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Revision 199		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
…		…
39		39
40	THE LIBRARY	40	THE LIBRARY
41	===========	41	===========
42		42
43	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
44	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
45	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
46	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
47	me if you need other license terms.	47	contact me if you need other license terms.
48		48
49	The following formats can be read at this moment:	49	The following formats are supported at this moment:
50	Word Word processor files	50	Word (R+W) Word processor files
51	TextEd OPL editor files	51	TextEd (R+W) OPL editor files
52	Sketch Picture files	52	Sketch (R+W) Picture files
53	MBM Alternate picture format; several pictures can be combined in it	53	MBM (R+W) Alternate picture format; can contain several pictures
54	ClipArt Internal picture format; several pictures can be combined in it	54	ClipArt (R+W) Internal picture format; can contain several pictures
55		55	Sheet (R) Spreadsheet files
56	The parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet
57	read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the
58	format directory is supported by it; but it can not yet cope with
59	inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format).
60		56
61	Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example	57	Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example
62	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.
63		59
64		60
…		…
69	more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can	65	more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can
70	handle anything that it can.	66	handle anything that it can.
71		67
72	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.
73		69
74	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
75	represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description	71	represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description
76	language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers	72	language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers
77	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
78	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
79	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
80	things are just approximated too.	76	things are just approximated too.
81		77
82	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
83	this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is	79	browser for this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this
84	of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.	80	generator is of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's.
85		81
86	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.
87
88	The RTF target is not finished yet; in fact, it is no usable at all
89	right now.
90		83
91	All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how	84	All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how
92	you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.	85	you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats.
93	Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...	86	Your favorite one should be somewhere in there...
94		87
95	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
96	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
97	let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications	90	office applications like AbiWord, Gnumeric and the Gimp.
98	just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for
99	some word processors would be very welcome!
100		91
101	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
102	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
103	licensing terms.	94	licensing terms.
104		95
…		…
108		99
109	Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.	100	Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted.
110	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
111	(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,
112	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
113	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.
114		107
115	High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files.	108	High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files.
116	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
117	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
118	all. This is more long-term though.	111	all. This is more long-term though.
119	On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most
120	office tools to read the Psion files.
121		112
122		113
123	INSTALLATION	114	INSTALLATION
124	============	115	============
125		116

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