From: arm@helix.nih.gov (Andrew Mitz)
Subject: Re: ARGHH!-WFW2.0 Sucks big time!
Followup-To: comp.os.ms-windows.misc
Summary: WFW ain't so bad
Keywords: Crashes problems wfw
Organization: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 15:47:22 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.104956.25064@news.uni-stuttgart.de> skok@itwds1.energietechnik.uni-stuttgart.de (Holger Skok) writes:
>Hi folks,
>
>Anybody having similar experience with WFW2.0?
>I have been working on a fairly large document and tried to split it up,
>in order to improve response time and to make the handling of the files
>easier. I divided the document into chapters and stored them in separate
>files. Then I created a control file in which I entered the separate
>chapters with the Insert File function. 
>Using the proper display mode I could also see that the control file
>indeed only contained a few headlines and the insertion fields. 
>Imagine my surprise when I checked the size of the control file and
>found it to be as large as the sum of all sizes of the inserted files!
>(~3MB for a 46-page document containing many MS-Draw images)
>
>I know that WfW2.0 does have trouble with importing images. Even though
>there is a check box in the dialog to not include the image in the file
>but to just reference the image file and only store its name in the WfW
>- document, this doesn't work. Answer from MS-support: It's not a bug,
>it's a feature.
>But I hate that it's the same with the include file function. Am I
>making some mistake?
>
>Now with the 3MB-file I keep experiencing crashes. WfW manages to
>violate memory protection. It's always the module GDI.EXE that's
>affected. Any solution known to that problem?
>
>My conclusion: I'll stay away from MS-products until they reach version
>numbers 3.0 and greater.
>
>HSK
>-- 
>Sie singen das alte Entsagungslied, das Eiapopeia vom Himmel,
>womit man beruhigt, wenn es greint, das Volk, den grossen Luemmel.
>Ein neues Lied, ein besseres Lied, oh Freunde, will ich Euch dichten,
>Wir wollen hier auf Erden schon das Himmelreich errichten.    ... H. Heine

>Anybody having similar experience with WFW2.0?
>I have been working on a fairly large document and tried to split it up,
>in order to improve response time and to make the handling of the files
>easier. I divided the document into chapters and stored them in separate
>files. Then I created a control file in which I entered the separate
>chapters with the Insert File function. 
>Using the proper display mode I could also see that the control file
>indeed only contained a few headlines and the insertion fields. 
>Imagine my surprise when I checked the size of the control file and
>found it to be as large as the sum of all sizes of the inserted files!
>(~3MB for a 46-page document containing many MS-Draw images)
>
>I know that WfW2.0 does have trouble with importing images. Even though
>there is a check box in the dialog to not include the image in the file
>but to just reference the image file and only store its name in the WfW
>- document, this doesn't work. Answer from MS-support: It's not a bug,
>it's a feature.

This is what the Insert File means.  Sorry its not a c %include.
When I wrote a couple of chapter for a book, I kept each chapter
in a separate file until near the end.  Then I used the "control
file" to generate a cumulative glossary and TOC.  

>But I hate that it's the same with the include file function. Am I
>making some mistake?

Getting mad at your tools...

>
>Now with the 3MB-file I keep experiencing crashes. WfW manages to
>violate memory protection. It's always the module GDI.EXE that's
>affected. Any solution known to that problem?

This is more serious.  There are shareware programs for monitoring
memory.  You might begin by checking how much space is on your hard
disk.  WFW is able to handle very large files as long as your system
resources are not overtaxed.

>
>My conclusion: I'll stay away from MS-products until they reach version
>numbers 3.0 and greater.

I think you might try to learn to use WFW a little better.  If you 
use the outline and style features, you can build a large document
and still move around in it very quickly.  I always insert a lot of
bookmarks.  If you double click on the bottom Information Bar, it
calls up the list of bookmarks.  Double click on a bookmark and you
are at that point in the document.  It is the fastest way around.
Each time I write a major document I go back to the books and learn
a little more.  Each subsequent document is a little better set up
and a little easier to manage.

WFW and Ami Pro are part of an evolution of personal wordprocessing.
Their abilities are outstanding improvements over the previous 
generation of Wordstar and Wordperfect.  (We will leave the TeX people
out of this discussion.)  I am sure the next versions will be better,
but you may have to upgrade to a "microCray" of some sort (e.g.
Alpha, P5, MIPS) and Win NT to see and feel the improvements.  For
all the malevolence we harbor for MS, it is only our borderline 
personalities that allow us to embrace and shun their products
simultaneously.
>




-------------------------------------------------
Andrew Mitz          |    NIH Animal Center
Biomedical Engineer  |    Poolesville, MD
-------------------------------------------------

All opinions expressed are my own.


Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.misc