Wp2Html News on 30th Aug 1998

HEADLINE:  Users of WordPerfect version 7/8 on Windows 95 or higher
           may have found Wp2Html appears to NOT read their files.
           This early release version corrects that problem.

Wp2Html version 2.7
=====================

This is specific bug fix version for those users who have WP7 or 8
running under Windows 95/98. It allows Wp2Html to read files
which have been stored in MicroSoft "OLE Compound Document Format",
rather than the native WordPerfect format.


              Version 2.7 Release Notes, August 98
              ====================================

Corrections and Bugs
--------------------

Read WP file packed into MicroSoft OLE doc files.
  Wp2Html will read the binary file format of WordPerfect for all
  version, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. This binaru format is the same whatever
  platform you use, so copying a binary WP file from, say, DOS to UNIX
  will work as WordPerfect can read the file on either system.

  However one user has reported a problem recently working with 
  WordPerfect 7 where Wp2html appeared not to recognise the file format.
  I suspect many other users have this problem but have not reported it.

  It transpires that when running WordPerfect version 7 or higher under
  Microsoft Windows 95 or later, the WordPerfect file MAY be stored not
  as a simple WordPerfect file but as a Microsoft "OLE Compound Document".

  It is reported in a Corel technical note.

   The COREL documentation says
   (http://www.corel.com/partners_developers/ds/co32sdk/docs/ff/B_1DOCIN.HTM#Comparison)
   
   "WordPerfect 6.x (WP 6.x) files are separated into two sections, document
   prefix and document area. WordPerfect 7.0 (WP 7.0) files add support for the
   OLE Compound File format specification. This Compound document information
   wraps around a WordPerfect file, and separates the document into four
   sections, OLE Compound document, document prefix, document area, and ending
   Compound document information.
   
   The OLE Compound file format is the native file format for OLE 2 servers and
   makes it possible for full implementation of Windows 95 Shell integration
   features. A Compound file is a file system within a file. This support was
   added to allow users, using OLE 2 server applications, to browse, modify,
   and share embedded WordPerfect 7.0 documents without starting WordPerfect.
   In addition, the Windows 95 Shell integration gives users the ability to
   move documents to other machines without losing their links.
   
   Note: When creating WordPerfect 7.0 documents you do not need to include the
   OLE Compound Document wrapper. WordPerfect will read in WP 7.0 documents
   without it."

  This is designed to allow OLE integration features. In fact what it
  does is to take the WP binary file, and break it into blocks which are
  then stored scattered inside another file which mimics a file system.

  This is bad news if you need to copy WP files between platforms. It
  is also bad news for program efficiency and disk space, as every WP file
  is now broken up so it cannot be read sequentially off disk and the OLE
  file format adds at least around 10 to 20% extra to the file size.

  I have now implemented a fix inside Wp2Html so that it will try and
  spot a OLE wrapped file and extract the native WordPerfect file to
  process. This is transparent to the user. I would appreciate any
  feedback on how well this works and any problems you encounter.

Andrew