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From: smelly@polari.UUCP (Tom Benedict)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: put command and spaces
Summary: importing text files and tabs to spaces
Keywords: put, read from, spaces??
Message-ID: <2806@polari.UUCP>
Date: 29 Nov 90 04:37:21 GMT
References: <1737@beguine.UUCP>
Organization: Seattle Online Public Unix (206) 328-4944
Lines: 12


You're right about HyperCard converting tabs to spaces. As for speeding up
the whole process you're/I mean your/ approach to read all the text into
a container then search/replace with offset is the right one. It will go
as fast as hypertalk will let it. The only faster way is to use XCMDs.
To read the whole text file into a container use a repeat loop that
reads for 16000 (thats the max number of chars the bugg(i mean buffer) can hold
) As long as you don't close the 
Ignore the line above, I don't know how to backspace in this stupid editor--
Just keep appending the newly read data to the container using put after
Likewise use a repeat loop with offset, exiting when offset returns "0"
.  Good luck