- Tabs2BestVariable 1.0.1 - Tab Delimited -> Variable process column with width scanning.
- Tabs2BestVariable Docs - Brief documentation for Tabs2BestVariable application.
- A/S Multi-set Processor - Sample AppleScript application for A/S.
Description:
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TEXT documents created on a DOS-based machine or a mainframe are invariably formatted inappropriately for use on a Macintosh®. They often contain unnecessary control characters, carriage returns, the wrong kind of quotation and apostrophe marks, and so forth. Manually reformatting these documents can be a tedious and time-consuming task.
Add/Strip (A/S) has been designed to automatically perform much of the work of cleaning up TEXT files destined for import to page layout, word processing, database, or spreadsheet programs, as well as export from these programs to a DOS-based or mainframe computer. All in a fraction of the time needed to manually reformat using a word processor.
Version 3.3 of A/S is the product of many hours of work, and is available as Shareware. If you use it, please pay for it. See the section entitled “Registration” for more.
Commands:
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--> See the online help (“About Add/Strip™…” menu item) for a more complete description of current functions and limitations.
--> Please note that “Strip CRs” is NOT the same as “Make Paragraphs.” If you plan on importing the text file to a page layout or word processing program you probably need to use “Make Paragraphs” or “Make Paragraphs2.”
Order of Processing:
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Remap characters if required by chosen remapping set
Replacement sets #1-225
Line Replacement sets #1-125
Strip control characters
Make ellipses
Make em dashes
Make ligatures
Leading string (done in main process if “Make Paragraphs” is chosen)
Strip trailing spaces
Quotes & apostrophes
Normalize spaces
Adjust case
Perform main process
Remap characters if required by chosen remapping set
BOF and EOF Insert Strings can be inserted into the text as it is read from the input file or they can be sent directly into the output file. When the string is to be sent directly to the output file, A/S interprets any embedded ASCII character codes and, if the current character remapping set remaps outgoing characters, it remaps the characters as needed and sends the string to the output file. No other processing is done.
When the string is to be inserted into the input text stream, A/S interprets any embedded ASCII character codes and then simply inserts the string into the input text as it is read from the input file. The text is subjected to the same processing as the rest of the input file.
Operating Tips:
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1. Read the online help CAREFULLY.
2. Don’t trash the original TEXT file until AFTER verifying that A/S has done what was expected. The “Browse TEXT File…” option may be used to do this, though 10-25K can be displayed.
3. Be certain to verify ALL settings, including replacement strings, before processing a file.
4. Consider processing a file 2 or more times to achieve the desired effect.
5. Because replacements are made blindly, use a word processor to do conditional character replacement instead of A/S.
6. Hold down the option key when choosing the “File” menu to access the “Browse ANY File…” and “Process ANY File…” menu items.
7. Make the most commonly used settings the default values by choosing “Save as Default,” and/or save them as separate files. Opening a settings file will open A/S, loading the values contained in that file.
8. Notify the author if you find a bug, or it may not get fixed.
Registration:
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Add/Strip is Shareware. This means that if you use it, you should pay for it. It’s that simple. I believe this a useful program at a reasonable price. I hope you feel the same. Please don’t rip me off.
Registering users receive a disk with the latest version (and a few other goodies), printed documentation, and may use future versions at no additional cost. Registration is $25. Site licenses, which allow for an unlimited number of copies to be used at a single location, are available for $100. Users who’ve already sent money and BBS operators may use this version free of charge.
CompuServe or ZiffNet users can register online quickly and easily! From either, GO CIS:SWREG. The Registration ID for Add/Strip is #5730; the site license version is #5731. Since the registration fee is charged to your CompuServe account, this is a convenient way for foreign A/S users to register without the hassle of currency conversion.
If you choose to not register your copy, AT LEAST send comments, suggestions, and/or bug reports. Be sure to let me know which version you’re using if you don’t use the printed registration form. I can be reached at:
Jon Wind
2374 Hillwood Drive
Maplewood, MN 55119
or
CompuServe:
70167,3444
jwind
Internet:
70167.3444@compuserve.com
jwind@compuserve.com
Acknowledgments:
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Thanks are extended to those individuals who’ve bothered to send money and to those who’ve offered suggestions for improvements, especially my fearless beta testers. This version of A/S could not have been created without your support.
A special thanks to Shane Stanley who allowed me to include his AppleScript application, A/S Multi-set Processor, and to Nicos Goulandris who created the Greek character remapping sets.
