Hello. I need a program for Mac System 8.6 that will convert some PC format files to ones it can read. I believe this involves just changing the file extentions and creator information. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.
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File Converter for System 8.6
- Thread starter rlwelch
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jeremy.king
macrumors 603
CanadaRAM
macrumors G5
It really depends what file types they are coming from and what they are going to.
MacLinkPlus as kingjr3 mentioned is good when you have to convert the data WITHIN the file to another data format in order to open. Keep in mind that conversion is a lowest-common-denominator process, some features are bound to be lost.
If the files themselves are already Mac readable (that is, if you can File Open the files successfully in your Mac application) then changing the File Type and Creator may be all you need. FileBuddy, ABFFinderRename, several other shareware utilities can do these in a batch. Search Versiontracker.com
Do the files already have file extensions on their names? You maay be able to get away with creating an extension mapping in the Apple File Exchange control panel (going by memory, it has been years...)
MacLinkPlus as kingjr3 mentioned is good when you have to convert the data WITHIN the file to another data format in order to open. Keep in mind that conversion is a lowest-common-denominator process, some features are bound to be lost.
If the files themselves are already Mac readable (that is, if you can File Open the files successfully in your Mac application) then changing the File Type and Creator may be all you need. FileBuddy, ABFFinderRename, several other shareware utilities can do these in a batch. Search Versiontracker.com
Do the files already have file extensions on their names? You maay be able to get away with creating an extension mapping in the Apple File Exchange control panel (going by memory, it has been years...)
Hmm.. actually. I know this is off-topic, but I changed the way I'm approaching the problem that led to this thread. Could you guys tell me, instead ...
Is there a Mac OS X utility that will let me convert IBM-formatted ZIP 100 discs to Mac-formatted ones?
Is there a Mac OS X utility that will let me convert IBM-formatted ZIP 100 discs to Mac-formatted ones?
jeremy.king
macrumors 603
rlwelch said:
You wont need to, Macs can read IBM formatted discs. Now if you are done with them and simply want to format, just use disk utility.
I know it can read IBM disks. Ok, let me explain...
I work at a hospital where records are kept on this macintosh and backed up on zip disks. For the longest time we have used Mac-formatted discs. However, recently the supplier discontinued Mac-formatted ones and has been giving us IBM-formatted ones. These work, we can save things on them, but there has been a strange problem. Spontaneously, it seems, some files have changed themselves PC formats unreadable to the mac. These disks have never been in any drive but a mac one and have never been written to through anything but one mac program (whose settings have not changed). I don't really know what's going on. I tried File Buddy to rename the files, but the problem is that this eventually happens to every file saved on the zip discs, and we just don't have the time to manually edit the creator and file type information for those files so Mac OS can read them.
I don't know why this started happening, but we had never seen it until we got the IBM-formatted discs, so that's the only lead I have as far as fixing the problem. Is it possible to make them mac-formatted?
I work at a hospital where records are kept on this macintosh and backed up on zip disks. For the longest time we have used Mac-formatted discs. However, recently the supplier discontinued Mac-formatted ones and has been giving us IBM-formatted ones. These work, we can save things on them, but there has been a strange problem. Spontaneously, it seems, some files have changed themselves PC formats unreadable to the mac. These disks have never been in any drive but a mac one and have never been written to through anything but one mac program (whose settings have not changed). I don't really know what's going on. I tried File Buddy to rename the files, but the problem is that this eventually happens to every file saved on the zip discs, and we just don't have the time to manually edit the creator and file type information for those files so Mac OS can read them.
I don't know why this started happening, but we had never seen it until we got the IBM-formatted discs, so that's the only lead I have as far as fixing the problem. Is it possible to make them mac-formatted?
jeremy.king
macrumors 603
rlwelch said:
Like I said, use disk utility. I have confidence you realize that formatting erases all data...
I have never heard of a filesystem causing a file to be PC only, but I'll take your word for it. Its possible that since you are saving to an IBM formatted disk that the resource fork isn't getting created, but you should still be able to do a file>open with the file - you just may not be able to double click and expect it to open.
jeremy.king
macrumors 603
jeremy.king
macrumors 603
rlwelch said:
Hey, just checking...Don't want to get some follow up post "Hey! you told me to format and now I lost all my files!!!! GRRR! 😡 😡 😡 " 😉
Hmm. Therein lies the trouble. I'm running OS 8.6
I have "Applications" in the root folder, but there's no "Utilities" in it. I also have a "Utilities" in the root folder, but there's no Disc Utility in it. There is a 'Disc First Aid" and "Drive Setup" in them, but neither of those mention the Zip nor give any options that include it. I Sherlocked "Disc Utility" and nothing came up. 😕
I have "Applications" in the root folder, but there's no "Utilities" in it. I also have a "Utilities" in the root folder, but there's no Disc Utility in it. There is a 'Disc First Aid" and "Drive Setup" in them, but neither of those mention the Zip nor give any options that include it. I Sherlocked "Disc Utility" and nothing came up. 😕
The program we use to read the records doesn't display files that are PC-formatted. Finder shows them and gives them a little PC icon, but this program doesn't even aknowledge their existence. Frustrating!
jeremy.king
macrumors 603
rlwelch said:
rlwelch said:
Sorry, *I* was confused....
In OS 8...Let me recall...Couldn't you just control-click and select Initialize or Format and make sure you select Mac when the window pops up... Something like that. Try checking the Help.
CanadaRAM
macrumors G5
In Apple File Exchange control panel I believe there is an option to support IBM formatted removeable drives.
In OS8.x you have Drive Setup or Apple HD SC Setup
I can't remember if you had to use the iomega software for OS8 - check iomega's site and see if there is an archival download for iomegaware for OS8.
There is a program, NameCleaner, which will batch-update a volume or a folder of files, adding File Type and creator, changing DOS-only characters, and such, based on a preference list you can customize.
In OS8.x you have Drive Setup or Apple HD SC Setup
I can't remember if you had to use the iomega software for OS8 - check iomega's site and see if there is an archival download for iomegaware for OS8.
There is a program, NameCleaner, which will batch-update a volume or a folder of files, adding File Type and creator, changing DOS-only characters, and such, based on a preference list you can customize.
Whoops! Sorry, force of habit. I meant 8.6.
Thank for for your help, everyone. I finally found a disc-formatting utility in the "Tools" folder of the Iomega Tools folder.
PS: I did, also, find the File Exchange control panel (thanks for the tip) but I don't plan to use it - hopefully using mac discs as we did before will clear up the problem!