OVER 2 YOU, 036 (28/06/01)

REMOVING RETURNS

I often receive information in plain text format and would like to put it into Word documents or a web page. Usually this results in a boring session clicking the end of each line and pressing delete to "join up" all the text by getting rid of "hard" carriage returns etc. Does anyone know of a utility, which will do this automatically?  Usually it's not too long a job but I just got a text document that is a megabyte long!
Richard Limebear, via email

Richard Limebear can remove hard returns from a Word document as follows:
1. From the Edit menu select Replace.
2. In the Find What box type ^p.
3. In the Replace With box press the spacebar.
4. Click on Replace All.
This will replace all paragraph marks with a space so it will be necessary to press Enter twice where new paragraphs are required.  This could possibly also be done with a Replace command by replacing two spaces with two hard returns but it would depend upon how the text was keyed in originally (most typists will usually type two spaces at the end of every
sentence).
Miranda Rix

Richard Limebear could hardly do better than use Stripmail (freeware from http://www.dsoft.com.tr/stripmail/). Select the page/s you want, copy to clipboard, launch Stripmail, click "Do it all" button, and it will be ready to paste into your word processor.

John Ticehurst

I sympathise with Mr Limebear's problem as I have had the same problem in the past with end-of-line carriage returns. I got around the problem using a bog standard text editor, which can search and replace 'special' characters. I am assuming Mr Limebear is using a PC. If so, each line of text is
truncated with 2 characters: ASCII code 10 (linefeed) and ASCII code 13 (carriage return). The following method will obviously depend on the editor you use so please check on how yours refers to special characters.

Set up a search for "<10><13><10><13>" and replace with "<10><13>***".Now do a search for "<10><13>" and replace with nothing. Finally setup a search for "***" and replace with "<10><13>". By following this method you preserve any paragraphs in the text. If you wish, substitute "***" for any character you are unlikely to find in the text file.

If you use Unix or any other OS please ignore the <10> codes as this is a MSDOS quirk. Alternatively for £20k plus company car, I'll write the utility he wants!
Roger S, roger@zetnet.co.uk

I recommend he downloads and installs a copy of the text editor NoteTab. A freeware version, NoteTab Light, can be downloaded from www.notetab.com. Open the text file in NoteTab, pull down the 'Modify' menu, select the 'Lines' option, and then the 'Join Lines' option.  The file can then be saved and opened in Word.

Richard Carr,

WOPR (Woody's Office Power Pack) latest version WOPR XP/2002 includes a program that strips extra carriage returns from imported text. May be worth checking if this also exists in earlier versions. Try http://www.wopr.com/wopr/ .
Alistair Beaton,

If Richard Limebear can run DOS programs, perhaps in a Windows DOS box, he can use MiniTrue to do the job of joining lines.  It is free (for DOS and for UNIX), from <URL: http://www.pagesz.net/~minitrue/>. Probably he would wish to retain actual blank lines, for paragraphing; the first part of the following command seemingly does nothing, but protects them from the second part:
 

prompt>mtr -x+ -n file.txt - \r\n\r\n = \r\n\r\n  \r\n = \x20

The MiniTrue ZIP package includes a help file.  One should always test such programs on copies of files, rather than originals; but the above will save the input as file.tx1.  Here, \r and \n mean carriage-return and line-feed. It may be hard to read the above command line in a newspaper column; it can be seen at URL: http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/

batfiles.htm#MiscE>.
John Stockton, Surrey, UK. 

STRIKE A CHORD

Does anyone know of a program that will let you to print the fretted chord symbols (e.g. for guitar or other fretted musical instrument) allowing you to make your own chords for either 4 or 6-string instruments?

Fred Pearson, via email

I recently found this web site:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Software/

Windows/guitar.html

It has several programs that would seem to do what Fred Pearson wants
James Housley,

BUSINESS LINKS

What is the best way of linking a list of business contacts to a calendar? I want to record contacts as I meet them, possibly using a hand-held computer, and then be reminded when I have to contact them again. I haven't found Outlook to be the best solution - is it me or is there an alternative?

Andy Bullen, via email

I use the To Do feature – e.g. Call Bill Bloggs on (date). Most in-built programs have a telephone look up built in. There are a number of add-on applications that do this even more effectively. If he were using the Palm OS type PDA I would recommend Date Book 4 or WatzUp. If he is not using a Palm OS device - my answer is to buy one!

