This article is comprised of the Read Me for Convert2DOS. This software was released by Apple on January 21, 1999 and is available for downloading from Apple Software Updates Online. Click here to access this update: Download

Name: Convert2DOS

Version: 1.0

Released: May 26, 1998

Requires :

Convert2DOS has been tested on US versions of MacDraw Pro, and requires a Mac or equivalent with a 68030 or better, a high-density floppy drive, System 7.x, PC Exchange or Apple File Exchange, 50 K of free disk space plus space for converted files, 2.5 MB of RAM (more for optimum performance)

Description :

Convert2DOS is a Macintosh application that takes MacDraw Pro files and creates a set of files in IBM-compatible format so you can open your MacDraw Pro files in ClarisDraw for Windows or ClarisImpact for Windows without altering your original MacDraw Pro files.

Instructions :

This software consists of a self-extracting archive. To use, download it to your hard drive and then double-click it to decompress the software.

Convert2DOS - Macintosh to Windows

Convert2DOS takes MacDraw Pro® files and creates a set of files in IBM-compatible format so you can open your MacDraw Pro files in ClarisImpact® for Windows. Convert2DOS does this without altering your original MacDraw Pro files.

What you need

To use the Convert2DOS, you need the following equipment and software:

• a Macintosh computer or equivalent with a 68030 processor or better
• a 3.5-inch high-density floppy disk drive
• Macintosh System Software 7.0 or later
• PC Exchange or Apple File Exchange
• approximately 50 K of free disk space plus space for the converted files
• 2.5 MB of RAM (more for optimum performance)

You can convert MacDraw Pro files by dragging them onto the Convert2DOS application icon, or by opening them from within Convert2DOS. If you drag a file onto the application icon, Convert2DOS automatically creates the necessary converted files and names them according to a standard set of rules. If you open a file from within Convert2DOS, you can name the converted files yourself.

Converting MacDraw Pro files automatically

To convert MacDraw Pro files automatically:

1. In the Finder, select the MacDraw Pro file you want to convert. Shift-click any additional MacDraw Pro files you want to convert.

2. Drag the file or files onto the Convert2DOS application icon.

Converting MacDraw Pro files from within Convert2DOS

To convert MacDraw Pro files from within Convert2DOS:

1. Start Convert2DOS by double-clicking the Convert2DOS icon.

2. In the Choose File dialog box, select the name of the MacDraw Pro file you want to convert.

3. In the Save Converted Files dialog box, select the location where you want the converted files saved. You can also change the name of the converted .MDP file, if necessary. (Convert2DOS automatically provides a name based on the name of the original MacDraw Pro file. For more information, see "File Naming Rules" later in this file.) If you change the name of the converted file, be sure to keep the .MDP extension as part of the name and to follow standard DOS file naming conventions (roots of file names can contain no more than eight characters and you cannot use invalid characters in the name, such as commas, spaces, and colons.)

4. After you select a location and a name for your converted files, click Save.Convert2DOS creates a converted .MDP file and a converted .RES file. You need both files in order to recreate the MacDraw Pro file in ClarisImpact for Windows. The name of the .RES file Convert2DOS creates is the same as that of the .MDP file except for the ".RES" extension. For example, if you enter the name MADRID.MDP in the Save Converted Files dialog box, Convert2DOS creates a file named MADRID.MDP and a file named MADRID.RES.

5. If you want to convert another MacDraw Pro file, select Convert from the File menu and return to step 2 of this procedure.

If you are going to transfer the file between a Macintosh and a Windows machine or vice versa, you will need to overcome a floppy disk incompatibility hurdle. Macintosh and Windows machines format a 3.5 inch floppy disk differently, but there is software available that can read the opposing format. The Macintosh MUST be able to read and write to a 1.44 MB size floppy disk, which is also called a High Density floppy disk. A Macintosh disk drive that can read a 1.44 MB floppy disk is referred to as a FDHD floppy drive, a superdrive, or a high density floppy disk drive. The Windows machine must also have a 3.5 inch floppy disk drive.

a) The Macintosh can read and write files on and off of a Windows / DOS formatted floppy disk using file transfer software such as Apple File Exchange or PC Exchange, both made by Apple Computer, or third party products such as DOS Mounter. Apple File Exchange has shipped with Macintoshes for years and can be found on your set of original System 7 disks, in particular the Tidbits disk. PC Exchange came out in June of 1992 and is currently being bundled with Macintoshes such as the Performa models. For information on PC Exchange or Apple File Exchange, see your Macintosh User's Utilities Guide or visit the Apple Tech Info Library* on the World Wide Web.

*See PC Exchange/Apple File Exchange Info at the end of this document.

b) The Windows machine can read and write files on and off of a Macintosh formatted floppy disk drive using third party file transfer software such as Conversions Plus for Windows, made by Data Viz,Inc., or MAC-in-DOS.

Opening converted files in ClarisImpact for Windows

Important: Convert2DOS creates a pair of files for each original file you convert, one with the extension .MDP and one with the suffix .RES. You must keep each pair of files together in the same directory. If you change the name of an .MDP or .RES file, you must change the name of the other file in the pair so it matches. For example, if you change the name of the file MADRID.MDP to SPAIN.MDP, then you must also change the name of the file MADRID.RES to SPAIN.RES. Also, the new names you give to the files must end in ".MDP" and ".RES".

To open converted files in ClarisImpact for Windows:

1. Start ClarisImpact.

2. Choose Open from the File menu.

3. Find and select the appropriate .MDP file, and click OK. Your MacDraw Pro file opens in .CID format.

4. In ClarisImpact, save the file in .CID format. Once you save the file in .CID format, you can delete the corresponding .MDP and .RES files.

When Convert2DOS automatically assigns a name to converted files, it uses the first eight characters of the original MacDraw Pro file. If the name generated isn't compatible with Windows or is the same as a that of another file in the same directory, Convert2DOS changes the name. Here are some examples:

Additional information on PC Exchange and Apple File Exchange is available in the Apple Tech Info Library on the World Wide Web at http://www.info.apple.com/til.html.

Trademark information: Claris, ClarisImpact, and MacDraw Pro are registered trademarks of Claris Corporation. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.