Mandatory Disclaimer:
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A/S SHOULD work on Mac Pluses or better. It works on the Macs I’ve tested it on, but I cannot guarantee that it will on yours. If it doesn’t, please let me know and I’ll see what I can do to make it work.
• Fixed bug that caused the last word in a chunk to be removed
• Fixed bug that could cause character remapping to fail
• Fixed problems preventing A/S from running on 68000-based Macs
• Fixed bug that could prevent some option labels from printing when printing settings
• Fixed Process Select window’s slider redrawing problems
• Fixed column width list’s redrawing and highlighting problems
• Fixed bug that prevented BOF and EOF strings from being inserted into all output files when processing folders
• Fixed bug that added a space every 225 characters or so when processing long lines in some processes
• Improved reliability of replacements containing “^@” codes, especially when in both Find and Change fields
• Improved code used to open to the chosen Settings Folder when saving settings using System 7.5
• Improved Space Runs -> Tab process to better deal with long lines
• Improved accuracy of the file processing progress thermometer
• Improved response to clicks in Replacements and Process Select windows
Changes:
• Increased maximum number of spaces for Tabs -> Space Runs process from 50 to 100
• Increased maximum number of replacements from 150 to 225 sets
• Increased maximum number of line replacements from 50 to 125 sets
• Increased replacements and line replacements speed
• Line Replacements that search within lines now match all ocurrences in a line rather than just the first
• Special pop-up menu removes disallowed codes rather than simply disabling them
• Can no longer open A/S help from the help menu during file processing
• If A/S is opened by dropping TEXT files and settings files on it, it no longer stays open after processing
• Preferences files can now be opened directly from within A/S as though they were standard settings files
• Updated online help, Balloon Help, and user guide (printed manual)
New:
• Strings are inserted at the beginning or end of lines in line replacements by leaving the Find What string blank
• Any chars wildcard codes (“^@”) can match any characters from the beginning or end of lines in line replacements so that “^@=” would match from the start of a line to the first “=” character or “=^@” could match from the last “=” character to the end of a line
• Added sub-search code (“^:”) to specify a limited search domain and a sub-search string to use to perform searches within the specified domain so that “<PRE>^@</PRE>^:^p” would match all CRs contained in the character block starting with “<PRE>” and ending with “</PRE>”
• BOF and EOF strings can be inserted into the input text stream, allowing replacements and other processes to act upon the strings
• Supports copy and paste directly from and to the replacement and line replacement set lists; clipboard text is formatted as (and expected to be formatted as when pasting) Find What string, tab character, Change To string, carriage return; this format is repeated for each replacement set so that copying ten replacement sets places ten lines of text onto the clipboard
• Added Preferences option to have A/S suggest DOS eight-dot-three file/folder names
• Added option for Space Runs -> Tab process to evaluate leading spaces too
• Added remapping sets to convert to and from the ISO Standard ISO8859-1 Latin-1 character codes
Add/Strip 3.2.2 Changes:
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• Fixed bug that caused ^@ codes to fail to replace all matched characters
• Fixed bug that caused ^? codes to fail in some line replacements
• Command keys now work properly when the character chart window is open
• Documents can no longer be opened when a replacements window is open
• Added quick & dirty HTML code removal demo (I’m working on HTML to RTF conversion)
Add/Strip 3.2.1 Changes:
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• Fixed bug that could cause A/S to quit with a system error when opening
• Special pop-up menu now works in Characters Between Inserts window
• Added three new wildcards; upper case, lower case, & punctuation characters
• Added support for MS Word’s ^t and ^p character codes for tabs and CRs
• Increased maximum width of replacement strings to 64 characters
• Expanded alpha wildcard matches to include international characters
• Fixed text coloring problem that could occur when command-typing characters
• Fixed a bug that caused some “change to” ASCII codes to be ignored
• Replacement lists show a case ignore checkbox for each set and always draw in plain text style
• Divider line in replacements lists is movable to adjust cell width; double-click to center
• Replace button replaces all selected replacement sets with the current Find/Change strings
• Disable & Enable buttons dim if chosen items are already disabled/enabled
• Force Width process no longer inserts bogus CRs when told to never merge lines
• Remove bounding spaces option strips spaces from the beginning of lines too
• Settings are now listed in processing order (more or less) in printouts
• Improved word and sentence capitalization routines
• New bevel effects and 3D buttons & checkboxes for monitors with 16 grays or 256+ colors
• Added code for Now SuperBoomerang to add menus to Load Settings and Browse a File items
• Made some minor code optimizations for Power PC
