Both programs mentioned are Mac supported.

1 - Checked the type of the file with GET INFO [using Snitch 2.0.2]. The FILE TYPE and CREATOR shown in the dBase file are meaningless to a Mac, and the computer will not even try to work with the file. The necessary first step is to set the FILE TYPE = TEXT and the CREATOR = BOBO. This designation is recognized by the Mac and it will try to work with the file.

2 - I have created a 1901 Canada Census Master layout in ClarisWorks 4.0 and another for the 1891 Census. I'm willing to share these layouts with others and will Email them to those who send a message to me. For those Mac users not into Email, I offer a copy of each to PEIGS and "The Island Register".

3 - Using these layouts, conversion is easy. After having changed the FILE TYPE = TEXT in step 1, make a copy of the appropriate Master layout file remembering to unlock the file. Give it your choice of name and then click on it to open it. On its menu set LAYOUT/BROWSE. Pull down FILE/INSERT, change SHOW box from ALL to DBF, find the name of the PEIGS census file that you changed to TEXT in step 1 and click on it. You will be shown a comparison of the fields in each file. They should be the same. Click on "OK". The PEIGS census data will be put into the proper fields in the copy of the Master layout. SAVE.

4 - After saving in final permanent format [ie the sequence in which the records were written down], closed the file. Used Snitch (GET INFO) to lock file. This will allow me to sort and otherwise reorganize the file, but I won't be saving it in that reorganized form and thereby losing its original sort.

John M. Collins, Sarnia, Ont.

1901 Census Layout - for Macintosh and ClarisWorks 4.0