Diamond: That won’t be a problem.  What format would you like?

Paralegal: What are my options?

Here at Diamond Reporting, we receive dozens of calls a day from our clients about getting a transcript via email.  We have noticed, though, some confusion in regard to the formats we provide and how they can be utilized.

In this post, we will explain the difference between the most popular formats (ASCII, PDF, & e-Transcript) the pros and cons of each, and the different ways each can be used.

ASCII

ASCII format has been around since the earliest days of computing.  ASCII files generally appear as .txt files or as .asc files, and they are compatible with Microsoft Word, all versions of WordPerfect (even pre-Corel versions),  free text viewers included with Windows such as Notepad and Wordpad, free text editors found online such TextPad or NotePad ++, and even Mac computers.  The ASCII file is, basically, universal.   As for its application in the legal industry, the ASCII file is also easily imported in to case management software such as LiveNote,TextMap & others.

However, the ASCII file, (again, specifically for legal applications) is far from perfect.  Inherently, the ASCII file is nothing but formatted text.  Additional features only come from the program used to view it.  In its native Windows application, Notepad, it prints terribly and anyone who has ever tried can attest to this.

What you need to remember

 

ASCII file is the most compatible format

Provides the least functionality

 

More ASCII art!

 

Microsoft Word

It may be hard to believe, but Word has been with us for almost 30 years. In that time Word quickly became the preferred program for word processing.  Despite the presence of free alternatives, such as Google Docs & OpenOffice, Microsoft Word continues to control the lion’s share of the market with no signs of slowing down. Though a Word file isn’t as compatible as the ASCII file, it can convert files from ASCII to Word and back again.  Documents printed from Word look exactly the same on paper as they do on the screen.

The only potential drawback (depending on your particular application), which also exists with the ASCII format, is that its an editable file.  Most times, we want our Word files to be editable.  We want to be able to create drafts and revise them, or to send files to our colleagues so that they can make revisions.  However, there are times when having a file that can not be modified makes more sense.

What you need to remember

 

Since most people use Microsoft Word, it’s very likely that you will be able to send and receive Word files without a problem.

Like the ASCII file, the content of the Word file can be modified.

 

R.I.P.

Clippy: 1997-2003

Adobe PDF

Adobe’s document format, PDF (which stands for portable document format), is the best format to use when the original content must be preserved.  The most widely used program associated with PDF is Adobe’s own Acrobat Reader, which is available for free from Adobe’s site.  For those who need more features, such as marking up documents, and redacting portions there is Adobe Acrobat.  This version can cost upwards of several hundred dollars, depending on the amount of features.  With PDF, what you see is what you get.  There are no formatting issues, documents look the same printed as they do on screen, and email recipeients will always see the document in the way in which it was intended.  PDFs can be made text searchable via the OCR process, which is the translation of scanned images of handwritten, typewritten, or printed text into digitized text.

While all that sounds great, the flip side is that PDF does not play well with others.  PDF files can’t be imported directly in to any other program, and converting a PDF to either ASCII or Microsoft Word hardly ever works well.

What you need to remember: Adobe PDF files are great for viewing, sharing, and printing but not much else.

 

PDF: Printer-friendly, monkey-approved

RealLegal e-Transcript

Of this roundup, the RealLegal e-Transcript format is the only one that is specific to the legal industry.  Since its inception in 1996, the e-Transcript file has continued to gain popularity.  Some would even argue that it’s the “industry standard”.  e-Transcript files can only be created via the e-Transcript Manager, an application sold by RealLegal to court reporters and agencies.  e-Transcript files can be EXE or PTX. The EXE file comes complete with a self-enclosed viewer, making an additional download unnecessary.

Unfortunately, most network firewalls block EXE files.  To circumvent firewall issues, PTX files can be sent but require the download of the e-Transcript Viewer by the recipient.  The e-Transcript viewer is available as a free download on RealLegal’s site.  While it doesn’t open in any other applications, the e-Transcript Viewer will export to ASCII (which can then be opened in Word), Rich Text Format (rtf), and LiveNote Evidence Format (LEF).  And if you have Adobe Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader), you can even use it to create your PDF transcript.

The e-Transcript is also the most feature-rich format for the four.  It contains a hyperlinked word index, is completely text-searchable, and has many printing options, including the ability to print your own condensed transcript.  A final word of caution of e-Transcript:  Mac users need not apply.  Unlike the other formats, it is not natively compatible with Mac.  For those of you that know your way around the Mac, any workarounds used to run other Windows applications will work for the e-Transcript Viewer.

What you need to remember: The e-Transcript format is the most feature-rich format, and provides the widest range of compatibility.  However, the need to download an EXE file (either the e-Transcript file itself, or the viewer program) may make its use impractical in offices with very secure networks.

You’ll always be cool in my book, PC…

 

We hope that this blog was both entertaining and informational.  Please share any thoughts or questions below, and be sure to stay tuned for the second post in our series, regarding digital legal video.