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From: madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: displaywrite -> pc  ?
Message-ID: <756@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Feb-87 12:11:46 EST
Article-I.D.: bucsb.756
Posted: Sat Feb 21 12:11:46 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Feb-87 01:54:32 EST
References: <4712@ut-ngp.UUCP> <2696@ecsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (Jim "Jack" Frost)
Distribution: na
Organization: ODO (Organization for the Disorganization of Organization)
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In article <4712@ut-ngp.UUCP>, mberns@ut-ngp.UUCP (Mark E. Bernstein) writes:
> *
> Does anyone know if it is possible to transfer text from an IBM
> Displaywrite dedicated wordprocessor to a PC (ATT 6300)?  We have many
> documents on the 8" Displaywrite disks, but are phasing out use of
> that system in favor of WordPerfect on 6300s.
> 
> Mark Bernstein, Univ. of Texas at Austin, Speech Communication, Austin 78712 

A couple of notes on Displaywrite:

	* Yes, you can transfer the data from the 8" diskettes.  It took
	  us awhile to figure out how to do it, but finally bought an
	  8" drive and controller (Flagstaff Engineering makes the only
	  one we could find, BTW).
	* The Displaywrite files are in EBCDIC.  I'm not sure what format,
	  but there are definitely some codes that will not map directly
	  into ASCII.  You'll have to play with the formatting commands
	  to put 'em into Wordperfect format.  That really shouldn't be
	  too much of a hassle.
	* IBM's Displaywrite for the PC (which runs on the 6300, too)
	  will work with the displaywrite files if you transfer them.
	  However, I do not recommend using the PC's Displaywrite.  I
	  am always wary of programs that refuse to store their data
	  in ASCII, and the Displaywrite wordprocessor is difficult to
	  use (compared to other wordprocessors such as Wordperfect,
	  PC-Write, Wordstar, etc).

Good luck with your conversion.  If you need specifics on 8" drives for
PC's, email me and I'll get the info.  With a little work I could also
write you a program to convert the displaywrite files to ASCII, too.

This brings up an interesting point:

Would people email me file descriptions of their favorite wordprocessors?
I'd like to make a general conversion utility between many wordprocessors,
since I need one to convert between the several wordprocessors we use.
Basically I need to know what the headers/tailers (if any) contain, and
what embedded codes do what function.

Thanx.

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