doc to txt importing small squares

[Carole Chaski]

I need to import a lot of files which were originally downloaded from WestLaw as .doc documents. I used convertDoc to convert them all into plain txt. In WordPad they look fine.

When I import them as a batch in a folder, each record contains gazillions of small squares. These are possibly tabs which filemaker cannot handle. When I try to substitute them out to become a space, I cannot cut from the doc, get into Scriptmaker and paste the small square (the cut item is no longer available).

When I import just one file, then the text is split into multiple records at apparently random junctures (wherever the tab was maybe?)

can wordWrap affect importing?

how can I get rid of the small squares?

This problem also apears with docs which were not downloaded from Westlaw. It has also happened with files which may have been downloaded from websites or converted from pdf.

does the only text which FMP will really import without a big hassle is text which was actually created with a text editor?

I have tried importing with ALL possible encodings (ANSI, DOS, Macintosh, UTF-8, UTF-16) and the problem of the small squares shows up in each one. They only disappear when I import file at a time which splits the text into an unpredictable amount of records and possibly also loses some data. Not an acceptable way to get rid of the small aquares.

Also I can cut from Wordpad and paste into a FMP record and it's fine--no small squares, text looks great, but...that's no way to run a business! I need automated importing that actually works.

I am obviously missing something here.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME.

[Lee Smith]

Hi Carole,

It might help if you could attach a typical .doc as you first get it. (raw, no manipulation). I went to the site, and I guess it is a pay for service, which I'm not in a mind to do in order to help you.

Lee

[Carole Chaski]

I couldn't attach the doc file as this site does not allow it, so I attached the txt version. YOu will see when you open it is text editor it looks good but whem you import it into FMP it gets the wierd small square character...

thanks for helping!

1--Bradley.txt

[Carole Chaski]

Lessons learned:

1. make sure that the txt file is NOT using word wrap (that reduces a lot of the squares)

2. import the folder, not individual files, so that the file actually goes into one record not multiple records

3: STILL GETTING SMALL SQUARES---does anyone understand why FMP 8.5 A functions like this? still would really like to udnerstand this as my business is totally text driven and if I can't get better results I will have to switch over to a different database.... as much as love FMP Scriptmaker (which is why I use FMP)

[Lee Smith]

Hi Carole,

I looked at the file you submitted.

In TextWrangler, you can remove the returns for the wrap text by selecting the menu Item "Text >> Remove Line Breaks" I'm not sure about Windows side, or TextPad.

Once you have done this for awhile, you will see patterns that will help you separate the text into fields. By just using the "Remove Line Breaks, the document went to 9 paragraphs. I do not have any square boxes, but that sometimes is an indication of a character that your Font that you are using can't display. I can also be the second character that Windows uses with the Paragraph return.

HTH

Lee