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From: bob@eecs.nwu.edu (Bob Hablutzel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Word 3.0 file format?
Message-ID: <10330025@eecs.nwu.edu>
Date: 1 Sep 88 12:50:11 GMT
References: <830@gmdzi.UUCP>
Organization: Northwestern U, Evanston IL, USA
Lines: 47

> I'm looking for a description of the file format of common used
> Wordporcessors, especially for Word 3.0. 
> (Reason: due to some missing print capabilities in 4D I want to
> generate files that can be printed/edited with `normal'
> word-processors). Any hints are very welcome, also of other packages
> (Fullwrite, MacWrite, etc.). 


Word processor file formats fall into three camps:

1) Internal formats (Undocumented)
2) Internal formats (Documented)
3) External formats (Documented)

In reverse order:

External formats are currently all the rage. These are simple text files
which contain imbedded commands to describe all the information needed
by the document. (Sound like TeX or Runoff? It is.) The problem here is
that every company seems to have their own, and doesn't like to read 
someone elses. Documentation for these puppies is usually readily
available, just contact the company in question.

Internal Formats are those used by the company to describe their internal
structures to a disk file. These will usually be the fastest method of
reading a file, since no translation is neccessary. Some products will read
the internal format for other products - notably usually MacWrite. 

Internal formats can be documented or not. Only one product I can think
of has the internal format in the public domain (WriteNow 1.0, but I don't
know if the file format changes for 2.0) The MacWrite file format is 
available in Tech Notes, although the recent revision of Tech Notes removed
this information. (The format has not changed since Claris took over, however).

Word and FullWrite are undocumented. Word will give you the file format
(last I checked) only if you are a developer willing to sign a non-disclosure
agreement with them. FullWrite file format is completely unavailable.

Best bet if you want to export formatted text to a file to be read by 
almost anything: MacWrite format.

Hope this helps.


Bob Hablutzel		BOB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.EDU

Disclaimer:	Assume free advice is worth what you paid for it.