On Fri, 7 Nov 1997, Sid Pullinger wrote:
> Calling computer experts. I have a problem which may possibly affect other
> members on the list. Most of my mail arrives with a normal format but
> every so often I get a letter with lines many times the width of my 15 inch
> screen so that it can only be read by scrolling. For example, a recent
> letter from Bob Roach, "Bee Cop" arrived on my screen in four lines seven
> times the width of the screen. It printed out in normal format at 34 lines
> on A4. Moreover there was no word wrap on the letter but there was normal
> wrap on the print-out.
> I tried saving it to Word but only the first two screens were picked up,
> leaving large gaps, so that was no good. Auto formatting did not help.
> I tried filing it to see if it would right itself as it did in the
> print-out but no luck. It was still seven screens wide.
> Am I missing something or must I accept incompatibility with certain
> servers? Sid P.
> [log in to unmask]
REPLY PRIVATELY TO [log in to unmask], NOT TO THE LIST.
This note doesn't deal with bees, but with computer stuff. I am
posting it to the list since it's likely others are having the same
trouble as Sid. If you wish to discuss this further, email me
directly. Do not reply to the list for it will continue another
long and possibly annoying non-bee thread.
===
Deciding the length of a line is a function of the mail editor (i.e,
the program with which Mr. Roach wrote his message and the program
that you use to read it). Don't confuse this with the program that
sends the mail or receives the mail. In other words, the server has
nothing to do with it.
When you enter text into an editor, lines that are longer than the
screen is wide are usually cut at the end of a word and resumed on
the next line. This process is called line wrapping. Basic editors
like EDIT in DOS don't wrap, so you can keep typing and typing and the
line gets longer and longer until you finally hit the return key.
With such editors, the writer usually decides when he's reaching the
end of the line and hits return so that the lines don't get long.
Fancier editors and word processors automatically wrap lines so you
don't have to hit enter.
Now comes the problem: of these wrapping editors, some wrap the line
on the screen but not in the text file that's created and emailed;
others wrap the line both on the screen and in the text file. When
the line is visually (on the screen) wrapped, but not actually (in
the file by using a carriage return character) wrapped, the line's
appearance depends upon which program displays it. Thus, if the file
is not actually wrapped and your mail reader doesn't wrap long lines,
the line will appear very long.
Unfortunately, the guy who's writing the message isn't always
aware of whether his line is wrapping. After all, he just writes the
message, he sees it on the screen, and it looks fine to him.
The solution: either the writer should tell his editor to create
actually wrapped lines or the reader should tell his email display
program to wrap long lines. Since you, as the reader, have little
control of the writer, it's probably best for you to set your program
to wrap long lines. The writer can, of course, help alleviate the
problem by setting his options to wrap lines. I have noticed that
users of Eudora often create very long lines. Eudora users should
look among the sending mail options for a check box entitled "word
wrap" and check it.
Anyone who wishes to address the problem on his Eudora program and
needs a guinea pig to read his email may send test messages to me
at the address below. Do not send your test messages to BEE-L; do
not reply to this message without taking extra care that you are
not sending a copy to BEE-L.
Conrad Sigona
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Conrad Sigona
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