Lomesh Patel

A:

Different platforms use different methods to mark the end of a line or paragraph in a plain-text file. If you're sharing text files with someone on another platform or setting up code on a Windows system that will run on your ISP's Unix machine, you'll get this headache. (Luckily, it doesn't arise with HTML code.)

In a Unix text file, the Line Feed character (ASCII 10) marks the end of a line. On the Macintosh, the Carriage Return character (ASCII 13) performs the very same function. Windows follows the standard established by DOS and uses both Carriage Return and Line Feed characters.

The $US5 ConvertCRLF file-format conversion shareware from Connor Miller Software is available off our cover CD. The company's Web site is at www.connor-miller.com. Also available for download is Fookes Software's free NoteTab Light text editor that converts the line ends of Mac and Unix text files on the fly. You can use the program's File?Export command to save a file in alternate formats (see FIGURE 2). As a text editor, NoteTab beats Windows' Notepad with a stick. Among its added features are drag-and-drop text editing, search and replace, and boilerplate text. The company's Website is at www.notetab.com.