced using a two-letter code. The translation from the two-letter code to the phrase it represents is given in a Shorthand Table. Before printing a document in Enable, it must be expanded so that the shorthand codes are replaced by their corresponding phrases. When converting these documents to other formats, it is recommended that the document be similarly expanded. Otherwise, the converted document will contain the two-letter shorthand codes instead of the phrases they represent. In this situation, WordPort™ includes the shorthand table into the converted document as a non-printing comment.

     Enable places footnotes either at the bottom of the page where referenced or at the end of the document as endnotes. So when converting from other programs to Enable, WordPort™ translates all notes as either footnotes or endnotes depending on which are the majority.

     Enable always numbers footnotes/endnotes sequentially using superscripted arabic numerals, and WordPort™ uses this convention when converting documents from other programs to Enable.

     By default Enable uses .WPF as its document filename extension, and it is recommended that you specify this extension when converting from other file formats to Enable.

9.14 - Mass-11

     WordPort™ converts to and from all PC and VAX versions of Mass-11. Documents from non-PC environments (e.g., DEC Vax computers), must be downloaded to (or be available on) a PC-compatible system before processing with WordPort™. They may be downloaded either as native Mass-11 files, or in Mass-11 export format, which basically uses a carriage return and/or line feed to terminate each Mass-11 record.

     Mass-11 uses the concept of "documents and folders" for file management. Each native-format Mass-11 document belongs to a "folder", and a disk or subdirectory may contain several folders. Each folder is a Dos file having filename extension .000. For example, a folder named SMITH would physically be a file named SMITH.000. The folder file contains information to manage the documents associated with it.

     A native-mode document associated with a folder has the same Dos file name as the folder name, but a different extension. Document extensions use an alphanumeric numbering system starting with .AA0 and going on to .AA1, .AA2, etc. The Dos name is different from the Mass-11 name for the document, which may be up to 30 characters long but must be different for each document in a folder. Mass-11 identifies documents by their 30-character names, and the Dos name of any document may be found by examining its folder index.

     When converting documents from Mass-11 to other programs with WordPort™, you must specify them using their Dos name(s). WordPort™ encodes the 30-character Mass-11 name as the long file name in the converted document's summary area if possible. As described in chapter 6, WordPort™ can automatically identify native-mode Mass-11 documents, thus excluding irrelevant files in a disk or subdirectory.

     When converting to Mass-11, WordPort™ produces Dos files which must then be associated with a folder thus:
The converted documents use the Dos name also as the 30-character name, thus guaranteeing that this name is different for each file in a folder, as required by Mass-11.

     Export-format Mass-11 files usually have a filename extension .TXT, even though they are not Dos text files and include binary codes. These files are useful when working with Mass-11 on non-PC platforms.

     Mass-11 uses a concept similar to "printer definition files" for certain printer-specific attributes, such as font size and line height. WordPort™ does not have access to this information when converting Mass-11 documents, and so cannot convert these parameters automatically. The later chapters on Advanced Customization describe how you may convert font information in a customized manner by using the Font_Number_Map configuration option. Similarly, when converting to Mass-11, such attributes cannot be encoded. Some font-related Mass-11 commands are not printer-specific (e.g., character pitch), and WordPort™ converts them.

     Mass-11 numbers footnotes, endnotes, pages and outline tags in arabic, roman or alphabetic fashion. WordPort™ correctly translates such numbering styles. Mass-11 also allows "customized" numbering schemes, which are defined external to the Mass-11 document, are not available to WordPort™ and hence are not converted.

     Mass-11 places footnotes either at the bottom of the page where referenced or at the end of the document as endnotes. So when converting from other programs to Mass-11, WordPort™ translates all notes as either footnotes or endnotes depending on which are the majority.

     Mass-11 numbers footnotes/endnotes sequentially. Non-sequential numbering is only possible by using customized numbering as described earlier. Therefore, when converting documents with non-sequential footnote numbers to Mass-11, footnote numbers may change. Note, however, that the converted document is still consistent, i.e., footnote numbers appearing in the body text match the corresponding numbers in the footnotes.

     Mass-11 supports automatic paragraph numbers (outline tags), but provides limited control over their format. Also, it does not support non-sequential numbering except using customized numbering as described earlier. As shipped, WordPort™ transfers outline tags using true Mass-11 outline codes with full functionality, which is usually preferred. But if you want an exact match with the original document which is not possible in this manner, you may customize WordPort™ to "expand" each outline tag into literal text as described in later chapters on customizing.

