Convert Text for other Computers

Other computer systems than DOS/Windows-based PCs use different characters to mark a line ending. When opening such files in Notpad, text is automatically converted to Windows text format.

Converting may be necessary if files are to be used on a computer other than a Windows-based PC, or on a DOS-based PC.

Opening a DOS format file

When opening text files that were created by a DOS-based program in a Windows program, some characters may appear 'wrong'.

To convert DOS text to Windows text,

1 Hit Ctrl+O or choose Open from the File Menu

2 Check the OEM translation checkbox

3 Hit ¿ or click OK

Saving a DOS format file

1 Hit Ctrl+O or choose Open from the File Menu to open the file to be converted

2 Hit F12 or choose Save as... from the File Menu

3 Click on the Format list box at the bottom of the dialog

4 Choose the format PC to save in

5 Choose OEM translation

6 Hit ¿ or click OK

Converting a file for other computer systems

1 Hit Ctrl+O or choose Open from the File Menu to open the file to be converted

2 Hit F12 or choose Save as... from the File Menu

3 Click on the Format list box at the bottom of the dialog

4 Choose the format (see above) to save in

5 Make sure that OEM translation is not checked

6 Hit ¿ or click OK

A Computer system not listed in the format list box probably uses the same control codes as a listed one. Here is list of the line ending characters:

This system uses ASCII Code
DOS/Windows, Atari CR + LF 13 + 10
UNIX, Amiga, NeXT, BeBox LF 10
Macintosh CR 13

Note

When converting text for a different computer system it may be necessary to also convert the ASCII character mapping (change the character set). Since Notpad handles only control codes for line endings you will need a special conversion program to do that.