2.4) How do I transfer patches, data files, MFF files from a Mac to a PC and back? (Electronic and Computer Music)
Description
This article is from the Electronic and Computer Music FAQ, by Craig Latta Craig.Latta@NetJam.ORG with numerous contributions by others.
2.4) How do I transfer patches, data files, MFF files from a Mac to a PC and back? (Electronic and Computer Music)
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 12:56:39 -0400 (EDT) From: idealord <idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org>
This works for any data files - of course it will not work for executables.
IBM->Mac
Process the file, (unzip, unlharc it), download it and then use Apple File
Transfer in the binary mode (not text mode) to "translate" it to the Mac.
Mac files have a processing fork which is added to the front end of any file;
it tells the Mac what application the file was designed for.
Apple File Transfer (it should be in your System or Utilities folder) adds this
to the front of the file. Now - you have to use ResEdit to add the
appropriate file header info. For MFF files you change the "File Type" to
MIDI - make sure to use caps - some apps won't accept "midi." Now you should
be able to load it into Performer, whatever, as a MIDI file.
If it is a sysex dump or other kind of data file -> take a look at the file
type of a previously saved data file created by the program with which you wish
to use the IBM data file with ResEdit. The file type is always 4 letters, be
sure you use the appropriate cap or small letter combination and change the
type of the IBM data file from "text" (Apple File Transfer changes all of its
files to the "text" file type) to the type expected by your application of
choice.
Mac->IBM
Process the file (unsit, etc.) and use Apple File Transfer in the binary mode
(not text mode) to translate it to IBM format. Apple File Transfer will allow
you to format IBM disks, too. The process from Mac->IBM is basically
stripping the Mac header off of the data file. There is no further
processing. Of course, be sure you've de-archived the data file appropriately
- although there are un-stuffit programs available for the IBM - they don't
seem to be very reliable.
I've used these processes to transfer MFF files, EPS files and other kinds of
files successfully between Macs and IBM's.
Jeff Harrington
idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org
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