This is the html_txt.htm manual, converted using HTML_TXT. High ascii and lineart characters are used -- this version is better suited for non-browser display. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *** HTML_TXT manual *** ®[1]Intro¯ || ®[2]Install&Run¯|| ®[3]Features¯|| ®[4]Parameters¯ || ®[5]Troubleshooting¯|| ®[6]Disclaimer and Contact¯ HTML_TXT: An HTML to Text Converter I) Introduction HTML_TXT, version 1.09, is used to convert an ôHTMLõ file to a TEXT file. HTML_ TXT is written in REXX and is meant to be run under OS/2. However, it also runs under other REXX interpreters, such as Regina REXX for DOS. HTML_TXT will attempt to maintain the format of the ôHTMLõ document by using appropriate spacing and ASCII characters. HTML_TXT can use ASCII art ô(lines and boxes)õ, as well as other high-ascii characters, to improve the appearance of the output (text) file. HTML_TXT can be customized in a number of ways. For example, you can: @ suppress the use of line art and other high ASCII characters (your output will be rougher, but will suffer from fewer compatability problems). @ display tables (including nested tables) in a tabular format with auto-sized columns @ change the bullet characters used in ordered lists @ display ôheadingsõ as an hierarchical outline @ change characters used to signify logical elements (emphasis, anchors, list bullets, etc.) ______________________________________ II) Installling and Executing HTML_TXT HTML_TXT is easy to install and run: 1. Copy HTML_TXT.CMD to a directory. 2. Open up an OS/2 prompt, change to the directory containing HTML_TXT.CMD, and type HTML_TXT at the command prompt. 3. Follow the instructions. ôNo other libraries or support files are needed.õ The READ.ME file describes how to install HTML_TXT if you are a Regina REXX user. II.a) Running from the command line You can also run HTML_TXT from the command line. The syntax is (where x:\HTMLTXT is the directory containing HTML_TXT.CMD): x:\HTMLTXT>HTML_TXT FILE.HTM FILE.TXT /VAR VAR1=VAL1 ; VAR2=VAL2 where : # FILE.HTM is the input file (an HTML document) # FILE.TXT is the output file (a text document) # /VAR VAR1=VAL1 ; VAR2=VAL2 is an OPTIONAL list of parameters to modify. ôExample: D:\HTMLTXT>HTML_TXT FOO.HTM FOO.TXT /VAR LINEART=0 ; LAGUL=* $ ALTERNATIVELY, you can run HTML_TXT from an (OS/2) prompt without any arguments; you will then be asked for an input and output file, and will be permitted to change the values of several of the more important parameters. ______________________________________ III) Features HTML_TXT attempts to support many HTML options; including nested tables, nested lists, centering, and recognition of FORM elements. The following summarizes HTML_TXT's capabilities. ôThis table assumes that you have a basic familiarity with HTML.õ TYPE OF DISCUSSION ®[7]CUSTOMIZATION¯ FEATURE ___________________________________________________________________________ CHARACTER HTML_TXT uses a few tricks to identify where ôDOCAPSõ specifies DISPLAY emphasis (italics, bold, etc.) are used in an when to use HTML document. These include: CAPITALIZATION as an emphasis @ Capitalization of BOLD emphasis ôDOULINEõ specifies @ Underlining of underlined emphasis when to use under_ linining as an @ "quoting" of ôitalicõ and ®[8]nchor¯ emphasis. emphasis ôDOQUOTEõ specifies @ "quoting" of the labels used to identify when to use image elements. Image elements consist of "quotes" as an s and s ô(the ALT attribute, or emphasis the source image filename, is used as the ô(suggestion: you label)õ. might want to add FONT to DOQUOTE)õ ôQUOTESTRING1 and QUOTESTRING2õ specify the characters to use "as quotes" ôPREA and POSTAõ specify the characters used to identify nchors. ôPREIMG and POSTIMGõ specify the characters to use as "quotes" around image labels. ôIMGSTRING_LENõ is used to limit the number of label characters displayed. ___________________________________________________________________________ LISTS HTML_TXT supports nested lists -- with successively deeper indentations used to display nested lists. Supported lists include ôFLAGULõ and

