/[public]/psiconv/tags/rel-0-9-9/README

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Revision 46		Revision 200
1	INTRODUCTION	1	INTRODUCTION
2	============	2	============
3		3
4	This package is meant to make the Psion 5 series of PDAs, as well as other	4	This package is meant to make the Psion 5 series of PDAs, as well as other
5	small computers running Epoc 32, more usable to non-Windows users. But even	5	small computers running EPOC 32, more usable to non-Windows users. But even
6	they may profit from the data I collected.	6	they may profit from the data I collected.
7		7
8	The package consists of several parts:	8	The package consists of several parts:
9	* Documentation about Psion 5 data formats;	9	* Documentation about Psion 5 data formats;
10	* A library which can be linked against application that have to read	10	* A library which can be linked against application that have to read
11	(and in the future, perhaps write) Psion 5 files;	11	and write Psion 5 files;
12	* An example command-line program which reads Psion files and writes	12	* An example command-line program which reads Psion files and writes
13	more commonly used formats.	13	more commonly used formats.
14		14
15		15
16	DATA FORMATS	16	DATA FORMATS
…		…
18		18
19	As far as I know, and have gathered from the newsgroups, Psion does not want	19	As far as I know, and have gathered from the newsgroups, Psion does not want
20	or is not able to release the data formats of the saved files of their	20	or is not able to release the data formats of the saved files of their
21	internal applications. I am trying to reverse engineer these data formats	21	internal applications. I am trying to reverse engineer these data formats
22	and to document them for general use. At this moment, I understand their	22	and to document them for general use. At this moment, I understand their
23	Word, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files. I want this information	23	Word, Sheet, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files, as well as a
24	to be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion	24	few other less important formats. I want this information to be available
25	utilities for popular (non-)Windows programs.	25	to everyone, in order to write better file conversion utilities for popular
		26	(non-)Windows programs.
26		27
27	All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities	28	All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities
28	in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats.	29	in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats.
29		30
30	Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory	31	Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory
…		…
38		39
39	THE LIBRARY	40	THE LIBRARY
40	===========	41	===========
41		42
42	libpsiconv is a library of routines that you can link against your own	43	libpsiconv is a library of routines that you can link against your own
43	application. It allows you to read Psion 5 files. Note that it comes	44	application. It allows you to read and write Psion 5 files. Note that
44	under the GNU General Public License; that means that you can only link	45	it comes under the GNU General Public License; that means that you can
45	it to programs which are also covered by that license. You can contact	46	only link it to programs which are also covered by that license. You can
46	me if you need other license terms.	47	contact me if you need other license terms.
47		48
48	The following formats can be read at this moment:	49	The following formats are supported at this moment:
49	Word Word processor files	50	Word (R+W) Word processor files
50	TextEd OPL editor files	51	TextEd (R+W) OPL editor files
51	Sketch Picture files	52	Sketch (R+W) Picture files
52	MBM Alternate picture format; several pictures can be combined in it	53	MBM (R+W) Alternate picture format; can contain several pictures
53	ClipArt Internal picture format; several pictures can be combined in it	54	ClipArt (R+W) Internal picture format; can contain several pictures
54		55	Sheet (R) Spreadsheet files
55	The parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet
56	read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the
57	format directory is supported by it; but it can not yet cope with
58	inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format).
59		56
60	Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example	57	Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example
61	psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory.	58	psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory.
62		59
63		60
…		…
68	more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can	65	more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can
69	handle anything that it can.	66	handle anything that it can.
70		67
71	Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax.	68	Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax.
72		69
73	The current HTML3 target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to	70	The current HTML4 target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to
74	represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description	71	represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description
75	language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers	72	language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers
76	and footers are not displayed, because there is no notion of pages in	73	and footers are not displayed, because there is no notion of pages in
77	HTML. Tabs are also difficult; they are not supported yet. This can be	74	HTML. Tabs are also difficult; they are not supported yet. This can be
78	solved using tables, but it is quite hard to do it correctly. Some other	75	solved using tables, but it is quite hard to do it correctly. Some other
79	things are just approximated too.	76	things are just approximated too.
80		77
81	The HTML4 target uses style sheets. You need a not-too-old browser for	78	The XHTML target uses cascading style sheets (CSS). You need a not-too-old
82	this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is	79	browser for this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this
83	of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.	80	generator is of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.
84		81
85	A plain TEXT target just grabs all text, without any futher conversions.	82	A plain TEXT target just grabs all text, without any futher conversions.
86
87	The RTF target is not finished yet; in fact, it is no usable at all
88	right now.
89		83
90	All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how	84	All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how
91	you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.	85	you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.
92	Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...	86	Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...
93		87
94	I would very much like to add other targets, like (La)TeX, RTF (Rich Text	88	In the past, my focus was on extending the number of output targets for
95	Format) and XML (for AbiWord). If other people want to work on this, please	89	this program; at the moment, I belief more in import/export filters for
96	let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications	90	office applications like AbiWord, Gnumeric and the Gimp.
97	just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for
98	some word processors would be very welcome!
99		91
100	Psiconv is licensed under the GPL. Please read the included file COPYING	92	Psiconv is licensed under the GPL. Please read the included file COPYING
101	for exact licensing information. Please contact me if you need some other	93	for exact licensing information. Please contact me if you need some other
102	licensing terms.	94	licensing terms.
103		95
…		…
107		99
108	Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.	100	Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.
109	Starting with version 0.4, the conversion routines are linked into a	101	Starting with version 0.4, the conversion routines are linked into a
110	(static or shared) library. Version 0.5 has autoconf and libtool support,	102	(static or shared) library. Version 0.5 has autoconf and libtool support,
111	and should run on many more platforms. Version 0.6 has support for	103	and should run on many more platforms. Version 0.6 has support for
112	graphics.	104	graphics. Version 0.8 can generate files and add Sheet support. Version
		105	0.9 uses Unicode inside, add the psiconv.conf file and has many more
		106	enhancements.
113		107
114	High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files.	108	High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files.
115	Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding	109	Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding
116	Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after	110	Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after
117	all. This is more long-term though.	111	all. This is more long-term though.
118	On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most
119	office tools to read the Psion files.
120		112
121		113
122	INSTALLATION	114	INSTALLATION
123	============	115	============
124		116

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