[Virtualacorn-list] RiscOS-MS file conversion

[Nick Roberts]

In message <56458ccfcacvjazz at waitrose.com>
       Chris Newman <cvjazz at waitrose.com> wrote:

> In article <51497.91.85.218.30.1496335157.squirrel at email.orpheusnet.co.uk>,
>    Bob Ardler <ardler at argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> 
> > Remaining puzzle: Attaching thingy/doc to an email automatically swaps
> > slash to dot. MS ignoramus, so don't know how to save thingy/doc onto
> > a memory stick for school use. Is drag'n'drop from RiscOS OK? But then
> > what to do at the other end? (Haven't even reached forDummies level
> > with Windows saving.)
> 
> If I understand correctly what you are saying,  thingy/doc becoming
> thingy.doc on the Windows side is correct. Windows uses the extension
> after the dot, usually 3 characters, to identify the filetype. RiscOS
> doesn't need the extension as it can tell the filetype by
> interrogating the innards of the file. (I hope that's a correct
> explanation).

Nope - that's how *nix does it, but RISC OS uses information held in
the directory catalogue for file typing (on native filing systems - on
non-native filing systems such as CIFS or NFS it gets a bit more
complex).
 
> RiscOS mail programmes automatically change the slash to a dot to be
> accessible to the poor souls who don't use RiscOS.
> 
> Your file should therefore be perfectly readable/usable at the
> Windows or Mac end.

This bit is, of course, correct.

-- 
Nick Roberts           tigger @ orpheusinternet.co.uk           

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which
can be adequately explained by stupidity.