The Make File utility converts plain text (.txt)  files into MarkMyScriptures (.prc) files. For instructions on using Make File, click on a topic below.

Make File Sources:  What kinds of documents can you convert with the Make File tab?  Anything in plain text format.  Converting a file to plain text is simple. Copy and paste any digital text into Windows Notepad and save the file.  You now have a plain text (.txt) document.  You can also type in your own documents, such as letters or business agreements and save them as a .txt files.  To make your file more easily accessible within MarkMyScriptures, consider the navigation and readability formatting options below. 

• What is a Navigation Tag?  It is a specific set of characters which the utility scans for. There are three possible tags:
  • The Book Tag:  is the word "Book" followed by a colon, then a space, then the name of your book (up to 31 characters long) as you wish it to appear on the books page.  For example:   Book: Using Notes
      It is best to put the tag on it's own line with no other text.
  • The Chapter Tag:  is the word "Chapter" followed by a colon, then a space, then the name of your chapter (up to 31 characters long) as you wish it to appear on the chapters page.  For example:  Chapter: The Stylus  It is best to put the tag on it's own line with no other text.
  • The Verse Tag: is a numeral preceded by a carriage return and followed by a space.  The verse tag is usually only useful with scripture documents because just a numeral, not text, will appear on the verse screen. It is not very helpful to assign paragraphs as verses because you would have to choose "1" or "5", without any idea of what is in paragraph one or five.  [Back to Top]

Formatting Files for Readability:   When Make File converts your .txt file to .prc it will not preserve any of the following:

• Extra spaces:  all extra spaces will be removed; only one space will appear between any two characters.
• Extra line breaks:  all empty lines will be removed
• Text formatting:  all text will be the same size, and will not show bold, italic, underline or color.

You can work around some of these restrictions by using non-letter characters to add visual breaks to your .txt file before running Make File.  For instance:

• Use a "." and a carriage return to add a mostly blank line between paragraphs.
• Use multiple "_" or "*" characters to indent paragraphs.
• Use "=>" or "~" instead of bullets.
• Use all capital letters instead of bold text.
• Use asterisks to bracket a word instead of bold or italic text.

Click here to see to see a sample file with readability formatting.

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Installing Make File Documents:   The first screen of Make File is the file destination path.  Choose your device type, your user name, and the file destination (main memory or memory card).  When you have completed the file conversion Make File will place the document in the specified install directory.  It will be installed when you sync your device.  Remember to click Refresh on the Documents page in MarkMyScriptures to bring up newly installed files.  [Back to Top]

Source File:  The source file is the file which is converted from .txt to .prc.  Click here to see a sample source file.

• To convert a file to .txt format, copy and paste it to Windows Notepad.  This will remove all formatting; all text will be the same font, and size.  No bold, italic, underline, or text colors will remain.
• If desired, add navigation tags, or extra symbols to improve readability.
  • Small files (one page or less in length) usually do not need a navigation index, but any file may benefit from added symbols for readability.
  • Medium files are most accessible with a Books only navigation.  Subdivide your document into different topics and insert a book tag with an appropriate title for each topic.  After selecting your document you can jump to different topics with the Books index. 
    • Because MarkMyScriptures automatically brings up subsequent navigation screens where applicable, you may wish to include a zero chapter tag (a line which says only Chapter: 0) after each book.  Then after selecting your book you will be jumped there instead of to the next navigation screen.
  • Large, non-scripture files are most accessible with Book and Chapter subdivisions.
  • Scripture files (other versions of the Bible) can be converted with Book/Chapter/Verse navigation.
• Your document and source file cannot have the same name.  Save the source file with a name slightly different from your desired document name.  For example, if your converted file will be named "Business One" save your file as "Business Source" or something similar.
• Note the file path to your source file, because you will browse to it's location rather than copying it to Make File.

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Make File Screens and Settings: Once you have formatted and saved your source file you are ready to use the Make File utility to convert it.  Make File has nine screens.  You will be completing one step of the conversion process on each screen.  If you have not inserted any navigation tags, click the  "use default book name for entire document."  on Screen Four, and check "Don't Include Verses" on Screen Six.  Otherwise, leave the default settings alone and just press "Next" on these screens.

• Screen 1:  File Destination

Choose your device type, your user name, and the file destination (main memory or memory card).  When you have completed the file conversion Make File will place the document in the specified install directory.  It will be installed when you sync your device.  Remember to click Refresh on the Documents page in MarkMyScriptures to bring up newly installed files.

• Screen 2: Source File

Click the button with three dots, and browse to the file you wish to convert.  Choose "Open" from the dialog box.  You will see your file and it's directory displayed on the Make File screen.  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 3:  Document Title

Enter the name of the document as you wish it to appear in your document list in MarkMyScriptures.  The document title must be 31 characters or less.  Remember, your document and source file cannot have the same name.  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 4:  Identifying Books

The next three screens deal with creating your navigation index.  If you have not added navigation tags to your source file (small file), choose "use default book name for entire document" on this screen.  If you are converting a non-scripture document and have inserted book tags, choose the "Tag" option.  If applicable, also select the "Tag must appear by itself on it's own line" box.  If you are converting a scripture file, choose the tag option that is best suited to your text's format.  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 5:  Identifying Chapters

An option must be selected on this screen.  If your document does not have tags (small file), or is going to use books only navigation (medium file), leave the defaults checked and click "Next" at the bottom of the screen.  No chapters will be identified, so they will not be created.

With a medium length, books tagged file it can be helpful to also insert the zero chapter tag (a line beneath each book tag which says Chapter: 0) in your source file.  If your source file contains the zero chapter tag,  leave the defaults checked, but uncheck the "Create text chapter titles" box.

With large files, containing text chapter tags, leave the defaults selected.  The defaults are "Use Tag to identify chapters" and  "Tag must appear by itself on it's own line" is checked.  If you have created text chapter titles, make sure the "Create text chapter titles" box is checked.  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

If you are converting a scripture file, choose the tag option that is best suited to your text's format.  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 6:  Identifying Verses

When converting a non-scripture document, choose "Don't Include Verses."  The other options may remain selected, but no verses will be found so they will not be created. Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

When converting a scripture file, or if you have chosen to include verses, make sure each verse is numbered and that the numbers are sequential.  The only option for verse tags is "Verses will appear on each line."  Click the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 7:  Create File 

You have now primed the utility.  Click the "Create Files from Source" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Screen 8:  Document Preview 

This screen will show the books and chapters which were detected in your file.  If your file has converted correctly, click Next.  If your file did not format as expected, select "Click here if this doesn't look right."  You will be taken back to the beginning of the process and you can choose other options and then create the file again.

• Screen 9:  Complete 

If you clicked Next on Screen 8, your converted file has now been placed in the specified install directory.  You can click "Done" to finish or you can choose "Start Over" to create a new file.

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