unordered lists,

definition lists, and specifies the

ôboth-side indentedõ blocks. You bullets to use in can:
and (unordered) lists @ Change the bullet styles used in
and lists -- with different bullets ôOL_NUMBERSõ used at different nesting levels. specifies the "numbers" to use in @ Change the numbering style used (by an
(ordered) default) for
lists. Note that HTML_ list. TXT will use TYPE and START attributes of
lists, and will use the VALUE attribute (if specified) of a
. ___________________________________________________________________________ HEADINGS HTML_TXT supports two methods of displaying headings (where n=1,2,..,7). ôPREH1 and POSTH1õ specify the "quote" 1. Headings can be "quoted" character to use for
headings, 2. Headings can be used to create a ôPREHN and POSTHNõ hierarchical outline. specify the "quote" character to use A hierarchical outline refers to headers that for other identify a section. For example: headings (n=2,..,7). I)Main section I.a)Subsection ôHN_OUTLINEõ I.a.1) Sub subsection specifies at what I.b)Sub section 2 heading level to start the In the above example: the I) and I.A) could be hierarchical index used by HTML_TXT to display an
and an
at ô(i.e.; you heading (respectively) probably do not want
headings to be the "top level numbers" of an index)õ HN_NUMBERS.n (n=1,2,.,7) specifies numbering styles to use ___________________________________________________________________________ TABLES HTML_TXT supports tabluar display of nested tables. Many (but not all) attributes ôIGNORE_WIDTHõ can are supported, including: be used to suppress use of WIDTH ~ Display of CAPTION, either at the top or attributes, and to bottom of the table (depending on the suppress value of the CAPTION ALIGN attribute). auto-sizing of columns. ~ WIDTH attributes of
and and options.
. If WIDTH is not specified, HTML_TXT will ôTABLE_BORDERõ can "auto-size" columns, assigning more width be used to write a to columns with wider content (that is, table border by that would have longer lines of text if default; it can horizontal space was not limited). also be used to override a ôno ~ COLSPAN and ROWSPAN attributes are borderõ (a recognized. ROWSPAN is only partially BORDER=0) attribute supported, and may not work properly in complicated tables (tables with lots of ôNOSPANõ can be ROWSPANs and COLSPANs). used to suppress COLSPAN and ROWSPAN ~ ALIGN and VALIGN attributes of
ôSUPPRESS_EMPTY_ ~ BORDER attribute of (either a TABLEõ can be used single or double line is drawn, depending to enable, or on the value of the BORDER= attribute). suppress, the display of tables ~ FRAME="VOID" and RULES="NONE" attributes rows. of
(suppress outer and inner border, respectively) ôTABLEMODE, TABLEMODE2, and ~ the ALIGN attribute of
is TABLEMAXNESTõ can partially supported: be used to control when (if ever) to 1. ALIGN=LEFT in a top level table (that convert tables to is not nested in another table) lists. enablers other text (and other tables) to flow around this table. Note that a ôTABLEFILLERõ can
will break in this be used to fill flow (subsequent text is displayed blank spaces in a below the table) table with something other 2. ALIGN=LEFT, RIGHT, or CENTER in a then a space (say, nested table will align the table with a white box). (relative to the table cell it is nested within). However, text flow ôTD_ADDõ can be will not be attempted -- when nested used to adjust tables are encountered, a paragraph minimum cell widths break (a new line) is always added. ôTABLEVERT and ~ Empty tables, and empty rows, can be TABLEHORIZõ can be suppressed. used to specify characters to use Alternatively, HTML_TXT can display tables (or when drawing highly nested tables) as nested lists. horizontal and vertical borders. These are only used if high ascii characters are suppressed (using ôLINEARTõ); otherwise, ascii line-art characters are used to draw table borders. ___________________________________________________________________________ FORMS HTML_TXT displays FORM elements using several tricks, including: @ ôRADIOBOX and RADIOBOXCHECKõ can $ FILE and TEXT boxes are displayed as a be used to specify ôbracketed dottedõ line. which characters to use as ôradio $ TEXTAREA boxes are displayed as a box buttonsõ surrounding default text. @ ôCHECKBOX and $ RADIO and CHECKBOX boxes are displayed CHECKBOXCHECKõ can using special characters (by default, be used to specify high-ascii boxes are used) which characters to use as $ SELECT (and it's OPTIONS) are displayed as ôcheckbox boxesõ a bulleted list (with length controlled by the SIZE option of SELECT) -- with special @ ôSUBMITMARK1 and lines bracketing the top and bottom of the SUBMITMARK2õ can list. be used to specify "quote" characters $ SUBMIT and RESET are displayed as "quoted" for SUBMIT and strings. RESET @ ôTEXTMARK1, TEXTMARK2, and TEXTMARKõ can be used to specify characters used to construct ôbracketed dottedõ lines. @ ôSHOWALLOPTSõ can be used to suppress the SIZE attribute of SELECT lists (so as to force display of all OPTIONs). @ ôFORM_BRõ is used to force a new line (a BR) after the end of a FORM ___________________________________________________________________________ MISCELLANE @ ,
, and
alignment instructions are recognized @ ôLINELENõ can be used to specify the width of the text file (in characters). ôCHARWIDTHõ is used to map "pixels to character size" -- it is used when interpreting WIDTH attributes. @ ôNO_WORDWRAPõ is used to suppress word wrapping in a paragraph. This yields an ôinfinitely longõ line, which is suitable for reading by a word processor. NO_WORDWRAP is ONLY applied to NON-TABLE lines, and to lines that are NOT CENTERed or RIGHT justified. In addition, indentations (at the beginning of these ôinfinitely longõ lines) will be replaced with tabs (which can be converted to INDENT characters by your word processor). @ ôTOOLONGWORDõ controls whether to trim, or wrap, words that won't fit into a line (or into a cell of a table). @ ôLINEARTõ controls whether to use high ascii characters to draw table borders, list bullets, and "quote characters". ôLINK_ DISPLAYõ controls whether to create a "reference list" of URLs @ ôSUPPRESS_BLANKLINESõ suppresses output of sequential blank lines. @ ôDISPLAY_ERRORSõ controls the amount of error reporting (of HTML syntax) @ HTML_TXT ignores embedded