In System 6.0.8 with MacWrite 1.0 how do I open a plain text file? I'm using Mini vMac which emulates a Mac Plus (I don't even think I have a Mac Plus anymore, and the SE/30's in the closet probably with leaking caps).

I've managed to get a copy of MacWrite 1.0, and I've got it emulating a 20 meg hard drive (swapping virtual floppies is somehow worse than swapping the real ones).

I'd like to open a plain text/ascii file I've imported into the emulator. It shows in the Finder window, but has the plain document icon. If I save a plain-text file with MacWrite, it shows as a document with little black horizontal lines on it.

If I ever knew what the difference was, I've since forgotten it. Something to do with resource forks or lord knows what. Is it possible to convert my imported text file such that MacWrite can open it? While it is small, I can't simply type out its contents (nor can I script it inside the Mac emulator as I did outside of it... no scripting environment).
The relevant metadata isn't actually stored in the resource fork (per Gordon Davisson). The type and creator codes need to be &quot;TEXT&quot; and &quot;MACA&quot; respectively. When importing into Mini vMac with its file importer tool, these will be set to &quot;BINA&quot; and &quot;SITx&quot; which aren't going to let you do anything with it (unless it's an actual Stuffit archive).
Try the Finder Info tool made for this purpose. It opens with a simple window that has text fields for these two pieces of metadata. Change them. There's no need to click a save button, as soon as you have changed them, they take effect (as with most modern Mac app preferences).
The icon for the file should change as well, and it will be openable with MacWrite.