robert said:
>   Save the big resulting handle 
>   and any location/offset/ mapping array(s) for it, 
>   and save the pup using Write Field, or Write File# or whatever 
>   fit the bill into one big external file called  mwdata.

i suppose you think this is your idea?           :+)

this is the file-format for my e-books --
the text (in plain ascii format, thank you,
though perhaps tokenized for compression),
the styling info (also in a plain ascii format),
graphic file handles saved as ascii strings,
sound file handles saved as ascii strings,
movie file handles saved as ascii strings,
and information on "binding", "mapping", "menu",
etc., saved in -- you guessed it -- ascii format...

the same routines that read and implement the e-book on the 
mac side do it for the p.c. too, so there's your cross-plat format.
and write the reader-tool in realbasic so it is also cross-plat.

any questions?

-bowerbird