NewDeal Technical Support Document 204

IMPORT AND EXPORT FORMATS


File formats that can be Imported to and Exported from NewDeal software

With NewDeal you can use document files created by many other softwares, including word processing documents, spreadsheets, databases, and graphics. You might obtain files from a friend or coworker on disk or attached to an email message, or you might download them from the Internet. To open a file created by another software, you use the Import feature.

You can share documents that you create in NewDeal with friends and associates who have computers, but do not have NewDeal software, by saving copies of your NewDeal documents in a format supported by their software and sending the resulting files by email or sharing them on disk or on a network server. To save a document in another format, you use the Export feature.

To import a file

  1. If you know the type of file you are trying to import, open the appropriate application.
    • For plain text files (sometimes called ASCII files), use Text File Editor or NewWrite.
    • For word processing files, use NewWrite.
    • For spreadsheet files, use NewCalc or NewFile.
    • For database files, use NewFile, NewCalc, or NewDex.
    • For graphics files, use NewDraw.
    • If you are unsure of the file type, use Scrapbook.
  2. In NewWrite, NewCalc, NewFile, or NewDex, choose Import from the New/Open dialog box. In NewDraw or Scrapbook, choose Import from the File menu. The Import dialog box appears. (In Text File Editor, choose Open in the File menu, then locate and open the file from the standard file selector.)

  3. The right side of the Import dialog box contains a list of the available formats for import. The Formats list includes only those formats appropriate for the application you are using. For example, NewWrite can import only word processor files and NewDraw can import only graphics files. Scrapbook can import all supported file types. In the list of formats, select the format of the file you are importing. If you are unsure of the format, choose No Idea (Auto-Detect).
  4. Locate the file you want to import using the standard file selector in the left side of the Import dialog box. Press the Import button to begin the import process.
Note: After selecting a format, the standard file selector displays a File Mask and only files with the appropriate file name extension appear in the file selector. For example, if you choose Comma Separated Value as your import type, the file mask is *.CSV. Only files with file name extension .CSV are displayed. If the file mask is incorrect for the file you want to import, edit the file mask and press the Enter key on your keyboard. Then choose the file you want to import.

For more help, press the help button in the dialog box.

About importing word processing files

When importing files created by word processors, only the text will be imported. In most cases, text attributes like fonts, styles, sizes, and the layout of the text are included. If the styles or layout of the imported file do not match the original file exactly, you can usually fix things with a few moments of editing.

If the file you are importing contains graphics, the graphics are ignored. If you want the graphics, ask the author of the original file to export them separately in a format which you can import into Scrapbook, then copy them from the Scrapbook and paste them back into the document in NewWrite.

If the file you want to import is in a format that is not in NewDeal's list of supported import formats, ask the author of the file to export it to a format that NewDeal does support. Most word processors can export their files to supported formats like WordPerfect 5.1 or Rich Text Format. For example, if your friend has created a document in Word for Windows, ask her to save the document in Rich Text Format for you.

About importing graphics files

NewDeal can import several different bitmap graphics formats, including .TIF, .PCX, .BMP, etc. The graphics files must not be compressed and must be in a format that provides no more than 256 colors. If the graphics you want to import are in a format which supports more than 256 colors or if the colors of your imported graphics do not match the originals, try opening the files with Media Viewer. If you can open the files in Media Viewer, you can copy them to the clipboard and paste them into your documents.

About importing spreadsheet and database files

Spreadsheet and database files are often interchangeable. When you import a database file into a spreadsheet, each record becomes a row and each field becomes a column. If you import a spreadsheet document into NewFile, each row of the spreadsheet will become a record and each column will become a field. Depending on the spreadsheet, it may or may not make sense to import the data into NewFile.

If you wish to import a file created in Quattro Pro or Excel, ask the author to save the file in Lotus 123 or dBase format.

When importing a database file, the Import dialog box may contain a button named Map Import Fields. Press this button if you want ignore some fields or if you want to rearrange the order of the fields when you import the database. For instructions about how to map fields, press the help button in the Map Import Fields dialog box.

A tip: When you import a Comma Separated Value (.CSV) file into NewCalc, numbers in the CSV file will be imported as text strings. As a work around, first import the CSV file into NewFile, where you can change the field type from General/Text to Integer or Real Number. Then export the data as a Lotus 123 or dBase file. Finally, import the Lotus 123 or dBase file into NewCalc.

To export a file

  1. In NewWrite, NewFile, NewCalc, or NewDex choose Other from the File menu. In the Other menu, choose Export Document. In NewDraw, choose Export Graphic from the File menu. The Export dialog box appears.

  2. In the dialog box, select the format you want to export to. Select the folder where you want to create the exported file and enter a name for the file.
  3. If the dialog box contains additional options, configure them as appropriate. Then press the Export button. The dialog box disappears and the export file is created.
For more help, press the help button in the dialog box.

About exporting NewWrite documents

Keep in mind that graphics will not be exported. If your NewWrite document contains graphics that you wish to export, copy and paste them into NewDraw and export them from NewDraw as separate files.

If the intended recipient of your file does not have one of the softwares listed in the export formats, try Rich Text Format. Most word processors will import Rich Text Format with fonts, styles, and layout intact. Rich Text Format 1 is a more modern version which preserves more of the formatting than Rich Text Format 0.

About exporting NewDex documents

When you export a NewDex file to a database format, line breaks and carriage returns in the Addr_Field and in the Notes_Field are lost.

About exporting NewDraw documents

Objects in NewDraw are exported at 72 dots per inch. If you wish to export at a higher resolution, scale your NewDraw objects larger before exporting them.

About exporting NewCalc and NewFile documents

If your spreadsheet or database includes formulas, export to Lotus 123 or dBase format instead of Comma Separate Value format. If you want to change the order of fields, or leave out fields, export to CSV or dBase format and press the Map Export Fields button in the Export dialog box. For more help with mapping fields, press the help button in the Map Export Fields dialog box.

Word Processor Formats

ASCII or Plain Text
Lotus 1-2-3 1.0 or 1A as text
Lotus 1-2-3 2.0 - 2.3 as text
Microsoft Word 3.0 (DOS Version)
Microsoft Word 4.0 (DOS Version)
Microsoft Word 5.0 & 5.5 (DOS Version)
MultiMate 3.3
MultiMate 4.0
MultiMate Advantage
MultiMate Advantage II
Rich Text Format
Signature 1.0
Word Perfect 5.0
Word Perfect 5.1
Word Perfect For Windows 5.1
WordStar 3.45 or below
WordStar 4.0
WordStar 5.0
WordStar 5.5
WordStar 6.0
WordStar 7.0
XYWrite III
XYWrite III Plus

Spreadsheet and Database Formats

Comma Separated Value
dBase III
dBase IV
Lotus 1-2-3, version 1.0 or 1A
Lotus 1-2-3, version 2.0 - 2.3

Graphics Formats

BMP - Windows and OS/2 bit map format
CLP - Windows clipboard
GIF - CompuServe GIF format
JPG - Joint Photographic Experts Group (through the browser)
PCX - PC Paintbrush format
TIFF - Tagged Image File Format

NewDeal software compatibility

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Last Modified 26 Mar 1999