9.15 - IBM Writing Assistant

     WordPort™ converts IBM Writing Assistant documents to other file formats. It does not convert from other formats to Writing Assistant.

     Writing Assistant documents store very little formatting information. For example there is no differentiation between hard and soft returns, nor any codes indicating centering, right-alignment and tab alignment. So when converting these documents to other formats, WordPort™ deduces such variables sometimes using statistical properties of documents in general. Experience shows that these decisions are mostly valid, but some touching up may ocassionally be required. This limitation is due to the nature of the Writing Assistant file format.

9.16 - pfs:Write

     WordPort™ converts pfs:Write documents to other file formats. It does not convert from other formats to pfs:Write. Note that pfs:Write is different from pfs:Professional Write. Also, pfs:Write version 1 is quite different from pfs:Write version 2 as described in the following subsections.

9.16.1 - pfs:Write version 1

     pfs:Write version 1 documents store very little formatting information. For example there is no differentiation between hard and soft returns, nor any codes indicating centering, right-alignment and tab alignment. So when converting these documents to other formats, WordPort™ deduces such variables sometimes using statistical properties of documents in general. Experience shows that these decisions are mostly valid, but some touching up may ocassionally be required. This limitation is due to the nature of the pfs:Write version 1 file format.

9.16.2 - pfs:Write version 2.x

     pfs:Write version 2 documents can contain substantially more formatting information than version 1, and WordPort™ handles their translation. pfs:Write version 2 can also produce outline files which may be used when creating structured documents. These use a filename extension .OL, and WordPort™ converts them as well, with formatting intact.

9.17 - pfs:Professional Write

     WordPort™ converts pfs:Professional Write (sometimes called ProWrite) documents to other file formats. It does not convert from other formats to ProWrite. Note that this format is different from pfs:Write.

9.18 - pfs:First Choice

     WordPort™ converts pfs:First Choice documents to other file formats. It does not convert from other formats to First Choice. If you need to convert First Choice data base files (.FOL extension), you may use the product FirstOut™ also produced by Advanced Computer Innovations, Inc.

9.18.1 - pfs:First Choice Version 1

     pfs:First Choice version 1 documents store very little formatting information. For example there is no differentiation between hard and soft returns, nor any codes indicating centering, right-alignment and tab alignment. So when converting these documents to other formats, WordPort™ deduces such variables sometimes using statistical properties of documents in general. Experience shows that these decisions are mostly valid, but some touching up may ocassionally be required. This limitation is due to the nature of the First Choice version 1 file format.

9.18.2 - pfs:First Choice Versions 2 & 3

     pfs:First Choice versions 2 and 3 documents can contain substantially more formatting information than version 1, and WordPort™ handles their translation.

9.19 - XyWrite

     WordPort™ converts to and from all versions of XyWrite (including XyWrite 4.0 for Dos, and XyWrite for Windows). There are some significant differences between the XyWrite version 4.0 file format and that of earlier versions, and WordPort™ takes these differences into account.

     XyWrite (particularly versions III and prior) stores some printer-specific details in printer driver files and not in the document files. WordPort™ does not have access to these details when converting XyWrite documents. For example, font size specified using the XyWrite PT command and print color cannot be converted, since the arguments in these commands are basically entries into the printer definition file. However, font size specified using the SZ command is fully converted, since its argument explicitly provides the desired size.

     XyWrite comes with default formatting values which take effect until changed in a document. However, it is possible to change these defaults using an initialization file. The non-standard defaults are not available to WordPort™ which always assumes standard defaults when converting XyWrite documents.

     XyWrite has Page Offset (OF), left-margin (LM) and paragraph indent (IP) commands. When converting XyWrite documents WordPort™ combines the effects of OF and LM commands into a single left margin value, while the IP command is interpreted for left indent. When converting to XyWrite, WordPort™ translates the left margin to an OF command, while IP is used for indents. In either direction, the resulting net margins and indents match the originals.

     XyWrite provides general-purpose counters for functions such as automatic paragraph numbering (outline tags). WordPort™ fully supports such numbering. However, XyWrite provides more flexibility than most other word processors, such as multiple independent sequences of automatically numbered items. If such features are encountered in an XyWrite document, WordPort™ makes some assumptions to determine which counters are used for outline tag generation. These assumptions are generally valid, but occassionally the automatic numbering in a converted document may need touching up to correct for the non-availability of some of these functions in the destination word processor.

