What is the easiest way to convert unix/linux text files to DIS/Win text files?

[Antonio00]

It is known that the line endings/carriage returns in text files under Unix/linux usually differ from those under DOS/Windows XP. So lets say I got a text file with unix style line feeds. So what is going to be the easiest way to convert all line endings to Windows XP Style? Thanks for any information in advance.

[Janos™]

You can try to get the Unix2Dos tool which is a tool to convert line breaks in a text file from Unix format (Line feed) to DOS format (carriage return + Line feed) and vice versa. Download it by searching it on the net.

[Actionguy]

You can also get AutoIt which is a freeware BASIC-like scripting language designed for automating the Windows GUI and general scripting. It uses a combination of simulated keystrokes, mouse movement and window/control manipulation in order to automate tasks in a way not possible or reliable with other languages (e.g. VBScript and SendKeys).

[Dr.Jones]

There is an option in Unix to write text files with CRLF at the end of each line. Alternatively you could open the file with Word, then save it as a text file. You will be prompted to specify the EOL string, i.e. CRLF.

[Dr.pter]

You can use the VBScript file on the desktop. Unix has one variation. Some Windows files (like Word docs) have another variation. The standard in Windows is to end the line with ASCII characters 13-10. (Carriage return - line feed). Just paste the below text to Notepad and save it as a .vbs file, you can just drop any file onto it and have it fixed. (Note that in some cases on XP you may need to adjust security to run a .vbs file.)

'---------------- start text of vbs file ------------

Dim fso, ts, s, arg, fil, fpath, s1
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
arg = WScript.arguments.item(0)
Set ts = fso.OpenTextFile(arg, 1, False)
s = ts.ReadAll
ts.Close
Set ts = Nothing

s1 = Replace(s, vbCrLf, vbCr, 1, -1, 0)
s1 = Replace(s1, vbLf, vbCr, 1, -1, 0)
s1 = Replace(s1, vbCr, vbCrLf, 1, -1, 0)

Set ts = fso.CreateTextFile(arg, True)
ts.Write s1
ts.Close
Set ts = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing
MsgBox "All done", 64, "File fixed"

' -------- end vbs file ---------------

Another variation, if you want to save the edited text
to a different file, replace the line:

Set ts = fso.CreateTextFile(arg, True)

with:

Set ts = fso.CreateTextFile(arg & ".txt", True)

[Tomthegreat]

There is another one called Dos2unix that includes utilities to convert text files with DOS or MAC line breaks to Unix line breaks and vice versa. It is an update of Benjamin Lin's implementations. Get it by searching on the web and install it in your pc.