                  % *** MacBinary conversion utility *** %

^MACBIN^ allows you to add/remove MacBinary headers from files.  This is
useful when used with a program like ^Red Ryder^ on the ^MAC^.  In ^Red Ryder^,
you should select "MacBinary file transfer".  Other packages don't give you
the option, but ^Red Ryder^ allows you to send text files without MacBinary.
You don't want to do this;_all_files should be sent with MacBinary.

Note: ^MACBIN^ adds or deletes headers from the file specified.  A copy of the
original file will be saved with a ^.BAK^ extension.
\
% OverVUE / DataVUE files: %

^MAC to Alpha^:

If you send an ^OverVUE^ file from the ^MAC^ to the ^Alpha^ using ^XMODEM^ and
^Red Ryder^, you will need to convert the file to an_Alpha_readable format.
Simply type ^MACBIN^ followed by the file name, and you will be able to read
the converted file right into ^DV^.

^Alpha to MAC^:

On the other hand, if you want to send a_DataVUE_file to the ^MAC^, simply
run ^DV2MAC^ on your ".D" file (creates an ".XFR" file), then run ^MACBIN^ on
your ".XFR" file.  It will convert it into a_MacIntosh_file, which may then
be sent to the ^MAC^ with ^XMODEM^ and ^Red Ryder^.  The file will appear on the
desktop as a regular _OverVUE_file.
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% Text / SuperVUE files: %

^MAC to Alpha^:

If you want to send a document from the ^MAC^ to the ^Alpha^, save a "text only"
version of the file, and send that.  Once the file is on the ^Alpha^, run
^MACBIN^ on it, and it will convert it to an ^Alpha-readable^ text document.
If you specify ^/S^, or if the file on the ^Alpha^ has a .T extension, ^MACBIN^
will make the file directly readable by ^SuperVUE^.

While converting the file, ^MACBIN^ will also convert ^MAC^ "Special Characters"
so that they are represented in a meaningful format.  For instance, a
"bullet" on the ^MAC^ is represented as "**" on the ^Alpha^.  Also, "trademark"
will be represented as "(tm)".  Other characters are converted in a similar
fashion.  Note that multiple character expansions will not be converted
back into a single character again should you add a MacBinary header to the
file again, and send it back to the ^MAC^.

\
% Text / SuperVUE files: %(continued)

^Alpha to MAC^:

If you want to send an ^Alpha^ document to the ^MAC^, simply run ^MACBIN^ on the
file, and it will be converted into a ^MAC^ readable file.  Send it to the
^MAC^, and you will see that it appears on the desktop as a ^MacWrite^
"text-only" file.  When you load this ^MacWrite^, you will be asked if you
want "carriage-return" to be the end-of-line or end-of-paragraph mark.
If your document is mainly text, select the former.  If it is mainly tables
then the latter may work better.

If the ^Alpha^ file has a ".T" extension, ^MACBIN^ will assume that it is
a ^SuperVUE^ file, and will convert it automatically while adding the
MacBinary header.
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% Alpha File Extensions %

^MACBIN^ recognizes certain file extensions and does special things when
it sees them when_adding_a MacBinary header.  To obtain a list of these
special extensions, type ^MACBIN/E^.

% MAC File types %

^MACBIN^ recognizes certain file types and creators and performs appropriate
conversions.  If the file has a TEXT type, the text is converted to Alpha
readable text.  This means that "text only" files from MacWrite, MS Word,
QUED, AppleLink memos, and other similar files will be converted.  TeachText
"read only" files are also recognized and converted appropriately.

If the file on the ^Alpha^ has a ".T" extension when ^MACBIN^ is removing
the MacBinary header, ^MACBIN^ will create a ^SuperVUE^ compatible file
instead of a regular text file.
\
% Options %

Type ^MACBIN/?^ with no filename for a list of available options.

The ^/C^ option is particularly useful, as it allows you to specify the
"creator" and "type" codes manually when adding a ^MacBinary^ header to
an ^Alpha^ file.  Usually, ^MACBIN^ will set these for you, but there may
be times when you need to override it.  This prevents you having to run
^Fedit^ or other utility on the ^MAC^ in order to get the correct codes.

The ^/N^ option will disable all data conversions.  Otherwise, ^MACBIN^ will
attempt to convert the actual data in the file to make it more easily read
by the target system.  Note that this conversion is not necessarily
completely reversible.  If you convert to ^Alpha^ format, then back to ^MAC^
format, the file may be a bit different than when you started.

The ^/E^ option will show all special Alpha file extensions, and details
the Type and Creator assigned when a MacBinary header is added.

.