     XyWrite provides a powerful set of indexing markers for generating indexes and table-of-contents lists. Basically, text may be marked or entered into marker variables, and these markers may later be used to produce either an index, table of contents or any other list. When interpreting these markers, WordPort™ makes some assumptions to determine how they are used for generating an index or table of contents. These assumptions are generally valid, but occassionally indexing and table-of-contents codes in the converted document may need touching up.

     When converting from other word processors to XyWrite, WordPort™ fully utilizes the counters and markers to convert automatic paragraph numbering (outline tags), indexing and table of contents codes with full functionality intact, as follows:
     XyWrite provides three categories of notes for implementing footnotes/endnotes. When converting XyWrite to other file formats, WordPort™ automatically figures out which category (or categories) are footnotes, and which are endnotes. When converting to XyWrite, WordPort™ uses note category 1 for footnotes and 2 for endnotes, allowing independently numbered notes of both types in the same document.

9.20 - Nota Bene

     WordPort™ converts to and from all versions of Nota Bene, including Nota Bene for Windows. The Nota Bene file format is generally similar to that of XyWrite, and many of the considerations applying to XyWrite (see previous section) also apply to Nota Bene. However, there are many significant differences between the Nota Bene and XyWrite file formats, and WordPort™ takes these differences into account. Further, WordPort™ supports conversion of the 3-byte accented characters set included in Nota Bene Lingua, and also correctly handles the ANSI character set used by Nota Bene for Windows.

9.21 - Signature

     WordPort™ converts to and from all versions of Signature. This file format is similar to that of XyWrite 4.0, and the same considerations apply. However, there are also significant differences between XyWrite and Signature, and WordPort™ correctly takes them into account.

9.22 - Ami Professional

     WordPort™ converts to and from all versions of Ami Professional (also called Ami Pro), and automatically figures out the version.

     Ami Pro uses the ANSI (for American National Standards Institute) character set. Some symbols (such as the PC box- and line-drawing characters) do not exist in the ANSI set. Similarly, some ANSI characters have no counterpart in the PC set. When converting to or from Ami Pro, WordPort™ replaces any character that cannot be converted by a dummy character. You may alter or omit this replacement, as described under customization.

     Ami Pro supports Text Frames, which are basically rectangular regions in a document where text is inserted. Due to technical considerations, WordPort™ converts text frames to paragraphs placed at the end of the document.

     Ami Pro places footnotes either at the bottom of the page where referenced or at the end of the document as endnotes. So when converting from other programs to Ami Pro, WordPort™ translates all notes as either footnotes or endnotes depending on which are the majority.

     Ami Pro always numbers footnotes (or endnotes) sequentially. Hence when converting documents with non-sequential note numbers to Ami Pro, the numbers may change. Note, though, that the converted document is still consistent, i.e., note numbers appearing in the body text match those in the notes.

     When converting to Ami Pro, vertical margins (such as top and bottom margins) are not transferred due to technical limitations. However, left and right margins, and all indents, are transferred faithfully. Also, because Ami Pro limits the number of tabs stops in a ruler, WordPort™ translates only those stops which are actually tabbed to (i.e., unused stops are not translated). Although this results in a faithful and complete translation of the document formatting, you may transfer all (used and unused) stops if desired as described under customization.

     Ami Pro implements outline numbering by defining special paragraph styles which automatically produce outline tags for paragraphs they apply to. When converting Ami Pro documents to other formats, WordPort™ correctly transfers such outline tags in the correct format. When converting from other programs to Ami Pro, WordPort™ by default defines styles in the converted document to generate outline tags. These styles are named Level-1, Level-2, ... Level-9 for up to nine levels of outlining. You may override this and convert outline tags to literal text as described under customization.

     Ami Pro requires .SAM as its document filename extension, and you should specify this extension when converting from other file formats to Ami Pro.

9.23 - Leading Edge Word Processor (LEWP)

     WordPort™ converts Leading Edge Word Processor (LEWP) documents (all versions from 1.3 to 1.5a) to other word processors. It does not convert from other word processors to LEWP.

     LEWP used long file names as well as short (Dos) file names to reference its documents. WordPort™ uses the Dos file names. The long file names were used by LEWP for document management purposes, and these names are stored not in the document files but in separate (folder) files. WordPort™ does not have access to this information, and uses the short (Dos) file names to identify and convert files.

     LEWP used .DOC as its document file name extension. Other files produced by LEWP (such as those with .DDR extension) are not document files, and you should not attempt to convert them.

9.24 - DisplayWrite Assistant

     WordPort™ converts DisplayWrite Assistant documents to other word processors. It does not convert from other word processors to DisplayWrite Assistant.

