this brings me back to the original --- let me come at it from another angle see if it helps:
Sergey here the actual string i am working with after it has been transposed by a modified version of what you sent me.

=STRTOFILE(CHRTRAN(FILETOSTR("m.txt"),CHR(13)+CHR(10), "~"),"m.txt")     

~~1234567 Mu-ID* ~~2. y/n~Eng} ~Hum} ~French} ~~4. ~A B C D E F G H}H ~~5. ~Inst} ~~6. y/n~Choir}~Band} ~

so this might give you a better idea of the issue. how do i now get rid of the the double ~~ turn them into single ~ then transpose ~ into a carriage return.

thanks k

k
>Try
>

>STRTRAN(whatever,  CHR(13)+CHR(10)+CHR(13)+CHR(10), CHR(13)+CHR(10))
>

>
>>thanks sergey - unfortunately too efficient - this removes all returns and gives me: (from example below)
>>line 1 of textline 2 of textline 3 of textline 5 of text
>>k
>>
>>>New Line combination in Windows is CR + LF, CHR(13)+CHR(10). If there're no addtional spaces
>>>

>>>STRTRAN(whatever,  CHR(13)+CHR(10), "")
>>>

>>>
>>>>Does anyone know how i can get rid of emtpy lines in a text file:
>>>>I thought this might work - it doesn't :(
>>>>welcome any suggestions
>>>>k
>>>>

>>>>=STRTOFILE(CHRTRAN(FILETOSTR("c:\mydir\m.txt"),CHR(13)+"  ",' '),"c:\mydir\m.txt")
>>>>

>>>>original text:
>>>>line 1 of text
>>>>line 2 of text
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>line 3 of text
>>>>
>>>>line 5 of text
>>>>
>>>>i would like converted to
>>>>line 1 of text
>>>>line 2 of text
>>>>line 3 of text
>>>>line 5 of text