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File Conversion Troubleshooting Guide - WP 6.
DocumentID: 618169
Revision Date: 29-Feb-96 1:38:17 PM

The information in this document applies to:
WordPerfect® 6.0 for DOS

Problem

Solutions: File Conversion is an area that is not well understood by most users. Conversion entails detecting a source file format, formatting codes contained in that file, and replacing them with the codes and a format recognized by the target file type. Once a file is converted, there is no way to determine which file format it was converted from. Please include as much information as possible in STRs, in all areas. If the problem is related to a text file that did not come from a WPCorp product and is being converted to a WordPerfect document or a WordPerfect document is being converted to another file format, use the keyword DOCUMENT CONVERSION. If a WP file is being converted to another version of a WPCorp product, use the feature keyword (e.g., GRAPHICS, PRINT FNT, SPREADSHEET, DDE, etc.)

TROUBLESHOOTING
1.      Where did the original file come from? (i.e., if the document to be converted is RTF, was it created in WinWord, WPWin, or did the customer create the document, or what?)
2.      Specifically, what is the problem? Is text being lost? Is formatting incorrect? Are characters being added to the document? Does the system lock up?
3.      Can you duplicate the problem? Note that round tripping a document from WP to another format and back to WP is not a valid test. Find out if that is what the customer is doing. Round trip conversion is not supported for any third-party file formats. The only formats that you should be able to save out and re-open are any WPCorp products and ASCII.
4.      Check the .DOC file list of codes that will convert.
5.      How did the user bring the document into WP? Did the customer use one of the following options?
      * List Files
      * Shift-F10 (Retrieve)
      * CONVERT.EXE or CV.EXE
      * The program where the file was created
      * A third-party convert program
6.      Did the user delete the prefix of the file by retrieving it into a new document?
7.      What does the file look like before conversion?
8.      Does the WPCorp CONVERT.EXE or ConvertPerfect program support the conversion?
9.      If the problem is that text is not lining up, how did the customer create the original document in the other word processor--with spaces, tabs, columns?

Many formatting problems with conversion are due to the fact that the WPCorp conversion drivers convert documents code for code and word processors are inherently different. If the original document contains an Indent code, that code will be converted to an Indent code in WP. Many word processors do not use the same sequence of codes to create the same formatting effects as you would in WP. For instance, to indent a paragraph in WinWord, you select the paragraph and give it an indent attribute.

If you are not familiar with the word processor the customer is using, ask for exact keystrokes or selections used to create the text where there is a conversion question. Then, ask yourself "How would WP react if I used the exact same keystrokes to create the same formatting as the customer did in their word processor?" The conversion may be working as designed just because of the way that the customer tried to format the original document. The WPCorp conversion drivers cannot guess how the customer wanted the document to turn out, it will only convert the codes it is given (garbage in = garbage out).

10.      What computer was the document created on? What program was used to create the file? Does WordPerfect support conversion from that program?
11.      If the customer is using WP 6.0 DOS, make sure that the customer has the needed .CVX file in the WP.EXE directory. Reinstall drivers.

Note: If the customer is having a problem in the International version of the product, try having him/her duplicate the problem in the latest US version of the product. If you can duplicate the problem in the US version, put the US date as the date of the product when writing an STR.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR AN STR
1.      Release number of third-party file formats (i.e., WordStar 6.0 document)
2.      Specific steps taken for the conversion
3.      Specific problems with the conversion
4.      Customer information, including address and phone number
5.      Version and date of WP program used to convert the file

MATERIALS TO BE SENT IN WITH AN STR
1.      The customer's preconverted file must be included if the problem cannot be duplicated or if the third-party word processor is not available for testing with and all of the above troubleshooting steps have been taken.
2.      The customer's .CRS file (if applicable).
3.      A hard copy of the problem in the converted file and/or a hard copy of how the file should look if there is any question.

SUGGESTED FOLIO KEYWORDS: Convert*, WordStar/WS, MS Word/MSW, RFT, RTF, MultiMate/MM, Dbase, DIF, WinWord/WW, AMI, ASCII, Generic WP, DisplayWrite/DW, OfficeWriter/OW, ConvertPerfect/CV10.

Answer:

Details:


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