9.25 - IBM Personal Typing System

     WordPort™ converts IBM Personal Typing System (PTS) documents to other word processors. It does not convert from other programs to PTS.

9.26 - Volkswriter

     WordPort™ converts Volkswriter Deluxe and Volkswriter-3 documents to other word processors. It does not convert from other programs to Volkswriter.

     Volkswriter Deluxe documents are basically ASCII text files, with a few control codes to implement functions such as boldface, underline, etc. The document files do not contain much formatting information. WordPort™ reconstructs as much of the formatting as possible by using "Smart ASCII conversion" logic, and also translates the control codes to produce a clean working document. Note that some formatting attributes in Volkswriter Deluxe (such as margins and justification) are not stored with the document but are specified as a print layout at print time. Since this information does not reside in the document file, WordPort™ cannot convert such information.

     WordPort™ converts Volkswriter-3 documents as well, however some of the formatting features which did not exist in Volkswriter Deluxe (such as in-document layouts, headers and footers) are not converted. By and large, it is easy to reinsert these functions manually into the converted document.

9.27 - Total Word

     Total Word is from the same company that produced Volkswriter (Lifetree Software), and is sometimes referred to as Volkswriter 4. WordPort™ converts Total Word documents to other word processors. It does not convert from other programs to Total Word.

9.28 - PC Write

     WordPort™ converts PC-Write documents (version 2.70 and later) to other word processors. PC-Write versions prior to 2.70 are now outdated and WordPort™ does not handle them. And WordPort™ does not convert from other programs to PC-Write.

     PC-Write provides a general-purpose automatic numbering scheme for functions such as automatic paragraph numbering (outline tags), numbering of list items, automatic footnote numbering, etc. WordPort™ fully supports such numbering, but has to make some assumptions to determine which sequences are used for which numbering. These assumptions are generally valid, but occassionally the automatic numbering in a converted document may need touching.

     PC-Write has an Extra Margin (.XM) dot command as well as a regular Left Margin (L) setting in the ruler. However there is no Left-indent command or ruler setting, and the L ruler setting is generally used to produce Left indentation. Most other word processors have a left margin and a left indent function, but no extra margin. Therefore, WordPort™ treats the PC-Write extra margin as the Left margin used in other programs, while the PC-Write Left margin set in the ruler is like the Left indent function in other programs, in keeping with the usage philosophy of these features in PC-Write.

     PC-Write allows a lot of on-screen formatting without inserting dot commands, but correct usage requires that appropriate dot commands be used so that the document format persists through repagination and reformatting operations. Accordingly, if there is a conflict between the formatting imposed by dot commands and the formatting done on-screen, WordPort™ gives precedence to the dot commands.

     PC-Write may be customized to change its initial (default) settings. However these changes are not stored in the document files. Although WordPort™ can identify some such changes, it is not possible to identify all of them, in which case the standard PC-Write defaults are assumed. You may customize WordPort™ to supply different defaults as described under customization.

9.29 - Spellbinder

     WordPort™ converts Spellbinder Word Processor documents to to other word processors. It can also convert Spellbinder Desktop Publisher documents to other word processors, but ignores layout that is specific to the desktop publisher and converts them just as word processing documents. WordPort™ does not convert from other file formats to Spellbinder.

     Note that Spellbinder files are not autorecognized, so you must specify Spellbinder as the source file format when converting these files.

9.30 - WordMarc Composer

     WordPort™ autorecognizes and converts WordMarc, WordMarc Composer and WordMarc Composer Plus documents produced on PCs to other word processors. It can also autorecognize and convert such documents produced on other computers such as VAX or Prime machines, provided they are transferred to a PC using LinkMarc. WordPort™ does not convert from other programs to any variation of WordMarc.

9.31 - Brother Word Processors

     WordPort™ converts to and from all Brother Word Processors using 720K or 1.44M disks. This includes the daisy wheel, notebook and ink jet models. Some older Brother machines used 240K disks which do not work with WordPort™.

     Daisy wheel and Ink jet Brother files are limited in size to 32K. Hence when converting large documents to these models, WordPort™ breaks up the converted documents (if required) into sub-documents, and automatically appends sequential numbers to their filenames. When converting to the Ink jet model, WordPort™ breaks up and similarly names large files to fit on floppy disks.

     In Brother documents, some page-oriented formatting functions (such as vertical margins, headers and footers) cannot be changed within a document. So when converting documents where t