Word Perfect DOS conversions

From: Wes C. Williams (71414.3647@compuserve.com)
Date: Fri Dec 01 1995 - 00:48:03 EST


Dear Mr. Mounce,

>> Someone told me that Word Perfect DOS 5.1 has the macro capabiity to
convert the different character sets in Word Perfect to other characters. I
am looking for a way to convert a bunch of files that use Zondervan's
Scripture Fonts into Windows. None of the normal conversions work because
the Greek and Hebrew all occupy ASCII slots < 32 or > 127 and when you open
the files in a word processor like Word Perfect Windows the ASCII values
are reassigned to the space or underscore. <<

I am a software developer who has dealt with this many times successfully in the
commercial market. However, I solve the problem from a programmer's viewpoint.
If you have access to a programmer (even a BASIC programmer will do), here is
what to do:

A Word Perfect 5.1 file (internally) begins a new font with a series of codes.
For example, Bold is C4 0C C4. Bold Off is C3 0C C3.

If you can find a friend who is a programmer, have him look at your Word Perfect
file in HEX format (using a common utility like LIST.COM or DEBUG.EXE).
He needs to visually find the place where a Zondervan Scripture Font begins
(this is a very easy task, easier than learning the the 1st nominative
declension of hO).
If the entire document is in Zondervan Scripture Font format, you can insert a
line in the file in "normal" format as follows"
{my normal font}This is to identify the Zondervan start code--->{Zondervan
Scripture Font start}hO theos{my normal font}. You will find the start three
byte code after the ---> pointer (note that before it there will be a closing
three byte code for {my normal font} first, however).
Identify and write down the three byte code. The first and last bytes will be
identical.

Each character after the last three byte code will be a one-for-one
correspondence to the character mapping for Zondervan's Scripture Font.

He needs to visually find the place where a Zondervan Scripture Font ends.
Identify and write down the three byte code. The first and last bytes will be
identical.

He needs to write a quick and simple program to search for the first three
bytes, and then change each successive character afterwards from the "old"
Zondervan Scripture Font to the "new" windows character set. The program needs
to stop the conversion when the second three byte sequence is found.

Please do not think for a moment that this is difficult. It sounds more
difficualt than it is.

If you have any difficulty at all, or if I was not clear, I will be glad to
offer assistance. You can mail a sample to me privately and I will identify the
codes and write pseudocode for the task, no charge.

Sincerely,
Wes Williams
Software Consultant



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