[Rcovell]

From another internet site, I clicked, highlighted and dragged a text list to my desktop. Later, I went to send a copy of the text list to my Windows OS sister in an email. Using Safari, I attached the text list as a 12kb file. She reports that the attachment couldn't be opened.
When I click on the text list on my desktop, it opens in a 'clipping: text' window, but, doesn't show any of the usual options. I can't click to highlight it, it won't drag to a new Appleworks document and the 'save as' options are not available.
How do I find out what kind of file this is? How can I save it in a format that my sister can read when I email it to her? My OS is 10.3.3 on an iMac. Thanks, Bob.

[SueG]

I'm not sure how Windows would handle a Clipping file, maybe Notepad could do it? If you want to deal with it as text, drop it into a TextEdit window. It's always easiest on the recipient if you send it inline. I usually keep TextEdit open while I'm online, and drag stuff there instead of the desktop.

[Rcovell]

Thanks, Sue, for the reply. Your comments allowed me to find out more about this file. I was able to see that it shows as a .textclipping. Can you or someone else recommend a way or format this could be saved in, so I can just drag it to an email for my MS friends and family?
I did open a new Appleworks document and the 'save as' command was available. There were the usual listings, including some MS OS's. Does this mean I have to have two copies of this file, one for me and one to send to MS friends? I really don't want to go through the 'save as' routine each time I want to share this or something similar. Any ideas?
Thanks again, Bob.

[SueG]

AppleWorks is overkill on this. Get friendly with TextEdit, it should be in your dock (or SimpleText or TeachText on the AppleMenu if this is an old OS). Or if you need cross platform formatted documents, learn about .rtf (rich text format) which any word processor should be able to open and retain the formatting.
Why do you want to attach anything? Windows users are being trained to view attachments with fear and loathing. Anything pasted into the body of an email message is available to anyone and usually makes a smaller email.

[Typhoon14]

Mac OS .textclipping files store all the text information in the resource fork. Windows doesn't handle resource forks, so it will impossible to view said text on any non-Mac computer.

[DPG4450Guy]

Notepad can't open .rtf's but WordPad can.
Notepad has to have .txt files.
Anyway, drag/drop or copy/paste to Text Edit like Sue recom'd and make sure you put the extension on it and email that sucker.

[Rcovell]

Thanks for the replies, this shouldn't so difficult!
Here's what's worked so far. I opened Text Edit and dropped my clipping onto it. Then, when closing, I saved it in the 'Word' format option as listed in the menu. Dropped that onto my email and sent it. My recipient replied that the file opened just fine.
Looks like I need to keep two copies of these clippings, one for Mac, one for MS. (I tried to open the 'Word' version and my iMac said that it couldn't translate it.)
Is there nothing out there that I could reasonably use to save these clippings in a format that both Mac and MS can read without all the hassle?
Thanks, Bob.

[d00d]

Plain text should work fine, except some Windows machines may have trouble reading it if it uses Mac/Unix style line breaks. Personally, that's why I use BBEdit, which lets you save using any style line breaks.

[Grant_G]

I've been following this thread off and on since this morning, and waiting for someone to ask "why use clippings at all?" There is really no need (although it's very simple to just drag something to the desktop and have it become a sort of Stickie). To do that, you have to highlight the text you want, right? So instead of dragging it to the desktop, Copy it (CommandC)! Go to your Dock and open TextEdit. Paste it there (CommandV). Save it as .rtf to the Desktop. You have ONE file that anyone with a computer can read.
G

[Rcovell]

Grant, thanks for the idea. I tried your approach and it's much easier to accomplish than my clumsy method. One question-do I need to have that .rtf suffix in the name? I used your idea to paste your reply to my desktop. When I check the 'get info' it shows a hidden suffix of .rtfd, one of the usual invisible Mac suffixes I presume. If I title my clipping 'Grant's Reply', do I need to add something like .rtf (as you earlier mentioned) or just leave it alone or add a .doc?
I appreciate your sticking with this. How's the friend in KY doing?
Thanks, Bob.

[Duke_Thomas]

In reply to:

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One question-do I need to have that .rtf suffix in the name?

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If you want a PC user to be able to be able to open it without having to guess that it's an RTF file, yes.

[DPG4450Guy]

Windoze requires the extension.
So does OS X, really, but it's "hidden."
Text = .txt
Word = .doc
RTF = .rtf
RTFD? Um, not in Win95 or Win98 ... maybe XP? RTFD's are RTF's with an embedded graphic in the file. So you must have grabbed more than just text off that webpage. Anyway, MSWord can't open a .rtfd . . . so neither will Windows NotePad or WordPad accessories. You would need to open up the file, and copy/paste it to Word and save as a .doc to keep the graphics for sending to a PC user.
Remember, you can always just paste any text into the body of an email if you want - you don't have to send it as a file attachment/enclosure. Windows comes with NotePad for text files in the Accessories, but also WordPad, which can open all three of these (but not the graphics that may be in a Word file.)

[d00d]

In reply to:

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So does OS X, really, but it's "hidden."

---

No, it doesn't. Just to test my theory, I removed the extension from a PDF file and made sure it wasn't just hidden. Its icon disappeared, but it still opened in Preview thanks to the metadata.

[Rcovell]

The rtfd suffix was part of the Mac OS, not Windows. I found that in the 'Get Info' after using Grant's idea of keyboard shortcuts and Text Edit. Tried sending it as part of an email to a MS user, and he did open it OK. Looks like Sue had the right idea about using Text Edit and Grant made it easier for me to figure out. I'll just save things in rtf and keep one copy for both OS X and Windows.
Thanks, again, to everyone for sorting this out for me. Bob.