Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!world!boris
From: boris@world.std.com (Boris Levitin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: MS Word problem with indentation and ascii files
Message-ID: <1990Dec7.005500.10963@world.std.com>
Date: 7 Dec 90 00:55:00 GMT
References: <1990Dec4.191422.5384@portia.Stanford.EDU>
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Lines: 26

whenry@lindy.stanford.edu (homo obsolescensis) writes:

>When you create a text that involves indentation (either by setting
>the ruler, or command-shift N|T|etc) and then SAVE AS TEXT ONLY (with
>or without line breaks), word removes all the indentation from the
>file.  Is there no way save a file as ascii and retain at least the
>simpler formatting.  Alternately, is there any way to PRINT to file
>and if so, would that do the trick?

As someone else pointed out, indentation *distance* is a formatting change
and can not be saved in ASCII.  However, you have two options:
* indent using tabs, which are saved in ASCII, and set the indent distance
  again in the program to which you've exported Word's text.
* again, indent using tabs, and globally replace them with a desired number of
  spaces.  This is especially helpful if you do not have control over the
  tab settings when your exported text is read (for example, when you're
  posting on the net, using an online host's faxmodem link, etc.).


Boris Levitin
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WGBH Public Broadcasting, Boston                         boris@world.std.com
Audience & Marketing Research              wgbx!boris_levitin@athena.mit.edu
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(The opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily coincide 
with those of my employer or anyone else.  The WGBH tag is for ID only.)