-Caveat Lector-
>The .txt extension is just a convention for straight ASCII files, so we're
>talking about the same thing. You can conceivably give a .txt extension to any
>file --
>there's nothing special about the extension that changes the kind of
>file it is --
>but what I'm talking about is "save as ASCII without formatting"
>or whatever the word processor wants to call it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Such as .doc for WordPad files, .wpd for Word Perfect files,
etc.? Is that what you're referring to? Let me explain.
I realize that the extension does not make the file what it is and that
extensions can be changed without altering the file (although Windows
recognizes files by their extensions and will attempt to use the appropriate
program to open them; in fact, Windows will warn you if you try to change
an extension to another simply by clicking on the name and trying to type
in the new extension, i.e., changing a .bmp--bit map image--to a .dll--a
dynamic link library file). However, different file types can be set up to
open a particular type of document as specified by the user (by using
the "Open With" dialog box), actions for existing file types can be changed,
and completely new actions for existing file types can be created (the "New
Action" dialog box). In fact, one can add an extra extension to an existing file
extension, thus creating what is called a MULTIPLE extension. However,
this cannot be done in a Windows dialog box. It requires editing the registry
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT).
As for the types of text files that a Windows-based word processor can
create, they are legion. There are text only files (using the ANSI character
set), text only files (using the ASCII character set), MS-DOS text files, RTF
(rich text format files--these include fancy stuff such as underlining), OEM
text, and on and on. So you see, when you said "a text file," I needed a little
clarification, and I never assume that when someone is discussing computers
that they actually know more than they reveal through what they initially say.
I wanted to know what you meant by "plain text," and I thought that you might
mean a file with a the .txt extension, not realizing what ASCII even was or even
what a file extension deliniates, for that matter. If you had come back with,
"What is ASCII?" or "Isn't .txt short for 'plain text?'" then I would know at what
level to next approach your comment. Does that help you see why I said
what I said and why I phrased it that way? I didn't really expect you to come
back with what you said above. So, in one way, I guess I did make an
assumption!
I do not mean to suggest that I thought you didn't know what you were talking
about. It's just that I didn't want to make any hasty assumptions that you knew
much more than you first said. Sometimes it's better to err on the side of
caution and then take it from there. :-)
HOFFA
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