Cary spectrometer files to Mac
tgi...@ibm.net
>I similar question. We have a UV/VIS spectrometer from Cary that uses
>DOS. My Mac can read DOS floppies (after all it is common for more
>advanced machines to be backwardly compatible! Sorry I couldn'
>resist :-) so I can open the files. The problem is that the data
>isn't stored as text. Does anyone know what format Cary uses for
>these files?
>I replied:
>There are several of ways to transfer Cary files to the Mac:
>You can buy the Data import/export application this will allow you to covert the
>Cary binary format to ASCII XY data (as well as several other formats).
>You can also buy any of the Easy menu programs which are available (they are cheaper
>than Data import/export). These contain a conversion utility for Cary binary
>to ASCII or JCAMP.
>You can do it the free and dirty way of creating a Report (try ADL News 3 for a two
>column format) and saving this. This will then contain your data in ASCII format.
>If you are an Advanced user and have the Expert ADL application you can use the
>FCONVERT ADL command to covert your data into JCAMP or ASCII XY.
>Once you have the data in ASCII format:
>Copy the files onto a floppy.
>Start up Apple File Exchange on the Mac
>Select the folder where the files are to be placed
>Insert the floppy into the Mac
>Select the MS-DOS to Mac menu and select "Text translation"
>Select OK.
>Select the files you wish to convert from the selection box.
>Press the Translate button and Bob's your Uncle.
>I hope this helps. If you decide that you really want to write your own program to covert
>the Cary binary format to something else, Email me. But it won't be easy - the Cary
>file format contains heaps of information besides just the data points.
>Art Springsteen replied:
>Hi,
>Yeah, we've got a Cary-5 and Cary-3, and I' like you, process data on a
>Mac.
>Cary files using the non-OS/2 software are straight binary. You can J-Camp
>them, then get into them with Excel or Lotus but it's a pain.
>Try talking to Jim Steensrud at Varian (415-424-4999), the US Product
>specialist for help. He's very helpful when you can find him.
Yeah Art - personally, I think the best solution would be to lash out and buy
the Cary OS/2 software, which contains the coversion utilities as standard,
network the PC and Mac and pump that data down the line. Then again, you may
enjoy OS/2 so much that you'll covert to using a real computer. (this segment
is NOT sponsored by IBM).
Regards
Michelle Archard
Varian Australia
Hey- these views are my own - they're too good to be Varian's.
Arfty1166
Oh, that wit!!!! Well, we did get the OS/2 software and I'm still a Mac
(Power-PC user). OS/2 is cool, if can afford the 20 meg of memory you
need to run it. Unfortunately, I don't sign our purchase reqs. (Actually,
we did get 16 megs and it's a neat software package.)
This is not a plug for Varian- just Michelle's really neat. Anyone who can
get
a Texan to sound like Crocodile Dundee is quite the sheila!
(See also first posting of 7-20...)
Art (arft...@aol.com)