Q–You answered a question of a reader that had to do with files of .xls and .pps extensions. Please let us ignorants know where you obtain your knowledge of file extensions. I recently purchased a book of over 1,000 pages (“Windows 98: The Complete Reference”) to find out more about the system in general and the various file extensions used. I was disappointed because no reference is made in the book.
When Windows tells me that a file is a “type .ffl,” I would like to know what that is. Same goes for .jpg, .sit, .hqx, .cab, .dat, .sfo, .pst, .acl, .sam, .pst, .htz, .xoc, .vxd, .dll–etc. Is there any book or Microsoft publication that lists and explains the various file types and extensions used in Windows?
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Russ Hugi, Belmont, Calif.
A–IMHO (in my humble opinion), Mr. H., you should point your browser PDQ, or at least ASAP, to www.acronymfinder.com. There you will find that .ffl probably refers to fantasy football league files from a computer game and .jpg is a type of graphics file. Files ending .sit are archives usually for Macintosh machines, and .cab are Microsoft compressed files.
Computer Currents magazine has posted a superb but more technical file-type dictionary here at www.currents.net/resources/dictionary/filetypes.html.
You also should know that programmers often make up their own file extensions, as in fantasy football. Also, you can set a computer to associate an extension you make up with whatever program you like.
To do this, click on the My Computer icon in Windows and then pick View and then Folder Options, which will bring up a menu with the choice New Type.
I once used this to create a file type .jim for personal text files. This let me find all my personal stuff by searching for files using the Windows wild-card command *.jim instead of looking for them under *.txt, which includes far more than just my personal files.
Q–I used to be the proud owner of an Apple Macintosh Performa 638. I recently purchased a Windows-based Dell. I was told that I would be able to read on a PC my old programs that were written in ClarisWorks 5. So far I have not been able to do this.
Is there any way I can do it?
Natalie Rosenbaum,
Monroe Township, Mich.
A–That Dell seller gave you what we used to call a bum steer back in Wyoming, Ms. R. While it is true that Macintosh computers can read Windows-formatted disks, Microsoft has seen fit not to build similar cross-platform courtesy into its operating system. Mac reads and writes to Windows disks, but Windows won’t recognize Macintosh formatted disks.
That’s why your Dell won’t open your old Performa files. You need to retrieve that Performa, or borrow somebody else’s Mac, and save those Claris files onto Windows formatted floppies in text or ASCII format. Those disks will then work in your Dell.
Q–About three months ago, I wrote requesting how one creates the degree symbol () in Windows98. In Windows95 (in which I’m writing), it works with the Alt button held down and entering 248. I never read a response in the newspaper. Did I miss it?
Rick Skierka, San Jose, Calif.
A–I had hoped a recent item about how to find the special characters feature in Windows covered your needs, but your note left me puzzled, because while your solution works fine, it is not the way Windows is designed to work.
You are supposed to be holding down the Alt key and typing 0186 on the keypad. You will note that your Alt+248 gets a symbol that is always in light face, while Alt+0186 always uses the exact font in bold or light.
The special character map is found by clicking Start then Programs/Accessories and then System Tools and should answer the questions many readers have about getting various languages and symbols to look right in their computer documents.
Q–I returned from abroad, logged on and got “error 2003” “Winsock problem” when I tried to load Quicken 6. I contacted AOL and have received three responses, none of which solves the problem. I went to Quicken and was told no one follows this product any longer. When I attempt to update stock quotes for Quicken 6, the program has decided that it no longer recognizes AOL as the carrier and I get “Winsock problem.”
James V. Parker, Tampa
A–You have a plumbing problem with your Internet connection, and you may have the devil’s own time fixing it, Mr. P.
I’d bet that while you were gone the software that AOL continually updates on subscribers’ machines was changed several times, and since you never ran AOL or Quicken, your machine is out of sync with the Winsock software.
Winsocks are programs that Internet service providers like America Online use to make the actual connection to the Internet, and the various Winsocks change as software develops.
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About all you can do is to go back to the original version of the America Online software you had installed when you first loaded Quicken. To get rid of the offending Winsock, you will need to uninstall your current version of AOL using the Windows Add/Remove software function. This is done by clicking on the My Computer icon on the Desktop and then choosing Control Panel, where you will find the Add/Remove choice.
Once AOL is gone, reinstall it from your original disk and then reload Quicken.
This should (I hope) put AOL and Quicken back in sync. If the gremlins keep biting, all I can say is that Quicken 7 is a lot better than Quicken 6, and Quicken 2000 is far better still.
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Contact Jim Coates via e-mail at [email protected] or via snail mail at the baiduhai, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. If you think you’ve got a better answer to any of these questions add your point of view at chicagotribune.com/go/askjim.