• Removed a few lines of leftover debugging code
• Updated the external help files
New in Add/Strip 3.2:
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Fixes:
• Merge All properly creates a file instead of a folder and processes
• Process Select slider correctly adjusts after reading settings
• Fixed pattern display in processing thermometer
• Better support for processing very long lines
• Better interaction between ASCII chart window and “parent” dialog
• Improved reliability of replacement strings which ignore case
• Improved feedback when dragging list items or list insertion point
• Attempts to paste when a scrolling list is hilighted are now ignored
• File chunks are now read to the nearest CR
• Unreadable settings file no longer cancels opening of other D&D files in set
• No more address errors when New Folder is chosen in Folder picker
• No more bombs when loading settings files on 68000-based Macs
• Processing of D&D files is prevented if currently processing a file
• Improved handling of low memory situations
Changes:
• New Finder icons
• New Settings file format; A/S can read those created with 3.0 and later
• Increased memory requirements but reduced memory fragmentation
• Revised and added help text sections and Balloon Help balloons
• Force Line Width process now breaks lines at spaces and tabs
• ASCII Character codes use a “^” rather than a “#” before the number
• Slider replaces scrollbar in Process Select window
• Pop-up menus can be trigged by clicks in the title text
• Replacement windows are movable and modal
• Replacement windows use TrueType (when available) for full character set
• Renamed “Filter noise chars” checkbox to “Strip control chars”
• Process Select or Current settings window is hidden during processing
• Desk Accessories can no longer be opened from A/S while processing
• Quotes & Apostrophes curling is disabled for CSV -> Tab Delimited
• Quits after processing if A/S was opened by TEXT file drag & drop
• Dragged and dropped files are opened alphabetically, settings files first
• TEXT file creator can be chosen by selecting a specific application
• Aliases are shown when picking files, folders, and applications
• More application preferences are available from hierarchical menu
• A bunch of other odds and ends were adjusted as needed
New:
• Colored windows with optional beveling
• External files for topical help and Balloon Help
• Current Settings mini-window in Process Only mode
• Settings file name is shown in Process Select or Current settings window title
• Command/option clicking in settings window title bar for settings popup menus
• Line String Replacements Sets for replacing within a line & line removal
• New types of searching wildcards (any digit, letter, or chars sequence)
• Fixed String Insertions process to insert strings at fixed intervals
• Variable String Insertions process to insert strings at variable intervals
• Tab Delimited -> Variable2 process to convert to variable columnar
• Mac to Unix and Unix to Mac remapping sets
• Printing of most of the current settings
• Revert Window menu item for appropriate windows
• Select All command for edit text fields and replacement lists
• Output file icon display in the save file window
• Online help sections can be saved to TEXT files
• Progress bar uses window colors (System 7.x) or hilight color (System 6.x)
• Clicks on remapping set name in Process Select window picks new set
• Up and down arrow keys adjust selected pairs in replacements list
• Optional registration through CompuServe or ZiffNet (GO CIS:SWREG)
Edit A/S 3.3 Changes:
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• Remapping set names are forced to be unique - conflicting names are bad!
• Fixed problem that could prevent aliases to copies of A/S from being opened
• Changed Alpha Wildcard menu and window to Letter Wildcard
• Can no longer remove 3D button resources from older versions of A/S
New in Edit A/S 3.2.2:
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• Added capability to edit recent versions of Add/Strip (from 3.2)
New in Edit A/S 3.2.1:
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• Fixed bug that could cause Edit A/S to quit with a system error when opening
• Fixed bug that allowed Edit A/S to be chosen when importing remapping sets
• Can edit match characters for alpha, digit, upper, lower, & punctuation wildcards
• Windows are filled with a lighter gray
• Made some minor code optimizations for Power PC
• File open & save window color resources can be removed from A/S
• 3D buttons & checkboxes can be removed from A/S
• Recognizes when the copy of A/S that is being edited is on a locked volume
New in Edit A/S 3.2:
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Fixes:
• Blocked importing of remapping sets from the open copy of A/S
• Fixed bug which prevented some cursor sets from installing properly
• Remapping sets import properly from other copies of A/S
Changes:
• Revised Remove Resources window since help is now in external files
• Characters can now be removed or remapped using remapping sets
• CRs can be used in remapping sets when not translating immediately
• Character charts use TrueType (if available) for full character set
• A bunch of other odds and ends were adjusted as needed
• Cursor installation can be limited to B&W versions only
• Color cursors are drawn in color when not limiting to B&W versions
New:
• New Finder icons
• Application aliases are shown when opening a copy of A/S for editing
