Fortunately, for those of us using the IIGS and Macintosh computers, there is now a way to exchange data more easily. EGO Systems, publishers of programs such as Balloon, AutoArk 1.1, and Addressed for Success, have now created a Macintosh translator for IIGS Teach files.
Installation on my Macintosh was simple--just drag the Teach Translator onto the System Folder and it is installed into the Extensions folder. Then I rebooted (and rebuilt the desktop file by holding down the Command & Option keys during startup) to t ry it out. The translator works in tandem with the Macintosh Easy Open control panel which comes with System 7.5, and also with the commercial DataViz Easy Link Translators package. In order to use a Teach file, just double click on it (the Translator gi ves the Teach file an icon similar to its icon on the GS) and a dialog box comes up asking which program you want to use to import the file.
The trick here is to pick a program that is able to read Simple Text files (Simple Text is Apple's update of its classic TeachText program--do you see a connection here?--that can not only read text files, but use different fonts and styles, along wit h playing QuickTime movies and opening PICT files). Opening in such a program (SimpleText, obviously, but Tex-Edit Plus and others as well) brings in not only the text, but also the styles and fonts. Opening the file directly in other programs, such as M icrosoft Word, ClarisWorks, and WordPerfect brings in only the text...the fonts are lost in the process. However, once the file is open in SimpleText, the text can be selected, copied and pasted into a window in one of these other programs, and then the text along with style information is preserved.
This makes sharing information between platforms much easier--especially since most IIGS text processors (Write Away, CoolWrite, ShadowWrite/Hermes, Teach, EGOed, and My Word, for instance) save files in the Teach format. The Teach Easy Open translator requires a Macintosh running System 7 or later, and is available from EGO Systems for 25 dollars. Call 800-662-3634, 615-332-2087, or FAX to 615-332-2634 to place your order, or send e-mail to diz@genie.com for more information.