John Wood,

NAVAL HISTORY

I am hoping to write a biography of my father in law's Naval service and wonder if you or any of your readers may know of web sites that could give histories of the various ships he served on

J. Snell

I run a Royal Navy Website, which has 4 systems that will be of interest to readers, the site has built up over 4 years and has 700 visitors per week. Topics covered include:
1     Ships that deserve to be Remembered, Survivors stories -- many photos.
2     Royal Naval Book Reviews and lists of books on the market. (search
facilities)
3     Links to many RN Associations
4     A Royal Navy notice board where anyone can post questions.

I am in touch with thousands of Ex RN via the Associations and my site may be worth a visit for those seeking answers to questions about old ships.  If I cannot find the answer I may find somebody that can:

The web site address is: http://ourworld-top.cs.com/RJer340036/

royalnavy/rnavy/rnavy.htm

Rob Jerrard,

OBSOLETE COMPUTERS

I am trying to help a colleague, who over many years has collated the day-to-day actions of hundreds of RN Ships. The problem is that the initial files were created on an Olytext machine (I presume a very early word processor). I have been told that by saving the files on the Olytext machine as ASCII files, we should be able to transfer them easily to a PC, but the PC doesn't recognise the disk. Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can overcome this? I have heard of a company that can transfer the files, but they are asking for around £25 per page and these files could run into 2000+ pages.
Trevor Muston, via email

In the dark ages, there was a breed of company called a Data Preparation Bureau.   Before MS DOS came along, the Data Preps (as they were called) had to cope with literally thousands of different disk formats. While I don't have an Olytext, in the eighties I  bought some used data prep equipment. ...and this is the solution to Trevor's problem. The data prep kit allows me to read lots and lots of different disk and tape formats (including OlyTexts). If Trevor emails me I'll convert them for him. 
Jonathan Friedman,

FILOFAX PRINTING
Can you tell me if you know of a PC software diary/schedule package, which will specifically produce a hard copy of a diary that can be printed off in hard copy format suitable to be put into a Filofax (Personal size paper)?  What I am looking for is a diary that I can maintain on my PC, but print off to update a hard copy every now and then.

Nigel Morton, via email  

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Lotus Organiser yet! I've used a couple of versions now, and it's very happy printing pages for 'hard' organisers. It's available as part of the Lotus Smart Suite, in various releases, at next to nothing these days, especially when you consider it includes a fully capable Word Processor, 1-2-3 Spreadsheet, and database as well. Why let Bill take over the world?
Colin Spiller, West Yorkshire

CAN YOU HELP?

I take part in cycle racing where we do 8 laps of a short circuit. As a result we do eventually get mixed up with some riders getting lapped several times. The start of each lap is signified by who is determined to be the lead rider just like a Formula 1 car race. I would like to be able to record each persons lap position and then their final position and time. Can you tell me if there is a program available to do this or can it be done in Excel?
Richard Abbott, via email

I have just started to produce a newsletter for the model boat club that I am the chairman of. One of the regular features I would like to include in future issues is to print both the circuit and schematic diagrams for small and simple electronic projects that would help all the members with this area of the hobby. I have tried to produce them using both the Autoshapes and Draw facility in Microsoft Word, but without too much success. The main problem relates to the symbols for the components such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, etc. Is there any alternative within Microsoft Works suite that I can use? Alternatively does anyone know of a simple and straightforward software package that will help me with the production of circuit diagrams for printing?
Ian Alcock, via email

I am the Clerk to small Parish Council. I have inherited and added to a heap of documents that are in desperate need of sorting and storing. I have a scanner with a sheet feed, a fairly fast PC with a large hard drive and a CD Writer. I intended scanning in the documents and storing them on CD disks for posterity, especially as the local archives office will take all the
paper work and keep it for evermore. The software that came with the scanner and printer is not suitable for such a task. Can anyone recommend a sensible solution to the scan to archive problem?
David B Horsfall, via email

My business revolves around research, both with individuals and small companies. To carry this out, I have two standard forms/questionnaires, which require to be completed by the individual (or company). Normally I post these to the parties concerned, and they then fill them in and post them back to me. However this process takes time and I am sure there is a way of transmitting them by e-mail instead.

My question is - How (or using what application software) do I compile these forms - suitable for use/transmission by e-mail - where the respondee has to complete the answers to various questions, using both data & text entries, and where preferably the respondee cannot alter, or tamper with, my wording/design layout.

Roy McMillan, via email

I am looking for a game, which could be similar in type to a football manager game, but on a sword and sorcery theme. I do not want anything hectic, with shooting and fighting, but something which would be relaxing to play, and which would carry on over a period of time. Does anyone know of anything, which might fit the bill?

Ralph Butler, via email