Contents of /psiconv/trunk/README

INTRODUCTION
============

This package is meant to make the Psion 5 series of PDAs, as well as other
small computers running Epoc 32, more usable to non-Windows users. But even
they may profit from the data I collected.

The package consists of several parts:
  * Documentation about Psion 5 data formats;
  * A library which can be linked against application that have to read
    (and in the future, perhaps write) Psion 5 files;
  * An example command-line program which reads Psion files and writes
    more commonly used formats.


DATA FORMATS
============

As far as I know, and have gathered from the newsgroups, Psion does not want
or is not able to release the data formats of the saved files of their
internal applications. I am trying to reverse engineer these data formats
and to document them for general use. At this moment, I understand their 
Word, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files. I want this information 
to be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion 
utilities for popular (non-)Windows programs.

All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities
in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats.

Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory
formats/psion are completely public domain. I ask anybody who reproduces
them, or uses their information in other programs, kindly to attribute
them to me.

The documentation files are not installed on a `make install'; you can
find them in the subdirectories of the formats directory.


THE LIBRARY
===========

libpsiconv is a library of routines that you can link against your own
application. It allows you to read Psion 5 files. Note that it comes 
under the GNU General Public License; that means that you can only link 
it to programs which are also covered by that license. You can contact 
me if you need other license terms.

The following formats can be read at this moment:
  Word      Word processor files
  TextEd    OPL editor files
  Sketch    Picture files
  MBM       Alternate picture format; several pictures can be combined in it
  ClipArt   Internal picture format; several pictures can be combined in it

The parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet
read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the
format directory is supported by it; but it can not yet cope with 
inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format).

Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example
psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory.


THE PROGRAM
===========

Psiconv is a command-line converter that reads Psiconv files and outputs
more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can
handle anything that it can.

Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax.

The current HTML3 target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to 
represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description
language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers
and footers are not displayed, because there is no notion of pages in 
HTML. Tabs are also difficult; they are not supported yet. This can be
solved using tables, but it is quite hard to do it correctly. Some other
things are just approximated too.

The HTML4 target uses style sheets. You need a not-too-old browser for
this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is
of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.

A plain TEXT target just grabs all text, without any futher conversions.

The RTF target is not finished yet; in fact, it is no usable at all
right now.

All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how
you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.
Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...

I would very much like to add other targets, like (La)TeX, RTF (Rich Text
Format) and XML (for AbiWord). If other people want to work on this, please
let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications
just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for
some word processors would be very welcome!

Psiconv is licensed under the GPL. Please read the included file COPYING
for exact licensing information. Please contact me if you need some other
licensing terms.


NEWS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
============================

Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.
Starting with version 0.4, the conversion routines are linked into a
(static or shared) library. Version 0.5 has autoconf and libtool support,
and should run on many more platforms. Version 0.6 has support for
graphics.

High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files. 
Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding 
Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after 
all. This is more long-term though.
On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most
office tools to read the Psion files.


INSTALLATION
============

Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.
1	INTRODUCTION
2	============
3
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
6	they may profit from the data I collected.
7
8	The package consists of several parts:
9	* Documentation about Psion 5 data formats;
10	* A library which can be linked against application that have to read
11	(and in the future, perhaps write) Psion 5 files;
12	* An example command-line program which reads Psion files and writes
13	more commonly used formats.
14
15
16	DATA FORMATS
17	============
18
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
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
23	Word, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files. I want this information
24	to be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion
25	utilities for popular (non-)Windows programs.
26
27	All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities
28	in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats.
29
30	Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory
31	formats/psion are completely public domain. I ask anybody who reproduces
32	them, or uses their information in other programs, kindly to attribute
33	them to me.
34
35	The documentation files are not installed on a `make install'; you can
36	find them in the subdirectories of the formats directory.
37
38
39	THE LIBRARY
40	===========
41
42	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	under the GNU General Public License; that means that you can only link
45	it to programs which are also covered by that license. You can contact
46	me if you need other license terms.
47
48	The following formats can be read at this moment:
49	Word Word processor files
50	TextEd OPL editor files
51	Sketch Picture files
52	MBM Alternate picture format; several pictures can be combined in it
53	ClipArt Internal picture format; several pictures can be combined in it
54
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
60	Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example
61	psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory.
62
63
64	THE PROGRAM
65	===========
66
67	Psiconv is a command-line converter that reads Psiconv files and outputs
68	more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can
69	handle anything that it can.
70
71	Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax.
72
73	The current HTML3 target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to
74	represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description
75	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
77	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
79	things are just approximated too.
80
81	The HTML4 target uses style sheets. You need a not-too-old browser for
82	this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is
83	of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.
84
85	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
90	All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how
91	you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.
92	Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...
93
94	I would very much like to add other targets, like (La)TeX, RTF (Rich Text
95	Format) and XML (for AbiWord). If other people want to work on this, please
96	let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications
97	just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for
98	some word processors would be very welcome!
99
100	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
102	licensing terms.
103
104
105	NEWS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
106	============================
107
108	Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.
109	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,
111	and should run on many more platforms. Version 0.6 has support for
112	graphics.
113
114	High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files.
115	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
117	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
121
122	INSTALLATION
123	============
124
125	Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.
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