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From: mattd@Apple.COM (Matt Deatherage)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Exchanging between different computers
Message-ID: <44419@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 30 Aug 90 16:57:59 GMT
References: <6430@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 51

In article <6430@darkstar.ucsc.edu> unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu (The Unknown User) writes:
>
>>Then a TRUE file exchange program would be in place.  If the program was
><designed to easily extend, and the format for the modules and data files
>>for user provided extensions could be provided, then folks with Atari,
><Amiga, etc. could also write modules and we could get graphics, sounds,
><etc. from ALL of those guys!  Boy, wouldnt THAT be neat?
>        It seems to me that what you're describing is virtually exactly 
>what the idea of FSTs is supposed to give us!
>        If Apple would just release the format of FSTs or release some
>more, then we wouldn't need these special programs like "Apple II File
>Exchange".
>
>-- 
>        /  Apple II(GS) Forever!     unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu  \
>        \    Computer engineering student seeking a job.     / 

No, it isn't.  It's not what he's talking about at all.

Programs like Apple File Exchange (AFE, the Macintosh one - I haven't used
Chan Wilson's program very much so I won't presume to comment on it) do
two useful things:

1)  They translate files from one physical file system to another.  This will
be done by FSTs under GS/OS when you copy a file between two different file
systems.

2)  They translate file *formats*.  You may not have noticed, but in AFE you
can put in two disks of the same file system and AFE will give you a "Mac to
Mac" or "ProDOS to ProDOS" or "MS-DOS to MS-DOS" menu.

AFE has modular translators.  These translators contain code to translate
items from one file format to another.  For example, Microsoft ships the
"Works-to-Works" translator with Microsoft Works - it translates AppleWorks
(classic) files into Microsoft Works files, retaining all the formatting in 
the word processor (for example).

FSTs can not translate file formats and most reasonable people will agree that
they should not.  That still leaves plenty of room for a very useful file
translation program that translates between similar but different file formats
under GS/OS.  With FSTs, though, you don't have to write tons of icky low-
level code to read alternate file systems.

I'd be interested in helping design such a program if someone else was
also interested.
-- 
============================================================================
Matt Deatherage, Apple Computer, Inc. | "The opinions represented here are
Developer Technical Support, Apple II |  not necessarily those of Apple
Group.  Personal mail only, please.   |  Computer, Inc.  Remember that."
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