Original_To:  TOGENIELIST
Newsgroups: soc.roots
Date:         Tue, 5 Jan 1993 08:56:00 MST
Reply-To:     MCBRAYER@SMC.BITNET
From:         MCBRAYER@SMC.BITNET
Subject:      Re: CD/ROM,DOS/MAC, FHC

"David L. Carson" <carsod@RPI.EDU> writes:

>Calling All MAC/DOS, CD/RPM Experts!
>
>He continued
>
>  <<If your Mac is new enough and good enough, then
>Apple File Exchange ought to solve that one for
>you.  If you can export onto a 3.5" flop, and
>transfer onto your Mac, then either Mac PAF will
>chew up GEDCOM and digest it into a standard file,
>or you can just download the info as ASCII and play
>with it via a word processor or something.>>
>
>Here's where I need help.
>
>Obviously any disk I copy to at the FHC must be
>formatted for DOS.
>
>Will I be able to format there?  How about
>capacity:  800k, 1.3 meg?  Either?  Or?
>
>Let's say I got my stuff successfully transferred
>to diskette at the FHC.
>
>What do I do now?
>
>How do I get from DOS format to MAC format?  Is
>there a program which will translate for me?  How
>will I get my MAC to accept the DOS formatted disk?

As was mentioned in a reply, it depends on the FHC as to what type of disk
you'll need to bring.  Do as was suggested and call first and find out.  If
their machine takes 3.5" disks, you're in business.  If not, you'll have to use
a 5.25", then find another machine to transfer the info to a 3.5", as I'm sure
your MAC only takes 3.5".  And yes, I believe you'll need to have your disk(s)
formatted beforehand.

Once you get the info onto a 3.5" (I believe it'll be in GEDCOM format), you
can take the disk to your MAC.  You should have a program on your UTILITIES
disk (it should have come with the SYSTEM software disks when you got your MAC,
unless you have a hand-me-down - in which case you'll need to call upon your
MAC friends, or buy new system software) called APPLE FILE EXCHANGE.  All you
do is fire up the program, put in your DOS disk, and the window in front of you
should be self-explanatory (ie, select the file(s) you wish to copy, then click
on the TRANSLATE(?) button).

Note the order of operation - start the program FIRST, THEN insert your DOS
disk.  That's the trick.  I don't know of any other translation programs, but
I'm sure they exist.  You just have to hunt for them.  APPLE FILE EXCHANGE
should be an easy one, as I'm fairly certain it comes with the system software.

Good luck,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill McBrayer                           MCBRAYER@SMC.BITNET
South Mountain Community College        MCBRAYER@SMC.MARICOPA.EDU
Phoenix, Arizona

Lookin' fer MCBRAYER (aka McBrair, Macbrair, McBrier, MacBryre, Mackbrie,
   Mackbray, etc.   Also, BRIER).    Dumfrieshire, Scotland;  South-Central
   Pennsylvania, Eastern North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, et al.






P.S.  if anyone is keeping track of my userid, for whatever reason, please note
that this will be my last day on the list with this userid.  I will be found
on  ASWFM@ASUACAD.BITNET  (aka  ASWFM@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU)  hereafter.  To those
of you who have sent mail to me in the last couple of weeks (re: my Xmas story,
and others), I'll be getting back to you soon, and from this other userid.  I
have to do a bit of research before I can reply.  Also, the first couple of
weeks back here at school after vacation will be a bit hectic. :-)  Once again,
I'm not leaving the list, just changing addresses.  Laters....