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Arlen Walker comments that he feels the reveal
codes function of WordPerfect is symptomatic of a
design flaw because you shouldn't need it in
well-designed software. While I agree with his
main point, I'd reiterate that most of the
problems I solve using the "reveal codes" mode
arise in files imported into WP, not files created
in WP. (No, this isn't specifically a problem with
WP's import filters either. The files wouldn't run
properly in PageMaker unless I cleaned them up
first in WP. MSWord files come to mind as a common
problem, but maybe I've just been unlucky.)
To reiterate my comment, I did not intend to say
that working with the tags is the best way to go;
all I noted is that I've found it indispensible
for fixing files that simply wouldn't work
properly in PageMaker. You can't fix what you
can't seee! Any other program that imports files
is likely to have similar problems because of
imperfect filters. Until the perfect translation
package appears, I'm sticking with WP.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)}
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: If I didn't commit it in print in one
of our reports, it don't represent FERIC's
opinion.