| 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 and Record files. I want this information to |
23 | Word, Sheet, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files, as well as a |
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24 | few other less important formats. I want this information to be available |
| 24 | be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion utilities |
25 | to everyone, in order to write better file conversion utilities for popular |
| 25 | for popular (non-)Windows programs. |
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 parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet |
49 | The following formats are supported at this moment: |
| 49 | read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the |
50 | Word (R+W) Word processor files |
| 50 | format directory is supported by it. Of course, it can also not yet |
51 | TextEd (R+W) OPL editor files |
| 51 | cope with inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format) and |
52 | Sketch (R+W) Picture files |
| 52 | other as of yet undocumented things. |
53 | MBM (R+W) Alternate picture format; can contain several pictures |
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54 | ClipArt (R+W) Internal picture format; can contain several pictures |
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55 | Sheet (R) Spreadsheet files |
| 53 | |
56 | |
| 54 | Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example |
57 | Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example |
| 55 | 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. |
| 56 | |
59 | |
| 57 | |
60 | |
| … | |
… | |
| 62 | more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can |
65 | more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can |
| 63 | handle anything that it can. |
66 | handle anything that it can. |
| 64 | |
67 | |
| 65 | 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. |
| 66 | |
69 | |
| 67 | 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 |
| 68 | represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description |
71 | represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description |
| 69 | language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers |
72 | language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers |
| 70 | 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 |
| 71 | 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 |
| 72 | 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 |
| 73 | things are just approximated too. |
76 | things are just approximated too. |
| 74 | |
77 | |
| 75 | 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 |
| 76 | this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is |
79 | browser for this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this |
| 77 | of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's. |
80 | generator is of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's. |
| 78 | |
81 | |
| 79 | 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. |
| 80 | |
83 | |
| 81 | The RTF target is not finished yet; in fact, it is no usable at all |
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| 82 | right now. |
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| 83 | |
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| 84 | All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how |
84 | All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how |
| 85 | you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats. |
85 | you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats. |
| 86 | Your favorite one should be somewhere... |
86 | Your favorite one should be somewhere in there... |
| 87 | |
87 | |
| 88 | 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 |
| 89 | 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 |
| 90 | let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications |
90 | office applications like AbiWord, Gnumeric and the Gimp. |
| 91 | just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for |
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| 92 | some word processors would be very welcome! |
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| 93 | |
91 | |
| 94 | 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 |
| 95 | 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 |
| 96 | licensing terms. |
94 | licensing terms. |
| 97 | |
95 | |
| 98 | |
96 | |
| 99 | NEWS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS |
97 | NEWS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS |
| 100 | ============================ |
98 | ============================ |
| 101 | |
99 | |
| 102 | Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted. |
100 | Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpolluted. |
| 103 | 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 |
| 104 | (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, |
| 105 | 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 |
| 106 | graphics. |
104 | graphics. Version 0.8 can generate files and add Sheet support. Version |
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105 | 0.9 uses Unicode inside, add the psiconv.conf file and has many more |
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106 | enhancements. |
| 107 | |
107 | |
| 108 | High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files. |
108 | High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files. I am running into |
| 109 | Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding |
109 | some trouble understanding Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll |
| 110 | Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after |
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| 111 | all. This is more long-term though. |
110 | figure it out after all. This is more long-term though. |
| 112 | On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most |
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| 113 | office tools to read the Psion files. |
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| 114 | |
111 | |
| 115 | |
112 | |
| 116 | INSTALLATION |
113 | INSTALLATION |
| 117 | ============ |
114 | ============ |
| 118 | |
115 | |
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