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From: pwatson@mqccsunc.mqcc.mq.oz.au (Phil Watson (x8592))
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: File format of Lotus 123 and other spreadsheets and databases.
Message-ID: <422@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz>
Date: 23 Aug 90 09:24:45 GMT
References: <5895@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Sender: news@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz
Organization: Macquarie University, Sydney
Lines: 28

In article <5895@castle.ed.ac.uk> elee24@castle.ed.ac.uk (H Bruce) writes:
>A friend told me that he had seen a book that described the file format of
>Lotus 123 etc. with C examples.

I have a book called "Lotus File Formats for 1-2-3, Symphony and Jazz", by
Lotus Books (ISDN: 0-201-16824-3) that I used when writing a module that
reads spreadsheet files.  The book isn't really all that good but it contained
all the info that I needed (no programming examples though), it cost OZ$40

I also wanted to read quatro spreadsheet files and, thru a contact at Borland,
obtained a copy of "Quatro(R) Pro -- File Format Specification" which is much
more useable that the book about lotus (includes C examples) -- about 60 pages
long.  The Quatro file format is basically a copy of lotus' but with few extra
bytes in obscure places.

I have also seen a book called something along the lines of "File formats for
Popular PC software", at about OZ$75 (the reason I didn't buy it !!).

Have fun (and get used to looking at HEX ddumps of files!!)

phil.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Philip Watson,					pwatson@mqccsuna.mqcc.mq.oz.au
Computer Scientist,				== pwatson@137.111.161.1
Statistical Lab, Macquarie Uni, OZ,  Phone: 61 2 805 8592,  Fax: 61 2 805 7433
		"What ever you do, don't mention the war ...."