Across Lite FAQs

Puzzle open/save questions

  1. How do I load a puzzle into Across Lite?
  2. Do I have to save the puzzle in some particular directory/folder?
  3. I am using Across Lite as a helper application. The save command does not seem to save the puzzle for later? What am I doing wrong?
  4. There is a message saying "This is not an Across puzzle or is corrupted" when I try to (down)load a puzzle. What does that mean?
  5. Can I use long filenames for saved puzzles?
  6. Do I have to use the .PUZ extension?
  7. What are the .BAK files? Can I delete them?
  8. How and when can I get rid of my old puzzles?
  9. The Save button on the toolbar sometimes brings up a save file dialog and sometimes it does not? What is going on?

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Answers

  1. How do I load a puzzle into Across Lite?
    All versions: Use the Open command in the File menu (or the open button in the toolbar) to pop up a standard open file dialog box which you can use to traverse to any directory/folder and select a (puzzle) file just as in any standard application.

    Windows, OS/2 and MacOS: Drag-and-drop a puzzle file over the program icon and/or an open Across Lite window

    Windows: Double click on a .PUZ file. This will also work on a Mac if the puzzle was saved from Across Lite previously on a Mac. Puzzles created on other platforms and downloaded to a Mac may not have the correct file type signature for the finder to know which application to start up.

    Windows 95 or 98: Click right button on a .PUZ file and select Open.

    Unix: The command line will take a puzzle filename as an argument.
  2. Do I have to save the puzzle in some particular directory/folder?
    NO. You can save a puzzle to any directory/folder you wish and use any of the above methods to open it.
  3. I am using Across Lite as a helper application. The save command does not seem to save the puzzle for later? What am I doing wrong?
    The short answer is, as soon as the browser starts up Across Lite with the puzzle loaded, use Save As to save it to a permanent directory and use it from there. Here is the reason for the observed behavior:

    When the browser downloads the puzzle, it does so to a temporary directory/folder and then starts up Across Lite with that file. When you quit the browser, the browser will usually delete that file even if you had saved it back into that file from within Across Lite. This works great for those that wish to just print out a copy. Just print out the copy from Across Lite and forget about the downloaded puzzle. It is automatically cleaned up. However, for those who wish to save it for future sessions, you must use the SaveAs command to save it into a more permanent area. We have made it easy for you to save it into the Puzzles subdirectory in the installation directory. Just click on SaveAs button as soon as you download a puzzle directly into Across Lite. Note that this caveat is only for the time when the browser starts up Across Lite automatically not when you start up Across Lite later to continue solving a puzzle.
  4. There is a message saying "This is not an Across puzzle or is corrupted" when I try to (down)load a puzzle. What does that mean?
    Usually, it means exactly what it says. The puzzle loading method for Across Lite will allow you to load(drop) any file into it. You may have tried to load a file that does not contain an Across crossword puzzle. It is also possible that somehow the file on your disk or being downloaded got corrupted. To preserve the integrity of the program and the crossword, Across Lite will refuse to load any puzzle file that is corrupted even the slightest bit (as determined by checksums). Try downloading again or using a backup copy of the puzzle if it was corrupted while on the disk. If you ever get this message while downloading from this site, send e-mail immediately to helpdesk@litsoft.com
  5. Can I use long filenames for saved puzzles?
    Yes, in all Operating Systems that allow it unless you wish to use that puzzle later on a Windows 3.1x machine that does not allow long filenames.
  6. Do I have to use the .PUZ extension?
    No, although we strongly recommend it for uniformity with puzzles downloaded from the Internet and for consistent operation as a helper application.

    Windows 98, 95 and NT 4.0: Note that the file extension is never displayed in the file open/save dialog boxes or in the Explorer. As per user interface guidelines, if you do not provide the extension in a save dialog box, it will automatically be added before storing and remain hidden everywhere.
  7. What are the .BAK files? Can I delete them?
    These are puzzle backup files that are created whenever you use SaveAs to select and replace an existing file and NOT when you simply use save to save the current file back. The previous file is renamed with a .BAK extension. It will overwrite any previous backup file with same file name. You can delete them any time if you do not wish to keep a backup.
  8. How and when can I get rid of my old puzzles?
    Simply delete the .PUZ files and any .BAK files with the same name that you don't need at any time. The program does not create any other copies unless you explicitly do so yourself.
  9. The Save button on the toolbar sometimes brings up a save file dialog and sometimes it does not? What is going on?
    The button switches between Save and SaveAs based on whether the current puzzle has been edited since the last save (or load). If the puzzle does not require a save, the button becomes SaveAs and will popup the standard file dialog to let you select perhaps another name to save to. If the puzzle has been edited and needs saving, the button works as a Save and simply saves it back to the same file it was loaded from.

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