3VDQ : I want a .abw file *and* a .pdf file

         I have a great huge long complicated recipe, my own
invention, tweaked and re-tweaked for over thirty years, which my
guests often ask for. I typed it originally in my regular mailer
(Pine, from U Washington), and used to keep a copy in my shell to
fetch into emails.

         But it looks like that master copy has gotten lost among the
electrons, and I owe copies to a list of people; unless one of the
original recipients sends it back (as I've just asked) -- and maybe
even if one does -- meseems I better buckle down to re-type a/o
rework the whole blessed thing.

         If I do, I might as well do it right, and use my word
processor this time. That will save it as a .abw file, of course;
but most of my correspondents, poor unretired souls, are still
chained to the Gates of Hell and his Abominable OS -- and, probably,
don't have good software; they may even do their email at work or in
a public library, and be unable to install it. (Library machines
commonly have a program that runs every night, and completely wipes
anything that's been put on the machine since the previous night. I
wouldn't put it past some employers to have that, too.)

         So I have three Very Dumb Questions. First, given that I
once have waffle_recipe.abw in my shell -- and want to keep it, in
case I decide to make additions or revisions -- is there an easy way
to turn it into waffle_recipe.pdf, and save that separately? Then I
could attach the good one to emails to those who can use it, and the
.pdf to the poor souls.

         Second, in case I do find it or get it back, I know how to
put it back into my shell as either waffles or waffles.txt, by
simply exporting it from Pine and naming it that. In that case, do I
simply call it up in abiword by editing the shell file, eliminating
any extraneous email stuff, such as headers, and saving it? Or is
there a trick? Can Abiword use a .txt file, or a file with no
extension at all??

         Third, is .pdf in fact the most generally useful format for
those who lack both linux and abiword? Or is that just what works on
web sites best, while something else would be better elswhere? And
if so, what? (I understand abiword *will* let me put stuff into
actual MS formats; but my fingers would fall off and I would die
choking on the next waffle if I did that.)

         No doubt all this is obvious to the meanest intelligence; I
beg the pardon of serious AbiWord users (let alone the developers!)
for asking. I hardly ever have any occasion to use a word processor
myself, and follow this list on behalf of Her Who Must Be Obeyed,
who's writing a book -- and is even less technoid than I ...

         If somebody merely tells me RTFM (*with* the location of the
FM), or a URL without comment, such as to a FAQ, I'll be grateful.

         TIA!

-- 
Beartooth Staffwright, Neo-Redneck Linux Enthusiast
A wanderstaff like an Elvish rope should be long,
and strong, and light. And gentle to the hand.
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